Hi everyone! Do you see that bright golden haze in the meadow? No, really. There’s a bright golden haze on the meadow. And the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye! It looks like it’s climbing clear up to the sky. Oh what a beautiful morning …

Ahem. Sorry. Kinda got carried away there.

I’ve been singing that song to myself these past few days every time we drive past a meadow or any patch of land that resembles a corn field. I’ve been singing it in grocery stores and farmers markets too, as I walk past the beautiful ears of corn for sale. I apologize if you live in my area and have had to endure my shameless humming, but I can’t help myself. Because mmmm. Corn. It makes me happy.

For me, corn and summer go together like pumpkin and fall. Throwing a few ears of corn on the grill makes for an instant, easy BBQ side dish, and frankly, often I’m quite content with just that and some butter. But I also love corn kernels in cornbread, mixed in with grits, polenta, rice pudding, or just about any kind of stir fry. I even love corn ice cream, which might sound weird to some, but try it and you’ll know what I mean.

Corn is plentiful during the summer, and before the season ends, let’s try a few new ways to enjoy it! Tell us:

What’s your favorite way to enjoy corn?

I shared my favorites above, which can be summarized in one simple statement: “I’ll eat corn with everything.” But I’m always open to new ideas! So share your corn recipes, your tips and tricks for buying or shucking or cooking corn. Or maybe you have a preferred kind of corn (white? yellow? bi-color?) that you seek out at the market. Tell us all about it below!

Peaches at the local markets here have been quite excellent. They pile them in bins close to the doors, hitting you with a wave of that heady scent of sweet summer nectar. They look so inviting with their earthy red and orange hues, and I haven’t been able to resist bringing home a bag or two every time I walk into the store.

Peaches are perfect without any special preparation. I mostly prefer the “grab and bite” method. But it’d be a shame not to expand that repertoire with the abundance of peaches available right now! So tell us:

What’s your favorite way to enjoy peaches?

Do you like making peach ice cream? Pies? Peach iced tea? Do you enjoy them in a compote for pancakes, or grilled and part of a salad? We want to hear all the ways you use up a bounty of peaches, and share any recipe links you have!

The other day, a friend of mine showed me a photo of something I had never seen before. It looked like a miniature yellow watermelon on the outside, with white flesh and cucumber seeds inside. I asked what it was, and she said: “It’s a lemon cucumber!” A lemon what? “Imagine a lemon and a cucumber got married and had babies.” Well. I love to munch on diced cucumber doused with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt, and this pretty much makes that a one-step snack! Needless to say, I’ve been on the lookout for those babies ever since.

I did a little bit of research, and it turns out lemon cucumbers aren’t a new thing—they were just new to me. And I know there must be countless other as-yet-unknown fruits and vegetables waiting to be discovered by more than the fortunate few who already enjoy them. They fly under the radar, like those really interesting, complex, fascinating introverts hiding out somewhere, the ones everyone falls in love with once they get to know them.

Let’s shine some light on them and get the love-fest going, shall we? Tell us:

What’s your favorite not-so-commonly-known fruit or vegetable? Which one was your latest or strangest discovery?

Was it a combination of more common varieties, like a pluot (plum and apricot) or broccoflower (broccoli and cauliflower)? Or maybe it was just a variety you’d never seen before. Naturally, some fruits that are native to certain areas are considered exotic and strange in others, like the dragonfruit, custard apple, or the kiwano or African horned melon seen above, described as a mix of cucumber, lime, and banana. (Must be some kind of sibling rivalry going on with the lemon cucumber.) A recent trip to Thailand introduced me to finger ginger, which was very different from the ginger (dubbed “boring ginger” by our guide) we usually see here stateside. I also discovered tiny Thai eggplant, which I had never seen before. And by tiny, I mean the size of wasabi peas. Wild. Or maybe you can tell us about something you saw at a farmers market that looked so interesting, you simply had to check it out.

Let’s give all those fruits and vegetables their time in the sun! (Unless, of course, they need shade.) We want to hear all about them. Share below!

I love summer. And not just because it’s the opposite of winter. Summer brings with it a wealth of sunshine (an embarrassment of riches, really), an abundance of play time, and more varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables than you can shake a stick at. (Do people really shake sticks at anything? Have you seen this stick-shaking activity in your everyday travels? Enlighten me, please.)

For me, if there’s one fruit that screams “summer’s here!” loud and clear, it’s the watermelon. Okay, and strawberries. Peaches. Pineapple. But mostly watermelon. When I imagine summer picnics and fruity desserts, I usually picture a chubby-cheeked little boy happily chomping on a watermelon wedge, juice running down his arms, with a blissful look of satisfaction on his face. Watermelon is refreshing, hydrating, sweet, and if you stick a little funnel in it and infuse it with alcohol, it can be a little naughty too.

