For weeks, I waited impatiently as the early summer gave way to the heat of late July, ushering in tomato season here in Connecticut. And when the first tomatoes appeared in farm stores and at the farmer’s market, I was ecstatic, buying up even the early ones, which aren’t as sweet or juicy August tomatoes. I sliced them and drizzled them with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkled them with sea salt. Sometimes I would add a sprinkle of crumbled feta or a palm-full of chopped fresh mozzarella and basil. My family has been feasting on them as a nightly side dish.

My favorite summer tomatoes are the heirlooms — especially the deeply gnarled ones in shades of yellow, orange and green. They vary in flavor — some sweet and crisp, some tart and firm. To me, these tomatoes are beautiful and perfect. The little ones are better than candy. And the larger ones are perfect for anything from simple tomato salads to creating super tomato sandwiches and BLTs. But these beauties also fall beyond the realm of what’s the norm for tomatoes. That’s not a bad thing — just different.

You’re probably used to the red tomatoes in a variety of shapes and sizes that can be found in grocery stores everywhere. The brilliantly red ones are the most popular, though they seldom carry a flesh as lovely as their exterior.

The uniformity of tomatoes in the grocery store has made people a little wary of tomatoes beyond the norm, I think. Take a recent afternoon in my cousin’s farm store. A customer walked in and looked over the rainbow of early heirlooms. Then she walked all around the store before asking if those were the only tomatoes. It was clear she was seeking the red ones she was used to … which just weren’t available. She left without buying any. The tomatoes were ripe and lovely — but they would never be that jeweled red found in the produce section.

I wish everyone would step beyond their tomato comfort zones. There is so much goodness found in tomatoes of a different shade. Try a green zebra with its sweet but sharp flavor. Open up to a black cherry tomato with its sugary sweet taste. Sink your teeth into a Cherokee Purple with its juicy sweetness.  These tomatoes are an awakening as to what the combination of seeds, soil, air, sun and rain can do. Let these tomatoes amaze you.

And one more thing. Just don’t ever store your tomatoes in the fridge. Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature and eaten soon after purchase. Refrigerating them makes them mealy — and that can ruin the best of tomatoes.

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Summertime is winding down for us. And as much as I hate to admit it, I am kind of looking forward to the structure that school brings. It will be sad to leave behind the lazy days of summer, relaxed dinnertime preparations and especially the beach. And I will miss having the kids home and relaxed all the time. But I could do without all the last minute to-dos and appointments that come with the time leading up to school’s start. And there are dozens of things I still want to do this summer like go kayaking, ride my bike a lot and craft more.

Lobster

Here in New England, lobster is pretty much the official food of summer. It’s relatively inexpensive at this time of year (for lobster, that is). So, if you haven’t had one yet, get one before the lobster season ends and prices zip back up again. I’ve had one or two lobster rolls this summer, but would love to have just one whole lobster before the fall arrives.

A Good Juicy Grilled Burger

We eat burgers year-round, but there is something about a grilled burger that really stands out as special with its juiciness and smoky flavor. Even better when it’s eaten just off the grill on a sunny warm day (sweet tomato salad and cold beer are optional!). For a great one try my Blue Cheese-Stuffed Burgers, which are filled with melted blue cheese that oozes over the burger and bun. Amazing!

Tomatoes Caprese

When tomatoes are at their freshest (right now!), tomatoes caprese is more than just tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. It’s a flavor explosion and something to most definitely write home about. So make sure you whip up a caprese salad before it’s too late. Or you can even grill it into a caprese lasagna. I am also a big fan of sandwiching caprese between two very crusty slices of semolina bread. Mmm.

Sweet Corn From a Farmstand

When I was a little girl, my grandmother and I used to stake out a local farmstand, waiting for the fresh corn sign to appear. When it finally would, we would feast on corn as a meal. Ear after ear of the tender, sweet kernels would be devoured. If you haven’t had any corn from a farmstand yet, you need to. And if you want, you can even freeze fresh corn to enjoy this winter too.

An Icy Beverage

Summertime is the ultimate time to enjoy an icy cold beverage (and no, it doesn’t have to be an adult drink!). Warm temperatures and cold drinks just go hand in hand. That icy beverage up top? It’s a Pink Coconut Chiller, a cool, refreshing and waist friendly drink with only 40 calories per serving. Best of all? It’s kid-friendly too.

