Summer cravings.... what is your favorite summer dish?

For me it is mozzarella di buffala, ripe vine tomatoes, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil - a match made in heaven!!! And forget not the crusty bread to soak the left over olive oil!

Paulo, do you not also enjoy a bit of aged balsamic vinegar on this salad? I know this is not kosher, but some really, really finely sliced red onion rings goes well with this too.

It just is too overwhelming for me, Bob. Balsamic vinegar completely takes the dish somewhere else and takes away the enjoyment of the delicate buffalo mozarella - for my taste buds.

One recipe that I enjoy is cubed pecorino cheese with chopped onions and balsamic vinegar - I bet you would enjoy that! This is something I enjoy when I want something bold and beautiful!

[Robin Garr]

For me it is mozzarella di buffala, ripe vine tomatoes, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil - a match made in heaven!!! And forget not the crusty bread to soak the left over olive oil!

Caprese! I love that too, Paulo! I can't think of any summer treat that I love more at the moment, unless it's homemade peach ice cream at the peak of the season. Or maybe just a fresh local peach at the peak of the season. :-9

Peach is a very elegant flavor. I also love peach flavored iced tea!

Have you ever had a rose' with caprese? I have never tried it but have heard it is a great wine to have with it. Must try.

Lobster...crab...more lobster...

Lobster...crab...more lobster...

And which wine do you have with your "Lobst-AH", Joe???

Trimbach CFE with my lawbstah.

Caprese, no question.

Balsamico is useful if the tomatoes aren't excellent, but if the tomatoes aren't excellent, I don't make this dish!

I'm with Paulo on this one. Go out to the garden and pick the tomato and basil. Some nice thick slices, some fresh mozzarella, a few bits of basil, sometimes pan-fried shallot, and some good olive oil.

Second would be fresh corn, 2-3 minutes in rolling salted water, no butter, no extra salt, just an unadorned ear of corn.

I prefer Vouvray with my lawbstah.

It's so hard to pick just one. While caprese is up there, since it's been mentioned so many times already in this thread, let me throw out something different, another favorite of mine when the weather turns hot. Vitello tonnato. Properly made, this is a satisfying dish that doesn't overheat the kitchen.

Also up there would be a seafood salad made with calamari rings, shrimp and scallops, red pepper, onion and some good olive oil. Along with some bread, I could eat that every day.

My favorite is BRUCHETTA. Grill crostini and then top with tomatoe/basil/OO or liver/onions/herbs or Tuscan white bean spread or as in this weekend an eggplant & pepper mixture. Also like just crostini with rubbed garlic. Oh yeah, lots of wine. Just can't seem to get excited about this in the winter.
Walt

%^)

Summer Salad !

Fresh sliced vine ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced cucumbers, and sliced sweet Fresno red onions marinated in a red wine vinegar, sugar, and water mixture and chilled in the fridge ...

Clink !

%^)

Bruschetta (and it is pronounced broo-skeh-tah!) is also a favorite! Of course, you gotta have good ripe tomatoes. I have yet to find a bread that equals to what one has in Italy. Again, the basil, olive oil, and rubbed garlic on the toasted bread makes it. I have also had it with chopped arugula and shaved parmesan - also very delicious.

I'm exactly on board with your choice, Paulo.

Of course, raw vegetables from my garden of any type are always out of this world good. :-)

I have yet to find a bread that equals to what one has in Italy.

Paulo,
There is a reason for this. Baguettes are rustic breads with no oils or fats. They go stale in about 1/2 a day. In Europe, many bakeries make the baguette, or related bread, in the morning and then again to sell in the afternoon. IMHO you cannot buy a baguette at a grocery store, or most bead stores for that matter, because they are on the shelf too long to remain fresh. Your solution is to make the bread yourself. The good news is that if you make it yourself and immediately freeze it you can thaw it, refresh it in the oven and it will be almost like fresh bread. A good baguette is very difficult to come by here in the states. Countrty breads with lots of greains and nuts are a different thing and can many times be found.
Walt

Actually - the best solution is going over to Europe! Which I do as often as I can!

No doubt about it.....Caprese! I use heirloom tomatoes, many colors, Sun Gold Cherry and red cherry, yellow pear, along with Kalamata olives, fresh basil, crusty sour dough chunks and a fresh garlic vinaigrette. With summer tomatoes and basil, we have this at least twice a month. Oh, and I also add, fresh marjoram leaves. Such a nice flavor.

Paulo, here in the Bay Area, we have quite a few bakeries that can compete with the best of Europe. If you're ever out here, do not miss Acme, some of the best in the world. Makes GREAT bruschetta, especially with our local heirlooms.

Paulo, here is another salad that I bet you would like:one roasted red pepper, canned is ok. spread the pepper on your plate and drizzle with EVOO..the better the oil the better the salad.. Then sprinkly heavily with crumbled feta cheese. add a goodly amount of fresh dill weed finley chopped. Chill in the fridge for up to a half hour, and while that is chilling make another for you WILL want seconds!

While not a dish, aside from a big chunk of watermelon, a summer snack I look forward to digging into is just a bag of sugar snap peas...

Watermelon for me as well, but also corn on the cob. Fresh picked of course.

My homemade Panzanella, which I make better than anybody else! I use homegrown vine-ripe tomatoes.