Endless Summer

 I've never been a big fan of summer. Last summer was pretty great, but some of my favorite things are fall things like tweed, tea, a roasting chicken, argyle, and acorn squash. I was really into swimming in the Great Lakes as a child, but at age 18, I developed a weird allergy to cold water and pretty much developed hobbies like reading and watching movies to accommodate that allergy. That all being said, here are some cool summer links:

• Desserts that look like summer foods. And also, how to make a watermelon cake.
• Fruit infused ice cubes that could be great for cocktails.
• Oatmeal you don't have to cook. (Wow.)

 My plans for the summer include:

• I'd like to find a new hobby since I am finishing up watching the entire season of "Beverly Hills, 90210". Briefly, a few months ago, I thought my new hobby could be jello. But then the actual logistics of having that much jello around doesn't work that well. Can you call up your friend and say "Want to come help me eat my jello?" or put "Jello delivery service!" on facebook. I don't think so. Maybe I'll make a crazy mosaic project, like one of these.
• We might go to the Finger Lakes. I really want to visit the Corning Museum of Glass, The Seneca Falls Women's History Museum, and many wineries (I like Chateau Lafayette Reneau and Dr. Konstantin Frank). 

 

 

• I want to have a salad bar party. I got the idea from this podcast. Everyone brings an ingredient for the salad bar. You set it up along a counter. Everyone goes along step by step making their own salad. Healthy! Economical! Light and refreshing, and you don't even need to turn on your oven!
• I like cold soups in summer. I love Ric Orlando's watermelon gazpacho. Martha Stewart had some great looking recipes in the current issue of "Living", and also some more here. Healthy and refreshing! The cookbook I have from the Gardner Museum in Boston has some great ones (I wrote about that book here).

 

 That all being said, I wouldn't mind some time on the El Mariachi patio, taking in some baseball (Go Tigers!),  and for sure eating some awesome farm fresh tomatoes (panazanella!). Enjoy!