It’s that time of year again. When we have all grown so tired of the dreary grey of winter, we’re sick of our coats and hats, and we’re no longer enamored by the snow piles that are now black and slushy. But just as she seems to do every year, Mother Nature has shown up just in time…
The sun is out, and if you look close enough – you’ll see promises of spring all around.
I had honestly forgotten just how uplifting it is to feel the sunshine on my bare arms. If asked my favorite temperature, I probably couldn’t give a number – I’d just respond “jeans and t-shirts.”
These little buds of hope remind me that before we know it, all our favorite summertime food will be filling the farmers markets and grocery stores, and we will have long forgotten the grey days of January.
But to hold me over until then, I will dream about all the beautiful fresh produce that will be here before we know it. Like giant cucumbers to be used for pickling…
Or fresh green beans that can be turned into delicious pasta salads.
Pulling fresh, ripe tomatoes straight off the vine for a snack…
Or turning them into a decadent (but healthy) tomato pie.
Waiting patiently for the blueberries to ripen…
Before adding them to a delightful and refreshing summer fruit tart.
Those are just a few of the things that I am dreaming about today.
What summer food are you most looking forward to this year?
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BERRIES. Lots of BERRIES.
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ahh… I so have spring fever in a bad way!!
I had some delicious tomatoes the past few days… I can’t wait for fresh romas and basil from my garden! we also have 6 blueberry bushes I always look forward to.
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Ooooooh…maybe peaches!! They are so amazing here in Colorado! It seems as though the weather all around the US has been pretty nice this week. It’s been super windy here, but 50′s-60′s! Of course now that it’s a bit warmer, we’re headed to the mountains for snowboarding..haha Enjoy the rest of your week!
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I’ve been trying to eat more seasonally, so even though I’m not the biggest fan of them raw, I am so ready for ripe juicy tomatoes! I didn’t realize how much I would miss them until I vowed not to buy a winter unripe one. That and strawberries, I will flip when they come into season!
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STRAWBERRIES! The imported spring strawberries have shown up in the local grocery store and my 2.5 year old asks for them every time we shop, but they’re not nice…I can’t wait for the local berries to be ripe. And she’s old enough this year that we can go berry picking!
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Oh man today is such a tease! I just wish it would stay like this. I can’t wait for watermelon and sweet summer corn!
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Ah, ‘jeans and t-shirts’ is definitely the perfect temperature! :) I’m looking forward to fresh berry picking!
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Urgh I’m so JEALOUS of your weather!! Here in London it’s still grey and cold :(
I’m definitely looking forward to the berries too! Mmmm strawberries, raspberries…drool :)
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Glad you are having great weather! It was 68 degrees today in N.C. and tomorrow it will be 75!! :D How awesome is that?
As far as summer foods go – I dream of nice, crisp, summery salads with fruits, nuts and just EVERYthing. Oh and homemade potato salad ;)
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berries!!! and tomatoes. and fresh herbs from my balcony…
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I am looking forward to anything I can eat while wearing flip flops. Just sayin’….
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Tomatoes! I LOVE summer tomatoes. Really there is nothing better!
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BERRIES!
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I can’t wait for tomatoes, eggplant, and peaches! Yummmmm
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I am SO looking forward to summer fruits and smoothies. i cant seem to make myself eat one in the winter when I am cold!
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Corn on the cob! Tomatoes, cherries and nectarines, too. SO many things!!
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Fried green tomatoes. Juicy red tomato sandwiches. Stalking the Farmer’s Market every weekend, all summer, waiting for the first apples to appear.
I can’t wait to run in shorts and a sports bra, and finish the run by sucking out the insides of a tomato from my grandma’s yard.
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I used to have a CSA membership where you could pick your own organic strawberries. There was nothing better than a strawberry right off the vine, warmed by the sun. Ohhhhhhh my! Love your flip flops…my feet can’t wait to be free of confining winter shoes!!
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Some people get excited about spring fashion but I love seeing how excited everyone gets about what foods will be in season.
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I’m a sucker for pretty much every summer fruit and vegetable, but I can’t wait to make your tomato pie–it looks delicious!!
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I can’t wait till we don’t need jackets anymore. Getting 3 kids ready in winter gear in the am = no fun!
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Oh, I love the springtime!! We have beautiful weather up here in Boston.
I can’t wait for blueberries and strawberries! :-)
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I’m looking forward to blueberries. They’re the best when they’re ripe in Maine
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Oh, I’m so jealous. We still have a looooong way to go before it’s jeans and t-shirt weather in Vermont. But I am so, so excited for summer blueberries. There is a pick-your-own farm nearby and they are amazing!
