So here we are, in the middle of the summer, and I can think of nothing better than sitting outside, enjoying the warm summer evenings. Whether it be grilling out on my Big Green Egg with friends, heading up to Michigan to go out on our friend’s boat, going to Ravinia for a wonderful line-up of concerts or sitting by the pool relaxing. To fully enjoy my summer adventures, I have a couple of “must haves”.
The first one is my Govino wine glasses; they are recyclable, stem-less plastic wine glasses with a little divot for the thumb, so they don’t slide out of your hand. My wife and I pack these along with every picnic, especially when heading to concerts in the park like Ravinia. We also use these on our patio, so if we drop them we don’t have to sweep up broken glass off the pavers. They have also come out with a decanter, so you can enjoy really nice wines properly, without having to worry about breaking expensive glassware.
Second, to go with any wine glass you need a little wine. For summer you really can’t beat a Rose. I always have a bottle or two lying around, it is nice and dry, very refreshing on hot summer eve. Our resident Wine Goddess choose a wonderful Rose from Provence for this year’s choice, it has been a staff favorite and could very well be yours.
Third: a summer themed cookbook. Grilling meats, salads, slaws and light desserts are all part of warm weather dining. Even after years in the kitchen, every now and then, I run out of ideas. That’s why I always keep a couple of refresher cookbooks lying around. Asian, southwestern, and country cooking are some good all-around inspirations.
Fourth: quality grilling utensils. It seems simple enough, but you can’t do the job correctly without the right tools. You don’t need each and every tool and gadget on the market, just the core utensils. A heavy set of tongs, a flat metal spatula, a wire grill brush, cast iron grill grate and vegetable grill basket. With those items you should be able to cook pretty much anything.
My last summer must have is a weekly trip to the farmer’s market. For any cooking, local and in season is going to give you the best flavors. With all the fresh fruit and vegetables coming into season and organic and free range meats, it is hard not to make a delicious and healthy meal for friends and family. Throw in some flowers for decoration, and it is like one stop shopping for summer entertaining.
Have fun and enjoy the summer!
