11 Comments

Yumm! Thank you!

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Hey Alexandra. I really love your work, thanks a lot for your fantastic newsletter. I'm living and working on a farm cooking myself and sharing anecdotes and on substack. Maybe you'd enjoy mine too 😉 peace and love, Lana

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I store peppers in the fridge. I would think they would be fine out, though, as would eggplant, if you’re using them right away. I put onions, garlic and potatoes in the fridge too though. I’ve found otherwise they get soft.

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Thank you, Sara!

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Yum! I’m very inspired by this list, and have a feeling these will be bookmarked for the rest of summer.

My favorite gazpacho comes from Mollie Katzen’s cookbook The Heart of the Plate. I couldn’t find an online link, but it has toasted cumin seeds and my favorite ratio of oil, red wine vinegar and spice. Highly recommend if anyone has a copy of her book (or can nab a copy from the library).

For other I-Don’t-Want-To-Cook recipes, I’ve been keeping cool with these melon-based beverages:

https://www.carolinescooking.com/cantaloupe-agua-fresca/#recipe

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a22604091/frozen-watermelon-margaritas-recipe/

Watermelon Lemonade: blend about 4 cups of cubed watermelon. Strain with fine mesh colander or cheesecloth. Mix up frozen lemonade concentrate replacing one can water with the strained watermelon water.

I’ve also had this salad bookmarked all summer but haven’t made it yet. This 100+ degree week might be the time to bust it out. https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/04/obsessively-good-avocado-cucumber-salad/

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The No-Cook recipe I’ve actually been eating on repeat is chopped cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with cottage cheese and fresh dill. Also, lots of toast with cheese and tomatoes

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Thank you for all of these ideas! I have so many of Mollie Katzen's books, but not that one... I'll try to find it at the library. I think part of the reason I love gazpacho so much is the big hit of vinegar — it's almost like salad dressing. All of these drinks sound delicious, too. Thank you!!

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I brought your watermelon gazpacho to a work potluck today. It was a hit! Will definitely be bookmarking that one.

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Oh yay! This makes me happy. Whenever my fam and my sister's fam visit my parents during the summer, my mom makes a batch of this, and it's such a treat to have on hand! We often pull it out shortly after breakfast because we can't resist.

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I'm a year round soup eater, and in the summer I definitely lean toward chilled and lighter variations. Your cabbage soup from a few years ago is delicious chilled. It reminds me of okroshka and shchi, two Russian soups. And what a great way to use languishing produce. That herb salsa you shared is getting made this week for sure.

I had to add one more. This soup. Delicious hot and cold.

https://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2009/11/thanksgiving-scarlet-carrot-soup-gourmet-magazine.html

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Yum! Beet + carrot... love it! Thank you for sending. And I have never tried that cabbage soup recipe cold but I will now. It's one of my favorites.

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