The summer months have arrived and who exactly wants to cook when both the temperature & humidity reach the high 90's? Just like having things in your kitchen to get you through a cold winter, summer has it’s own list of essential items and I, of course am here to help you stay fabulous in the kitchen and beat the heat. With a few must haves to always have on hand, cooking this summer will be a breeze.

A Rich Olive Oil - In the summer we naturally tend to eat lighter, so drowning our food in heavy dressings and sauces is out of the question. An amazingly rich and flavorful olive oil is perfect for the summer months because you can do just about any and everything with it including drizzling it on some grilled summer vegetables, making vinaigrette’s for quick & easy salads, and making marinades for proteins. When I’m using olive oil as a stand alone item, I like using a Mediterranean blend. It’s a little richer on the tongue and stands up to a lot of foods. If you like a lighter olive oil, Italian or California olive oil is for you.  Also, use some of your lighter olive oil to make The Kitchenista’s olive oil cake that’s been taking social media by storm. You can find her recipe HERE

Tomatoes - I wait all year for summer tomatoes and when they arrive, I stock up. During the summer months tomatoes are the best thing to keep in your home. Whether cherry, beefsteak, black or heirloom tomatoes, any kind of tomato you desire can make an assortment of meals. Hand crush them for a quick light tomato sauce, slice them really thick and serve them with fresh mozzarella cheese, cut them in wedges for salads or blend them for a cold bowl of gazpacho. 

See Panzanella Salad Recipe

See Watermelon Gazpacho Recipe

See Salmon w. Roasted Tomatoes Recipe

Burrata - Burrata is the bougie cousin to mozzarella cheese as I like to say  and you will find it all over food markets and restaurant menus, especially during the warm weather months. It’s soft on the outside and when sliced open, a creamy and milky center pours out. Its super mild in flavor so it pairs incredibly well with a variety of things, but makes a great and super quick dinner when you add some other elements to it. Think a no heat fresh vegetable salad with burrata. (I also like to smear it on grilled bread )

Flaked Salt - Salt is an essential when it comes to cooking and one of the items you should always have in your home. Normally we use regular fine or course salt to season a variety of things with but summer calls for a different kind of salt. Flaked salt is amazing in the summer as the large salt crystals help accentuate the flavors of your food rather than season your food. I love to keep a variety of flaked sea salts in my pantry all year round but in the summer I find myself using them more. Sprinkle some on watermelon, or top your meats right after the come off the grill.

I Love The Flaked Sea Salts From Florida Pure. Shop HERE

Popsicle's - A couple of years ago we started keeping a box of popsicles in the freezer at all times and it changed our lives for the better. On those days when you literally can’t keep cool and the nights where its 90 degrees at 11pm grabbing a popsicle out of the freezer in your favorite flavors will keep you surprisingly sane. They also make great additions to add in cocktails when your friends come over for brunch on the weekend.

Seasonal Fruit & Veggies - shopping at your local farmers market during the summer is the best way to shop for the summer meals that you know will have minimal heat or you will be eating raw. You can try a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables as the summer pans out so no day or week will be the same. And it’s always a great thing to support a local farmer and small artisan food business !

Proteins That You LOVE - I say love because turning on the oven in the summer does not happen as much as it does in the winter. You may want to keep the cooking to a minimum on most days in the summer so  keeping those few proteins that you love in the fridge & freezer helps when all you want to do is have a quick small meal to beat the heat. Your proteins of choice should be able to withstand a variety of cooking methods and preparations due to the rising summer temperature. Think chicken/steak/fish that can be sautéed or grilled and seafoods like shrimp, tuna and crab for things  like crab guacamole & tuna tartare. Also if you aren’t eating meat, thick mushrooms like king trumpets are great on the grill.

See Tuna Tartare Recipe Here

Cold Brew Coffee & Tea - As much as I love having a hot cup of coffee every morning to start my day, it was 100 degrees here recently in NYC and I just couldn’t get with having a hot cup of coffee. I had some cold brew coffee in the fridge and I instantly realized this is a staple I’m going to need to have on hand all summer. I also drink a lot of iced tea in the summer and some cold brew tea bags are always in my pantry.

SHOP : Boss Blend Cold Brew

Vinegar - Vinegar is one of this things that will never not be a life essential. From adding a cap full to help tenderize meat, or whisking it in to a great vinaigrette or marinade, vinegar is a winner across so many meals. I know there are a lot of vinegars on the market but even if you simply have white vinegar or apple cider vinegar on hand, you can make multiple meals.