February at Happy Scraps
Late Summer, Long Tables & Loving What’s Left
February feels like golden hour.
The tomatoes are bursting. Zucchinis are practically multiplying overnight. Herbs are fragrant and unruly. The days are still warm, but there’s a softness creeping in around the edges.
It’s the season of excess.
Which means it’s also the season where food waste quietly spikes.
And that’s exactly where Happy Scraps comes alive.
Right now our region is bursting with deliciousness!
• Heirloom tomatoes, even the funny-shaped ones
• Zucchini and late summer squash
• Peaches and nectarines soft at the edges
• Deep purple plums
• Fresh basil and soft herbs that need using
This is the produce that often gets overlooked. Too big. Too ripe. Too imperfect.
But the flavour? Extraordinary.
When food reaches peak ripeness, it doesn’t need fussing. A little salt. Good olive oil. Heat. Time. Respect.
Sometimes the most sustainable cooking is simply letting the ingredient speak.
The Art of Using It All
February is our favourite month for getting scrappy.
Over-ripe tomatoes become slow-roasted pasta sauce.
Soft peaches turn into chutney for cheese boards.
Zucchini becomes fritters, soup, or grated into muffins.
Herbs are blitzed into pesto and frozen for cooler days.
Waste is rarely dramatic. It’s quiet. It’s the half zucchini forgotten in the crisper. The herbs that wilt by Sunday. The loaf of bread that went a little too hard.
But small habits change that story.
Cool leftovers before refrigerating.
Store herbs upright in water.
Blitz, roast, pickle or freeze before things tip too far.
Simple shifts. Big impact.
Late Summer Entertaining (Without the Pressure)
February gatherings don’t need perfection.
In fact, they’re better without it.
Think long tables. Shared platters. Mismatched bowls. A tomato salad piled high and unapologetic. Bread torn, not sliced. Plates stacked a little too high. Food layered for height and generosity.
It’s abundant. Slightly chaotic. Completely alive.
And at the centre of that table?
A salad that celebrates everything this season gives us.
Late Summer Panzanella
A salad that rescues yesterday and celebrates today
Panzanella is the ultimate February dish.
It was designed for bread that’s no longer soft. For tomatoes that are almost too ripe. For herbs that need using now.
It’s a bowl of “use what you have” dressed in olive oil.
Ingredients
Serves 4 generously
• 4 cups day-old sourdough, torn into rough chunks
• 4–5 large ripe tomatoes (wonky is perfect), chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely sliced
• 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
• A generous handful of fresh basil
• A small handful of parsley
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp good olive oil
• Sea salt and cracked pepper
• Optional: olives, burrata, grilled zucchini, capers
Method
Toast the bread at 180°C for 8–10 minutes until lightly crisp on the outside but still tender in the centre. Let cool.
Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust. It should feel bright but balanced.
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion and herbs in a large bowl. Add toasted bread.
Pour over dressing and toss gently. Let it sit for 20–30 minutes before serving. The magic happens in the waiting.
Finish with extra basil and a final drizzle of olive oil.
This isn’t a last-minute salad. It rewards patience.
