August and All that Abundance

August is the crescendo of summer on the Island. Everywhere you look there are tents set up for events and weddings. On beaches and porches across the Island there are cocktail hours and dinner parties. And, of course, there are the film festivals, political think tanks, farmers markets, writers events, the Agricultural Fair, the Oak Bluffs fireworks and more. The roads, streets, beaches and restaurants are packed. We are at the height of the summer season and island-grown food in all its glory is at the center of the table. 

The evolution of the food scene on this Island is quite a saga, and there is a lot of history. We hope this column will be a way for us to honor the past, celebrate the now, and always keep an eye on the future through the importance of sustainability. 

Right now, there are over 40 working farms peppered throughout the Island and its surrounding waters; you do not need to be Vineyard born-and-raised to know this Island loves its farms. We  can always integrate local food into our kitchens, our favorite restaurants and at the big events without much effort.

With sunny, dry skies, field tomatoes are bursting from the vine right now. Brandywine, pink striped German-bi-colored sunshine, Cherokee Purple-burgundy and Marmalade skies-orange, are just a few of the names of these beauties, which are mostly heirloom. Many grown by Rebecca Miller and her daughter Ruby Dix of North Tabor Farm.

“We have so many tomatoes right now!” says Rebecca, with the enthusiasm only a farmer can bring to seeing the crop ripening.

That wasn’t always the case. I credit Andrew Woodruff- a native Islander and lifelong farmer- with starting the tomato revolution. He began selling vegetables at just 16, and later founded Whippoorwill Farm in West Tisbury. There, he developed his own variety of the perfect red tomato. Every summer, those in the know, including chefs, waited eagerly for Woody’s big, sweet, vibrant red tomatoes.

Then came Caitlin Jones of Mermaid Farm, who introduced her own tomato colors- gold, green, purple, orange, expanding our tomato palette even further.

Today, most Island farms grow tomatoes, often starting them early in hoop houses. This helps control the crop and gives the plants a chance to toughen up before they make the move into cool spring soil. Starting tomatoes this way not only gives them a head start- it means they arrive earlier in the season. By late July, they’re rolling in. By August, tomatoes should be part of every meal, and by September it’s time to start making sauce for the off season to provide that flash of sunshine on a dark winter day. 

But while we still have that summer sun, here is an idea: grab a loaf of fresh bread from Grey Barn, Morning Glory or Bettlebung Farm, a jar of Hellman’s Mayo, some MV Sea Salt, a crack of black pepper and a good slicing knife. And without any fuss, you have the simplest most delicious bite of summer, a tomato sandwich that brings me back to my childhood summers on the Tisbury Great Pond with my grandparents.

Next, look for the debut of Morning Glory Farm corn. It’s famous, really it is. And it has been for 50 years. This year, the Athearn family marks its golden anniversary and there is nothing that generates more pride from the team there than the golden, sweet corn that is stacked in the wooden shelves at the center of the store. I can already picture the line of greedy-eyed shoppers, elbow to elbow at the farm stand in Edgartown, or the West Tisbury Farmers market. They shamelessly strip the stalks to take an illicit peak at the kernels. They stuff bags with the freshest corn of the year, with plans for summer dining. And it is all starring the main attraction of the summer show: Martha’s Vineyard corn! 

I like to shave the kernels with a sharp knife off the cob and into a bowl while preparing a sauté pan on med-high heat. Then I’ll add some olive oil and mix the corn in, cook it for a few minutes, and try not to let it brown while continuously stirring. The color turns a bit of a darker yellow. Then I’ll add some salt and pepper and combine, remove it from heat and pour it onto a sheet pan to cool and stop the cooking. Follow that simple recipe and you’ll have sweet corn for a salad with other summer vegetables. This light sauté brings out the sweetness while keeping the texture.

When planning meals, my suggestion is to keep it simple and taste the summer. Fresh herbs, potatoes, summer squashes, greens, carrots, beets, kale, chard, fennel, tomatoes and corn- the local harvest this time of year is endless. Also, grab some Island-made cheese from Mermaid Farm or The Grey Barn as well as some locally raised meat. 

While I mention Grey Barn, most of us know that Molly and Eric Glasgow are closing up in September. The cows left that huge lush Chilmark pasture a few weeks ago. Though I am happy for them and whatever is ahead, we will miss them. Molly, Eric and their amazing team created a remarkable organic farm with award winning cheese, grass fed meats, beautiful bread and addictive pastries. This was no small feat, and it was done with incredible dedication to preserving the farming tradition, conserving open farmland, and treating the land with dignity. They are “good campers” as my grandfather would say. They are leaving things better than they found them. Maybe we will get lucky and some young entrepreneur will step up and keep the tradition going. 

So you have this amazing bounty of produce and you have to have a table setting that is worthy of the celebration, right?  Set your table with flowers, dahlias, lily’s, cosmos and sunflowers- another kiss from the month of August. The summer bounty continues from the surrounding waters- yellow fin tuna- raw or grilled. Striped bass, fluke, bluefish, sea scallops, black bass and harpooned local swordfish. Oysters from Menemsha to Edgartown and all the towns in between- arguably the best oysters anywhere on the planet. Steamer clams, littlenecks, and lobsters.  All of these foods speak of summer.

I became obsessed this time of year and drive from farm stand to farm stand, because all of these farms offer something a little different, yet compliment each other in the best possible way. Don’t blink, this intense, beautiful, busy, colorful, stimulating crowded month of August will come and go before you know it. In the meantime, indulge in everything this Island harvests.

Tina Miller is a native Islander who grew up in the Vineyard food world. Her father built and operated the Black Dog Tavern when she was eleven, and she went on to become chef-owner of The Roadhouse, Café Moxie, and co-founder of Rosewater Market. Her cookbook Vineyard Harvest (with Alison Shaw) marks its 20th anniversary this year. Tina also co-edited Edible Vineyard Magazine and remains deeply rooted in the Island’s farming and food community.