Shira and I are working up the menu for a dinner party next week. First item decided upon is a variation on the greek salad:

Cucumber, quartered and sliced thin

Black botija olives, pitted and quartered

Fresh goat feta, diced

Green onions, chopped

Umeboshi vinegar, a few splashes

Extra virgin olive oil, a few splashes more than that

Juice from half a small lemon, if you like

Fresh ground black pepper, as you like

I am practicing using very few seasonings. As Shira pointed out, the food is so fresh in summer, it is nice to let those flavors dominate. The cucumber was a large and curvy variety from the Pioneer Park Saturday Farmers’ Market. Made a simple cold soup out of the unused portion: cucumber, sweet white miso paste, juice of half a lemon, one garlic clove (peeled), a couple tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. No water! The all-mighty Vitamix.