no. 110: grilled corn, peach, and halloumi salad with chile-honey vinaigrette
Plus, my melon manifesto!
Last weekend, I saw Lake Street Dive in concert. I don’t really have anything profound to say about it other than the fact that it was such a FUN show, and I love LSD (…the band) and the Greek Theatre so much.
Before the show, we went to dinner at All Time (featured on my official LA Hit List!!) and had such a delicious meal that I didn’t even take one picture of it. We did what some may consider to be the coolest thing a person can do, which is show up to the concert at the exact time the band is coming on. Did somebody say, “cool girls?”
If that wasn’t COOL enough, someone spilled their entire White Claw on my treasured H&M sweater while we were walking out of the venue, and I didn’t even care. I smelt like a carcinogen with hints of raspberry and windex, and even that couldn’t kill my vibe. I had never heard this Shania Twain cover until the show, and it’s important that everyone listens to it now.
Aside from loving live music (how original!) and iconic LA venues, here are some other things I’ve been into lately.
Barnacle Foods Kelp Pickles
The restock we have all been waiting for!!!! And they’re only available for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot. Pickles of THY SEA! I’ve been eating them out of the jar with a dash of Frank’s red hot and they’re pretty freaking tasty. Code “SARATANE” for 10% off!!!
Sugar Kiss Melons
I featured these last summer, but I’m featuring them again because they are such a huge part of my life right now. EARTH’S CANDY! I cannot get over how freaking delicious these are. I’ve noticed that they’re sometimes sold in little, blue fishnet packaging, which adds to their undeniable sex appeal.
I am forever fascinated by the marketing behind certain produce items, and I think “sugar kiss” is SUCH a good name. “Cantaloupe” is a clunky and un-sexy word but SUGAR KISS?! Give me 14 of them right now!!
I tried to do a little bit of Melon Research™ to understand WHERE these joyous fruits are coming from and who is the master behind these melons. The company is called Dulcinea and their motto is “Fruit of Legendary Perfection.” I couldn’t agree more. Their site informed me that there are also Summer Kiss, Honey Kiss, and Sugar Daddy melons (I’m HORNY!!!).
The description of Sugar Kiss melons on their site could not be more accurate so I will be copying and pasting it in entirety. Give the copywriter a raise (and maybe a cold shower, my god).
“Incredibly sweet and juicy, Sugar Kiss® Melons will melt in your mouth. An unforgettable eating experience that will keep you reaching for more. Sugar Kiss® are harvested ripe and ready and are best enjoyed as soon as they leave the store. You’ll never want to go back to cantaloupes again!”
Their website also includes a full directory of all their employees, so I will be reaching out to Rob in the melon division to thank him for his contributions.
Please join me in helping to manifest a summer 2025 brand trip with myself and Dulcinea for a juicy, mouthwatering visit to their melon farms! Now, be honest, is it obvious that I’m in the midst of an unruly dry spell (I’m assuming nobody is still reading my melon manifesto)?
Grilled Corn, Peach, and Halloumi Salad with Calabrian Chile-Honey Vinaigrette
We’re coming off two consecutive weeks of pasta recipes, so it felt like a nice time to work in a good ol’ summer salad. During this time of year, I’d say my style of cooking is “throwing a bunch of shit on the grill and seeing what happens.”
There are a million ways to riff on this one—throw in some zucchini, bell peppers, scallions, or whatever stone fruit you like! Halloumi is a non-negotiable, however.
The Calabrian chile-honey vinaigrette is made directly in the mixing bowl, so it’s one less dish to wash. Of course, increase or decrease the amount of Calabrian chiles you use depending on how spicy of a dressing you’re going for.
Serves: 4-6
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
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