Happy Friday, friends! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic week. If it’s 5 o’clock where you are, congratulations on the end of the workday! If you’re still a few hours away like we are, hang in there—weekend vibes are just around the corner.
Melon Season Magic
It’s melon season, and I can’t get enough of these juicy, sweet fruits. A while back, on a delightful date night at 31st Union in San Mateo, I had a melon salad that perfectly captured everything I love about eating fresh, seasonal produce. It was a perfect blend of sweet, spicy, salty, and just plain delicious—and healthy too! After enjoying it multiple times, I decided to try replicating it at home. I’m pleased to say I came pretty darn close. Now, I always have a few melons sitting on my counter, ready for this salad, a melon-banana smoothie, or just a sprinkle of Tajin or flaky salt.
Dealing with Fruit Flies: A Quick Tip
On a slightly different note, the only downside to having beautiful summer fruit on the counter is the pesky invasion of fruit flies. Where do they come from?! If I don’t take precautionary measures, these little critters take over my fruit bowls, which is pretty gross. And even worse, they sometimes land in my wine glass!
TIP: To combat fruit flies during the summer months, I keep a ramekin with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish detergent in my fruit bowl basket. The vinegar attracts the flies, and the dish soap prevents them from escaping the liquid. I cover the ramekin with plastic wrap with large holes so once they get in, they can’t get out. My husband, Eric, humorously calls them my “customers,” and I can easily collect a few dozen within an hour of setting up this little trap.
Perfect Summer Melon Salad Recipe
Back to the star of the show: the melon salad that will make you a rockstar this weekend. This dish is simple and requires just a few ingredients. We love enjoying this salad as a refreshing side to Tomato Pie and sautéed Chicken Apple Sausage – a perfect summer meal combo.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend full of delicious food and good times with family and friends.
Cheers,
Christina
Melon Salad with Feta, Jalapeno and Mint
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups melon cut into bite-size pieces (canteloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 small jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
- 6 mint leaves, thinly sliced or torn
- Aleppo pepper and Tajin seasoning, to taste
Apple-Cider Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make vinaigrette:
- Add all ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake until emulsified.
Assemble Salad:
- In a medium bowl, gently toss melon with 1-2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Divide melon between two bowls.
- Scatter jalapeño, mint and feta evenly over melon.
- Drizzle additional dressing to taste. Season with Aleppo pepper and Tajin seasoning.
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