In Our Summer 2016 Issue

Last Updated June 01, 2016
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Summer 2016 Issue Piedmont cover

FROM OUR TABLE

I've sat here at the keyboard trying to write something that's not cliché about summer. The season is just a special time, filled with memories and memories yet to take place. Summer is family reunions, picnics, neighborhood cookouts, a lazy paddle down a river, and trips to the beach. Food is always in the center of everything, and there is no better season than to eat fresh and local.

We want something cold and sweet, tomatoes still warm from the field, summer flounder, all the shrimp we can eat, and a glorious Carolina style hot dog dripping with chili and slaw. All these tastes mean something to us, each laced with a life event worth remembering fondly. Our eyes are always bigger than our refrigerator when we hit the farmers' markets with the pristine displays of vegetables and fruit. What to choose, and how will we cook it, if at all.

As the weather warms, we are also looking for ways to beat the heat in the kitchen. Fast cooking and no cooking become the key words at mealtime. The oven is an absolute no-no if at all possible. I bet you may be the same way.

In this issue we have assembled a group of recipes, using the best of summer's favors and have fairly low heat requirements, and most come together pretty quickly. Think ahead and use the cool dew of the morning or the twilight breezes to bring heat to your food. We believe you're going to love these dishes and hope that you enjoy them all summer long.

So were we relatively cliché free?

-Fred Thompson, Executive Editor 
-Belinda Ellis, Senior Editor

What’s in Season - Summer

seafood
This summer we have all the produce and the seafood that's in season. These items can be found at your local farmer's markets. So stock up and get cooking!

NC Flounder Crudo with Peach and Watermelon

north carolina flounder crudo
This is a great fresh, light dish that will be sure to please your guests. Use it as an appetizer or first course. Make sure when talking to your local fish monger they are aware you're preparing a...

Shrimp Rolls

shrimp rolls
North Carolina shrimp takes on, and stands up to the more famous New England lobster roll. Shrimping in North Carolina is a critical venture for our coast, and one that has taken a beating. Please...

Margarita Shrimp

margarita shrimp
This recipe gives your shrimp a bit of a Caribbean flair that is perfect for enjoying at the beach or wherever you are on island time.

Shrimp and Grits

shrimp and grits
Shrimp and grits started as a breakfast food in the low country of the East coast. Fisherman had shrimp, not hogs for sausage and bacon and they made due with their catch to feed the family. Shrimp...

Spotlight on Tomatoes

tomatoes
From North America to North Africa, Italy to Vietnam, and seemingly everywhere in-between, the humble tomato plays both the star and supportive role in some of the world’s best loved and most...

Fried Green Tomato and Pakora

fried green tomatoes
You know you're in the South when...there's fried green tomatoes on the menu. If you're a tomato lover and you haven't tried one, you may find your new favorite tomato dish.

Summer Beer

summer beer
For several years now, the craft beer movement has been sweeping the nation. Beer enthusiasts, tired of uninteresting, watered-down flavor profiles, have been throwing their support behind beverage...

The Cold Facts About Ice Cream

ice-cream infographic
It's hard to argue that Americans love ice-cream. After all, Americans eat an average of 48 pints of ice-cream per person every year. If that's not love, I'm not sure what is.

Growing Heirlooms: The Tomato Man, the Farmer, and the Cherokee Purple

tomatoes
For passionate growers of heirloom fruits and vegetables, they communicate as they have for decades, mailing thoughtful notes and treasured packets of saved seeds with those they trust.

House Pasta Salad

house pasta salad
We intended to include this in Epic Tomatoes, but it did not make the final edit. It remains our favorite pasta salad.

Tomato Bisque

tomato bisque
This bisque was inspired by one served at one of our favorite restaurants, which is now closed. We’ve tinkered with it over 20 years, creating a healthier version that’s just as flavorful. Make it...

Uncooked Marinated Tomatoes Over Pasta

uncooked marinated tomatoes over pasta
Inspired by a recipe in a Williams-Sonoma cookbook, this dish is simple, fresh tasting, and perfect for a summer supper.

The BBQ Man Goes Brick and Mortar: Durham’s Picnic

bbq plate
With only being open for three months, Picnic is definitely traveling down the right road to bring the love of a classic pig picking to Durham, and to set the role of the local BBQ man in stone.

Berry Compote

berry compote
This cool summer dessert is a simple way to eat summer berries. Top with your favorite granola and a bit of creme fraîche, or spoon it over pound cake.

Buttermilk Blackberry Milkshake

buttermilk blackberry milkshake
My dad used to drink buttermilk, and just the way it stuck to the side of glass and the sour smell of the stuff kept me from trying it. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I discovered what passes...

Summer Berry Trifle

A layered dessert is perfect for Fourth of July celebrations or any big summer gathering. This is not a gelatin dessert like many traditional British trifles, rather it is a layer of cookies to soak...

Kyles Mom’s Red Chili

And yes it came from a church cookbook. Printed in 1980, Cooking with Missions in Mind was a group of recipes from the Rose of Sharon Baptist Church, in Durham. Their Young Baptist Women’s group put...

Linda’s Dad’s Chili

I gleaned this recipe from my back door neighbor, Linda Johnson, and she had it passed to her from her Dad. This is a spicier chili than Kyle’s Mom’s.

My Mom’s Hot Dog Slaw

hot dog slaw
Perhaps the best part of a hot dog is what you top it with. This slaw goes perfect on a hot dog with some chili and also goes great with fried seafood.