Summer Evening at the Farmer's Market

I love this time of the year when farmers markets start happening in the evening downtown. There’s nothing better at the end of the day than a stroll through the market, basket in hand, the smell of fresh fruit and herbs in the air. After a recent visit to our local farmers market, we stopped off for a walk in the now golden Bay Area hills, before heading home to make Red Roasted Carrots and a Chard Quiche for dinner.

Hope you have time to make it to your local farmers market this weekend!

Artwork & Recipe by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Prosciutto e Melone

While studying art in college for a year in Italy, I discovered the classic Italian antipasto, Prosciutto e Melone (prosciutto and melon). It couldn’t be simpler or tastier on a warm summer evening before dinner! I suggest enjoying it with a Campari aperitif (like Campari and soda) or a glass of chilled Rosé wine. In Italy, the melon slices are cut large, as above, but for parties I like to prepare bite sized cubes of melon wrapped in prosciutto (and a little toothpick to hold each together). Buon Appetito!

by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Strawberry Caprese

Very excited to have my Strawberry Caprese recipe featured as a double page spread in the current issue of Edible San Francisco Magazine! This salad is so simple and summery- try it with a glass of crisp, cold white wine. The magazine’s Summer issue is fantastic- it hits the shelves early next week, but in the meantime you can see the online version here.

Strawberry Caprese photos, recipe and illustration by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Edible Magazine cover image (top left, berries & cherries) by Kimberley Hasselbrink

Strawberry Cucumber Salad

A simple late spring salad! Strawberries, ribbons of cucumber, slivered almonds, crumbled goat cheese and sliced snow peas (or sugar snap peas) all on a bed of soft butter lettuce. A light dressing of your choice!

Photos and Illustration by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Memorial Day BBQ Potluck Menu

To kick off summer, yesterday we had some friends over for a Memorial Day BBQ. People brought the most wonderful things to share like tzatziki potato salad (yogurt instead of mayo, brilliant) and a raw kale salad with shaved parmesan and tofu. My husband fired up the grill . I had some fennel from our CSA box to use up so I combined cauliflower, fennel and onions with lots of spices and olive oil and roasted them until they were carmelized. I also made up a light arugula salad with shaved raw fennel and oranges. Welcome, summer!

Photos and Illustrations by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast