The Paloma Cocktail

Mexico’s favorite tequila-based drink

Tequila based? You’re probably thinking Margarita. But in Mexico, the most popular cocktail is pronounced “La Paloma.”

The Paloma is a tall, cool sipper. That – plus great flavor – makes it perfect for fighting summer’s heat. With the weather we’re having in our part of the world, we need all the coolth we can get.

Bring on The Paloma. Por favor.

Summer White Bean and Vegetable Stir-Fry

A Mediterranean one-skillet dinner that’s quick, easy, and healthy

We’re enjoying summer’s bounty of vegetables and herbs in our part of the world. But the weather is unremittingly hot, so we don’t want to spend much time cooking.

Fortunately, we have stir-fry. It’s a quick and easy way to showcase almost any vegetable you can think of.

This dish takes only about 20 minutes total for prep and cooking. Stress-free weeknight dinner, anyone?

The Salty Dog Cocktail

A refreshing drink for the dog days of summer

Hot enough for you? In our part of the world, it seems like August already. So we’re breaking out the most cooling drinks we know.

Nothing says refreshing like a citrus-based drink. In the Salty Dog, that means tart, tingling grapefruit juice. Plus, the drink’s salted rim adds even more tongue tingle.

And that’s no shaggy dog story.

Carrot Slaw

Mustard adds tang to this French-style dish

Coleslaw doesn’t require cabbage (really). You can use almost any shredded vegetable to make slaw. In France, carrots are a popular choice.

And what a terrific choice it is! The bright color and vibrant flavor of carrot slaw will liven up any picnic or cookout. Plus, you can make this dish several hours ahead of time.

Tasty, make-ahead dishes are gold. In this case, 14-carrot gold.

The Tip Top Cocktail

This light, low-alcohol classic tastes like summer

When the temperature soars, our appetites wilt. We’re just not in the mood for heavy food or drink.

Tip Top Cocktail to the rescue! This drink doesn’t contain much booze per serving—less alcohol than you’d find in a glass of wine, in fact. And its crisp, refreshing flavor revives our appetites. So it’s an excellent pre-dinner drink.

All around, this cocktail is—wait for it—tip top.

Marinated Mushrooms

This make-ahead Italian-style dish is ideal for summer entertaining

During the lazy days of summer we want to be, well, lazy. But we still want to entertain. So we look for dishes that are easy to make, preferably ones we can prepare ahead of time.

Enter these Italian-style marinated mushrooms. Flavored with olive oil, lemon, and vinegar, they make a wonderful appetizer or side dish. And they taste better when made several hours ahead, or even the day before serving. They’re also delicious when cold or at room temperature – so they’re perfect for the picnic table.

Plus they taste really good! Kind of addictive, actually. Magic mushrooms, you might say.

The Fluffy Ruffles Cocktail

A pre-Prohibition charmer for the #MeToo era

Fluffy Ruffles? Is that a thing?

Indeed it is. A person, actually – albeit in comic-strip form. And her namesake drink has sensational flavor.

The name evokes fancy dress, so it’s perfect for weddings, graduation parties, and other June events.

But it also recalls an earlier era of women’s activism (more about that later). So feel free to drink it in jeans or yoga pants.