There is a part of me that would like time to stand still, right now, right here, smack dab in the middle of August on the Vineyard. While other folks are going to the beach or shopping, I’m plotting my next farm stand or garden foray. I’m like a greedy squirrel gathering nuts for the winter – I can’t get enough tomatoes and peppers and eggplants and corn.

My own tomatoes are coming in pretty nicely. Well, all except those on the plants where a fat tomato hornworm was having a feast worthy of King Henry the Eighth. By the time I found him (and his cousin), the branches were decimated. So when I got it in my head to make gazpacho this weekend, I had a good excuse to go rounding up some beefsteak tomatoes and peppers at Island farm stands.

And just so you know, the gazpacho I was dreaming of was not any old chunky gazpacho. This recipe, Andalusian Gazpacho with Sungold Salsa & Grilled Croutons, is a smooth, intensely flavorful puree that I first developed for my cookbook, Fresh From the Farm. I wanted really good tomatoes for it.  

I scored right away at Beetlebung Farm (photos above), where I not only got beefsteak tomatoes but garlic and more bell peppers than I really needed. My gazpacho recipe includes one roasted bell pepper in the mix of raw vegetables, which I think gives it a subtle roasty-toasty background flavor. It addition to bell peppers, I got some Jimmy Nardellos, a wonderful heirloom frying pepper that has a rich, fruity flavor.

I went on to North Tabor Farm and, much to my delight, got a bonus: a chance to see Meatball (the sow) and her 11 piglets. It’s a good day when you can have a piglet-sighting and come home with Iggy’s bread, more tomatoes, and salad greens, too.

Once you make the gazpacho (and you have to promise me you will), I’ve got some ideas for what to do with your leftover peppers and tomatoes. Start with Grill-Roasted Bell Peppers with Goat Cheese and Cherry Tomato Dressing.

Then make Roasted Bell Pepper and Sundried Tomato Romesco.

And serve that with blistered shishitos!

Don’t forget Roast Fish Peperonata.     

Of course you know I’m not going to skip over corn this week. I’ve been making my corn sautés on repeat; you can follow the recipe for Corn and Yellow Bean Sauté with Bacon and Herbs and make substitutions as you like.

Or you can take the concept a step further and make Summer Squash, Corn, and Pearl Couscous with Coriander and Herbs.

Now about dessert. By some miracle, the peach tree in our backyard is producing peaches this year. I’ve already picked some; as soon as they actually smell like peaches, I nab them to keep ahead of the squirrels.

And now I’ve got five that are very fragrant and ready to eat. Do we eat them raw? Or do I bake them into a rustic fruit tart – which I’ve had a hankering for?

Or do we make Abby Dodge’s fabulous Skillet Peach Cobbler with Ginger-Orange Biscuits? Decisions, decisions.

I hope you can get your hands on some ripe stone fruit this week. We’ll see you on Instagram @cookthevineyard.

What's Happening, What's Open

• If you're looking to make a dinner reservation or wondering which farm stands and markets are open, visit What's Open on Martha's Vineyard for regularly updated listings.
• The 161st Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair and Livestock Show is the place to eat this week, starting tomorrow, Thursday, August 17, and running through Sunday, August 20.
• NOTE: This week, both the Wednesday (today, August 15) and Saturday (August 19) editions of The West Tisbury Farmers' Market will take place at the Grange Hall due to the fair.