Watermelon Salad

This may very well be my favorite salad... at the very least in my top 5. I found this while flipping through a Nigella Lawson cookbook I picked up at a thrift store (like who could part from such a treasure!?) The picture was amazing, but I was skeptical about the flavor combinations; it was like nothing I had ever tried before. I was tempted. The moment I took my first bite, literally everything I had once known to be true came into question. Where had this been all my life? How could I have never experienced such vibrant flavors? I may sound a bit dramatic, but it is merely to entice you to give this dish a whirl. It will transport you to another place; a better, warmer, sunnier place to be exact. To get the full recipe, visit here, but I like to take thinly sliced red onion that has been soaking in fresh lime juice and add it to watermelon, feta, kalamata olives, mint and freshly cracked pepper. I also recommend listening to a little Beirut while you enjoy this taste of summer.

Simple Summer Supper

Last night's dinner was a showcase for a few of the Farmer's Market goodies we had on hand. Accompanied by a nice glass of vino rosso, and we were all set!

1 handful of fresh tomatoes (we used cherry)

fresh mozzarella (Ciliegine)

few sprigs of basil (more the merrier, really)

a spill of olive oil

a 1/2 spill of balsamic vinegar

s & p to taste

fresh bread loaf (we had french, but ciabatta would be great!)

1 garlic clove, halved

In a bowl mix the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Toast a slice of bread then rub garlic across the top while still hot. Top the toast with a helping of tomato mixture, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

"Beer Me!"

A few weekends back we headed up north to Eureka for a wedding and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to turn it into a beer tasting weekend. Our first stop was the Ukiah Brewing Co. which we were pleased to find has an entirely certified organic menu full of local offerings. Afterwards we strolled the town to work off our meals and came across a great place to satisfy our sweet tooths, Schat's Bakery & Cafe... I chose a Russian Tea Cake and Brian opted for the Snickerdoodle.

Our last stop before leaving Eureka on Sunday was Lost Coast Brewery. The funky atmosphere and great meal added that much more enjoyment to the delicious beer. We left with a 6-pack of the highly recommended Tangerine Wheat Ale.

While I am sure we drank more calories that weekend then we should have... it was worth it. At least I made up for it with a night of wedding dancing.