From the Fyr 7.16.2026

Our newest family member - Luke Anthony Shearman. (I'm not crying. You're cyring!)

Farm Forecast

Summer has officially settled in out here. There is sand everywhere in my car and house, we are never in bed on time because dinner is suddenly at 8:30 pm without question and there is always a zucchini magically appearing on the mudroom doorstep from a friend who "has too many to know what to do with." We are fully in it now, and I am already starting to fear the end of it. I (zucchini) relish summer in a way that I can feel in my soul. And I know most of you are with me. It's why we love the North Fork so much.

One of the happiest pieces of news around the farm this week is the arrival of the newest little member of the Fyr & Salt family. Please join us in welcoming Luke Anthony Shearman, born June 25th to our beloved kitchen king Jon and our favorite North Fork baker Jess.

Everyone is doing wonderfully, and from what I hear, big sister Lia has stepped into her new role with all the enthusiasm and confidence you could possibly hope for from your first born.

There is something that feels especially fitting about welcoming a baby into the world during the height of summer on a farm. Everything is growing, everything feels alive, and there is this beautiful sense of momentum everywhere you look.

Speaking of momentum, our first "new" Wood Fired Friday was exactly the evening we had hoped it would be.

The pace felt slower (well, for the guests anyway). The atmosphere felt relaxed. Guests wandered the property between courses, conversations lingered around the tables, and people actually had time to settle into the evening instead of rushing through it.

Oh and the best part? (And I guess it's no surprise considering the undeniable talent of our kitchen crew) The food was to-die-for.

Delicious oysters, fresh ceviche, meatballs, pizzas emerging from the oven one after another, and the kind of meal where every time you thought you had found your favorite course, something else arrived and changed your mind.

More than anything though, it simply felt like us.

After all the conversations, changes, and reimagining over the last few weeks, it finally felt like we had landed on the experience we were trying to create all along. Immense gratitude for the delightful guests that attended. We really couldn't have done it without you.

And while we're talking about exciting things happening on the farm, this Friday at 3 pm local beekeeper Chris Kelly will be spinning estate honey right here at 8 Hands Farm.

No reservations, tickets, or registration required. Just come by and experience one of those little moments that make farm life so fascinating.

Joining Chris will be Gina from The Skin Edit, whose beautiful skincare and kitchen products many of you already know from the market shelves. Since many of her products incorporate beeswax, she'll be using some of the freshly spun wax from the day in her demonstrations as well.

Honestly, these are the kinds of afternoons I love most around here. Something interesting is always happening.

Cafe Highlights

The cafe menu this week feels like a snapshot of July on the North Fork. The caprese sandwich may be one of the most seasonal things we've put on the menu all year. Heirloom tomatoes are finally beginning to taste the way tomatoes are supposed to taste, and pairing them with (the best) buffalo mozzarella, basil, balsamic, and herb aioli feels almost unfair in its simplicity.

The Turkish eggs continue to hold onto their spot as one of my favorite menu items we've ever created. This week's version with marinated zucchini somehow manages to feel both comforting and refreshing at the same time, and if you're still someone who hasn't tried Turkish eggs yet, I honestly don't know what we're doing here anymore.

The breakfast sandwich also deserves a moment of appreciation this week. Duck egg, house sausage, scape aioli, potatoes, herbs, and pickled onions is not the kind of breakfast sandwich that leaves you hungry an hour later. It's the kind of breakfast sandwich that quietly carries you halfway through your day without asking much in return.

And then there's the ham and cheese.

On paper it sounds almost too simple to mention. Ham. Cheese. Sandwich. We've all had one.

But this is exactly why I love watching what happens in this kitchen.

Someone inevitably asks, "What if we added marinated kale?" Then someone else says, "What about the rhubarb mustard?"

Suddenly the basic (but already ridiculously good) ham and cheese sammie turns into

The salty richness of the ham gets cut by the brightness of the rhubarb and the slight bitterness of the kale. It somehow feels nostalgic and completely new at the same time.

