Victoria: Confession: I am kinda excited about food again!! For months I have felt a deep malaise about the task of feeding myself and my family. We have to eat something for dinner every day? What the fuck!!
But May begins the best time of the year for produce, which makes me excited about cooking again! So I wanted to talk about some of our favorite things to eat and drink and cook and bake during late spring and early summer.
As soon as corn shows up in my grocery store, dirt cheap and so alluring, I make Melissa Clark's creamy corn pasta, which could not be easier. At the end of corn season last year I made Melissa King's corn and coconut soup, and I can't wait to make it again soon! Smitten Kitchen's corn fritters are also a huge hit in my house: crunchy and cheesy and just about perfect.
Hayley what foods do you associate with this time of year?? What produce are you dying to eat a lot of?? How much do you love tomatoes?
Hayley: I always associate summer with my favorite kinds of produce that we grow in our garden — big leafy lettuce, giant cucumbers, banana peppers, and jalapenos. Yes we grow tomatoes too but I ignore them, because tomatoes are gross.
One of my absolute favorite summer recipes that requires little to no cooking is the Budget Bytes Sushi Bowl with Sriracha Mayo. This is one of the most versatile and satisfying summer dishes in my opinion. The recipe calls for imitation crab, but you can omit that completely to keep it vegetarian friendly, or simply use tuna like I prefer. And if you don't want to use rice, you can make cucumber noodles and dress them with the rice mixture instead. The cucumber noodles are so crunchy and satisfying! There are limitless ways to make this and it basically requires just chopping vegetables. It's great for lunch or dinner. I made this on Monday and I can't wait to eat it again.
Another great summer recipe is what my family calls "Greek Night." (Coincidentally this is what I had for dinner on my pandemic birthday before forcing my parents to watch both Mamma Mia movies with me!) All you need is pita, red onion, kalamata olives, cucumber, hummus, and feta (we like to use the block feta cut into squares). Slice or chop everything and arrange on a large plate, then drizzle with olive oil and oregano. Cut the pita into triangles to serve, and voila! You can practically feel the Mediterannean breeze. This goes super well with your light red or white wine of choice.
Speaking of drinks, last summer I fell in love with a variety of iced teas from the Republic of Tea, most notably their Hibiscus Sangria (tastes like juice) and their Strawberry Basil Green Tea (it's the perfect blend of each of these subtle flavors). I'm hoping to try even more flavors this year. In terms of alcohol, my favorite summer cocktails are Pina Coladas and this twist on a French 75 that adds in some St. Germain in place of the simple syrup.
Victoria: Wow what a journey your first two sentences were: envy at your home garden, then deep despair at your hatred of tomatoes!!!! cannot relate!!!
Tomatoes are the best. When they’re at their ripest, I love making a raw pasta sauce: cut up plum tomatoes, throw in some raw garlic, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil and let it hang out for a couple hours before throwing over pasta. Amazing. I of course love a tomato sandwich, but I also love this fried provolone-twist Smitten Kitchen came up with.
My favorite summer beverage treat is a blood orange San Pellegrino. I also love the grapefruit Polar seltzer, and it’s delicious with tequila and a lime to make a Paloma. I know I keep name dropping Smitten Kitchen, but she also has a black and red cocktail that utilizes strawberries and black pepper that’s so delicious. Honestly SK has a lot of cocktails I hope to try this summer!
Summer is also a big birthday season in my family, so I associate it with all our chosen birthday desserts. For my little brother’s big day later this month, I’m making key lime pie and ice cream sandwiches. My mom always want carrot cake. Usually I get something with strawberries though last year I got a fancy ice cream cake from Ample Hills. No regrets.
Hayley: Wow your mom has excellent taste, carrot cake is the best kind of cake!
Another food item that you can technically eat year-round but is just much better in the summer is a Chicago-style hot dog. It is absolute perfection. I usually opt for a veggie version, which is more widely available in Chicago than you might think. Also, a lot of places will give you all the toppings in a bun with no hot dog for a cheaper price and it is still very satisfying, because a Chicago dog is essentially a hot dog plus a salad in a bun. I, of course, do not get tomatoes on my Chicago-style hot dog, which makes me a fraud and I accept that.
Something that I realized too, once I started thinking about hot dogs is that I associate summer with ballpark food in general, and going to Sox games. Sox Park (ok fine, Guaranteed Rate Field) has amazing food options, and a Craft Beer Cave nestled behind the bullpen. I like to spend like three or four innings in my seat before eventually heading down to the Craft Cave, and it never disappoints. I don't know if I'll be able to go to a Sox game this summer, which is a bummer. But I can at least eat my hot dog and drink my craft beer while watching them on TV, so there is still hope for some semblance of a normal summer.
What Hayley Recs:
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Anne T. Donahue's newsletter was particularly poignant this week and I highly enjoyed it—if you're a writer or creator of any kind I think you will too.
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This Aldi Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Granola is SO. GOOD. I mix it with plain Greek yogurt and dried cherries and then fresh raspberries. It's heaven!
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This is the perfect workout tank top!!! It hits just above the hip, it's not too loose or too tight, it's very lightweight, and it doesn't bunch or twist or otherwise distract me while I'm exercising!
What Victoria Loves:
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I was #blessed to read an advanced readers copy of Alison Cochrun's The Charm Offensive and I cannot recommend it enough, especially for fans (both avid and reluctant) of The Bachelor and people who enjoyed Red, White & Royal Blue. You will love this book!! Preorder if now and delight future you when it comes in the mail!
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My beautiful friend D. Arthur wrote this beautiful short story.
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The new Aly & AJ album is nonstop bops
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