This simple yet delicious snack combines the sweetness of ripe figs with creamy goat cheese, all atop a cracker or crostini. Finished with sweet herbs, olive oil, and a hint of chili flakes, it’s the perfect treat for a warm day. Enjoy this delightful combination whenever figs are in season!

We get amazing bread from Alex at Fire Swamp Provisions, along with incredible Genovese basil, Early Girl tomatoes, and Painted Serpent cucumbers from Full Belly Farms at the Thursday Marin Market during the summer. We use these fresh ingredients to create this salad every Friday. The key to this recipe is sourcing the best bread and vegetables available in your area; with a simple recipe like this, quality ingredients make all the difference. We toast the bread, let the tomatoes and basil marinate the cucumbers, and toss everything together with a vinaigrette just before serving. The varied textures—from crispy to almost soggy bread—add an extra layer of delight to the dish.

We serve this salad cold on warm days and at room temperature on normal days. It's filled with crunch from the bean sprouts, sweetness from the snow peas, and heartiness from the edamame. It's simple and can be dressed up with extra ingredients if you have them on hand. Add some mint to pair with the sweetness, bell pepper for a splash of color, or even rice noodles and more dressing to make it an entrée. Try it at its most basic first and have fun from there.

In the heat of summer when the peaches are great this is a nice departure from a caprese salad. We change it from Basil, Tomato and Mozzarella to Mint, Peach and Tofu. Balsamic, olive oil black pepper and flaky salt is the only addition it needs. If you are not comfortable charring the peaches it is great as is, but adding that smoky char to it really makes the dish.

This dish tastes like the beginning of summer. It is a simple dish with few ingredients so getting the best ingredients is important. It also happens to be a great dish served hot out of the skillet while doing well served later at room temperature for a snack. It looks best when you cut the squash in a few different shapes so that you get different textures for people to enjoy.

Asparagus always lets us know spring is truly here. We recommend making it to the market to get the freshest asparagus as you won’t have to snap off the bottoms that become fibrous with age. We think it is great roasted but love this cold version that you can prepare ahead of time to wow your guests. The mint salsa verde with meyer lemon and capers is just there to dress the asparagus and bring out that inherent sweetness. But just properly cooked asparagus with olive oil and flaky sea salt is fantastic.

Practitioners and staff love when this Vietnamese Curry, created by Spirit Rock cook Deanna, is served in our dining hall. It’s not as spicy as a Thai curry but delivers a wonderful warming flavor. The stew can be a highlight for folks on retreat with us or for you and your guests at home.

Once the season’s first panzanella hits the table, it really begins to feel like summer has arrived! We love making this dish with a local sourdough bread and a variety of heirloom tomatoes – you can make it with any kind of whole loaf bread, and any tomatoes you find in your garden or at the store. This traditional Tuscan recipe is just a jumping off point for many kinds of juicy bread salads. We’ve had great fun experimenting with other combinations like rye and beets; pita and eggplant; and yes, even poundcake and peaches, why not, it’s summertime!

We love this technique of smashing cucumbers for a rustic looking salad where the dressing soaks into all of the nooks and crannies. We freshen it up with some herbs and a few sprinkles of toasted sesame seeds. The salad makes a great side dish with a robust and spicy meal, such as our Vietnamese curry.

We love serving these Mexican spicy pickled vegetables with all kinds of dishes—beans, enchiladas, salads, sandwiches, you name it! The acidity adds a balancing spice and flavor to whatever you’re serving it with, and you can adjust the level of heat to suit your preference—just tweak the amount of jalapeños (or substitute an even spicier pepper like serrano if your tastebuds are so bold). A jar of escabeche is a fantastic condiment to have on hand and because of its popularity and versatility, we tend to make it in huge batches.