Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here. Hi, everyone, and good Saturday morning to you. August is almost over, which in some ways makes it feel like summer, as a concept, is almost over, too. The start of school is just around the corner, and the pools are winding down for the season. You know what’s not gone yet, though? The summer bounty at the farmers market. At least where I live, we still have weeks left of tomatoes, squash, corn, peaches and all the other delicious things that make the heat at least somewhat bearable this time of year. And let’s not forget about cooling, crunchy cucumbers, especially the long, ridged Armenian variety that food writer Liana Aghajanian introduced me to (and maybe you, too). “Compared to other cucumbers, they’re milder, with a mellow, balanced flavor and are rarely bitter,” she explained. “The beauty of the Armenian cucumber is that it stays crisp — you never get the soft, watery letdown of a cucumber that’s given up.”
That makes these cukes, which are technically melons and also known as yard-long or snake cucumbers, particularly well-suited for salads. Aghajanian’s Armenian Cucumber Salad With Cantaloupe and Prosciutto, this week’s featured recipe, is a great example. The dish is a riot of flavors, textures and colors, with ribbons of rich, salty meat; juicy, orange melon; crunchy pistachios; and bright, leafy mint. Sliced Armenian cucumbers shine as green-edged rounds, but if you can’t find them, don’t worry. It’s easy enough to swap in mini (Persian) cucumbers, though the texture and flavor will be a little different. You’re going to enjoy this salad either way. Spirits columnist Carrie Allan also put summer produce front and center this week with the Tomatini Cocktail. While many of us are familiar with tomatoes in the context of the famous bloody mary, Carrie notes that this fruit is underrated as a cocktail ingredient. It “can shape-shift depending on how you treat it, sweet and fruity in one sip, rich with savory umami notes in another, tart and bright in yet another.” Here it joins forces with simple syrup, salt, pepper, vodka and white balsamic vinegar in a drink that is not really a martini but shares some of the same DNA. Try it while summer tomatoes are at their peak. In Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger’s Potato and Beet Salad With Pickles, Dill and Egg, a cool dish ideal for warm days gets an assist from vegetables we normally associate with fall and winter. The sturdier potatoes and beets not only hold up well in storage, but also once you’ve incorporated them into the dish, meaning it can sit on the counter or picnic table for an hour or so without wilting, or in the fridge for a few days. Please let me know what else you’re cooking and eating these days — or what you’d like to with my assistance — in my live weekly chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Send your thoughts and questions along now, then don’t forget to come back when the conversation begins. Until next week, happy cooking.
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