After stumbling upon a few unopened bottles of Nova 7, I felt like something refreshing and savory to compliment this lovely summer wine. I thought about Kara and her amazing work for this brand and all of the spectacular pieces she has created over the years.
She’s such an inspiring artist because she’s meticulous and fervent and her work showcases the very best of who she is. As you can tell, I’m a pretty big fan and I’m not alone. Kara Loop is pretty well known around these parts for her work in both fine art and graphic design. And one of the things I like most about her is the passion she imparts when talking about her craft and the time she spends perfecting her work for her clients (and her friends.)
I think if she were here, we would have enjoyed a few glasses of Nova 7 together and delved into this simple salad. There would have been laughter. Lots of great stories. Perhaps a few serious moments too. But mostly, just two friends enjoying each other’s company over good wine and simple food. For me, summer is all about unfussy cooking and impromptu dinner parties. This is one of those dishes that’s easy to throw together on a whim and as I’ve said before, that’s what I love most about this season.
If you don’t have fresh cherries, you can use dried ones but go for the fresh if you can get them. They are succulent and juicy and sweet and the perfect accompaniment to the anise flavor of the tarragon and fennel. It’s wonderful as a light lunch, or a fabulous addition to simply prepared fish or chicken. I think I may have found my summer ‘go-to’ salad as the colors and flavors compliment each other so nicely. It’s definitely going to be my contribution to summer potlucks.