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Oh wow!! I am just a LOT bit jealous!! It was 5 degrees here in Anchorage this morning!! It will be another 3 months until we see signs of spring here!!
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I’m definitely looking forward to tomatoes and fresh berries! And also having my appetite go towards light and refreshing, instead of heavy and comforting!
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That Tomato Pie Recipie is going into heavy rotation this summer I can just feel it. (If those dratted rodents stay away from my beautiful tomatoes this year that is.)
And Northern Virginia springs are so beautiful! Just bear in mind that the weather can turn any minute- one day it was 70 by 10:30am so I wore shorts and a T-Shirt and it snowed at 3 that afternoon!
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Strawberries! I actually bought some yesterday- I couldn’t resist. They were juicy and delicious!
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corn. summer squash. berries. tomatoes. peaches. green beans.
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I am (clearly, given my blog name) looking forward to summer berries, although fresh spring asparagus is sounding mighty good right now too.
In Portland we almost always get a “February fake-out” with a week or so of sunny, 55-60 degree weather, followed by… another four months of rain. I can’t wait until June!
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Watermelon! To me, it’s just the epitome of summer! :)
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peaches. I get antsy the closer it gets. Last year I tried donut peaches which looked like flying saucers and were a perfect quick bite.
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OMG I can’t take it! I’m typing this on my phone outside because the dog and I are hanging out al fresco soaking up the last lucky drops on sun. I love it all. Fruit. Veggies. BBQ. Aah!
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Chase Reply:
February 17th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
*of sun
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I’m jealous. It’s -20C/-4F with a windchill of -30/-22F here on the Canadian prairies and so icy that I had to run indoors today. Sigh.
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I wear your jeans and T-shirt look everyday…love it! I have those flip flops too – cute but also somewhat supportive!
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I want it to be warm enough for me to wear a hoodie without being too hot, but not so cold that I HAVE to wear one. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but that’s what I love!
I’m really looking forward to watermelon…mmm!
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Tricia Reply:
February 17th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
makes perfect sense amber! sounds amazing to me!
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I love the Tshirts you wear. What brand are they?
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Even though there were piles of snow all around me, it felt awesome to run outside today without gloves or a hat! I can’t wait for fruit salad.
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We’re the host house for our CSA again and we always get a TON of garlic scape- its so pretty and so good! Can’t wait! No worries – I’ll share :)
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Raspberries!!! And strawberries! And green grapes. Days like today make me miss my grandma. I remember those sunny afternoon lunches at her house and then when she saw me eyeing the garden she would let me go out and find some fruit that was ready to eat. It always tasted the best from her garden.
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Berries and eating tons of watermelon!!! :D Ahhh summer, hurry up!
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Blueberries, strawberries, and tomatoes!
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Today was glorious but I kept thinking, “this is such a tease!” I feel one more snow storm in the works. Blehhhh!!
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I consider it pretty warm if I can only wear a t-shirt with no sweater!
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So exciting that spring and summer are on their way! I love summer berries, tomatoes, mango salsa, all of it!
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This just made me wish for summer so so badly!!
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summer food = just eating outdoors! i live in san diego so it’s nice here most times of the year but the summer is just extra special.
and the tomato pie…omg i have to have that b/c i eat one tomato a day, daily!
youre adorable in your jeans and burgundy tee!
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I am SO with you on the jeans and t-shirts temperature thing! And I have those same flip-flops :)
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Tomatoes and eggplant. We are seeing signs of spring here in Tulsa too (after our blizzard 2 weeks ago) and it makes me so happy. There is a fresh energizing feeling in the air!
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We’re in the midst of fruit season here in FL — beautiful strawberries, all types of citrus (tangerines $1.00/bag), and beautiful veggies. I don’t have to wait until summer :)
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It’s so nice out but I feel like it’s a tease!
I’m going to join a CSA this Spring and looking forward to all the fruits and veggies that it brings me.
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Tomatoes. I love the Chocolate Cherry ones and Green Zebras.
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It was a GORGEOUS day today!! I am looking forward to in-season vegetables again:)
Slash I am going to be in the D.C. area Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and I was wondering if you would like to coordinate a blogger dinner with yourself and some other D.C. area/virginia/maryland bloggers! I know it is super short notice, but it was kind of a last minute college trip decision:) Let me know and shoot me an e-mail at chefkatelynblog@gmail.com! :)
p.s. I am also sending you an e-mail because I know how crazy it can be to try to get back to comments!
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Well, after that post and those yummy pictures my mouth is watering for spring/summer! Hmmm, my favorite foods. . . I think berries, corn on the cob, grilled pineapple and watermelon!
