Each day in December, I’m celebrating my best bites (and sips) in 2012, posted in chronological order.
Why They’re Best Bites: These two dishes epitomized summer cooking for me, so I’m combining them into one post. Both came from recipes that caught my eye online, and relied almost exclusively on ingredients from my neighborhood farmers’ market. For the crostini, I subbed in local nectarines instead of peaches, along with local mozzarella, local bread, and the juiciest local heirloom tomato I could find. With basil, balsamic, and freshly ground pepper to top it off, these crostini were bursting with flavor and could stand alone as a meal. The watermelon used in the salad also came from the market, its sweeter-than-normal flesh contrasted against the salty feta and crunchy pumpkin seeds. The salad paired great with grilled meat, but would also make an excellent first course on its own. Both dishes involved minimal preparation and just let the seasonal produce speak for itself, exactly how summer meals should be.
The details: Check out the crostini recipe from Joy the Baker and the watermelon salad recipe from Top Chef contestant Grayson Schmitz.