Oh, wait. I almost forgot. Just when I thought that last week's strawberry mint and custard twist was the single greatest thing to ever hit my lips (sorry, not sorry Zack), the peach sorbet makes it's summer debut. The twist is where it's at. Everyone I convinced at last Friday's event will attest.

Honestly, I think that's one of the things Fyr & Salt does best. Taking foods you already know and love and introducing them to ingredients they didn't know they needed.

Market Highlights

What looks like another boring pile of grated zucchini has literally endless possibilities.

Now let's talk about zucchini. Every summer I go through the exact same emotional cycle with this vegetable. At first I'm excited. Then I become optimistic and ambitious. Then I collect too much of it. Then suddenly it's mid-July and I have more zucchini than I know what to do with and I begin wondering if perhaps the vegetable itself is mocking me.

The truth is that zucchini has a branding problem.

Most people think of watery steamed vegetables or obligatory grilled rounds that get politely pushed around a plate at cookouts. But if you spend a little time with it, zucchini might actually be one of the most versatile vegetables we grow all summer.

It disappears into meatballs and muffins. It works in fritters, soups, pancakes, and pasta sauces. It can be shaved raw into salads or roasted until sweet and caramelized. It works in breakfast, lunch, dinner, and somehow even dessert if you ask zucchini bread nicely enough.

This week though, my obsession is the zucchini relish.

Made with zucchini, red peppers, garlic, and just enough sweetness and acidity to keep you coming back for another bite, it somehow manages to work with almost everything.

It belongs on burgers and sausages. It wakes up grilled fish beautifully. It works on roast chicken, sandwiches, cheese boards, crackers, eggs, and honestly makes a compelling argument for eating it directly from the jar standing in front of the refrigerator.

I have a feeling you're going to be seeing a lot of zucchini content from me over the next few weeks. This is simply who I am now.

The market menu this week is packed with summer comfort food too. Pork bolognese, turkey Italian wedding soup, lamb ragu, gazpacho, roasted chicken wings, ratatouille mac and cheese, schmaltz potatoes (IYKYK), curry chicken salad, and pasta salad with pesto all feel like exactly the kind of food I want waiting for me in the refrigerator this time of year.

Meals that are comforting without feeling heavy.

Meals that somehow taste even better after a long beach day.

Meals that let you spend less time cooking and more time doing all the things we wait all winter to do.

what always seems to show up on my back step this time of year...

Kitchen Spark

"We all find ourselves in food ruts, so here's a little spark to light the fyr in your kitchen."

This week's spark is less of a recipe and more of a public service announcement:

Start putting zucchini relish on everything.

One of my favorite things about condiments is that they allow you to eat the exact same protein three nights in a row while somehow convincing yourself you're having three completely different meals.

A spoonful over grilled chicken instantly tastes like summer. Add it to burgers or turkey burgers and suddenly people start asking what you put on them. Spoon it over grilled fish with a squeeze of lemon and dinner is basically done.

My personal favorite might be grilled sourdough with sharp cheddar and zucchini relish melted into the middle (a grilled cheeZem if I may), although putting it on a cracker with a little chicken liver mousse and some cheese comes dangerously close.

It's also incredible alongside eggs. Scrambled eggs, fried eggs, jammy eggs, egg sandwiches. It works with all of them. If you're already ordering the Turkish eggs this week, adding a little extra zucchini to the party feels entirely appropriate.

Zucchini Relish Summer To-Do List:

• Spoon it onto burgers or sausages.

• Add it to grilled fish or shrimp.

• Stir it into tuna salad or chicken salad (this is my best idea this week btw).

• Pair it with sharp cheddar and crackers.

• Add it to sandwiches or wraps.

• Serve it alongside grilled vegetables.

• Put it on eggs.

• Mix it into mayo for an instant sandwich spread.

• Add it to grain bowls or roasted potatoes.

• Eat it directly from the jar while hiding from your family in the kitchen.

No judgment here. Every summer has a vegetable that demands your attention whether you're ready for it or not. This year, I'm leaning in.

The zucchini wins.