The other day I bought an 'heirloom' tomato grown a few hundred miles away in the Central Valley of California. I know it's only June and the truly homegrown tomatoes aren't in season yet, but I've been really craving a fresh tomato for my salads. Also, I was curious if it would turn out to taste as good as it looked. So I brought it home and sliced it into a green salad and of course it was disappointing. Not that it was horrible, but it wasn't great. The flavor was so-so and the texture a little too soft and mealy. I should have gone with the strawberries. More

Watermelons are just starting to come into season in the warmer parts of the country. This means that farmers markets will soon resound with the drumbeat of shoppers thumping watermelons to find the most perfect picnic-worthy specimens. Do you know how to pick the best watermelon? More

We often forget that a picnic is an excellent way to eat a solo meal, probably due to the fact that picnics are usually associated with romantic interludes or family reunions. But of course the picnic equally belongs to the single diner who may find inspiration and appreciation in a change of scenery and a few quiet moments spent in nature. More

It's not really summer until we've taken a big bite from a half-moon of cantaloupe and felt its syrupy juice drip awkwardly down our chins. It may not have the sexiness of the strawberry or the regular picnic-gig of the watermelon, but the sweet golden-hued summer cantaloupe still ranks up there as one of our all-time favorite fruits. How do you like to eat it? More

Frozen yogurt is not ice cream, and it's not even a substitute, no matter what TCBY says. It's another animal entirely, and when we stop comparing it to its richer cousin, we enjoy it oh so much more. This one is just about the best we've ever made, and it's so, so easy. More

A big dose of wheat in the grain-bill gives beers a soft fruit flavor and a refreshing zesty crispness. In other words: the perfect summer brew. Here are five favorite wheat beers to have in your fridge when the thirst strikes. More

There will be a crumble of one kind or another on my table from now until Thanksgiving. Not to mention crisps and cobblers. Making any of these is so easy that you barely need a recipe; in fact, one basic recipe with some variations will serve for each. The only requirement is fresh summer fruit, the riper and closer to jamminess the better. More

I love entertaining in the summer summer better than any other time of the year. The days are long and lazy, dinner can be a motley potluck of dishes added to the picnic table as guests arrive, and dessert...oh, dessert! With blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and plums all competing for attention on farmers market tables, summer desserts must be lavish affairs featuring the very best of the season. More

I love having a dessert recipe in my backpocket that's simpler to make than it looks. These are the ones you break out for get-togethers, the ones that people think you spent all afternoon on and you really spent no more than 15 minutes of active time. This is one such dessert. More

It's impossible to resist picking up a pint of fresh berries from the farmers market this time of year, so why even try? This quick bread recipe uses just one cup of berries and makes a slightly sweet loaf that's perfect for summer snacking. More