Serve with dinner
Here’s a fruit salad that’s not for everyone. Grapes, blueberries, a little fresh tarragon, a little honey and blue cheese. I can practically hear Yummy Chunklet going “eww” from here. I wanted to share some other fruit ideas from some of our favorite blogs, because it is summer and all the world’s your peach pit. Hmm, think I messed up that saying. Here’s an a la carte menu.
Need a starter or light meal? Over at The Orange Bee we were quite taken with the “girly gazpacho.” Or check out Food Is Therapy’s prosciutto and melon salad with balsamic and basil?
How about a main course? We like the pork belly and peach risotto at Seasoned to Taste. Or you could go for the blackberry glazed smoked ribs at Sports-Glutton.
For dessert: Check out these poached peaches over at Camerahols/Food Photography and France; or these grilled champagne and mascarpone peaches from The Life of A Housewife (Minus the Kids & Husband). Peaches not your thing? How about this pineapple ice cream treat over at Eat, Play, Love? Toasted, syrupy goodness! Or maybe a cherry mousse and pie from Cooking in Sens is in order.
I haven’t forgotten about cocktails. Linda over at Savoring Every Bite has this amazing blueberry and basil vodka lemonade. Chica Andaluza is serving up watermelon and pomegranate dreams.
Oops, I almost forgot the pie. Check out these strawberry rhubarb hand pies at Kitchen Bellelicious. Makes me glad I have two hands.
Last, but certainly not least, Judy over at The Southern Lady Cooks humbled me recently by giving me a number of awards. Although, Katherine might dispute anyone calling me stylish, I’ll graciously accept them. Thanks, Southern Lady! If you haven’t seen her blog, go check it out. If you have, well go back. Her deep dish blackberry cobbler alone is worth the visit. She might even serve up a mint julep.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide 
Whoa! I’ll have my work cut out for me following all those links! 🙂
I love blue cheese with fruit and this looks yummy.
Blue cheese + fruit = perfect together.
I’d rather have my blue cheese on the side though . . . a big chunk.
Stop it.
Don’t look at me that way.
I’ll go jogging in the morning to make up for the indulgence.
Oh please, I of all people never would look at you that way. I’d say have another chunk!
Thanks for the plug – all of these sound wonderful. There simply is not enough time in a day, week or month to cook all the things that interest or appeal to me. Your blog is fun!
Wow. I just finished a bleu cheese grilled burger, and was full. FULL. But now I am hungry after reading this post and all the wonderful ideas. That bleu cheese and fruit…yum!
Interesting. 🙂 I’ll have to check those blogs out “Mr. Stylish”
🙂
One good blog leads to another…and another…and another.
Nice you received awards.
I love the list of foods you’ve displayed. I think you definitely summed up some great dishes and you know I will be checking out the recipes I haven’t already seen. And as I always say, you and Katherine deserve the awards.. you really do.
Thanks, BabyGirl!
Thanks for the mention. I’d eat that grape blueberry salad.
is that the “stylish” salad for the award celebration? 🙂
I would love to give this a try..I think it will be interesting
Can’t wait to check out all those links..congrats on the awards..very well deserved
Aha, see proof that I am stylish, the berries match the cheese. Too bad Katherine actually made it…
What wonderful suggestions! No eewh from me, I think your fruit salad looks delicious!
Tarragon hmm? That’s an interesting combination – not something I’d normally add in with fruit. Definitely something to try 🙂
It was definitely bold! We’re growing it for the first time this year.
Grapes, blueberries and blue cheese, yummy!! Thanks for the a la carte menu, that was really neat!!!!
Thank you for so many interesting links and even more cocktail ideas!
Your salad certainly looks original. Something I would make just to see if I like it (if it was grape season here…).
I love the sweet, sour and salty combination in this simple salad
Grapes go almost as well with cheese as wine does so I’m sure your blue cheese and grape salad is lovely! In fact, I may have to make it. I am also quite in love with grilled fruit (ie. peaches). I have not actually done it but I want to! Have you tried to grill fruit before?
I grilled the pineapple for the peaches and we’ve grilled apples with brie. I need to grill peaches!
