Turn your homegrown produce into food and drinks to savor.
One of the joys of summer is turning homegrown produce into meals and drinks to savor. From sun-ripened tomatoes and peppers to sweet berries and tree fruit, you can enjoy your own bounty in many ways. You could extend the harvest with a trip to local farmers markets. Find neighborhood farmers markets in Seattle or statewide.
Below are two garden-inspired recipes from the In Harmony team, plus more ideas for botanical beverages and seasonal treats.
Karrie’s garden salsa
Karrie Jenks, who wears many hats at In Harmony, makes fresh salsa using tomatoes and vegetables from her home garden.
- Tomatoes
- Jalapeño
- Onion
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- Salt
Instructions
Dice tomatoes, jalapeño and onions. Chop cilantro. Toss everything together with lime juice and salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.
Ladd’s blueberry/strawberry margaritas
In Harmony co-owner Ladd Smith blends garden fruit into refreshing margaritas.
- Fresh strawberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Frozen limeade
- Tequila
- Ice cubes
Instructions
In a blender, combine strawberries, blueberries, ice cubes, half a container of frozen limeade and your favorite tequila. Blend until smooth. Pour into margarita glasses and garnish with sliced strawberries. No salt on the rim needed (but maybe try some sugar on the rim!).
More inspiration
Find more ideas for garden cocktails and mocktails in Drink Your Garden: Recipes, Stories and Tips from the Simple Goodness Cocktail Farm (Countryman Press). Sisters Venise Cunningham and Belinda Kelly grow herbs, edible blooms and other plants to add flavor and buzz to drinks and food. Their book offers more than 100 botanical cocktail recipes. Visit them at Simple Goodness Sisters.
OPB’s Superabundant series features Northwest-inspired stories and seasonal recipes for food and drinks. Try their simple peach sorbet with just three ingredients.
