With the first tomatoes and herbs of the season coming in, it is time to celebrate summer! Nothing highlights fresh-from-the-vine juicy tomatoes and backyard herbs like like Tomato, Feta, and Garden Herb Toasts. Brushed in olive oil, the bread is grilled for a warm smokey base.  Basil and feta tossed tomatoes provide a vibrant topping to the an herbed creme fraiche spread. Tomato, Feta, and Garden Herb Toasts taste like summer, and are quick and easy to put together. We used a goat cheese feta from our CSA, an exquisite local find! This dish works beautifully as both an appetizer or a main.

 Lemon Balm Creme Fraiche Ice Cream is a subtle silky ode to early spring. The smooth tang of creme fraiche (ideally homemade) brings out the gentle herbaceous lemon-grass tones of fresh lemon balm.  Lemon Balm or Bee Balm (see photo) is a hardy perennial herb of the mint family that even grows wild now in many parts of North America. If you can't find lemon balm, feel free to substitute another herb from the mint family or even lemongrass. The no-egg creme fraiche ice cream base is both quick and versatile. As fruits start coming into season feel free to adapt the flavor to what is fresh.  

Silky, tangy, rich, and tart without being either sour or cloyingly heavy -- Homemade Creme Fraiche is extraordinary. It can be used in place of sour cream as a condiment, as an ingredient in dishes as diverse as velvety cooked sauces, salad dressings, or ice creams (stay tuned for a Lemon Balm Creme Fraiche Ice Cream).  Or...it can be eaten straight or on cereal for a true breakfast of champions (don't tell Rebecca).