I think tarragon rocks – for some reason, I can’t find Maille Tarragon Vinegar anymore (my all time favourite). Grapes, blueberries, tarragon, honey and blue cheese. Are you kidding me? What’s not to like?!! 🙂 I’m making this TONIGHT.
This looks awesome– I love unique pairings for fruit. Thanks for the mention!! I really appreciate you following my blog!
You’re very welcome and I enjoy following it.
Blue cheese, grapes and blueberries…. I’ve never tried a combo like that but I’m really thinking I would like it! It’s an interesting mix of flavors; tart, sweet and creamy! Thanks for including my drink in your weekend line up of great recipes for this upcoming holiday weekend. This is like one-stop shopping at your blog for planning my menus!
What a lovely post – a great oppportunity to see some other blogs And thanks for the mention…too kind! The grapes and cheese look delicious . a perfect partnership. Congrats on the awards!
Blue cheese with fruit is wonderful. I love it. Thanks so much for the shout out and I have so many great recipes and blogs to check out now, better get busy.
You’re welcome Southern Lady! Thanks again.
That looks really fun!
And I like ‘all the world’s your peach pit’ – I don’t know if that’s actually the saying haha, but it’s true!
It’s actually oyster, if you think about it and hate oysters (not me!) it’s just as gross. I know spinning pearls….
The grapes and bleu cheese look wonderful.
My aunt used to fix what she called “gazpacho rapido” when they lived in Andalusia…perfect for 100+ degree weather…and the “girlie gazpacho” will work in this Texas heat.
How much fun! The freshness and sweetness going on in this post is just blowing me away! I love the fruit salad – I might have to sub the blue cheese with some mascarpone but I love it! The tarragon and honey add amazing flavors! THANK YOU THANK YOU for the little shout out for my hand pies! I really appreciate- you are just a sweetheart
No problem, I loved the granita too so fresh!
Thanks for the shout-out Greg! You rock. And I can’t wait to check out some of the other links that I don’t know already – like that deep dish blackberry cobbler. I’m drooling just at the name! Congrats on the awards. 🙂 Well deserved. The fruit salad looks great too – I think my kids would probably enjoy this. 🙂 (Me too!)
Thanks and you’re welcome ChefMom!
Great line-up you put together here Rufus and many thanks for the mention! Can’t wait to try out a few. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the mention! I have had grapes and blue cheese w/ a creamy tarragon vinaigrette on a spring salad before and loved it! This time, I’m following your recipe and nixing the spring mix! Looks like it would fire on all cylinders!
Ha! You’re hilarious! I actually like all those flavors in the berry and grape salad. My only hesitation is with the tarragon. Interesting…I’m going to try this!
I remembered you hate licorice and mustard!
Hi, I think it was destiny that I found your blog. Saw the photo on food tags and again while reading another blog. I make funny faces sometimes when I read recipes that have strange combos but grapes, blueberries and blue cheese sounds great. Wild Maine blueberries will be available any day and this will be one of the things I’ll be making.
Maine blueberries, reminds me of summer trips from childhood. Lobster and blueberries. Glad you came by!
Count me firmly in the camp of those loving a fruit and bleu cheese combo. Your recipe here is a stand-out.
It definitely had kick!
Ick, sorry, I’m a blue cheese hater. Though, I love grapes. But I just can’t get past the blue cheese. Even the slightest itty bitty crumble makes me cringe and make the most horrid looking face. Maybe I’m a bit of a baby/over dramatic. Anyways, thanks for sharing all of these fruit recipes, I’ll definitely be checking them out–great idea!
This is why the Rufus Guide gives you choices Caroline.:) Like feta!
Ah, yes, feta would be much more to my liking. 😀
Interesting combination, especially with the terragon. I’m oddly inclined to chop up the fruit, add more bleu cheese, and serve it on crackers.
I’m looking at your salad with tears in my eyes. Not because of your cooking but because of mine (I put to much chilli in my lunch.) I can so seeing those grapes and cheese working a treat together.
All of these recipes sound delicious. I love the blue cheese-grape combo here.
Thanks for pointing me to so many wonderful blogs!
Mmmm. I prefer fruit with feta myself, but I totally agree that the fresh and salty combo is a winner.