Simple Ways to Incorporate Fresh, Local Flavors into Everyday Meals

One of my recent dinners is a great example. I had beautiful ripe peaches, fresh greens, sweet tomatoes, prosciutto, and blue cheese, so I brought them together in a big summer salad. I served it alongside crispy chicken cutlets, and dinner was done.

That’s what I love about cooking this time of year. Start with what’s fresh and let those ingredients guide the meal.

Tomatoes and basil can become a quick pasta or salad. Sweet corn and zucchini make an easy summer side. Peaches and berries don’t have to be saved for dessert—they’re wonderful paired with savory ingredients like cheese, greens, chicken, or seafood.

Fresh herbs are another easy way to change a dish completely. Basil, parsley, dill, mint, cilantro, and chives bring brightness to salads, grilled meats and seafood, vegetables, sandwiches, and even simple scrambled eggs.

And when produce is at its best, it really doesn’t need much. Good olive oil, a splash of vinegar or citrus, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs can be enough.

Summer is also a great time to cook a little more flexibly. Instead of following a recipe exactly, substitute what looks best at the market that week. Add fresh vegetables to a favorite pasta, toss herbs into a salad, add ripe tomatoes to sandwiches, or slice fresh fruit into something savory.

This approach is especially helpful when entertaining. Rather than making several complicated dishes, put together one beautiful seasonal salad, add a simply prepared protein and good bread, and you’ve got a meal that feels special without spending the entire evening in the kitchen.

At Culinary Works, this is something I encourage all the time: start with great ingredients, don’t overcomplicate them, and trust yourself enough to make a recipe your own.

The next time you visit a farmers’ market or farm stand, pick up whatever catches your eye and figure out dinner from there.

Sometimes those spontaneous meals turn out to be the best ones.

Fresh Peach Summer Salad

This isn’t so much a recipe as an idea—change the amounts and ingredients depending on what you have.

Fresh peaches + mixed greens and arugula + tomatoes + crispy prosciutto + blue cheese.

I dressed mine simply with extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar, but almost any vinaigrette you love will work.

Serve it on its own or alongside chicken, steak, fish, or shrimp for an easy summer meal.