Summer

Taste a fig first to see how sweet it is... and thus how much honey you want to add.

As Labor Day approaches, our staffers are savoring the season with one last lazy weekend of barbecues, tomato salads, and homemade ice cream

Charred to a crisp: Not a statement usually associated with salads, but delicious nonetheless in this Mexican-inspired romaine number from Rose's Luxury.

Considering that tomato is a fruit, the addition of strawberries isn’t that strange in this sauce from Rose's Luxury. The sauce should be quite spicy, which tempers the berries’ sweetness.

Some great things are made with day-old bread: French toast. Croutons. Breadcrumbs. Add this nutty and sugary French pastry from Maurice to the list.

Keep summer going just a little bit longer: Serve these with a pile of steamed, buttered corn.

Zucchini may not be the most loved vegetable, but when shallow-fried into patties, even kids will go crazy for them.

Chef David Chang’s buttermilk dressing is our kind of ranch. Use the freshest beans possible: You want that tender snap.

Celery is the perfect vehicle for a salty, assertive dressing like this one. Chiles and peanuts make this dish that much more addictive. —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

Delicate squash blossoms are a farmers’ market treasure—this helpful GIF will show you how to fry 'em right.

Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew might be the easiest melons to find, but grab one of these lesser-known varieties from the farmers’ market and you’re in for a sweet surprise

Artists, musicians, farmers, and design-lovers are heading up the river to Hudson, New York. (Where, of course, the food’s great, too.)

10 recipes for a bumper-crop feast inspired by the Hudson Valley.

Relax with height-of-the-season dishes from Roberta's chef Carlo Mirarchi

Peaches are perfect right now, so put that bushel to use with a light, biscuity shortcake, effortlessly elegant toasts, and more

This recipe was created by reader Kim Smithers in our Chef Watson potato salad challenge.

When it’s August and produce is this sweet and this fragrant, the last thing Adam Rapoport wants to do in the kitchen is cook.

“A lighter, spicier version I could get down with on even the hottest of days.” —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

For those who love savory snacks. A sprinkling of torn basil wouldn’t hurt, either.

Use a frozen whole grain waffle, or freeze leftover homemade waffles between sheets of waxed paper.

“Coating sweet grilled corn with miso butter brings nutty flavor to a classic.” –Brad Leone, test kitchen manager

This seasoned salt is equally good on other cuts of meat, like chicken thighs or breasts or pork chops. Make a big batch and use it as you like.

The soup equivalent of dipping your bread into tomato sauce, this rustic dish is summer’s comfort food.

Hot weather and spicy foods just go together, but this speedy stovetop dish won’t heat up your kitchen.