This is just the cocktail to kick off a buzzy, bubbly party! Martinis pack an alcoholic wallop to begin with, and when you add the caffeine in a little espresso, it becomes a fast wallop. I’ve rediscovered iced coffee this summer, so a delicious and eye-opening coffee cocktail was the logical progression. Dark and frosty, and brightened with vodka and coffee liqueur, you couldn’t ask for a more satisfying summer libation. You definitely won’t be falling asleep on the porch […]
This end-of-season cooler is fruity and light. I think of watermelon as a smoothie fruit, not a milkshake fruit, but this has a tropical flavor that’s enhanced by the strawberries. Somehow the strawberries strengthen the watermelon flavor, rather than adding their own unique taste, and it’s very clean and smooth. This would be yummy at a kids’ outdoor birthday party, or it could be something you want to drink poolside with a little rum blended in to celebrate a more […]
I love a salad you can make a meal out of, and this rice salad will appeal to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. It’s simple, as things should be in August. Just the crisp, tangy ingredients of a Greek salad combined with cold, cooked rice. If you want extra protein, grilled salmon or chicken are flavorful additions. I had this salad three times over the course of the weekend: once with warmed pita bread for lunch, another time with grilled boneless […]
There’s a really fascinating book called “Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience,” which I’ve been reading this summer. It’s a compilation of historic, moving, and extraordinary letters written by famous people throughout history. One of the more endearing is a handwritten letter from Queen Elizabeth II to President Dwight Eisenhower, in which she shares her recipe for drop scones – which the President had tasted and admired while visiting the Queen at Balmoral […]
A summer ham is so versatile. It goes seamlessly from Sunday dinner to Monday morning breakfast with eggs, and then maybe a ham sandwich with dill pickles and mustard for lunch. Stone fruits are one of my favorite things about the summer – they remind me of this lazy, easy time of the year and have such versatility. I decided to combine the two: I pickled some apricots as a delicious garnish, as well as pureeing some into a glaze, […]
