Fireflies are out and citronella is burning on Mendenhall. Afternoon showers are back and the humidity is on high. This weekend was full of the things that make summer so ripe. Blackberries, red and yellow grape tomatoes, goat cheese, and zinnias from the Greensboro Curb Market. Hearty green tomatoes growing in our alleyway garden called to be picked despite the anticipation (and my lack of patience) of their future brandywine shade.

We started summer off southern style Saturday night by greasing up a cast iron skillet and indulging ourselves. Fried green tomatoes from a Garden & Gun Magazine recipe accompanied by salad with grape tomatoes, local goat cheese and aged balsamic and basil vinaigrette, Sarah Foster’s crab cakes and cucumber gimlets to wash it down. Good company and great food sure beat the heat.