Just like a chef benefits from having a great sous by her side, I love a creative collaboration. Two minds coming together to form a new idea usually produces something neither would have considered alone.

I have just such a collaboration with my friend and proprietor of Alexandria’s Red Barn Mercantile, Amy Rutherford. Red Barn is a wonderfully curated gift and home decor shop on King Street (and online). It’s one of my very favorite places to find just the right, unique, gift for any occasion.

Amy asked me to choose a cookbook from her shelves each month and to read, review, and cook from it for the readers of Alexandria StyleBook, a digital magazine. I jumped at the invitation. A store full of the latest and greatest publications at my fingertips and an audience to cook for is irresistable (that would include, of course, my husband, casually known as Kevin at the Table, who gets to taste test the creations!).

Our first collaboration publishes in Alexandria StyleBook the week of July 11. Because summer is in full swing and all of the gardens and pots are full of bright, fresh, new harvest produce, I chose Jess Damucks Salad Freak.

This book, generously populated with luscious photographs by Linda Pugliese, makes my mouth water. Creating a summer salad is like handing a child a 64-piece box of Crayola Crayons. So many colors to choose from - add textures and flavors to that and I am like a kid enthusiastically pulling every color out of the box.

I was drawn to the recipe below because of its complex flavors and simple execution. It takes minutes to make this salad, but it offers an explosion of flavors, textures, and sensations. Give it a try while the berries are at their best in the market. Be sure to add a good salt (Maldon flake is my favorite and the crunch is so perfect in this salad). I know this salad will make you a salad freak, too.