Buying local

It's hard to buy local produce year round. That's why I love when farm stands and farmers' markets sprout in parking lots and along the roadside during the summer.

There's nothing like bright red and green peppers, ripe tomatoes, and crispy cucumbers right out of farm gardens and fields (unless, of course, you grow your own). Once, while I was browsing my favorite farm stand, a flatbed truck loaded with corn drove up from a nearby field. It doesn't get any fresher or more local than that.

With my first farmers' market haul of this summer, I prepared a "make it up as you go" corn salad. I separated the kernels from the cobs using the great OXO corn stripper, then tossed them into a bowl with chopped sweet red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Dressed it with salt and pepper, chili powder, the juice of half a lime, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Gave it a good toss and served it up with chunks of cucumber and cold chicken.

This idea can be adapted easily to larger quantities (I used three ears of corn and got about 3.5 cups of salad) and whatever add-ins (black beans and tomatoes would be good), herbs and seasonings you like and have on hand.

For those who like their corn cooked and hot, I'll share a recipe for Asiago and Corn Risotto that my friend Cathy spotted in the Washington Post this week. I will be making this before the summer corn is gone.

All too soon, the farms stands will pack up for the season and I'll be back to searching out the least tasteless form of tomato at Fresh Market or Wegmans.

For now, though, I get to enjoy the full flavor of summer in tomatoes that didn't travel across the country to get to my table.