The post 5 Things to Enjoy Before Summer is Over appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Happy Memorial Day!

When I woke up this morning, I heard the rumble of thunder and the tap-tap-tap of pouring rain. A cool breeze blew in the windows, cooling down the house for the first time in days. Now, it’s sunny and warm … That’s one of the things I love about spring: the contrast of cool breezes and warm days.

What I also love — about both Memorial Day and spring — is that summer is coming soon.

Today’s Eat. Live. Be. topic is all about summertime. Specifically, our favorite things about summertime. What are you most looking forward to this summer?

For me, it’s the beach. Hands down, summer isn’t summer for me without toes dug into the sand, swimming in the cool Long Island Sound and lunches eaten precariously by the water (where I frantically try to keep sand out of my sandwich).

We love everything about the beach: Kayaking in the waves, riding my beach cruiser along the shoreline, laying in the sun (with sunscreen on, of course), running on the sandbar, searching for periwinkles and hermit crabs, creating sandcastles, flying kites on windy days, seeing how far we can walk out on the sandbars at low-tide, boogie boarding and even screech-worthy skim boarding. We’re all ready for a beach-filled summertime.

Looking for some tasty bites for your next beach adventure? Try these!

Perfect Beach Bites

• California Turkey Club Wrap
• Greek Chicken Salad Sandwiches (pack the salad separately from the pitas and assemble on the beach)
• Ham Veggie Wraps with Horseradish Cream on Sweetnicks
• Chilled Avocado Soup on In Good Taste (hint: drink it from cups!)
• Asian Lettuce Wraps on Kalyn’s Kitchen

Finally, a thank you to all the men and women who’ve given their lives for our country to be a free nation. It’s that freedom that lets us dream about fun-filled summer days and look forward to peaceful summer days at home.

Be sure to check out the other ELB bloggers for what they are looking forward to as well.

• Cate O’Malley from Sweetnicks
• Joanne from Eats Well with Others
• Chris Arpante – Melecotte
• Patsy – Family, Friends and Food
• Claire – Cooking is Medicine
• Rivki Locker – Healthy Eating for Ordinary People
• Sarah Rogers – Sarah’s Sweet Creations
• Kate – Paved with Good Intentions

The post Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011: Favorite Thing about Summertime appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

I couldn’t bring myself to cook yesterday. When I opened the door to see how it was outside, it was like stepping into a sauna. The air was thick with humidity and it was so hot, despite a late afternoon rain shower. Thank goodness for air conditioners and take out.

Today is milder, less humid. Tomorrow is supposed to be even more so. It’s a relief. I’ve lived a lifetime of New England summers where days go from pleasantly mild to intolerably hot and humid overnight. I’m used to experiencing the old saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” Yesterday was a prime example of that with the fast and furious rainstorm that rolled in and exited so quickly that I blinked and it was sunny again. That’s how summer life is here. That doesn’t mean I enjoy it.

Hot, humid days don’t exactly inspire me to spend time doing anything. Yesterday afternoon, Paige took an extended nap while Will did puzzles and I read The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch (great book – I finished it in a day and loved it). When dinnertime rolled around, I briefly considered cooking. Very briefly. Then I phoned our local Italian restaurant for a pizza, garlic bread and salad.

That said, I don’t always eschew cooking on hot days. Sometimes I have the foresight to prepare a ready-to-eat meal like this salad, which is great to begin with and only gets better with sitting. It’s hearty, but light. It’s fresh and flavorful, but requires little effort. Perfect for those sauna-like days.

The lime and cilantro dressing on this really bring the peppers, pineapple, pomegranate and black beans together. It’s a lovely harmony of flavors that cools and satisfies while you eat … and it’s also perfect for picnics on those not-as-hot days.

What do you do when it’s too hot too cook and too hot to grill?

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So, that little bug of camping light got into my head. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it. But Maine … it’s just so far from Connecticut. Is that really the best place to go with two kids four and under for our first outdoor adventure? Probably not. So I stuffed the idea back into the depths of my mind.

… and there it stayed until someone I know announced they were going camping. And, Oh! Someone else mentioned cabins near the beach. I started hunting and pecking and chose a campground with cabins, but I hesititated on booking (can we really afford this?). When I finally made the decision to just do it, that campground was booked … back to the drawing board. I quickly located another campsite with cabins close to home and didn’t even blink as I booked one for two nights and three days.

