“Palm trees, ocean breeze, salty air, sun-kissed hair. That endless summer, take me there.”

– Michele Elder

• Marchini Ranch Stone Fruit* with Toasted Almonds and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce
• Cool Cucumber Soup with Jacobs Farm Dill

“Rejoice as summer should… chase away sorrows by living.”

– Melissa Marr

• Cool Cucumber Soup with Jacobs Farm Dill

“Summer has a flavor like no other. Always fresh and simmered in sunshine.”

– Oprah Winfrey

• Watermelon BBQ Sauce

“Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together.”

– Guy Fieri

• Organic Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Red Onion Salad

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

—J.R.R. Tolkien

• Stone Fruit with Toasted Almonds and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

–George Bernard Shaw

• Bacon and Watercress Pesto Sandwich
• Mixed Berry and Rhubarb Fool with Vanilla Bean Cream

Memories of a Texas Summer

“Summertime takes me back to my childhood in Texas with memories of outdoor activities in the shimmering heat, road trips and … barbecue. Dad loading all the kids up in the Volkswagen bus (sans air conditioning!) for a one-hour-plus drive to my Mom’s birthplace, Lockhart, in the south-central part of the state. Our goal? Kreuz Market, a BBQ shack that Mom frequented when she was a child.

The smokers were huge and, as you walked in, you saw the fire pit, right on the floor next to the door. There’s a counter that they maintained from the era when my Mom visited as a child. There you find communal steak knives chained to the wall to limit “long-term borrowing.” There were no plates either, just the meats – brisket, chicken and links – served up on pieces of butcher paper.

The memory is invoked by the smell of the smoke and taste of the meat. At home, I have an old indirect smoker that I like to fire up on occasion. As soon as smoke wisps begin to emerge from the chimney, I am taken back to that long drive in the summer heat to one of the altars of Texas BBQ.

These recipes will take some patience, especially the brisket and pecan pie. It’s summer, so relax, no need to rush. Fall will be here soon enough.”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Homemade Pecan Pie
• BBQ Brisket with Sweet Red Onions and Homemade Dill Pickle with Baked Mayacoba Beans and Sautéed Chayote and Calabazitas
• Rainbow Coleslaw with Chipotle Dressing 
• Texas-Style Pork Chili

Beautiful, Bountiful Summer

“It’s a wonderful time of year for growing – and cooking and eating! – fresh vegetables. When my workday is done, I love to tend my small vegetable garden. It’s relaxing for me to be outside in the cool of the evening, observing the garden’s day-to-day progress. But the best part of having a garden? Hands down, it’s enjoying all the delicious food it produces – tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, eggplant, lettuces, berries and herbs – at meals with my family and friends.

If you don’t have the room or the time for a garden, be sure to visit your neighborhood farmers’ markets. You’ll be supporting a local farm and, next to the vegetables you’d harvest from your own garden, you’ll take home the freshest seasonal food. Most famers are happy to answer questions about the vegetables they grow and will freely offer tips on how to store and prepare them. You should be able to find all the vegetables and fruits listed in my summer menu at your farmer’s’ market. Enjoy the market, my menu and this bountiful season!”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Homemade Cream Biscuits with Driscoll’s Berry Compote and Three Twins Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Rosemary Smoked R Heritage Farm Pork Tenderloin with Ancho Chile Cream, Toasted Orzo and Boggiatto Ranch Grilled Corn with Adobo Butter
• Marchini Ranch Stone Fruit* with Toasted Almonds and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce
• Cool Cucumber Soup with Jacobs Farm Dill

Grilled to Perfection

“Ah, summer! It’s a wonderful time of year to relax. The weather is prefect for grilling and for casual dinners that slowly unfold over deliciously long evenings. I love to get creative using the healthy food grown and raised by our sustain- able farm partners. It brings me great pleasure to share these recipes with friends and family and, sometimes, introduce them to new flavors and cooking techniques along the way.

I often grill in the summer, which keeps the heat out of my kitchen and house. My recipe for Grill-Roasted Tara Firma Farms Pork Shoulder with Chimichurri uses a common chef’s technique to keep the roast tender and moist. It’s easy to achieve spectacular results, every time, and it’s the perfect party meal to honor your father, celebrate your graduate or just enjoy a cool summer evening for no special reason at all.”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Crepes with Watsonville Olallieberry Compote, Burnt Honey and Toasted Almonds
• Grill-Roasted* Tara Firma Farms Pork Shoulder with Chimichurri, Fresh Corn and Polenta Cakes and Sautéed Baby Squash
• Charred Golden and Red Cherry Tomatoes with Cypress Grove Goat Cheese over Coke Farms Little Gem Lettuce with Dill Vinaigrette
• Chilled Jacob’s Farm Heirloom Tomato Soup

Summer Lights

“Glorious, delicious summer is here! We’re awash in fresh produce and local fish, and enjoying every minute of preparing and serving it!

For summer, our menu is light and unpretentious, allowing natural flavors to take center stage – no heavy seasonings or dressings required. These original, creative recipes – like my green bean soup with tomato and basil compote and shaved vegetable salad – spotlight a medley of colorful, seasonal vegetables and fruits that are grown by our sustainable partners. I’ve added some Epicurean Tips that we use in our kitchen to make your prep easy and fun.

So, open the kitchen windows, let the warm breezes in, turn on your favorite tunes and invite your family and friends over to prepare this delicious seasonal feast for a memorable summer evening.”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Ratto Ranch Shaved Summer Vegetables over Faurot Ranch Butter Lettuce with a White Balsamic Vinaigrette 
• Boigiatto Ranch Green Bean Soup with Heirloom Tomato and Basil Compote

“Summertime. To me, it means warm sun, soft breezes and lazy Saturday strolls. Relaxing over casual dinners with my family and friends.

One of my favorite places to stroll on a weekend morning is among the booths at my local farmers’ market. I meander through the booths, chatting with farmer friends, tasting fresh, organic produce and fruits, and picking up herbs, sustainable seafood and grass-fed meats for my menus in the week ahead.

A relaxing afternoon for me is to create a menu from my market bounty. My family and friends often join me in the kitchen for these prep parties. After a few hours, our meal is prepared and the table is laid. With the late-afternoon breeze freshening the air, we gather together at the table and enjoy the fruits of our labor and of this wonderful season.”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Mixed Berry and Rhubarb Fool with Vanilla Bean Cream
• Rosemary Roasted Rack of Lamb with Pan-seared Masumoto Farm Peaches, Sautéed Romano Beans and Toasted Orzo “Risotto”
• Red Leaf Lettuce with Watercress, Heirloom Tomatoes and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Vinaigrette
• Cool Tomato Soup with Crème Fraiche

“Here in the beautiful Bay Area, the summer season brings a spectacular array of vegetables and fruit. At the local market, we’ve got a colorful choice – bins full of yellow corn, baskets of blueberries, tables loaded with red and purple tomatoes and bags of green English peas. In this menu, I’ve balanced a refreshing pea soup with healthy grilled grass-fed tenderloin.

The fruit pizza finale will delight your family and friends. What could be better than enjoying it al fresco, with a glass of chilled rosé and a warm summer breeze?”

—Chef Rey Hernandez,
Co-Founder and VP, Epicurean Group

• Deep Dish Fruit “Pizza” with Vanilla Pineapple and Raspberry Puree
• Organic Baby Vegetables with Roasted Peppers, Wild Rice Pilaf with Almonds
• Balsamic Charred Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin
• Organic Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Red Onion Salad
• Garden Fresh Organic Pea Soup with Chervil and Scallions