Summer produce is one of my favorite seasonal yields, especially the melons and the stone fruits. So it’s no surprise that summer is the time of year my market bags grow heavy with variety and bright with color.
Cherry & Cilantro Mojito
Luckily, my little guy and I are huge fruit consumers, my son even more so than I am. I’m actually pretty sure that left to his own devices he would be a fruitarian. That might be fine with me if I weren’t a baker. I know, go ahead, sigh out loud that I don’t fully rejoice that the action hero underwear-ing mini-man prefers fruit over one of my cupcakes. I guess I did it right by getting him started early with the idea of pairing fruit against savory, and viewing it as a meal choice rather than a snack.
Shaved Melon Cherry Arugula Salad
Staying in season with the heat, I try to keep the meals to a low fuss level of preparation and cooking. This often means a lot of salads for meals, and while I do kick many of them up with grains and meat, this one is straight summer — no meat, and as raw as my family will allow me. This is also one of my favorite salads, as it showcases the sweet freshness of the melons and cherries against the backdrop of a peppery arugula bite. The feta gives the ensemble an added dimension, and the champagne vinaigrette is the final layer to a salad with enough notes in flavor to make it a meal.
Shaved Melon Cherry Arugula Salad & Cherry and Cilantro Mojito
Since I bought so many cherries, I decided to pair the shaved melon cherry arugula salad with a sweet and herbal cherry and cilantro mojito.
Yield: Makes 4 cocktails
Ingredients:
Shaved Melon Cherry Arugula Salad
- 12 cherries, pitted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon of fresh lime juice
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 bunches arugula, washed well and dried
- 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Cherry and Cilantro Mojito
- 1 cup fresh lime juice, about 6 limes
- 10 cherries, pitted
- 4 tablespoons simple syrup
- 8 sprigs of cilantro
- Seltzer
- 6 ounces white rum
Directions:
Shaved Melon Cherry Arugula Salad
- To prepare the cantaloupe and honeydew halve, seed and peel melons. Use a vegetable peeler and drag it down the peeled sides of each melon for shaved pieces. To prepare the cherries, pit and halve cherries.
- Add oil, champagne vinegar, and Dijon mustard and lime juice into a bowl and whisk to combine; season with salt and pepper to preference. Add arugula, and toss to coat with dressing. Divide arugula onto four plates and top with shaved melons, cherries and feta. Serve immediately.
Cherry and Cilantro Mojito
In a small pitcher, combine lime juice, cherries, and 4 sprigs of cilantro; muddle and strain. Add rum and stir to combine. Place crushed ice in 4 tall cocktail glasses, Pour cocktail into the two glasses; top off with seltzer. Garnish cocktail with cilantro sprigs and lime slices.
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Welcome to my cozy corner where baking meets random thoughts and musings. I’m a self-taught baker sharing all things sweet (and some savory—okay, and cocktails) with a whisk in one hand and a camera in the other. 
the Shaved Melon Cherry Arugula Salad with the champagne vinegar and the beautiful fruit – mmmm, so good
and the condensation on the outside of the glass of your mojito – LOVE that and the life it brings. It’s so hot here, too.
Gin would substitute rum nicely in that cocktail recipe as well.
Cherry gin rickey!
Cilantro is sooo good in cocktails. Esp. with gin!
Naomi replied: — August 15th, 2012 @ 9:31 pm
Sasha-I’m so going to try that! Gin is favorite. FAVORITE.
you have a beautiful blog! now following you! a kiss
both are so refreshing for such hot weather now.
That first shot is stunning. You really are something else with styling and composition. Love it! And dear lord these recipes are just killer too!
I’m virtually clinking glasses through our computers! But seriously, when are we going to partake in some alcohol consumption?
By the way, you obviously brought your boy up very well… and maybe one day he’ll learn from his mom and make a mean mojito 😉
Both of these recipes look awesome, but I am dying over the cherry + cilantro mojito. I’m not a huge mint fan, so I love the idea of subbing cilantro in a mojito instead!
The salad looks so refreshing. I made need a mojito before lunch hits 😮
This looks INCREDIBLE and exactly what I need after this crappy day at work!
Your pictures are fantastic, also!
Where did you get those lovely mojito glasses? First time poster, longtime lurker. I love your site!
Stunning!!!
I was just cribbing to my hubby about how hot it is … Your pics of salad and drink just got me my cold heaven…
Beautiful!!!
I love mojito and with cherries it looks so gorgeous! The salad sounds equally refreshing.
I’m coming here when I need to find a signature cocktail for our wedding this coming Spring! You have the best, most creative, most beautiful ideas
I could go for a glass of that cherry cilantro mojito, it sounds seriously refreshing!
Both recipes look so fresh and delish. Love the creative cilantro/cherry combo!
I couldn’t agree more with this style of eating during the summer. I’m all about simple salads, as raw as I can get, with some meat on the sidelines (certainly not necessary, but it’s hard to convince the rest of the family). Beautiful images…as always!
gorgeous photos! I love your styling and that mojito sounds amazing
Naomi replied: — August 24th, 2012 @ 3:43 am
Jenny- thank you for the generous compliment.