Summer

This fresh and filling salad gets gently tossed with a creamy, garlicky tahini dressing and topped with fresh herbs and crunchy walnuts.

"Never met a fritter I didn't like, and I love this one." —Allie Lewis Clapp, food editor

Don't peel the peaches; simply rub off the fuzz with a damp paper towel.

Making the eggplant spread ahead of time has a double upside: The flavors of the mixture will deepen as it sits, and you get to cross something off the list.

"Cool and bright, this herb-laced corn salad is my new summer staple." —Alfia Muzio, recipe developer

How is this shortcake different from all others? Cake flour makes it extra-tender, for starters, then it's baked in one big circle and bathed in tarragon-infused butter. You might never go back.

Dress just before serving so that the fennel will still be crunchy and the melon retains its juices.

A grown-up shaved ice, with a welcome hit of spice from the pepper.

Eggplant is like a sponge. Salting it draws out moisture and firms up the flesh, and deep-frying ensures it cooks evenly until creamy throughout. Worth your time.

Cooked summer squash can be mushy. Solution: Eat it raw. If you can't find buckwheat groats, use chopped toasted almonds instead.

"Coating sweet grilled corn with miso butter brings nutty flavor to a classic." —Brad Leone

Delicate squash blossoms are a farmers' market treasure. Look for flowers with perky, intact petals and a generous length of stem still attached. Wrap them loosely in damp paper towels and tuck them into a zip-top bag; they'll keep this way in the fridge for a few days. Or bypass the storage completely and turn them into a predinner bite as soon as you get home.—Alison Roman

If you love dipping bread into tomato soup, you’ll love this rustic Italian dish, known as pappa al pomodoro.

A pile of red and blue berries tops off a cloud of white whipped cream in this blueberry-filled bit of glory

This dish turns the satisfying Italian American sandwich filling–sausage and peppers–into a hearty pasta dish.

If you don't want to heat up your house with the oven, you can bake any muffins on the grill but the lightly smoky flavor that the grill imparts is especially nice with corn-based ones. Because keeping the grill at a steady temperature can be tricky, the baking time can vary, so keep an eye on the muffins. For the best muffins, be sure that the entire pan is not set over direct heat (otherwise, the bottoms will burn).

Grilling the tomatoes concentrates their flavor slightly while still leaving them fresh enough to make a light, juicy sauce. Studded with cubes of fresh mozzarella, this dish is a summery crowd-pleaser.