MORE ABOUT MOROCCO: What I Ate in Morocco; Fish Tagine with Chermoula, Mint, and Preserved Lemon; Fig and Walnut Cake; Merguez and Green Chard Tagine; Preserved Lemon Aioli

Getting back from Morocco, everybody (including Ms Phoebe) warned me that my culinary predilections would take a turn towards the North African. Whereas I’ve returned from some vacations tired of local food and aching to get back to my regular meals (“no more croissants!” “please, enough of the gelato!”), when I arrived home after ten days away, I wanted to keep…

WEEKEND LUNCH: Creamy Gazpacho; Radicchio and Mozzarella Toasts; Coffee-Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Squares

I didn’t notice this recipe published in the Times (oops), but luckily someone else did: my mom’s friend Shelly. She served it to my mom for dinner, (complete with the pecorino crisps Melissa Clark paired with the soup), and it made such an impact I was duly notified of it the next day. The following weekend, Mom and I made it for lunch, starting off with this beauty of an heirloom tomato.

DISHES: Zucchini-Fennel Slaw; Tuna Burgers with Lemon Paprika Aioli
TYPE: Casual Weeknight Dinner
MAIN INGREDIENT: Preserved Lemons

Over the course of the past year, three of my close friends have been to and from Morocco. For me, this has meant lots of gifts, in the form of lots and lots of spices. I transferred most of them from their various plastic baggies, jars, and sacks into empty canisters on my spice rack. And now that time has passed and the Berber blends have doubled, I have no idea…

Surprise!

This green semi-sphere is not something Shrek shed on my mom’s counter.

It’s a watermelon cake. And I’m posting about it to celebrate my sisters’ birthdays-Jill’s was yesterday and Kate’s is tomorrow. Happy Birthday Jill and Kate!!

TOP 5 SUMMER PASTAS: Linguine with Littlenecks, Tomatoes, and Corn; Garlicky Angel Hair with Shellfish; Pomodoro Fresco Pasta Salad; Summer Squash Angel Hair; Rainbow Rice Noodle Salad with Chicken

If you’re not already outside firing up the grill, pasta is as good a way as any to get in and out of the kitchen very fast. Capellini or angel hair takes only 4 minutes to cook, so if your strategy is to minimize heat and maximize speed, these long skinny shapes will be your savior.

But this summer I’m not afraid to turn on my oven-especially when the result of doing so is baked tomatoes.

FRUIT-FILLED MENU: Avocado Quesadillas with Peach Salsa; Chicken Marbella; Blueberries in Lemon Cream

On Friday, Phoebe opined on one of the best ways to use up summer vegetables (zucchini and scallions; fry them into patties). Today, I’ve got another aspect of summer’s bounty on my plate-two kinds of fruit-and they’re figments of Phoebe’s worst nightmare. She is, as you may or may not know yet, our resident fruit hater.

Last summer, I combined the plentiful peach harvest with the almost-as-abundant blueberry yield into a pie that was enjoyed, even

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EVENT: Diva’s Uncorked Wine & Food Festival
VENUE: Nectar’s, Martha’s Vineyard
PARTY-SIZE: 200+
TYPE: Tasting Event & Partnership with Plum TV
MENU: Cherry Tomato Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta and Three Herb Pesto

Since deciding to spend most of August on Martha’s Vineyard, I’ve been trying to make the most of my time here by inserting myself into the island’s fabulous food culture any way I can. This has meant knocking on a lot of doors. And one that I gave a particularly emphatic rap tap tap to…

OTHER WAYS TO USE YOUR ZUCCHINI: Zucchini-Shallot Frittata; Green Goddess Soup with Zucchini, Chard, and Cilantro; Baked Orzo Ratatouille; Mediterranean Vegetable Hash; Squash Chips with Basil and Balsamic Drizzle; Parlsey Zucchini

The other day, a friend of my family came over for dinner and brought with him one fat kid of a zucchini from his garden. It might have been larger than my femur. He advised my mother to break it down into slices and slowly roast them at a low temperature, 250 degrees, for around 2 hours. She obediently followed…

TOP TEN WAYS TO USE UP SUMMER TOMATOES: Baked Tomatoes with Thyme; Sweet Tomato Jam; Pomodoro Fresco Pasta Salad; Arugula Caprese; Rice Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Almonds, and Herbs; Salmorejo Cordobes; Quinoa Tabouli; Cooked Salsa; Panzanella Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette; Roasted Tomato Soup with Crispy Pancetta; Greens with Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Chickpeas

I can’t seem to stop buying tomatoes when I see a beautiful specimen before me. And since my parents’ friends bring over goodies…

DISH: Radicchio and Fresh Mozzarella Toasts; Grandpa Caprese Panzanella
TYPE: Summer Lunch

MAIN INGREDIENTS: Whole Grain Bread, Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Radicchio
A few Saturdays ago, after my mom had gotten back from her tennis match and I had finished up a long bike ride on my new and very cool road bike, we went out to the farm stands for vegetables. Our favorite stop is at Marilee Foster’s farm. The labels by the vegetables are artistic endeavors in their own right, and, even more charmingly, business used to be conducted on an

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