Melon and feta salad

Well, it was hot. And very sticky. And yesterday I felt as though I had tramped all over New York. In Fort Greene in Brooklyn I got bitten by mosquitoes, standing under two massive linden trees in an artist's garden planning its Future. On two baking terraces in Chelsea I got fried by the western sun as we held the designs up against the streaming light and imagined where tall junipers, grasses, roses, barbecues, benches, interior-lit fencing would go.

So when, near 7pm, I saw the pretty little yellow-and-white striped Korean melons at Mr Lee's on Atlantic Avenue I knew that I wanted them. Needed them. I just had to backtrack to Sahadi to pick up a nice fresh piece of feta. The melons are white inside and very crisp and sweet. They work surprisingly well with the soft creaminess of the feta, and liberally sprinkled, torn-up purple and Greek basil leaves from the terrace. I didn't even dress the salad, just added a little salt and freshly ground (does one still need to say that; isn't it implied?) black pepper.

With a glass of Kir and small dish of roasted almonds, it was an odd but perfect supper outside, kept company by the scent of the lilies.

On the subject of summer things, here's a big summer flower whose picture I took over the weekend.