All of the luxuries of late summer, tossed together in one creamy, dairy-free bowl.
There are few times of year I love more than these late summer weeks. They always feel a bit like stealing because they bump right up against Labor Day, but they’re truly the most glorious of the season what with the golden light, warm nights, chilly mornings, and the farmer’s market bursting at the seams with the most anticipated fruits and vegetables of the year.
Sweet summer squash. Grassy, tart tomatoes. Creamy sweet corn, fragrant basil, peppery arugula. I could smell each one of these gorgeous summer sensations wafting from the backseat as I carried my haul home last weekend. What a luxury, and also a right – to sense the essence of these incredible foods woven into the fabric of golden summer days. And to enjoy these foods at the peak of their harvest. This is THE TIME to enjoy these edible luxuries, and that’s what makes this Late Summer Luxury Pasta; all the best parts of the season tossed together in one bowl.
I’ve been talking a lot about seasonality lately, and just how important it is for our bodies and beings. Eating foods in season is THE WAY to ensure we’re getting the most nutritious ingredients possible; because the less distance or time foods have between the field and our plates, the more benefit they maintain. In-season foods also boost immunity, appropriately providing our bodies with what they need to stay strong in each season. Unlike eating foods flown from halfway around the world (think grapes in the dead of winter, or tomatoes in the spring) eating foods in season harmonizes our bodies to the natural cycles we depend on to acclimate to our environment, to seasonal shifts. Food is where we get our most important clues about the world around us. Eating in season also keeps our digestion strong and balanced, which directly correlates to balanced hormones and thyroid function. And, eating seasonal, local foods means a smaller carbon footprint and less impact on our Home Planet. Lastly, eating foods in season is the most delicious way to eat, because foods in season are picked at their peak of flavor – not on the commercial schedule set by a conglomerate. Eating in season matters. So make this pasta right NOW, and then set it aside until the golden days return next summer.
It all starts with a creamy sauce that is completely free of dairy, then we load on whole-grain pasta, roasted corn, burst tomatoes and torn basil and arugula. Add an optional oozy piece of burrata (if you’re that kind of person – I definitely am) and you have a bowl that’s worthy of enjoying on the stoop, or in the backyard, watching the sunset and the moon rise. With a glass of wine, with a friend, letting the last of the summer days drift by, knowing that you’re making – or at least EATING – the best of them.
The recipe notes below have a couple more comments about how this one comes together deliciously, easily and quickly around here (black salt! breadcrumbs!)
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