I am at the end of my summer visit with my family on Long Island and I am starting to pout.  “I don’t wanna go home!”  Believe me, home, which is Manhattan Beach, California, is not so shabby.  But it’s not getting out of bed at 7:30 am (instead of 5:30.)  It’s not wine at lunch AND dinner.  It’s not lingering at the table outside without a sweater for hours.  It’s not falling asleep to crickets at night.

I love summer and I love it more on the East Coast.  It’s the way I think we should all be living regularly – present, in the moment, grateful for what we have.  I associate summer produce with this emotion, too.  Strange, but true.  When I think of tomatoes and corn, I always think summer.  And therefore I think of freedom and happiness and relaxation and good times.  That’s what comes to mind when I see real, seasonal, local tomatoes and corn.  They make me HAPPY!  When summer rolls around, I am jumping for joy every week when I come back from the farmers market.  “Guess whaaaaat, kids?!  Corn is baaaack!”  They are a little over it.

What I know for sure is that this corn salad is a winner.  It’s simple and nutritious and darn delicious and it screams “Hey there, summer!”  You can do most of it ahead of time which is the way I like to operate.  I personally love corn with a little char on it.  It’s a bit smoky and goes really well with the touch of smoked paprika or ground chipotle in the recipe.  But, if you are lucky enough to get just picked (as in, a few minutes ago) corn, go ahead and cut it raw.  Such a treat!  I know corn is controversial because most of it is genetically modified, but if you can find certified non-GMO or organic, I say go for it!  Add a little protein, like a veggie burger or some grilled shrimp and you have the perfect summer meal.  Hope you have a safe and fun July 4th!