So let’s talk about watermelons today! Tell us:

Do you have any favorite tips for choosing, serving, or storing watermelon?

My mom taught me to look for a watermelon with a flat, yellow part where it would have sat on the ground. She said that means the watermelon spent time ripening on the ground, and wasn’t picked too early. My biggest challenge is finding space in the fridge to store 3/4 of a watermelon after we’ve cut into it. Well, maybe that’s my second-biggest challenge. Maybe my biggest challenge is that I’m allergic to watermelons but eat them anyway. Because apparently, I have little self-control when it comes to watermelon drinks. And watermelon granita, like the one in the photo above. Spiked or otherwise.

How about you? Are you a watermelon fan? Have you had those yellow watermelons or the square ones? Any recipes to share? (Agua fresca!) Any tips for picking a good one, or even growing them? Come share!

Leave it to me to be late to the party again. I just found out that yesterday was National Junk Food Day. What? A day just for junk food? Raise your hand if you knew this. Raise your other hand if you don’t care that it’s a day late and want to celebrate with me.

I try to eat healthy most of the time, and I do that mostly so I don’t feel bad about indulging in a guilty pleasure now and then. Sometimes, I’ll make an effort to create a homemade version just so I can justify eating more of it. Raise your other other hand if you do the same.

Let’s get ourselves into—and hopefully out of—trouble together, shall we? Tell us:

What’s your junk food weakness? Any tips for keeping things in moderation?

Do you love kettle cooked chips? Have trouble resisting chocolate bars? Need that soda pop fix? Can’t stop munching on tortilla chips and salsa? Are Doritos your true love? Or maybe Oreos? (Extra points if you share a recipe for a homemade version!) Or maybe you know a trick or two for battling those insistent junk food cravings and stopping at just one or maybe nine chips. (I could use some of those tips right now, because for some reason, all I can think of is Doritos.)

Come share below! In the meantime, I’m going to go drink three glasses of water and contemplate the meaning of moderation.

Happy Wednesday, folks!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for … pizza! Yes, I know that’s not how it goes, but I’m convinced that pizza in the summertime is just as popular as ice cream. Actually, pizza is crazy popular just about anytime, with just about anyone. Even gluten-free pizza has come a long way from its humble cardboard-y beginnings.

More folks have been trying their hand at making homemade pizza, which is great because there’s just something special about a pie made from scratch in your own kitchen. If you think about it, it shouldn’t be that difficult, really: dough, cheese, sauce, your favorite toppings. It doesn’t sound like rocket science. But sometimes, it feels like it is. The dough can be finicky, it can be tricky to get the temperature just right so the dough is properly cooked and the cheese melted just so, and wouldn’t you know it, the onions burned again. Of course, it’ll still palatable—it’s pizza, after all—but deep in your heart, you know it could have been better.

The quest for a better homemade pizza is a noble pursuit (or so says my belly), so let’s help each other out! Tell us:

Do you have any tips and tricks for making homemade pizza?

I find that giving the dough a mini-vacation in the fridge to proof (overnight if possible, up to 3 days) gives the crust a lovely flavor. Instead of pizza sauce, I like to roast slices of fresh tomato (sprinkled with salt, pepper, drizzled with olive oil) in the oven and lay those on the crust. And if you find that your dough tends to finish cooking before the top is properly done, try this trick: move the pizza to a higher rack in the oven. Using the top oven rack intensifies the heat from above without having to use the broiler, which cooks the top of the pizza faster. Favorite toppings? I have two all-time favorites: a simple margherita with anchovies, or seafood pizza. I’m weird, I know.

How about you? Do you have any favorite pizza tricks? Any great basic or gluten-free crust recipes to share? Can you teach me how to toss a large disc of dough in the air and catch it like nobody’s business? Have any favorite toppings or unique flavor combos for us to try? Share your pizza tips with us below!

It’s Taco Tuesday-plus-one-day! I can’t believe we haven’t talked about tacos yet. I’ve been remiss! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like tacos, and those that don’t probably just haven’t had a proper one. Tacos are the perfect lunch grab or quick weeknight meal, and they’re diplomatic, too: they aim to please everyone and address all possible needs. Gluten-free? Make sure you have corn tortillas. Vegetarian? Just serve extra vegetables or beans. Tacos are also fun to assemble, so all you have to do is provide a few choices for fillings and garnishes, and everyone can customize their own.

So let’s talk tacos today! Tell us:

What’s your favorite way to enjoy tacos?

I love making homemade tortillas. They are so simple to make, and put store-bought tortillas to shame. I make corn tortillas, and all you need is masa harina (or fresh masa if you can get it), water, and a touch of salt. If flour tortillas are your preference, I think the Homemade Flour Tortillas we featured here are a good place to start.

