There’s something undeniably magical about summer herbs, those leafy green bundles of flavor that can take a dish from good to unforgettable. Whether it’s a handful of freshly picked mint tossed into a salad, a sprig of rosemary in a cocktail, or a little potted herb plant to brighten up your table, herbs are the unsung heroes of the season. And it’s time we give them the spotlight.
At Marcia Selden Catering, summer is all about embracing the freshest flavors and showing them off in the most delicious and beautiful ways. So, this story is a little love letter to herbs, the easiest way to elevate your food’s taste and presentation.
Herbs are the décor that truly can do double duty. One of my favorite summer tips is to use potted herb plants as part of the décor. Think of it as tablescaping meets edible garden. You can create an herbaceous tablescape using terra cotta pots filled with lush green herbs. Some can have multiple herbs for variety and others you can keep with an individual herb. We love attaching a letterpress or beautiful hand-written tag with the herb’s name— why not make it charming and educational? The pots can be given as favors to your guests to take home and enjoy or kept to be used and enjoyed throughout the year when the season to grow outdoors is over.
You don’t need to be a master gardener to get in on this, trust me, if I can do this, anyone can! I grow all my herbs in large pots in my backyard on our patio as they’re easier to water, maintain, and move around as needed. And honestly, there’s something deeply satisfying about stepping outside and snipping what you need for dinner. Instant gratification with a side of aromatherapy.
Let’s talk flavor. One of our summertime staples is an herby ricotta dip of whipped fresh ricotta blended with chives, mint, lemon zest, and just a kiss of really fine extra-virgin olive oil. We like to serve this with grilled crostini. It’s bright, fresh, and disappears faster than you can say “what’s in this?” It’s an awesome addition to a table with charcuterie and also beautiful as your bread and “butter” option on the table as it looks so beautiful and is so yummy!
Then there’s our minted pea, baby arugula and feta salad. It’s a color bomb with vibrant green peas, tangy feta, a hint of fresh mint, and fresh lemon zest to brighten it up. It’s simple, but so satisfying and exactly what a summer dish should be: clean, crunchy, and full of garden goodness.
Speaking of salads, we are obsessed with our yum-on-demand Green Goddess dressing! It’s loaded with herbs from my own garden and blended into a creamy, dreamy dressing that honestly deserves its own moment. We serve it over simple leafy greens because it’s that good and “dresses” them up so much that it doesn’t need anything else. When you’ve got a dressing that sings like this one, the salad just needs to show up. Try and I promise you will see what I mean …I’ve included the recipe here on a gorgeous letterpress card that our friends at Yozo Studio created for us.
But wait there’s more: one of my favorite standout salads (as I’m a lover of beets) is our Torn Burrata with Moroccan Beet Salad with Sumac, Watercress, Sunchoke Chips, and Lemon Basil Vinaigrette. It’s a gorgeous dish that combines the creaminess of burrata, the peppery goodness of watercress, and the yummy crunch of the sunchoke chips. Once dressed with the lemon basil vinaigrette and tossed with fresh chives, you literally cannot stop eating it. It’s like a party in your mouth–and you know we love a party at MSC!
Another herby summer favorite is our char-grilled carrots that we nestle on a bed of fresh dill yogurt and top with toasted cracked hazelnuts. The carrots go straight from the grill to the platter, letting their heat mingle with the tangy, herbaceous yogurt. After plating them, we give them a nice drizzle of that EVOO that we used for the ricotta dip, just to add another layer to the flavor profile. The nuts add crunch, the dill adds that fresh tangy pop, and they are seriously packed with flavor! Suddenly carrots are sexy and center stage on your table…. who knew?!
We also created dreamy herb cheddar biscuits which are flaky, buttery, and laced with chopped garden herbs. Served warm, they’re dangerously addictive. They are the vehicle to get one of my favorite things we make with herbs into your mouth: compound butters! Chop your favorite herbs, fold them into softened butter, roll into a log, chill, and slice. Just a pat on a grilled steak or roasted veg feels so gourmet and chef-y all at once. We’ve made versions with chives, dill, tarragon, and even edible flowers for a little color pop.
On the sweeter side, we infused rosemary into an olive oil cake and baked it with a hint of fresh orange. It’s moist, fragrant, and unexpected in the best way. We also make the most insanely delicious lemon thyme shortbread cookies that are buttery, citrusy, and totally irresistible. If you follow us on social media, you can see a botanical version that we recently made with stunning edible flowers that were almost too pretty to eat. Why not let your herbs play in the dessert sandbox too?
Our garden liquid kitchen wasn’t left out, either. Jeffrey whipped up a basil lemonade spritz that tastes like summer in a glass, a ginger grapefruit spritz that’s both bright and spicy, and a minted elderflower mocktail that’s got that dreamy, ethereal vibe. Herbs bring aroma, flavor, and beauty to any drink. Bonus points if you freeze them into ice cubes for a floral, floaty garnish. It’s so easy to do and makes your drinks feel instantly more special!
Herbs aren’t just for salads and sauces. We infuse olive oils with everything from rosemary and thyme to basil and lemon verbena. Just place your herbs in a clean bottle, cover with good-quality olive oil, and let time do the work. Drizzle over grilled veggies, crusty bread, or use to finish a soup. It truly elevates anything it touches.
One of my favorite chef tips to preserve the season: Freeze your garden’s bounty in olive oil to create herb cubes for instant flavor bombs all year long. Here’s how:
- Harvest your herbs one variety at a time.
- Blend with olive oil.
- Pour into silicone ice cube molds (I got mine on Amazon)
- Freeze and store in resealable freezer bags.
Come winter, just toss a cube into a pan and let that summertime flavor do its thing.
Herbs remind us that natural botanical beauty can be fresh, fragrant, and full of flavor! That a little effort or even just a quick snip with some scissors goes a long way. Whether you’re creating a full-on summer menu with all the herbaceous bells and whistles or just trying one infused oil or compound butter, I promise it’ll change the way you cook. And eat. And entertain. So go ahead, get your hands dirty, pick what’s fresh, and let your garden lead the way. I promise: you’ll taste the difference.
Stationary: Yozo Studio
Tabletop: The Post and Smith Party Rentals
Art Direction: Maggie Meister
Robin Selden and Jeffrey Selden are the Managing Partners of Marcia Selden Catering, along with their mother and founder of the company, Marcia Selden. For more, visit marciaselden.com