Summer

Zucchini is the most versatile vegetable. On it’s own it is so-so. There is so much you can do with it. I like to pair it with grilled onions, roasted tomatoes, left over brown rice and some Parmesan cheese and bake it for an easy week night side dish.

It is great grilled; pour a little olive oil and balsamic on it with a little salt and pepper, grill it until it is slightly soft, serve it up with a yummy rib eye, mmmm. It is great in muffins and tea breads.

Yet, it is especially delicious breaded and baked. This is a great way to get the kids to eat some veggies. These are easy and delicious. No frying, they are baked and they are a perfect with almost anything.

Summer is nearly here. For many Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of summer with barbecues and backyard parties. And with the hot weather that we on the East coast are already having, it's easy to start entertaining like it's summer. I found myself pulling out the grill for the first time yesterday, and it couldn't have happened any sooner. My oven will be on hiatus for the next few months. Right now with the availability of fresh spring salad greens and herbs in farmers' markets, I find myself creating recipes that require little or no cooking. I'm taking every opportunity to use garden-fresh produce, especially herbs.

One in particular is my favorite as well as the most utilized herb of many cuisines. Parsley, what would Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking be without it? You might only know parsley as a sprig of green that garnishes food. But one of the best uses for parsley as a main ingredient is the popular Lebanese dish of tabbouleh. Served in many Mediterranean restaurants and even supermarket salad bars, it's no stranger to American palates. It's a refreshing salad typically served alongside Middle Eastern appetizers called mezze. It can also be very versatile, making a great summer salad to eat with grilled meats.

I went to the Farmers’ Market on Saturday and I believe I snapped. I bought so many berries, the berry guy can send his daughter to college on his profits.

I bought so many berries I got a flat tire on the way home. I bought so many berries I really have no option but to make several desserts and possibly some jam.

Luckily this recipe uses a lot of berries and is quite delicious. I made it on Saturday, then blueberry muffins on Sunday and I have a waiting list of berry recipes for this week. (I’ll keep you posted.)

My apron looks like a Jackson Pollock paining, his blue/red period.

With the bounty of produce at hand, summer is an ideal time to bring the garden indoors and enjoy the benefits of nature’s bounty at your table…especially in the air conditioning!

My inspirations often stem from interesting places and the springboard for this tablescape was a green plumb. The vibrant green yet soft and strong simultaneously led me to think of the different shades of greens that abound. Table linens depicting exotic summer flora and fruit and napkins in an ochre chartreuse proved the perfect pairs for the green inspired tableau.

Though the linens boast gorgeous colors in vivid rich hues, a simple gathered arrangement of garden greenery and faint colored blossoms was ideal for the centerpiece. Using a silver plateau inverted to hold oasis, I mounded and layered leaves of variegated hydrangea, acuba, hosta, fern fronds, and pale blue lace cap and ‘Ayesha’ hydrangeas. The tapestry of greens and soft florets were grounded with creams of ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea that carried the cream theme into the cream glazed earthen ware from Provvista Desgins.

As for other elements of the setting, the garden inspired natural theme was continued with hydrangea leaf chargers, arrayed in concentric rings around and under the plates. Since the wild green plums were the inspiration for the tablescape, bowls brimming with the tart fruits served as perfect take home gifts for guests and place settings.