When I think about summer, I think about outdoor dining — long, late dinners on the porch, fresh green salads, afternoon naps on a picnic blanket. I also think about color, because how could you not in the summer? Rosé pinks, sunny yellows, all the verdant, vibrant shades of green. So today’s roundup is an ode to a few of the products that make summer so lovely, from cotton ticking napkins to bistro chairs, from a mason jar cocktail shaker to the perfect picnic knife.
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4.59 / 5 Stars | 185 Reviews
by Anne Vackrinos
“A low calorie, but filling, tomato-based vegetable soup. I use fresh vegetables when in season, frozen or canned in winter.”
by Rockymountaincooking on Tuesday, July 23, 2013
by VeganYumminess on Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Nothing beats the taste of homemade falafels! Serve with a fresh tomato and cucumber salad, tahini and pita bread for a delicious vegetarian meal. by Guest on Tuesday, July 23, 2013
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I have a fascination with the grill — I think most guys do. There’s something about igniting a fire that lights up my soul. Maybe it’s a momentary power trip. Let there be light! Maybe it’s the smell of burning wood. Maybe it’s the ice cold margarita in my hand as all the magic happens. Whatever it is, this is why summer (even Texas summers) are my favorite time of year.
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Even before I’d been to the Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio, I’d heard about their veggie burgers. “They are unlike any other veggie burger you’ve ever had,” I was promised by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I’ll give you one guess what I ordered when I finally made it to the restaurant myself!
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I’m not a summer person. Is it uncool to admit that you sort of hate sweating? Probably, so it’s a good thing you already knew I was a dork. New York City summers seem to be endless strings of heatwaves, and humidity so thick that even 82 degrees can feel like 105. Being pale and freckled, I seem to go through my body weight in sunscreen each summer, and still burn. Inside, the window air-conditioner units are always buzzing and always too cold; I consider summer something I must endure until my real love — crunchy fall leaves, cardigans, apple cider stands — returns in late September.
Or so I thought. This summer, something has shifted and it’s like I finally paid attention, and when I did, I realized I’ve had it all wrong. Summer is awesomely, fantastically busy, and with only the good stuff, long days and social butterfly weekends. We haven’t even put the kid to bed on Sunday night before we start discussing how many friends-with-pools/barbecues/ferry excursions/beach towns/playground sprinklers/grilled anything we might be able to stuff into the next weekend. When the heat starts melting your brain, and with it, any ridiculous attempts at dissecting something you read in The New Yorker that week, you get to instead have intense discussions about the ideal popsicle format, how to best fill water balloons, which beaches have the silkiest sand and who makes the best Aperol Spritz. (Buvette, you’re winning.) I realized that there’s barely a month left to summer yesterday, and felt sad, because we need more time. The whole time I’ve been kvetching, summer waged a quiet war on my view of the seasons (“Does fall have watermelon this good? I didn’t think so!” “When was the last time you saw a rainbow through a sprinkler in January?!”) and it won.
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permalink to mama canales-garcia’s avocado-shrimp salsa | 52 comments to date | see more: Gluten-Free, Photo, Quick, Salad, Seafood, Side Dish, Summer, Tex-Mex
4.54 / 5 Stars | 58 Reviews
by LORIELEECOOPER
“Serve this surprisingly sweet and spicy spread with cream cheese over crackers.”
Like this Small Cool Kitchens 2013 contest entry? Favorite it below! 
