Ahh, Labor Day weekend – the bittersweet unofficial end of summer. Which is ironic, because my family and I enjoyed our Saturday at Eastmont Orchards in New Jersey picking one of summer’s most beloved fruits – peaches! This was my first time peach picking, and I cannot believe I haven’t done this sooner in my life. The orchards had hundreds of trees busting with fresh, freakishly large, juicy peaches and nectarines. I knew they were juicy because I couldn’t wait till time to pay, and so I took a sneak sample of a nectarine as I picked them off the tree (Is that allowed? Probably not, right?).

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After wiping my hands clear of evidence (aka nectarine juice), I headed to pay out, and immediately started thinking of a ton of recipes for these beautiful stone fruits. What I love about stone fruits like peaches and nectarines is that they are totally versatile. They can, of course, be used in desserts, like tarts, pies, cobblers, scones, etc. They also definitely go well in breakfast dishes, like pancakes, smoothies, oatmeal, and yogurt. But, what makes them awesome is that they are the kind of fruits that are also fantastic in savory applications, such as salads, salsas, and chutneys. So, as a farewell to summer, I celebrated Labor Day weekend by going the savory route with a Summer Stone Fruit and Burrata Salad.

Before we get to the recipe,

more about peaches and nectarines. Nutritionally, they are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. As with most fruits, they are high in vitamin C, an important vitamin that not only acts as an antioxidant, but also promotes collagen production and boosts iron absorption. Additionally, peaches and nectarines also contribute to our daily needs of potassium, iron, and fiber. Potassium is vital for fluid balance, heart muscle contractions, and blood pressure control. Iron is needed for many bodily functions, including the synthesis of hemoglobin, a protein that your blood needs in order to carry oxygen throughout your body. Fiber is super important for gut health, as it promotes digestion and favors healthy gut bacteria. Fiber also promotes blood sugar control, by slowing the absorption of sugar into your blood stream. It is shown that the average American does not meet their daily fiber requirements, so adding more peaches and nectarines to your meals can never hurt!

Now, onto the good stuff.

My handpicked peaches and nectarines are the star stone fruits of this salad, but I will say the salad as a whole is worth the sum of all its parts. Let’s break it down.

The perfect peach.

I had the pleasure of picking my fruits straight from the tree and hence I was able to make sure they were perfectly fresh and ripe. But, if you don’t have the opportunity or desire to do the same (which I’m sure most of you won’t), you can obviously get your peaches and nectarines from your local market. To choose the perfectly ripe peach, try to find one that is not too firm and has a little give when you gently squeeze it. Peaches that are too firm are not ripe enough, and are therefore bland and not sweet. On the flip side, avoid peaches that are way too soft and/or bruised. Those will just be a mushy mess. The color of the peach can also tell you if its ready. The fruit shouldn’t have any green undertones on the skin. A greenish tint indicates that the peach is unripe, and again will not be sweet enough. The perfectly ripe peach should also have a slight aroma. All the same rules generally go for nectarines as well.

You say tomato,

I say there’s is almost nothing better than fresh garden tomatoes in the summertime. Besides peaches, tomatoes are another fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit) that are at their peak in flavor and quality in the summer. Tomatoes grown in greenhouses during the cold months just do not compare to the juicy flavorful tomatoes grown in an actual garden or farm during the hot summer months. So, the tomatoes from my parent’s backyard garden were a must in this summer salad. Plus, bright juicy tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese are a match made in heaven!

Going for green.

Salad greens can either make or break a salad for me. Arugula is the leafy base of this salad. In my opinion, the peppery taste of arugula pairs wonderfully with the sweet peaches and juicy tomatoes. Funny enough, there was a time when I truly did not like spicy greens like arugula. If the same goes for you, feel free to use a milder green like baby spinach or a mesclun mix.

Ooey gooey burrata.

Burrata – if you’ve had it, you love it, and if you’ve never tried it, I am so sorry for you because you are missing out on one of the world’s many luxuries. For those who don’t know, burrata is a soft cow’s milk cheese, that from the outside looks a lot like a ball of fresh mozzarella. But, we all know not to judge a book by its cover, and so for burrata, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. When cut open, a luscious creamy interior of soft cheese curd is revealed as it slowly seeps from the center like rich cream, in the same satisfying fashion of cutting open a poached egg to reveal a perfectly runny yolk. So essentially, burrata is a cheese with two textures: a soft creamy interior wrapped in a smooth firm mozzarella-like shell. The flavor of burrata is similar to that of fresh mozzarella, and so it makes a perfect pairing with the fresh tomatoes and herby basil in this dish. Likewise, if you cannot find burrata, you can easily use fresh mozzarella cheese, either cubed or sliced, instead. Side note, it is almost a must to serve burrata with some crusty bread to scoop up the delicious soft curd. It’s basically an unwritten rule.

So, although it is September, we can very well keep the summer vibes alive with dishes like this one. What better way to use up the last of summer’s bountiful produce? Besides, I don’t think I am ready for all things pumpkin spice just yet…