summahtime!

it's warm today.  really warm.  and when it gets warm, all i want to do is stuff my face full of strawberries and read and reread all my ina and giada cookbooks to revisit and rethink recipes i want to try this summer.

food that i'm dreaming about:
1. any kind of grill meat, but probably bistecca fiorentina in particular.  hope t-bones go on sale soon.
2. salads that won't hurt me: namely, some variation of an arugula and red lettuce salad with roasted beets and maybe the afore-mentioned grill meat.  or ... CORN SALAD.
3. mexican.  even though i am totally cinco'ed out, i think about, again, carne asada, lots of salsa (pico de gallo, red, mango, tomatillo, you name it) and AVOCADOS.  and copious limes.  limes.  limes.  limes.
4. limes.  limeade.  lime tarts.  lime cookies.  limes in mah sangria.  margaritas.
5. bean salads.  as a rule, i don't like beans, partly because they're gritty, and partially because they are waaaay to filling to enjoy other things.  however, lately, i keep thinking about black bean salads and white (cannelini) bean tuna salads.  some mexican/italian variation of bean salad.  whites or blacks.  nothing in between.
6. kebobs.  anything i can spear on them, but zucchini and eggplant and cherry tomatoes do great, even if honey hates the first two.
7. greek things with pita bread.  falafel drive in here i come.  maybe some thing with couscous and green flavor explosions.
8.  anything that makes friends with fresh basil, parsley or cilantro.
9. cold sesame noodles.  my one fake nod to being chinese.
10. watermelon agua fresca.  or just watermelon.  peaches!  cherries!  strawberries!  more watermelon!
11. espresso bean or vanilla cream sandwich ice cream.  i need to justify asking for that damn ice cream maker 6 years ago.
12. icy cold pinot grigio.
13. LOTS OF AMBER ALE.  coastal fog and newcastle and marzen are my top picks right now.
14. cheeseburgers!  cheeseburgers with potato salad.  and corn on the cob.  with fresca.
15. freshly made pretzels.  not really summer food, but activity food and summer means 
activity.  plus, i like hanging out with a and j.  and eating with them.  and watching tv
with them.

i could go on.  but i think it's time to put away the stews and leeks of the winter and MOVE ON.  i cannot WAIT.  come on by to eat.