Summer is just about here, and it brings hot weather, new local finds, lots of chocolate, and more delicious recipes in this week’s Thymeline.
This Wednesday it’s officially summer – are you ready? I can’t wait! Warm weather. Fresh sweet corn. Every excuse you can find to spend time in the sun. I love the summer.
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I’m super excited about two local places I discovered recently. The first is a chocolate maker based here in Delaware called Double Spiral Chocolate. Each chocolate bar only uses two or three ingredients, and their cacao beans originate from small producers certified as organic, fair trade, rainforest alliance, or direct trade. I had the chance to sample their current varieties at a local event, and friends – it’s fabulous. I’m dreaming up all sorts of recipes I can make with their chocolate as I type.
The second is a farm just over the border into Pennsylvania – SIW Vegetables. It’s pretty close to the super markets I usually go to, and it’s full of local produce. I’ve been dying for a reliable place to get fruits and veggies to preserve, and with them open every weekday I feel like my options have seriously opened up. I already made a delightfully tart Mixed Berry Bourbon Jam using their local raspberries! This week I’m going to make a huge batch of my Vanilla Bourbon Soaked Cherries, which make a perfect holiday gift (if I don’t eat them up in my cocktails first). I hope to have that recipe up to share with you soon.
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On the kitchen front, I made this awesome Sweet and Smoky Mexican Chicken as part of the Food52 Cookbook Club this week. Smothered in a sauce of roasted red peppers, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and brown sugar and served over a bed of root vegetables, the flavors came together beautifully (even if I did have to adapt it a bit for my food sensitives).
I also went a little spur-of-the-moment crazy and whipped up a batch of I am a Food Blog’s Chocolate Chip Cookie S’mores using a box of Foodstirs Organic Chocolate Chippy Cookie Mix for the cookie dough. It took like 30 minutes, and I got to use my kitchen torch. Who doesn’t want an excuse to break one of those out?
And with that, the links!
- With summer here, I’m obsessing over ice cream. That’s normal, right? This scrumptious Gluten Free Coconut and Chocolate Ice Cream gets added to the list. Honestly, I might just need to go on a road trip so I can try all the variations, like these rolled ice cream tacos!
- Bon Appetit offers an absolutely decadent summer grilling dinner party menu from Chef Samin Nosrat – I’m particularly eyeing that cherry salsa.
- Sam and I just finished the latest season of House of Cards, and oh man – I already can’t wait for next season. I might need to take the advice of Binging with Babish and try some of Freddy’s Ribs to hold me over.
- Peach Ale Pineapple Barbecue Chicken Thighs. Need I say more?
- Seriously craving a simple Coconut Rum Mojito in this hot weather.
- The only thing prettier than this Blueberry Whiskey Buck is the lovely little glass it’s in! So jealous of Vintage Kitty and that flea market find.
- Here are Seven Kitchen and Life Lesson that the Swedish Chef Taught Us.
- My hero Leslie Knope is going to be a toy!
Until next week, cheers!
