Recipes: Farm to Table Du Jour

Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl | July 19, 2025

The time has finally come where whatever flavor you’re looking for can be found at the local farmers market. From cherries to corn, peppers to eggplant, basil to watermelon, it’s everything, everywhere, all at once.

This week, we are putting the spotlight on heirloom tomatoes from TLC Farms and kale from Bluebird Farm & Gardens in Empire. We start off by baking our own bread (feel free to purchase some from your favorite bakery instead), then move on to quick and seasonal recipes. To find these ingredients, explore the Leelanau or Traverse City’s Sara Hardy Farmers Markets and track down these local flavors and vendors.

Heirloom Tomato Toasts

Your new favorite summer sandwich.

Crusty Bread Ingredients
5 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups cool water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Toast Ingredients
4 thick slices of Crusty Bread, cut in half
Good olive oil (head to Fustini’s!)
1 cup mayo
4 oz. sharp cheddar, grated on medium holes
2 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Flaky sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

To make the bread: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until there are no dry spots remaining. It will be very sticky. Cover and let sit for one hour. Now imagine your dough like a compass that has four quadrants. With wet hands (as this will keep the dough from sticking to your fingers), stretch and lift North up enough to fold over the center. Repeat with East, South, and West. Cover the dough, let rest for 30 minutes, then repeat this process one more time. Cover, leave at room temperature overnight. In the morning, give the dough a good stir with the handle of a wooden spoon. This will deflate and degas the dough. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to two days.

On a large piece of parchment, scrape the dough out onto the center. Place onto a plate with a curved lip or into a large bowl to keep the dough from overspreading. Sprinkle with some flour, then loosely cover. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees with a Dutch oven inside. Allow to preheat for at least 30 minutes. Uncover the dough, carefully remove the Dutch oven, and place inside. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then carefully uncover and continue to bake an additional 30 minutes. Allow bread to cool completely.

To assemble the toasts: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Toast until lightly golden. In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo and grated cheese. Divide the mixture among the slices once they are cool enough to handle. Arrange the tomato slices on top, finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt and pepper.

Kale Caesar

Upgrade your salad game with homemade Caesar and curly greens.

Salad Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup mayo
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for croutons
2 small bunches of kale, washed, and destemmed
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
2 thick slices of Crusty Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper

To make the croutons: In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the cubed bread, arranging in a single layer. Cook for a few minutes, then toss to brown on other sides. Once nice and golden, take off the heat and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic through olive oil until smooth. Tear the kale into 2-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss. Serve with croutons and extra cheese.