About Athena Calderone
Cooking, design, lifestyle, Athena Calderone has become a reference model in the United States. Among her beautiful blog “EyeSwoon“, her podcast “More than one thing“, and her books, her success is undeniable. And rightly so! Her simple and elegant universe makes us dream.
It is often said that we also eat with our eyes. Therefore, the aesthetics of our dishes is an important part that influences our gustative pleasure. Certainly, Athena Calderone knows how to combine both marvellously. Her dishes are beautiful and good. And the cherry on the cake: her recipes are simple.
About the book “Cuisiner en Beauté”

“Cuisiner en Beauté“, a book whose title is perfect! We pass the pages with wonder, excited about the photo’s beauty and the tempting recipes.
The book is divided into seasons, with dishes that evolve within the available ingredients. The little extra that I like: a list of seasonal products is presented in every chapter. As I challenge myself [as much as possible] to cook with this philosophy, it is something that I particularly appreciate.
Another plus: small tips for arranging stunning tables. And once again, respecting the rhythm of the seasons, nature and our environment. An approach to which I agree 100%.
I tried: the strawberry and cherry tomatoes salad with honey land lime vinaigrette
Athena Calderone’s great strength consists in combining simplicity and beauty, I decided to try a really easy recipe: a seasonal salad! The star, and somehow unusual guest of this recipe, is the strawberry. We’re not so used to finding it in savoury recipes [but not so long ago, just last week, I was doing tests with a strawberry salad, fate?!] And also, the light honey/lime vinaigrette spoke to me. The choice was then obvious. This recipe also allowed me to discover the tarragon, an aromatic herb that I’m not really used to cooking. What a surprise to discover its aniseed odour, I had the impression to have a glass of pastis on my side.
Verdict: it is delicious! Freshness and vigour with a strand of originality for guaranteed success!
Do you need some inspiration?
If you are looking for other fresh summer salad recipes, I would suggest you try the quinoa, pomegranate and feta salad, or the grilled nectarine, arugula and burrata salad.

Strawberry and Cherry tomatoes Salad with honey and lime vinaigrette. Cuisiner en beauté (Athena Calderone)
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 mini cucumbers
- 340 g small strawberries
- 300 g Sungold cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp Serrano pepper (I replaced with some Tabasco)
- 1 small fresh mint bouquet (I used 10 g)
- 1 small tarragon bouquet (I used 10 g)
- 40 g fresh goat cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
For the vinaigrette
- 3 limes (green lemons) (circa 75 ml)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 60 ml olive oil
- 60 ml grape seed oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the vinaigrette
- Whisk the lime juice and its zests with the honey. Gradually add in the oils, always whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
For the salad
- Cut the cucumbers into thin slices.
- Clean up the strawberries. Keep the smaller ones integer and cut the larger ones (in 2 or 4 depending on size).
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Chop the tarragon and the mint leaves. Save the equivalent of one tea spoon for serving.
- In a bowl, combine the cucumbers, the strawberries and the tomatoes. Pour half of the vinaigrette, add the herbs and toss gently so the fruits are well coated.
- When serving, add the cheese pieces and adjust the vinaigrette seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. For spice lovers, add chili or Tabasco [being sensitive to chili I keep it aside and let people to adjust to their taste].