My favorite Summer “Salad” featuring Growers Market Goodies

There are two times of year that the Saturday Growers market is at its absolute best. The first is in the late spring/early summer when you get yummy forage crops and early summer berries, but the second magical time is the best. It’s this period from mid August to mid September when the heirloom tomatoes are at their best flavor and texture, there are grapes and asian pears to enjoy, and you can still grab some summer crops like corn and peaches. It’s like summer ends with a big firework of yummy fruits before you settle into your pumpkin coma for the year. AND it can result in this glorious salad

You may have missed out on the asian pears and grapes, because North Star Orchard (the BEST place to get Asian pears and grapes) was telling people that this week was the only week for asian pears. The grapes are on their 5th week at the market and that’s a pretty long season for grapes so they’re probably out too… Definitely still check out North Star Orchard, though, because they’re selling asian pear cider and fruit butters that are absolutely delicious and the perfect bridge into Fall.

HOWEVER, if my memory serves, there are still a few weeks left of good tomatoes. Go next week for sure! The Grower’s Market is on the corner of Chestnut and Church Street every Saturday from 9AM-1PM. As the weather gets cooler, some of the tomatoes get mealier and less acidic and bright, which makes them less idea for slicing and salads. In early summer all of the tomatoes are nice and bright, but in the late summer, you’re better off getting cherry tomatoes of all colors and the HEIRLOOMS.

You can get them in any of the weird shapes and colors that you see and they are all delicious. My wonderful husband and growers market shopper picked up regular looking red heirlooms today, but the wild colors make for an even more fun salad.

SPEAKING OF SALADS… you really have got to try my favorite celebration of our local tomatoes… my Summer Tomato Soba Salad

Here you can see the beautiful ingredients haul for the salad which includes some Grower’s Market goodies and some grocery items

The recipe will be below, but first a big shoutout to these beautiful ingredients from in town:
Heirloom tomatoes (grower’s market)
Microgreens (grower’s market)
Cypress Grove goat cheese (Carlino’s)
Olive Oil (Taste of Olive)

The soba noodles we bought at Whole Foods. Cypress Grove goat cheese is also sold at Whole Foods.

and the flaky Maldon salt we got from Amazon. The texture on this stuff is insane. It’s worth it. Not too expensive and a game changer to add both salt and texture to salads, roasty vegetables, or show stopping proteins.

RECIPE TIME (warning. I will not look up the best way to write a recipe before doing this. have fun.)

Genevieve’s Summer Soba Salad (it takes about 10 minutes to make a salad for 1 happy person)

Ingredients:
– 2 smallish tomatoes (must be in season, local, and delicious or else the salad is RUINED lol!)
– 1 greedy handful of your favorite microgreens (honestly just salad greens works just fine and are cheaper)
– 1 serving of soba noodles
– 1-2 oz of your favorite goat cheese (I like Cypress Grove)
– 1 healthy glug of your favorite drizzling olive oil (Taste of Olive can hook you up here)
– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Make your soba noodles according to the package & rinse them with cold water in your strainer until they are room temp or cooler. (I typically cook them for about 30 seconds less than the package for a firmer noodle.)

2. If you are coordinated, you can slice the tomatoes into bite sized chunks while the noodles are cooking. I typically slice them straight onto the plate or bowl I’m going to eat out of.

3. Add your flaky (or regular) salt, a healthy glug of your favorite Olive Oil, and your goat cheese to the tomatoes. Stir it just well enough that the goat cheese is spread evenly throughout the mixture

4. Plop your soba noodles on top of the tomato mixture and fold the tomatoes over and over until they are evenly distributed throughout the noodles

5. artfully place your greens on the top of the noodles and tomatoes so that you can photograph it and send the picture to your friends

6. fresh ground pepper on top to taste

7. devour and enjoy 🙂 (pictured below with salad greens instead of microgreens. I find them pretty much equally delicious)