Tonight I made myself a very simple, and surprisingly wonderful dinner: roasted potatoes with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chives and parsley in a lemon olive-oil vinaigrette. It was so simple, so fast – and the contrast of the warm, creamy potatoes with the crisp cucumber and acidic tomatoes was perfect for a summer evening. I finished off my meal with a few slices of locally grown (and very tasty) watermelon.

The meal was a reminder to me about the beauty of eating fresh, local produce. And while I know it’s not the most well-balanced meal, I was eating alone while I cleaned out my apartment before moving from Chicago to the East Coast.

In less than two weeks (after Hazon’s New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride), I am starting off my adventures at Adamah, and my first step into the world of organic farming. I have spent the last three years sitting at a desk job in the city, so I am especially excited to work outside and to connect with the land.

Over the next few months, you’ll hear from me with stories from the farm – everything from recipes to what we’re growing and harvesting, and of course, adventures in pickling. I look forward to sharing my experiences

Now, for that Roasted Potato Salad
amounts don’t really matter much here, so have fun and experiment

- A handful of new or confetti potatoes (the purples are especially beautiful), coated in a bowl with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, coarse salt and pepper, and roasted on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes in the oven or toaster oven at 350 degrees

- 1/2 pound (or so) cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters – place them in the bowl that you used for the potatoes, and add a bit of extra salt.

- Chop chives and parsley (or any other fresh herbs you might have) and add them to the tomatoes.
- A couple small cucumbers (kirbys are great for this), chopped

When the potatoes are easy to cut with a fork, they are done. Toss them with the fresh veggies, adjust the seasoning (I love red pepper flakes in the dressing), and enjoy!

Photo credit: Catertots