As I write this from my air-conditioned office in Dallas, I am still, somehow, sweating. The heat wave that has seemingly gripped the entire world is unrelenting right now, and we’re all just trying to stay cool enough to survive. But we have to eat, and now is as good a time as any to partake in the bounty of summer produce, especially when it means avoiding the miserable heat of the oven.
Here’s what we’re eating to stay cool as the mercury rises.
Jaya: I have been having a great time making a ton of Kongguksu during this heat wave. I've patched together my version of the Korean chilled noodle soup from a few recipes, including this one by chef Chris Cho, but what I love about it is its versatility. If I only have kimchi and scallions for a topping, that's just fine, but if I happen to have a soft boiled egg or some cherry tomatoes they can get on there too. It requires the barest stovetop use to cook the noodles, and we love a sauce/broth that comes together in a blender.
Amy: It’s really too hot for me to even think about being alive right now, and yet I persist, fueled in large part by a vinegar-y cucumber salad that I always crave in the hottest months of the summer. When I can muster the energy to stand in front of the cutting board, I peel and thinly slice cucumbers and onions, then stir together a quick dressing of white vinegar, sugar, and lots of black pepper. It’s best if the salad can sit for a few hours in the fridge, allowing the cucumbers to crisp up and take on some of that tangy flavor, but I rarely can resist digging in as soon as I’ve mixed this cooling summer salad together.
Ashok: Summer is the season where my child threatens to bankrupt me thanks to his love of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. That love of fruit isn’t cheap, especially when taste buds are groomed by berries from local farmers markets. There’s a big difference in looks, sweetness, and price compared to what’s sold at most grocery stores. But I’m going to use this space to talk about something much more important: seasoned raw fruit. Mexicans enjoy mangoes sprinkled with Tajín. South Asian fruit chaat can include salt, cumin, star anise and other spices on a variety of fruits.
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Last week, I took some Thai roasted chili jam from Chicago’s own Pink Salt and garnished some wedges of watermelon with mint and cilantro. Allow me to blend all the terms food writers overuse: I COULD TASTE A REFRESHING SWEET AND SAVORY WAVE OF UMAMI. Imagine me holding one of those dumb mics with some front-facing video while saying that last sentence. To get this back on track, whatever happened at the National Mall for America’s 250th birthday proved that this country needs more seasoning, and its fruits are no exception. Cool Whip, though tasty, doesn’t count. Stop settling for bland fruit and evolve.
Courtney: I’ve been going wild on zucchini. It’s not a typical favorite of mine, but I keep running into recipes with it that I want to try. I’ve perfected Food52’s zucchini bread recipe, and it is, as titled, my new favorite. I tried out Alison Roman’s very tall quiche with zucchini and greens, and it was so packed with lovely wrung-out zucchini that I may never go back to a simple spinach quiche. Smitten Kitchen has a braised chickpeas and zucchini with pesto recipe that I managed to mess up by burning the chickpeas, but the parts I saved were hearty and savory, so I shall try it again with more attention. There is a caramelized zucchini pasta recipe from The New York Times that is on my to-do list. Zucchini me, please.