As for fillings, I’m very easy to please: I like them all, thank you very much. Carne asada street tacos, fish tacos, chorizo, sweet potato tacos, breakfast tacos, you name it. If it’ll fit in the tortilla, I’m not afraid to eat it. Well, maybe except goat cheese. I’m still working on that.

How about you? What’s your favorite way to enjoy tacos? Do you have any tips for making taco night extra special? Any secret sauces or favorite garnishes? Any strong opinions about what belongs and what doesn’t belong in a taco? Come share with us below!

This holiday weekend, many of you will be enjoying the outdoors, hopefully with the notable absence of oppressive heat or menacing storms. The kids are off school, you’re off work, and it’s July. July, friends—smack in the thick of summer, with long days of sunlight, perfect for all kinds of backyard and front-yard and any-other-yard shenanigans.

We love picnics and outdoor barbecues because they fuel all that summer play without having to stop what you’re doing to head somewhere else for food. And picnic food is fun! Whether packing lunch for the whole family for an afternoon at the park, or a romantic basket for two as you sit and watch the fireworks together, there are so many ways to make a picnic more memorable. So tell us:

Do you have any tips for making a picnic extra special?

Maybe you have a signature dish that everyone looks forward to at picnics, or a favorite low-maintenance dish to pack. Or maybe you have a trick for packing and transporting the food. Perhaps you even have a special way of laying out the spread on a picnic table or on a pretty blanket on the ground, or favorite activities and games to play. Or maybe you have a few do-ahead tips to make the picnic extra special for you because it makes your work easier. Whatever it is, we want to hear it. Come share below!

‘Tis the season for movies! Are you ready for summer and all its much-anticipated blockbusters? Do you have a long Netflix (or Hulu or iTunes) queue or a hold request list at your local library for all the movies you want to see over the next couple of months? I know I do. I rarely have time to go to the cinema anymore, so I have a lot of catching up to do. (Also, does anyone call them ‘cinemas’ anymore? Or is my age showing?)

Everyone knows popcorn and movies go together like eggs and bacon, and as much as I love popcorn at the multiplex (ha! You thought I was going to say ‘cinema’ again, didn’t you?), I much prefer the comfort of my own home where I can recline on the couch, drape an old throw over my legs, and munch on homemade flavored popcorn. I can heckle the screen if I want to and attempt to solve the mysteries out loud (The neighbor did it!), and no one will shush me. My husband may just shoot me an exasperated look, but nope, no shushing.

Kettle corn is my favorite popcorn flavor to make at home if I’m going for something other than the simple butter-and-salt kind. I have a serious weakness for that salty-and-sweet flavor. But I also love showering popcorn with Parmesan cheese, or using herbed butter with a touch of honey. Popcorn lends itself to so much customization and the possibilities are endless! So, while it’s early in summer, let’s start dreaming up new ways to do popcorn. Tell us:

What’s your favorite way to dress up a bowl of popcorn?

Do you like it sweet with caramel? Spicy? Cheesy? With added nuts and chocolate? As popcorn balls? Do you like it super fancy with truffle oil? Or maybe you use popcorn in new and creative ways, like as croutons for salad, or in granola? Perhaps you don’t necessarily have a favorite flavor but have a special way of popping the popcorn. If it’s popcorn-related, we want to hear it. Come share below!

We’re going through some kind of heatwave this week, and I finally understand why everyone has been warning us about the summer heat where we live out west. It’s H-O-T. Then again, I still remember what winter felt like back east (it was C-O-L-D) so I’m not complaining.

I’ve been drinking my share of plain cold water and cold seltzer, trying to stay cool and hydrated. I also find myself reaching for iced coffee when I can afford the extra caffeine. I like smoothies for breakfast, whip up fruit slushies in the blender when it’s snack time … I’d drink ice cream too, if I could. I think I ingest food mostly in liquid form when the temperatures start rising, and I suspect I’m not the only one. So, in an effort to expand our summer beverage repertoire, tell us:

What are some of your favorite summer drinks?

A Sicilian I used to work with swears by piping hot espressos and tea. He’s convinced that hot drinks can actually to cool your body down. I’ve also seen a lot of hot tea served in the middle of sweltering afternoons in India, so I’ve always wondered about this. Studies have shown that hot drinks make your body think it’s really hot outside, and that triggers sweating, which is your body’s way of cooling itself. But they warn it’s not as simple as that. It depends on other factors, like how humid it is outside and what you’re wearing. Because sweating helps only if it actually evaporates from your skin. Personally, I don’t like sweating, and if there’s no way for it to evaporate, you don’t quite get that promised cooling effect. You might instead get a hot-and-sticky effect. Not fun.

So I stick to my cold drinks, but wonder if anyone else might have a different experience. We want to hear all your summer drink ideas. Come share below!