In Our Summer 2016 Issue

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