The summer bounty is truly here. Our Sola Gratia half share box was overflowing yesterday. I can't imagine how much you full share folks get! Summer bounty seems to be in full swing: watermelon, Swiss chard, tomatoes, eggplant, green peppers, red peppers, corn, two kinds of onions, potatoes, and melon. Our kitchen smelled heavenly as I unpacked it all.

Since Owen had requested steak for his prisoners' last meal (aka last night before the first day of school) we wanted something light to go with it. We went with corn on the cob and a watermelon and tomato salad. Watermelon and tomato are one of my favorite combinations. I like them chunked up together, or sliced prettily. It's good with a vinaigrette over it or just some salt and pepper.  Last night I made it a slightly more formal salad and added some feta cheese as well as fresh basil and mint. I love feta cheese but I had always thought that it might overpower the sweetness of the watermelon. How wrong, wrong, wrong one can be. Ernie bought a nice hunk of Greek feta at World Harvest but the sharpness of the feta was TOTALLY mellowed by the sweetness of the fruit. It was really…well, it was really perfect.

Tomato and Watermelon with Feta and Herbs

Even parts chunked or sliced watermelon and tomato
Roughly chopped or torn basil and mint (3 or 4 good sized leaves each perhaps)
Olive oil and vinegar to taste (I used olive oil and a white balsamic vinegar just drizzled over)
Salt and pepper

Toss together and then sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

You can get fussier if you want but it's really as simple, and as open to variation, as the classic combo on cucumbers and tomato. You could reduce some balsamic to make a bit of a glaze, or you could put it over a bed of arugula or just throw the tomatoes and watermelon together with nothing else and devour. It tastes like summer.

Let me know what else you're making that tastes like summer….