Poof! It's August!

And, just like that, we've passed the midpoint of summer. Don't let August pass you by without having friends over for grilling and chilling on your deck or in your garden. Once September comes, you'll wish you'd done it more often. Plus we seem to have a temporary reprieve from the wacky weather we've seen in the last few weeks.

And, the market offerings make entertaining a breeze. Grab some smoked mussels (Pura Vida) or smoked trout (Hudson Valley Fisheries) to gnosh on during the cocktail hour. Or, a thick wedge of Cooperstown Blue with some thin baguette slices.

Make an easy caprese salad with Joe Tomato's creamy mozzarella and a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes. Stack them to make it more interesting (oh so eighties but, still, more fun to eat this way). Throw some corn on the grill to serve on the cob or in this grilled corn salad with hot honey lime dressing. It's bright and light and pairs beautifully with traditional bbq.

And to make your meal super easy, just throw a variety of R&M Farmsausages on the grill, from hot Italian to Kielbasa to chorizo or a thick juicy ribeye from FarmEATS. For the vegetarians at the table make this recipe for grilled patty pan squash "steaks" with their accompanying Italian salsa verde (no reason not to share the salsa with the meat eaters).

For dessert, why not make this ginger-laced mixed berry pie?

Or, buy a whole dulce de leche cake from Silvia's Kitchen, or a box of her alfajores or brigadeiros cookies to serve with your favorite ice cream. Or a peach crostata from Nutmeg Bakery. So. Many. Options.

Remember this is the first Sunday of the month, so our trusty knife sharpener is in the house. Pruning season will be here before you know it so bring Matt your favorite shears. And your kitchen shears, too, if you'll be spatchcocking your whole R & M Farms chicken for the bbq.