Last week you traveled with us to the Caribbean. We gently swayed back and forth upon the warm Atlantic ocean on a private boat while watching a tropical sunrise and enjoying a delicious coconut mojito cake. We love visiting new places and it’s even better when you come with us! So pack your bags and bring an appetite because today we are going to Italy! And with three clicks of our heels, here we are on a romantic Summer evening in Rome. The temperatures have cooled and a soft breeze fills the air, scented with the aroma of sizzling garlic. You hear laughter and clinking glasses as you walk past an old restaurant from the 1600’s built entirely from stone, and out front an older man in a black suit with combed grey hair and a neighborly smile is playing an antique accordion that fills the streets with traditional music, while couples holding hands walk by with satisfied bellies and adventure in their eyes. The night is young, so let’s go exploring, find some delicious food, a bottle of red wine, and see if we can learn a few tricks in the kitchen.
coconut mojito cake
It is morning. You open your eyes, and for the first few seconds, everything looks unfamiliar. You are not at home. The room tilts slightly to the left and you hear a creaking wooden sound and water beneath you. Ah yes! You are on a private boat in the middle of the caribbean. It is summertime and you are on vacation. You took off work and your only responsibilities are to relax and enjoy the scenery. Everyone is still asleep so you make your way outside for some fresh tropical morning air. You quietly open the sliding glass door and are instantly greeted with a cool, salty ocean breeze while the warmth of the rising sun caresses your face. The sounds of water gently splashing against the sides of the boat and the pleasant rocking puts you in a meditative state and everything feels just perfect in that dreamy summer moment. It is just you, a glowing sun, a deep blue ocean, and a comfortable breeze that cleanses your mind and body from all the nonsense that clutters it from day to day. We look forward to vacations like these for good reason: they allow us to escape our daily reality and experience new sights, sounds and flavors. Of course it would be wonderful if we could just pack up and head to the tropics whenever we want, but this is not always possible for everyone. But there are things we can do to make up for it. And this coconut mojito cake is one of them.
easy corn salad with sriracha and lime
Do you hear that? Kids laughing and splashing in the pool, vegetarian burgers sizzling on the barbecue, cool ice cubes clinking in glasses of fruity sangria, a golden retriever slurping from his water bowl, your favorite tunes playing in the background. These are the relaxing sounds of summer which unofficially starts this Memorial Day weekend. We are ready for it and so are the local grocery stores and farmers markets which have already begun over-stocking their shelves with fresh summer produce like sweet juicy peaches and tangy heirloom tomatoes. Dust off your flip-flops, get out your sunscreen and bathing suits (our apologies if you may have gone up a size or two), and let us celebrate warmer weather, school-less beach days, tropical vacation getaways, romantic evening walks, roasting s’mores outdoors, and spending more time with friends and family. Today we would like to welcome this bountiful season with a delicious, crisp corn salad that is a little sweet, a little spicy, and perfect for all your entertaining needs.
banana pudding breakfast bowl
Your first meal of the day is the most important: it gives you strength, energy, and focus. It helps decision-making, planning, and regulates your mood. And the best way to do that is with a light, healthy, and nutritious breakfast. You stop and read the title again. Yes, you read it correctly, and we know what you’re thinking: there must be a typo, right? How can the word breakfast follow the words banana pudding? It would be a dream come true if this were so, but it must be a mistake! Well, let us reassure you–there are no typos here, and this is not a dream. Pinch yourself, banana pudding for breakfast is your sweet new reality.
velvety vanilla ice cream with strawberry-basil-rhubarb sauce
Ice cream is delicious in a cup or a cone
on top of a cake, or beside a scone
on a hot summer day, it’s refreshing and cool
at the beach or beside a pool
in a sandwich or on a stick
bring us both and make it quick
smooth and creamy, a heavenly treat
a tasty way to beat the heat
in a car, on a boat
or simply inside a root beer float
by yourself or on a date
in a bowl or on a plate
breaktime at work or lunchtime at school
doesn’t matter where, there’s not a rule
from an ice cream truck in the afternoon
to a starlit night under a full moon
in layers of clothes or none at all
in the spring or in the fall
standing, running, or lounging in a chair
anytime, any place, anyone, anywhere,
so sit back and relax wherever you may be
and join us as we share this divine recipe!