Feeling The Heat: Sustenance for a Suddenly Sizzling Summer

Almost this entire summer, through last Saturday... 68-79°
Sunday... 85°
Monday...94°
Tuesday...111°

To think that just a few days ago we were still having hot porridge and pots of tea for breakfast (and we were laughing at the absurdity of me wearing Ugg boots in August). Clearly that's all over now. After two months of the mildest (or as some say, "coldest") summer on record, I was actually hoping for a little heat.*  I just didn't think that we'd get ALL of it at one time. Jimminy Crickets!

Even though our appetites are somewhat diminished from the excessive heat, we still do get a little hungry. Deliberately turning on an oven or stove and cooking hot food is the last thing on my mind though (which means it simply isn't going to happen).


While most of these recipes don't require any cooking at all, some may have an element that needs a quick boil or sauté. That being said, it's the kind of thing that you can do at night when the house has cooled down a bit, and then put it in the fridge until the next day. The popsicles will need lengthy freezer time, so make those the night before also.

A little planning and prepping and the fridge and freezer will be full of refreshing no-fuss foods. If we still need something more substantial, we'll buy a rotisserie chicken and stash it in the fridge too. Cold roasted chicken is even more tasty when you don't have to roast it yourself (especially when you yourself are roasting)...

On Ice 

• The Queen's Barley Water (The kitchn) Citrus-y, quenching and healthy too.
• Lavender Lemonade** (Design Sponge: Behind The Bar) Made with Lillet Blanc and vodka... or try making it without! 

Chilled

• Melon with Lime-Chile Syrup (The kitchn) So cool, it's hot. So hot, it's cool.
• Orange And Olive Salad (Mark Bittman) Sweet, savory, salty, and sensational sounding.
• Summer Rolls With Spicy Peanut Sauce (The kitchn) Peanut dipping sauce - yum!
• ...and there is nothing like a wedge of ice-cold iceberg lettuce with a fabulous dressing for a simple supper on a sweltering summers-eve: Mom's Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (At Home & At Sea).

Á la Mode

• Old Fashioned Ice Cream Floats  (The kitchn) 
• Cherry Lambic Ice Cream Float** (The kitchn)

Full-On Frozen

• Raspberry and Goat's Milk Yogurt Popsicles (Joy the Baker) Fruity, tangy, sweet and swirly.
• DIY Popsicles (Design Sponge) Three popsicles to try: tropical, berry-creamsicle, and citrus-ginger.
• Grapefruit Granita (What Katie Ate) So pretty and refreshing, other fruit juices might also work.

* Not for myself, but for our tomatoes. They really like the heat. I really don't. But I like the tomatoes and want what's best for them because when they're happy... I'm happy.

** Contains alcohol.