Hot days inspire cool menus
During the recent warm weather, we wanted to make some dishes that required very little cooking time, but would still provide meals with interesting flavors and textures. A number of heirloom tomatoes purchased from the various local markets had reached the point of being used, or else. After looking at several uncooked soup options, we decided to combine some recipes utilizing the tomatoes along with some of the beautiful corn we had just purchased. The soup is easy to put together, and the color will range from pink to deep red, depending on the tomatoes you have on hand. The garnish of thinly sliced basil makes it a perfect soup for this time of year.
The chicken breast recipe comes from a delightful book, Mrs. Whaley Entertains (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1998). Emily Whaley was born in 1911 and passed in June of 1998. She divided her time between Charleston, South Carolina, and Flat Rock, and she was well known for her fabulous garden (Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden) and her many years of entertaining family and friends. Her book is a collaborative effort with William Baldwin, and through his many conversations with her, Mr. Baldwin perfectly captures her delightful, and somewhat outspoken, personality. The stories from her childhood, marriage, and anecdotes from her interesting life are beautifully told and accentuated with a number of her favorite recipes. The book is still in print, and makes a perfect hostess gift.
Today's meal is rounded out with a fresh green bean salad, and sundaes made with either peaches or nectarines, both of which are available locally now.