It’s a short getaway, but it’s also the first real family vacation we’ve taken since having kids. So this is a big thing for us. The kids are psyched. The dogs are checked into the kennel and happily being tickled and played with. And the car? My tiny Civic is packed to the brim.

Yes, folks, we are taking my little Honda Civic camping.

So away we go for a few days. When I return, there will be lots to tell you about — camp food, outdoor fun and this family-run campground that is giving us our first real vacation in years.

See you in a few days!

The post On The Road … appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

So, I am pulling together all my resources and planning at-home trips. (Psst! I just wrote about staycation ideas for families with toddlers at SheKnows, where I am a columnist. Check it out.)

Here are a few local ideas (in Connecticut) that I’ve come up with:

• The Connecticut Children’s Museum: This is a great hands-on place for kids three and up. They have all sorts of activities geared toward the younger set.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children: This has activities both for toddlers and older kids. They can play with water, learn about rain forests, make bubbles and more.
• Walking with Dinosaurs: This is an awesome and breathtaking show that will be at the Arena at Harbor Yard later this month (it’s also going to be at Madison Square Garden in New York). Realistic looking dinosaurs take center stage . . . (In the interest of full disclosure, I learned about this one after being offered tickets to check it out . . .).
• Mystic Seaport: If you are in Connecticut, you can’t miss Mystic Seaport. There are tall ships, a museum, an aquarium and more to have a fun day . . . And rumor has it one of the ships is very haunted (but don’t tell my husband . . . he won’t want to check it out then).
• Discovery Museum: This one is more for older kids. There’s a planetarium and lots of space geared activities. Lots of fun — I went there as a kid and loved it.
• Earthplace: A coworker told me about this place in Westport. Apparently they do bonfires on Fridays and have lots of fun activities. It’s all geared toward nature education.
• Stamford Museum: With animals galore, this is a great place for kids. There’s even storytelling on Saturday’s at the museum farm.

The post When You Can’t Get Away . . . Take a Staycation appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

I checked out a number of recipes before writing this one. Thank goodness everyone in the blogosphere is busy with tomato cooking now (and a lot are making gazpacho too) because it gave me a good selection of recipes to learn from. I also checked out a bunch of recipes from books in my personal library. As usual, I couldn’t find one that met all of my needs so I just started from scratch.

Anyway, here’s the skinny on gazpacho: it’s really refreshing. I wish I would have made it sooner as it would have been a perfect hot-summer-night dinner on the porch. Next year! The texture is somewhat like salsa, without the bite. Definitely good. Definitely worth it. Definitely a keeper.

The best part? It’s super healthy – it’s practically all raw vegetables (and fruits, I guess) so it’s just a powerhouse of nutrients. Yay for healthiness!

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt (I used a sea salt/lavender blend from Williams-Sonoma)
4 ripe red tomatoes, diced
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 shakes Louisiana hot sauce
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Pour balsamic vinegar in to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of your food processor, combine the sea salt and garlic. Pulse for 5-10 seconds. Add tomatoes (I did this in two batches since I use a mini food processor.). Pulse to desired consistency. Pour tomatoes into the bowl with the vinegar.

Combine the cucumber and red onion in the food processor (no need to clean between uses). Pulse to desired consistency. Pour cucumbers and red onion into the reserved bowl.

Combine the red and green pepper in the food processor. Pulse to the desired consistency. Add to the reserved bowl.

Pour Italian seasonings, olive oil, lemon juice, hot sauce and pepper into the bowl. Mix well.

Place the gazpacho in a sealed container and refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

The post Making Gazpacho appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

When we would go, it would be hot, because we only would go on nice sunny days with bright blue skies. And every year, we’d pick as many of the delectable, fresh, sweet berries as we could. Besides the big box of strawberries, I’d also leave with red-stained clothes, hands, you name it. Eating just picked strawberries is one of life’s most simple pleasures.

I still love strawberries as much as I did as a little girl. I particularly love those bright red ones that are perfectly sweet and just picked. With any luck, Will and I will begin our own strawberry picking tradition this year at a pick-your-own farm not far from where we live. I hope he enjoys the experience as much as I do.

It’s almost strawberry picking time! Just a few more weeks . . .

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