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i see no promise of spring! well, i did drive home for lunch with my window down. but also my coat on, and the heat going. new orleans is supposed to be in the 70s all weekend, though; i cannot wait!! :-)
summer food? i would say basically everything you just shared a photo of.
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REAL tomatoes! I refuse to eat tomatoes in the winter :)
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HEIRLOOM tomatoes!! From our garden. :)
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Watermelon salad!!!
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All the berries, melons, and summer vegetables!
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I can’t wait for cheap, bulk basil at the farmer’s markets again so I can make pesto to my heart’s content! Besides that, I miss strawberries, as well as making fajitas on the grill.
I am *super* jealous that you can wear flip flips already! Minnesota’s a cold, windy, muddy mess.
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I live in an endless summer in Vietnam, it’s going on 11 months that I have been living in shorts, flip flops, sun dresses and tank tops. Honestly I would LOVE to put on a sweater and feel COLD!
In the past I always loved watching the different fruits come in, I love ripe watermelon! It’s not so special here when their always in season…
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I’m looking forward to planting seeds in the garden, watering flowers, grilling outside, flip flops, dogwood trees in bloom, the wispy weeping willow blowing in the breeze, long walks at dark in the neighborhood with the ipod. I am so ready. Oh and tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.
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Berries and watermelon! Oh how I miss those two.
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Wow, I’m missing flip-flop ! I live in Montreal, so I’ll have to wait until may…
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I can’t wait for berry cobblers! Also, I my family has a home on Fire Island, where blueberries grow like crazy. I love to pick them and make a great fresh blueberry pie. It just screams summer to me! Also, I got really into veggie burgers last summer, particularly black bean burgers, and I can’t wait to put one on a grill, instead of a grill pan in my kitchen. It’s the little things!
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Watermelon and peaches..can’t wait :)
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I am definitely looking forward to starting a garden this summer… I already have a bunch of grapes growing, now just need to work on the veggies!
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Oh I’m so jealous! Here in South Dakota, it has been warm (40′s-50′s) for this time of year BUT we are supposed to get an ice storm plus 6 inches of snow on Sunday (tears). I keep trying to talk my husband into moving somewhere warmer but it’s not working! I can’t wait for the farmer’s market and planting my garden but it seems so far away yet. Have a great weekend!
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Guess what birthday girlie!!! I ordered 3 lbs of fresh organic strawberries to be delivered the weekend of your visit!!! First of the season offering from my CSA. How great is that timing?
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Those pictures definitely make me think of spring and summer…and I can’t wait!
I’m looking forward to berries and tomatoes. If I close my eyes I can almost smell them…
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Feet were not meant to be confined to shoes. Flip Flops are one of the simple things in life that make me happy :)
Have a great even warmer day!
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I seriously can’t wait for farmer’s markets!!!!! I love locally grown and fresh veggies!!!!
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Fresh tomatoes picked from my garden. :)
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Red Haven Peaches, Nectarines, White Peaches, Raspberries, Green Beans, Cantaloupe (with salt!), Strawberries…lots of stuff!
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Amazing post! I need winter to last into March in both Maine and NH (have some winter weekend plans!) but here in MA I’m content with the fact that I can now see my roof for the first time in months. The garden fence is still under 3-4′ of snow.
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I am spoiled living on the west coast but am anxiously awaiting the apricots and plums from my backyard trees. Nothing better!
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hand-picked blackberries. For sure. It’s worth all the scrapes & scratches :)
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Mmm! I’m so excited for the fresh fruit, like strawberries!! And I’m definitely looking forward to getting back into my flip flops and cute summer dresses!
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Black rasberries I go picking every year and eat some while I pick. My hands get stained but who cares. But any fruit I pick strawberries 5 minutes from my house. Peaches we have a local fruit farm. We are so blessed here.
Right now those stink bugs are starting to come out. Yuck!
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I needed that post today!!!
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Haha, I have those same Reef flip flops! Softest flip-flops ever :). Breaking mine out this weekend from summer storage!
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NC strawberries from the farm down the road. Heirloom tomatoes from my garden. Cherokee purples are my favorite!
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I’m so ready for summer and all that delicious food!
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This post and the weather yesterday have me SO excited for summer. I don’t know how I’ll handle the next few weeks of winter.
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you say ‘jeans & a t-shirt,’ i say ‘shorts & a sweater’ – of course your arms are more defined than mine, so who am i to judge?
heard you may or may not have gotten more snow over the past couple of days while it’s been 65+ here in CLT for the past week & a half…
have lots of gossip for you if you get a chance :)
my best to casey & the pups!
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