Watermelon and mint are a classic summer pairing. I love it in a sorbet or a sweet tea drink. But basil is a great match with melon as well, so I worked up this sweet pesto, with the herby, grassiness of basil and a little undernote of mint. It really is a fresh taste of the summer garden. Serve the watermelon however you like – in thin wedges, big chunks or pretty … [Read more...] about Watermelon with Sweet Pesto
Fruit and Vegetables
Butter Braised Lady Peas and Buttermilk Hoe Cakes
My love of field peas has been declared far and wide. I generally grab bags from the farmers market, put some up in the freezer for a mid-winter summer meal. Then I throw some in my field pea pot with whatever pork product I have around. Salt pork, bacon, country ham, fatback. My summer Saturday dinner. But not so with lady peas. Lady peas are delicate and dainty – I am … [Read more...] about Butter Braised Lady Peas and Buttermilk Hoe Cakes
Peach Bourbon Buttermilk Pudding with Candied Pecans
The combination of fresh summer peaches and Southern bourbon is a favorite of mine, and I use it in savory dishes, like Peach Bourbon Grilled Pork Tenderloin, or in sweets, like Peach Butterbourbon Sauce. Faced with an abundance of gorgeous peaches this year, I wanted to create a simple, cool dessert - perfect for hot days. Lightly sweet, fresh with peaches with the tang and … [Read more...] about Peach Bourbon Buttermilk Pudding with Candied Pecans
Southern Baked Shelly Beans
My go to baked bean dish for many years has been my Brilliant Baked Beans made with a variety of canned beans. And I love those beans. But eventually, I started fiddling around with dried beans to recreate memories of New England style baked beans I’d enjoyed when I lived in the area. I like those too. Then I started to find fresh shelly beans and October beans at … [Read more...] about Southern Baked Shelly Beans
Blueberry Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
Simple ingredients of the best quality produce the most amazing results. It always holds true. Fresh blueberries straight from the farmers’ market, real vanilla and creamy buttermilk, the best you can find. I mulled over ways to dress up the cake, make it more exotic or unusual, but in the end, I decided there is really no justification for that, because it is wonderful in … [Read more...] about Blueberry Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
