Here are some ways to brighten up summer meals.
Salad dressing
Kay Muhammad started Habeeb’s Gourmet Sauces in Peachtree Corners in 2018, naming it after her father. This year, her roasted garlic and herbs salad dressing was a finalist in the University of Georgia’s Flavor of Georgia competition. The creamy dressing is made with white wine, basil, thyme and Georgia-grown garlic and shallots. Everyone enjoyed it on a salad at dinner, but it also was great as a dip for a tempting summer snack of fresh vegetables. Muhammad makes a line of eight dressings and finishing sauces.
$8.99-$12.99 per 12-ounce bottle. Available at Amazon and habeebssauce.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Flavored vinegars
Amy Rupert Secol of Tangible Taste infuses apple cider vinegar with organic produce and herbs to produce tonics available in a variety of seasonal flavors. Her orange popper vinegar worked well for making a quick pickle with carrots and onion that was great on tacos and salads, providing citrus brightness and a bit of heat from jalapeno. She recommends the lavender lemonade vinegar for spritzers and to brighten a glass of iced chamomile tea. You also can use her vinegars for salad dressing, cooked grains, roasted vegetables and meats.
$5 per 15-milliliter shot, $24 per 12-ounce bottle. Available at Morningside Farmers Market Saturdays through Labor Day and tangibletaste.com.
Credit: Eduoard Moyal
Credit: Eduoard Moyal
Raspberry reduction
Edouard Moyal of Griffin-based EM Sauces and More has developed a line of five reductions, vinaigrettes and dressings, as well as one hot sauce. His raspberry reduction also was a finalist in this year’s Flavor of Georgia competition. The reduction is made by slowly simmering organic, raw, unfiltered raspberry vinegar until it’s reduced to the thickness of syrup. Nothing is added, and the intensely flavored result is as delicious spooned over vanilla ice cream as it is in a vinaigrette. Moyal suggests brushing it on grilled meats or adding a drizzle to seared ocean scallops.
$21 per 8.5-ounce bottle. Available at Alpharetta Farmers Market and em-sauces-and-more-llc.square.site.
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