There’s nothing quite like a fragrant bushel of peaches at the Union Square Greenmarket to start the mouthparts salivating. For me, cravings are often triggered by something as simple as smelling these bright, ripe stone fruits from 15 ft. away, when shopping or even eating was the furthest thing from my mind.

Even so, I knew immediately: I must eat some peaches, and fast. I left the Greenmarket with much more than peaches: a couple of pink tomatoes and an interesting bottle of orange muscat champagne vinegar from the nearby Trader Joe’s. I didn’t quite know what to make with this armful of farm finds, so I went to the Internets and came across this recipe from Cooking Channel’s Kelsey Nixon. I didn’t have fresh basil, but I did have some pesto, so whatever. I do what I want. (That’s what cooking is about, right? Right.)

• 4 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
• 1 lb tomatoes (Nixon calls for heirloom tomatoes, I used pink tomatoes. It doesn’t really matter, I say. Go for what you like!), chopped
• 1 half Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup vinegar (Nixon calls for sherry vinegar; I had a super citrus-y and flavorful orange muscat champagne vinegar.)
• 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp Dijon (Nixon called for only 1 tsp, but I like the bite of Dijon so more, please.)

1. This recipe is so simple! Just whisk up your vinaigrette ingredients and toss together with peaches, tomatoes and onion. Garnish with the feta cheese and enjoy one incredibly refreshing salad.

The vinegar marries well with the basil’s freshness, adding a touch of acidity that rounds out the sweetness from the peaches. The feta is equally sharp, while contributing a pleasant creaminess to the salad. Rather than pairing with an obvious white wine (I was originally going to pick up a grassy Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc), I instead opted for Magic Hat’s summer offering, Elder Betty. An easy-drinking weiss-style ale, its slight elderberry sweetness and floral notes were the perfect match for the peaches and champagne vinegar.

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