Foods can be seasonal. I had no idea of this concept until one day in college when my friend Carolyn started rattling off a list of delicious fall foods her mother would be making soon. It’s funny what sticks in your head—I’ve managed to forget much of my three years at Missouri Baptist for some reason—but I remember walking the hilly sidewalk to our cars on a warm St. Louis afternoon and thinking gloriously of pot roasts and pumpkin pies.
Think of being stuck in the confines of your living room on a blustery winter day. It feels like weeks since you’ve seen the sun shine and it has been months since you’ve seen anything green and growing outside. You’re cuddled up with a mug of hot chocolate, but you’re longing for a freezing mug of dark Scottish Ale on the outside terrace at Lazlos. You can’t wait until you can pick your Roma tomatoes and long green cucumbers, then eat them on a sandwich mere moments later. So, here is today’s question:
- What food or food-related activity means summer to you?
Share a childhood memory, a favorite restaurant, a long recipe, a newfound favorite summer food. You type it, we’ll read it and let our mouths water a bit.(I’ll update this post later with my own favs. I’m cuddling a feverish 4 year old now, poor kiddo, and typing is a challenge.)
20 Comments
Bethany Aug 6, 2008 12:05 PM
We just picked about 5 lbs. of (free!) blueberries at the farm of a family from our church. I LOVE fresh berries of nearly every kind, and as summer is the only time when they’re abundant enough to not be exorbitantly expensive, berries always imply summer to me.
floreksa Aug 6, 2008 1:26 PM
Mine is so utterly simple. Grilled zucchini and summer squash.
Slice vertically, toss with some oil and salt & pepper and grill.
I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lindsey Aug 6, 2008 1:46 PM
I’d have to say pizza on the grill, homemade ice cream and peaches. We can our own peaches (which is another sweaty, summer activity) which probably explains why I abhor the tinned ones. Pizza on the grill is a must-try. A smoky, slightly charred crust with just melted toppings, all done in minutes WITHOUT using your oven and heating the house further? Everybody wins!
Mom L Aug 6, 2008 1:59 PM
Have never thought of pizza on a grill…great idea! Tonite my man is grilling chicken breasts and corn on the cob…yum! Mom
Candace Prosser Aug 6, 2008 2:40 PM
BBQ. Growing up in TX we BBQed all summer long.
Erin Aug 6, 2008 4:41 PM
My mom’s Chicken Salad with lots of fruit in it. And I have to agree with Bethany…any fresh berries in the summer. Oh and watermelon.
My mom made this citrus, mint iced tea that really reminds me of summer. I could go on but I’ll stop with those.
Sarah B. Aug 6, 2008 5:21 PM
Hmmm…good one, Bec! I’m loving your little “audience participation” thing you’ve got goin’!
I gotta agree that summer produce is just freakin’ phenomenal. Berries, juicy juicy peaches, CHERRIES!, melon. Those are certainly things that I crave in the dead of winter. Around the cusp of autumn, I certainly enjoy the winter fruits/veggies, but around mid-winter time, I start getting sick of apples and pears.
I remember growing up, we had one of those “old-school” homemade ice cream makers…the kind you crank by hand. My mom would get the cream mixture all ready, then us kids would take turns crankin’ the crank. Then, towards the end, it was so hard to crank that we then had to turn the job over to our Dad’s stronger arms. Sometimes I think it’d be nice (and tasty) to have an ice cream maker nowadays. But then again, I’m sure my already “fluffy” butt is thanking me that I DON’T have an ice cream maker!! :)
andy Aug 6, 2008 5:21 PM
Watermelon and cantaloupe are the two great tastes of summer to me. Lots of juice running everywhere and the need and ability to use a hose to wash off.
Sarah M Aug 6, 2008 6:23 PM
watermelon
berries
corn on the cob dripping with butter and salt
grilled anything
kabobs!
eating all of these then catching fireflies!
Anna Aug 6, 2008 10:46 PM
Watermelon – complete with a seed spitting contest and then seeing who can “skip” the rinds the farthest off the dock. And mouthfuls of blueberries straight off the bush!
Aubrey Aug 7, 2008 12:29 PM
Anything on the grill.
And homemade ice cream. Banana especially tastes like summer. And Peach.
Carolyn Aug 7, 2008 8:43 PM
I made it in your blog! I do not remember the conversation but if it involved food I was probably involved! :) Fresh peaches remind me of summer, as does watermelon and corn. Good ‘ole grilling means summer to me. Maybe a recipe can follow if I can get the boys to sleep soon!
meg Aug 7, 2008 8:56 PM
My Mom’s BLT made with big fresh tomatoes, crispy bacon, butter lettuce, and lightly toasted bread. YUM!
Melissa Marsh Aug 8, 2008 11:34 AM
Strawberries with sugar on them (though I don’t put sugar on them anymore). But when I was at my grandparents house as a child, that’s what we would eat. LOVED it.
christina Aug 8, 2008 1:10 PM
good, old fashioned, hand-crank ice cream. yum.
Carolyn Aug 8, 2008 1:19 PM
Hawaiian Lemonade
1 6 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 12 oz can apricot nectar, chilled
2 6 oz cans sweetened pineapple juice, chilled
1 12 oz can ginger ale, chilled
Fresh pineapple wedges, quartered lime slices, and/or maraschino cherries
In a large bowl or pitcher combine the lemonade concentrate and 1 can water. Add apricot nectar and pineapple juice. Slowly pour ginger ale down side of bowl or pitcher. Stir gently with an up-and-down motion to mix.
Serve over ice with pineapple, lime, and cherries skewered on toothpicks.
Makes 5 (8 oz) servings.
Carolyn Aug 8, 2008 1:21 PM
Madre’s Layered Salad
1st Layer: Lettuce (Iceberg and Romaine). Place in bowl ½ or more full. I add red cabbage too.
2nd Layer: Sliced Tomatoes. Pace evenly across.
3rd Layer: Grated Cheddar Cheese
4th Layer: Frozen peas. Thawed and drained.
Top with dressing: 1 part mayo and 1 part sour cream. Mix until smooth. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Mix, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
You can place chopped nuts on top of dressing in center.
Carolyn Aug 8, 2008 1:22 PM
Madre’s Avocado Lime Salad Dressing
2 Ripe Avocados, ¼ cup Sour Cream, 1 Cup Homemade Buttermilk (1 Cup milk and 2 tsp lime or lemon juice. Stir, let set 5 minutes, then add), 1 Lime Squeezed, 2 tsp Salsa Verde, ½ Cup Fresh Cilantro, 2 Small Slices jalapenos from jar, salt and pepper to taste.
1. Put all in a blender and mix!
Carolyn Aug 8, 2008 1:23 PM
Classic Strawberry Shortcakes
2 1/3 Cups Original Bisquick mix
½ Cup Milk
3 Tbl Sugar
3 Tbls Butter, Melted
Sweetened Sliced Strawberries
Whipped Topping or Whipped Cream
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, sugar and butter until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped topping. (Sweeten strawberries before making shortcakes so sugar has time to dissolve; for each quart of sliced strawberries, stir in 1/2 cup sugar.)
Rebecca Aug 10, 2008 9:49 AM
Thanks for the recipes, Carolyn! They all look delicious.
Homemade ice cream, corn on the cob, grilled steaks/burgers/hotdogs. My mom’s recipe for potato salad (yet to be made this summer).
Can anyone read these comments without drooling a bit?