what I'll miss about summer - pasta salad with zucchini ribbons

There was a moment today, just as I finished making another pasta salad, when the light changed and I heard a tiny difference in the insect symphony outside. I looked at the calendar, noting it was still early August, but something had changed in the air. I went to the back yard and there was the proof - goldenrod, just about to bloom. In New Hampshire, seeing goldenrod is bittersweet, because it signals the end of summer. Sure, there will be glorious and sunny days, but it's also a time we start to think about winter - stocking up on firewood, picking apples at the orchard, worrying about the price of fuel oil. It reminds me of buying school supplies, new clothes, and birthday presents for my late August-born daughter, who now has a daughter of her own. Signing the kids up for soccer, weeding out the herb garden, and cutting bouquets of thyme, oregano, and lemon verbena to hang from the ceiling beams.

Enough of that ! We still have plenty of time before we see the first iced-over mud puddle in the driveway. But I did want to show you what I've been using lately in the ever delicious pasta salad, which are the ribbons of Gold Rush zucchini, blanched briefly in the boiling pasta water. Pretty as can be, along with the fresh grape tomatoes, shredded basil, cubes of mozzarella cheese, and a few black olives. I prefer green cracked olives, but there were only the black ones left in the fridge, so I used those.

To make:

Go through your fridge, gather your baskets of produce from the garden, and/or from the farmer's market. For the vegetables you will use raw, cut into manageable bites. For broccoli, cut into small "trees", and throw into the boiling pasta water about five minutes before the pasta is done, then drain along with the pasta. For the zuc ribbons, using a vegetable peeler, peel large strips from all sides of the zucchini, throwing away the inner core with the seedy part. Throw the ribbons in with the pasta water about a minute before it's done, then drain along with the pasta and broccoli.

Pasta Salad for 4 people

3 cups raw rotini

large pot of boiling water

For the veggies, etc:

rugula, spinach, basil leaves, cut into ribbons

broccoli cut into trees

grape tomatoes, whole, or other tomatoes in small dice

cubes of cheese, or shavings of parmesan

zucchini ribbons

shredded carrots, or tiny baby carrots, sliced on a slant

peas- fresh or thawed frozen ( no need to cook)

blanched green beans, cut on the bias

hard boiled eggs, cut in quarters

black or green olives, pitted

sliced or diced radishes

crispy sliced sweet peppers

ribbons of pumpkin or butternut squash, cooked briefly

raw mushrooms, sliced

bok choi, crisp part only, 1 inch slices

For the dressing:

equal parts virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar or herb vinegar

salt and freshly cracked pepper

2 cloves garlic, pressed

To make:

Boil the water and add the rotini or other pasta. Five minutes before it's done, add the sprigs of broccoli. One minute before it's done, add the zucchini ribbons. Drain all in a strainer and add to a large bowl. Mix in the dressing and add the other assembled veggies, herbs, and cheeses to taste.