It doesn’t have to be Memorial Day, July Fourth or Labor Day to celebrate with red, white and blue.

The colors are inspired by the fresh fruits of the season. Watermelon, cherries, coconut, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and peaches all don the patriotic hues along with summer roses and whites for sipping.

Summer is a time for freshness in palette and aesthetic. Salads are light and succulent with a hint of citrus and a little zip. A dry rose or white wine gives a fruit salad just a taste of languidness to capture the mood of a hot summer day.

I chose watermelon, rainier cherries and blueberries for this salad. Their sweetness is offset by the dry, crisp and slightly citrusy sauvignon blanc. I chose a sauvignon blanc blend, as the semillon cuts the citrus taste ever so slightly balancing it to make the perfect compliment this trio of fruits.

Ingredients:

one half seedless watermelon cubed
one half pint blueberries
two large handfuls of rainier cherries pitted
lemon zest
one quarter cup semillon sauvignon blanc

After cubing the watermelon and pitting and halving the cherries toss all the fruit in a large porcelain bowl. Pour the sauvignon blanc into the mix and toss some more. Zest lemon over the top. Let the salad marinate in the refrigerator and serve.

This salad tastes great on a slice of crusty baguette with a dollop of whipped ricotta cheese or in a glass with a scoop of lemon sorbet.

Author: Jane CoCo Cowles

Image: slgckgc/Flickr 

Editors: Catherine Monkman; Emily Bartran