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Save for the occasional backyard burger, no one really wants to eat hot food in sultry August. Not only is cold (or room temperature) food a refreshing pleasure this time of year, everything can be prepared ahead, keeping the sweat off the cook's brow during the dinner hour.

Here is a seasonal menu with casual recipes to take advantage of the August bounty at your local farmers' market. Each recipe makes approximately four servings, and everything should be seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that farm-fresh produce is blissfully dirty and needs to be washed thoroughly before use, especially lettuces.

 

ARUGULA SALAD, CURED HAM, MUSKMELON

This classic combination of prosciutto and melon is paired with a verdant bed of crunchy arugula, which plays the foil to both the sweet fruit and salty ham. Wash and dry two bunches of arugula. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and top-shelf balsamic vinegar, and arrange on a large platter. Peel and seed a small, ripe muskmelon (a.k.a. cantaloupe) and cut into thin wedges. Lay the melon on the arugula and cover with eight thin slices of cured ham - prosciutto from Mario Pingue's Niagara Specialty Foods is a good choice, as is jambon de Bayonne from France and Spanish serrano.

COLD TROUT, DIJON POTATO SALAD, HORSERADISH CREAM

Lay two rainbow trout filets (about 1 pound each) on a parchment-lined baking tray. Season with salt and bake at 300F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish is just firm to the touch. Allow the fish to cool to room temperature. Peel two pounds of new potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Boil in salted water until tender, drain and cool. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together two tablespoons of Dijon and two tablespoons of red wine vinegar then slowly whisk in five tablespoons of olive oil. Rinse, dry and chop two tablespoons of capers. Combine the potatoes, capers and 1/4 cup chopped parsley with the dressing and mix thoroughly. For the sauce, combine one tablespoon of strained horseradish with 1/2 cup sour cream or cr�¨me fraiche, finely chopped chives and a gentle squeeze of lemon. For each serving, top a mound of potato salad with a portion of fish and a blob of horseradish cream.

 

EASY PEACH MELBA

The heavy rains have been tough on the raspberry crop this year, turning them to mush on the bush. This recipe is a good way to employ these fragile berries. Puree a half-pint of raspberries in food processor with two tablespoons of sugar. Pass through a sieve to remove the seeds and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if necessary. Slice four ripe peaches and arrange in four shallow bowls. Add a generous scoop (or two) of softened vanilla ice cream - I like Kawartha Dairy - to each bowl and drizzle with the raspberry sauce.