Fresh garlic chives balance sweet, rich ground pork in these handmade shumai dumplings. Making them at home and handling the ground meat as little as possible keeps these light and tender. They take some work but are absolutely worth it! Invite friends and family to help and make lots of extras to freeze for later.

The crunch of toasted, warm, freshly-baked bread, with melted sharp, nutty cheese, olive oil-fried, fresh, richly-flavored eggs, with bright orange yolks, browned on the edges, and crisp greens dressed in a sharp Champagne vinaigrette made with sweet summer shallots. This is how you celebrate the weekend’s treasures from the farmer’s market. Slowly, indulgently, and with great joy.

Layer upon layer of sweet mild flavors, from lightly caramelized onions and apple cider to warm cardamom, make this roast delicious and complex. Be ready to fight over the sauce! Recipe from my cookbook Seasons to Taste: Farm-fresh Joy for Kitchen and Table.

Fresh, summer peaches, cardamom, ginger, and a bit of spicy chile: this sauce delivers the sweet, acidic and floral flavors of summer peaches with a complex-but-easy blend of spices in the form a sugary glaze to grilled pork chops, chicken quarters and salmon. It is wonderful tossed with baked, fried or grilled wings.

Sweet peaches, rich pork sausage and sharp cheddar cheese melts between tortillas for a not-so-traditional take on this Mexican snack. Chinese 5 spice powder and soy sauce offer a subtle, unexpected note to this quick, fresh, delicious summer snacks. Perfect party food!

Sweet and tart, fresh and bright, this recipe takes advantage of the sugar in peak season pineapple eschewing corn syrup, food coloring and citric acid for the complex tartness of white balsamic vinegar and less caramelly and rich Temari soy sauce.