Summer is definitely here! I know the actual summer solstice is a few day away, but around here, the weather dictates our definition of  “summer”. With the increasing variety of our produce, I think we are well on our way to a great summer in Alabama.

I haven’t been back to Pepper Place in a few weeks, and with the banking cards and checks still waiting to arrive, I wasn’t about to take off to Birmingham with no access to our accounts. I stayed close to town and had a great morning at the Tuscaloosa River Market.

Food trucks make me so happy. I’m a frequent customer to this one. I had to pass this morning because they were featuring pancakes with fresh blueberries. I hated to pass that up, but it’s not a gluten-free pancake-making truck. Their lunch specials each week are on their Facebook page.

Check out these colors! Eating the rainbow this week will not be hard at all. I wanted to grab those zinnias and plant them in the construction dirt of our half-finished house. But, I refrained…

I walked on by the peaches. In my opinion, peaches are perfect in July. That’s when they are so juicy and ripe. I have no idea if a peach cobbler is in my future with the RV oven situation, but I will find some way to use some fresh Alabama (Chilton County) peaches.

I love our long growing season for greens. I have uses for these. Summer is perfect salad weather. Kale belongs in omelets and even stir frys. I wish I had a good recipe for something with green onions, but let’s be honest. That’s a giant garnish. Or something on the side to eat with tomatoes. I don’t see a creamy green onion casserole on the horizon. Although…..I could make my own green onion dip for raw veggies or chips.

June means tomatoes. Lots of tomatoes. I can’t eat them raw because of texture issues, but Stephen loves them so I buy them. I’m a southern woman and I think it’s madatory that I do something with tomatoes so I might make a few pints of salsa. I can eat that with everything.

I love looking at bread. From far away. And no inhaling. Once upon a time, I loved buying fresh-baked bread and serving it with infused olive oil with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. I know I can easily find gluten-free breads in stores, but unless I have a mad hankering for grilled cheese (I mean, who DOESN’T??) I don’t love bread or miss bread.

After the market, I had a couple of things to pick up from Target and I wanted to try a new drink. Let me set this up for you.

I love the first Pumpkin Spiced latte of the fall season. I stalk the release date rumor sites. I mark it in my planner with a specially made sticker. I load up my Gold card (and I just now remembered that it is in my wallet that was stolen. I have to call about that.) I get so READY for the first PSL.  I never lie about my love for the PSL as the gateway to the fall season.  And even though it’s 98* around release date, I throw on those tall boots and find a scarf. I am THAT BASIC about my PSL. That’s also the loosening of the no-sugar rules because I love to bake and I love to celebrate and it happens a LOT in October-December. I’m a food photographer and recipe developer. The holiday season is my playground.

After Christmas, I couldn’t care less about seasonal drinks. I’m usually returning to my no-sugar, no-crap eating ways and I’m back to coffee with heavy whipping cream and occasional sugar free syrups that I use to remind me that sugar free syrups are really disgusting and never do it again.

Today, I wanted to try the Cold Brew iced coffee. I asked for regular Cold Brew (no sugar. The Vanilla cold brew has sugar) with sugar free Cinnamon Dolce and heavy whipping cream. 3 sips in, I remembered that sugar-free syrups are really disgusting and I will NEVER do that again. Otherwise, it was perfect. I will make summer the season the Cold Brew Basic. I invented this so don’t steal my idea.

My Target list was this. Summer also means that Stephen and I drink multiple cans daily. He gets unlimited bottles of plain water at his job so by the time he comes home, he’s ready for something with flavor. I am blazing trails and taking naps during summer break from school so I need variety, too. I fall into a habit of not drinking anything and that’s not great, either.

Happy Summer!