It’s officially summer! That means warm days, starry nights, sand between your toes, blazing grills, and sun brewed tea on the front porch. Farmers markets spill over with all our favorites, vine ripened tomatoes, sweet corn, juicy watermelons, and fresh picked berries. Flower and home gardens burst with a rainbow of color, while herbs fill the air with sweet and pungent aromas. There is no better excuse to throw a party and celebrate summer!

Stock up on every thing local! Bypass the grocery store and run, don’t walk to your nearest farm or market.  Visit your local creamery, butcher shop, or roadside seafood stand for all their fresh goodies. And don’t forget your small-town vineyards and breweries! Why not support local? Eat things that are fresh, tastier, and good for you. Grab some friends for the biggest bash you can throw together!

String up some garden lights, light the torches, turn up the music, and gather some Hydrangeas and wild daisies in a vase. Slice warm tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, garden grown basil, and drown them in the best balsamic vinegar and olive oil you can find. A pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper and you have heaven on a plate! Cut watermelon, crumble feta cheese, and add some mint and you have a healthy, rich, and sweet dessert. Steam local clams or mussels, then coat them in white wine, butter, garlic, shallots, and parsley. Don’t forget to sop up all that yummy broth with crusty bread and wash it down with an ice-cold microbrew.

 Soak in the cool summer night, while you search for Orion in the night’s sky, and watch the kids chase fireflies in the darkness of the new moon. Enjoy and relax in the company of family and friends, while indulging in summer’s bounty. It can’t get any better than this!