Sunday mornings are reserved for the farmer’s market. The freshest and tastiest fruits & vegetables are available here. Plus an array of produce that you don’t see at your average supermarket. 

I love that I can chat with the people who grow my food, discover unfamiliar produce, sample tree-ripened fruits, exchange recipes and have meaningful conversations with perfect strangers. 

The farmer’s market is an ever changing canvas of beautiful colors and interesting looking displays that make you want to reach out and try new things. Here, life seems to slow down in a way. Nobody is in a rush and neither am I. An easy hour rolls by as I load my cart with farm-fresh goodies.

Back home, the next 15-20 minutes are spent putting my haul away. Deftly stacking up the fruit in an unknockable dome in the fruit bowl. Transferring the berries one-by-one by hand from the cardboard crate into a container where they will last the whole week. Pulling aside rogue berries that don’t pass my visual inspection as I go through their tribe; those that are likely to mold soon and corrupt the rest of the gang go into a separate container, to be consumed before the rest. Sorting the greens. Separating the leaves from the tender stems. Wrapping the herbs neatly in a paper towel before packing them away in a bag in the crisper drawer. 

I find these tasks strangely meditative and relaxing even though my mind is busy the whole time planning the meals for the week. The spinach and spring onions are best consumed in a day or two. The beet & radish greens can be cooked with the spinach….nobody will know they are hiding in there. The shiitake should be eaten by Thursday to enjoy their prime plumpness. The 5 lbs of overripe tomatoes I picked up at reduced price can be roasted and stored for later, etc, etc. 

And in spite of all the intricate planning, I manage to convince my family everyday that they are the ones deciding the dinner menu! Ha!! 😂😎

Illustrated by Trupti Bane

Today I picked up some incredible looking summer squash (Zephyr and striped Italian variety) and picture-perfect heirloom tomatoes that I couldn’t wait to dig into! Paired with shallots, fresh basil, feta and a simple vinaigrette, they made a very pretty, sophisticated and satisfying salad.

The two-toned Zephyr Squash has a unique contrasting color pattern that is very refreshing. They look like slender yellow summer squash with faint white stripes dipped in a lovely pale green on one end.

This salad is very simple and hardly a recipe. But the picture looked so pretty, that I had to share it here.

Summer Squash & Heirloom Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

2 Zephyr squash (about 5-6 inches long)

1 slender Italian striped squash (about 5-6 inches long)

2 heirloom tomatoes

1 small shallot

Handful of basil leaves

Feta for topping

For the dressing:

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 plump clove garlic, minced

1 tsp black poppy seeds

Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small bowl, slice the shallot thinly, squeeze some lime juice over it and keep it aside.

Trim the ends of the squash and cut them into half lengthwise. Cut the two halves into 1.5-2 inch pieces.

Steam the squash: Add 1-inch of water to a pan and bring it to a boil. Fit a steamer basket over it and add the summer squash to it. Cover and steam for 2-3 mins on high flames. Turn off the stove, uncover and transfer the steamed squash onto a plate to cool. 

Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well.

Slice the tomatoes horizontally.

Tear some basil leaves and keep ready.

Once the squash has cooled down, arrange the tomatoes, squash, shallots and basil on a platter. 

Drizzle the dressing on the salad and top with feta before serving.

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Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram & tag it with the hashtag #nibblengobble.