savor the summer

Although it's mid-August, and the weather in Philly is cooling down a bit, summer is still going strong.  Colorful piles of fruits and vegetables at farmer's markets are an especially vivid reminder.  I had the good fortune today to pick up some grapes that are out of this world.  They are called Reliance grapes, smallish burgundy globes that taste like the sweetest honey.  One of the ladies at work brought a little basket back to the office, and after we sampled a couple of grapes, naturally had to run out to the market and bring home our own bags of goodies.

I picked up just one quart (the Jupiter grapes, slightly larger, oval shaped, deep indigo in color were fantastic too but I didn't bring enough cash this time :), intending to savor as they are in their simple perfection.

Then I came home from work, lugging, among a few other finds at the market, my very ripe peach which I had intended to eat as a snack in the office.  On the way home, I was thinking of cutting it up into some Greek yogurt and drizzling with just a little bit of honey.  While rooting around to make space in my fridge for my new purchases though, I came across a tub of mozzarella di bufala, and a crazy idea began to form in my mind.

What if I cut up the peach, sliced up a bit of that creamy, milky cheese, and mixed it all together with some balsamic vinegar and honey?  It could be a variation on either peaches-and-cream, or a Caprese salad.  Either way I had to try it.  I think at the back of my mind was some NYTimes article (probably one of Mark Bittman's posts?) just begging to see the light :)

So I went ahead and did it.  And tasted.  And found that sweet, juicy peaches, combined with the creaminess and subtle tang of fresh mozzarella, are a match made in heaven.  The balsamic vinegar and honey emphasize and help bind the flavors together.

But I wasn't finished there, as I still intended to nosh on some grapes.  So I added a handful of grapes, and that just took it to a whole new level, as Denise would say :)

It was the perfect summer salad, and I hope you'll try this combination.  I promise it won't disappoint.  This is best enjoyed anytime you want a reminder of summer's bounty and generous warmth.

You'll need:
-One ripe and juicy peach
-1/3 of a ball of fresh, buffalo milk mozzarella
-about 1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
-a drizzle of honey
-a handful of nice, juicy, sweet seedless grapes - I would say this is optional since it's probably easier to get your hands on the first four ingredients at most grocery stores (except possibly the mozzarella, but any Trader Joe's or Whole Foods have got to have both the grapes and cheese.  By the way, I got my mozzarella from Costco!  They actually carry Fattorie Garofalo mozzarella, score!), and the combination sans grapes is still delicious.

-Slice up that peach and the cheese, stir with the vinegar and honey, gently fold in grapes if you are using them.  And enjoy :)  I think a good ginger beer, caipirinha, or white wine, if you have any of these handy, would make a great addition to your experience.  And if you're having a light dinner, why not some toasted whole wheat bread (the finest, densest loaf with a good, moist crumb) with a bit of prosciutto and Fontina?  (If you're doing dinner, then definitely pair with the wine and preferably some good company!) I'll stop here but honestly, I find food experiences that border on epiphany incredibly exciting, and when I find them, I just want to tell everyone.  So I'm encouraging you to try the first four ingredients at the very least..and to have fun enjoying good, healthy food.