Although Amsterdam is a city of splendour with tantalizing activities, come summertime I can often be found in my urban garden. August is the month this allotment turns into a sumptuous paradise. After months of planning, preparing soil, sowing, transplanting, weeding and watering, abundance is the only word which even comes near to describing the end result.

It is a delight. The flowers are blooming and the crops are bursting with sunshine, ready to be harvested. The produce is rolling in. And when I’m there the garden is not only abuzz with insects and coloured by the flowers. There are also neighbouring gardeners buzzing around, sharing their produce and cultural wisdoms, seeking advice or just being friendly.

Nothing compares to eating organic vegetables that have been harvested a few hours before. And the variation is endless. Every evening there is a different combination of fresh salads and sauces, herbs and flowers.  Luckily for me a very neat and tidy genie takes care of my garden when I’m away. And she does a wonderful job.

The essential ingredients for the Exquisitely Fresh Amsterdam Urban Salad are:

1. Freshly harvested produce
2. Organic produce
3. A balance between fresh herbs, vegetables and flowers:
   – any or all of the following, finely chopped:
   cucumber, red beet, zucchini, patty pan squash, kohlrabi, lettuce in all variations, spinach, chard or any other leafy veg, tomatoes (black, red, yellow, green, stripped, large , small), (spring) onions, radish, peas, beans, potatoes.
   The squash, potatoes, beans and peas can be boiled or stir-fried before mixing into the salad.
   –  any or all of the following fresh herbs: dill, estragon, basil, lovage, chives, mint
   – any or all of the following flowers: calendula, borage, nasturtium, chamomile
4. Any or all of the following sauces/dressings: vinaigrette, herb-cashew nut pesto, hot yoghurt mix.

Try it, you will never want anything else. Need further advice? Ask me a question.

I wonder if Frankfurt has something similar to offer?