The longest day of the year is June 21 and we celebrate the summer solstice with everything fresh and delicious. Peach season has started, berries are bright and beautiful, summer vegetables are in abundance, salmon season is on and did I see my first tomato? This time of year days are long, heat is high and nights always seem to cool. Don’t you feel fortunate to live here in Sonoma County?
Now’s the time to dust off that weber (in our case) and/or clean off your grill and enjoy outdoor dining, barbecues, picnics and more. From here on out we eat most of our meals in our screened porch. We have been known to set up tables in the aisles of the orchard too, always a beautiful way to dine, and as the evening progresses and the sun fades, the trees create a sort of shelter or ensconced space.
The peach farm has about 1,000 trees so peach wood is abundant. Peach trees have a limited productive life of about 30 years, so we are constantly removing trees that are past their prime. We then give the soil a break for a year and replenish it before we plant again. We put the peach wood to good use — we barbecue with it. When Lora Zarubin produced a piece in House & Garden on the farm, she introduced us to it and insisted we use it, and we have been working with it ever since. Like apple wood, it emits a wonderful fragrance.
Farmers markets are a must this time of year; they are thriving. I often create a menu given what is freshest and best at the moment. This is the perfect time to visit your favorite fruit and produce vendors, grab some delicious bread, or pick up some olive oil. Enjoy your coffee and sit down for a meal while you make sure you have all the ingredients you need.
Here are some dishes we make all summer long. I hope you like them.
Summer Green Salad. I love Ed Miller’s Carrot Top lettuces. You have to arrive early to the Healdsburg market; there is always a crowd around his table at opening. I’ll then pick up what looks good as I walk the aisles of the market. Sometimes there are pea shoots at Blue Leg, I like the tang of Ridgeview Farm’s radishes, and I enjoy pickling red onions from Middleton. When you get home and are making your salad, Michele Jordan recommends sprinkling the greens with salt just before dressing, then use a big mixing bowl to toss your salad and coat all the greens, and I always top my salad with sunflower seeds at the very end for a little crunch.
Fresh tomato, basil, and burrata salad. This is so quick, simple and delicious. Just slice all your ingredients, alternately layer them on a plate, and then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grilled corn on the cob. Start by pulling away the husks and remove the silk threads. Put the husks back in place and soak corn in cold salted water for at least 10 mins. Put the soaked corn on the grill and rotate until cooked through. Once husk is browned, test kernels for tenderness.
Grilled salmon. We brush our salmon, from Santa Rosa Seafood or Anna’s, with olive oil and chopped herbs, then grill skin side down on foil, because the peach wood is so hot.
Grilled peaches. We grill peaches all summer long, for it intensifies the flavor and brings out the natural juices. It is remarkable. Just slice firm peaches in half along the seam and remove the pit, coat flesh side with olive oil, and grill face down until cooked through. It is wonderful as a side dish, or at the end of the meal with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Yum!
Next month: Summer desserts
Gayle Okumura Sullivan is co-owner, with husband Brian, of Dry Creek Peach & Produce in Healdsburg.
