"When The Flamethrower Is In Leo"

When you leave the house for five minutes (or less), maybe to take out the trash, check the mail, get the paper,  and you come back inside with tan lines, it's pretty clear that it's almost August. It may still be July technically, but there's something in the air, in the sagging of plant leaves, the crunch of brown dusty grass, the maddening whine of cicada song that lets you know, that... month is almost here.

August in Tennessee is similar to living in the business end of an Oxy-fuel welding torch. Nothing can function (your car will break down), nothing survives (both flora and fauna wither, turn black, and dust away) and your electric bill will be high as the taxes on Tara. 

One way to deal with August, start baking fruity things at midnight (you know you'll still be up, watching seasons of Charmed on netflix), eat huge, delicious, shiver inducing salads (with cukes!), and at noon, when you want to die , make some sun tea. Are we doing this? Have we tried it? Honestly now is the perfect time. If you're really looking for a way to keep from sobbing when you look out the window (or at your electric bill) find some time to make some lemons into lemonade (or lemon tea) by putting some yumtastic stuff in a jar and making that steaming windowsill work for you. It's a good thing, trust me. Green and all that. Plus much more delicious than a hackneyed idiom.


As for the salad situation, you're already doing this. Come on, it's summertime I won't insult you. But I made a nice pretty one today that I think you'll really dig. It's got nectarines, and yes they are leftover from the tart I just made and totally ate a slice of for breakfast. (Yeah. I'm that person.) This salad though, it's got the whole sweet and salty thing going on (chicken+ nectarines) in a tastypants delicious way. All fresh, healthy, chilled. It's even better when you wash it down with a blackberry tart slice. You know, cause it's almost August, and a girl's got to do what she has to... to survive.

August, it's coming, but we're going to be ready. 

Lemon-Rosemary Sun Tea

In a large jar, bruise 1/4 cup rosemary leaves with a wooden spoon. Add 1/4 of a thinly sliced lemon and 1-1/2 quarts cold water. Cover and let stand in a warm windowsill for 4 hours. Strain; serve over ice.

Chicken Nectarine Salad

2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken

3 firm but ripe nectarines, thinly sliced

1/2 a medium cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced red onion 

1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Romaine or butter lettuce leaves

Salt and Pepper

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and cumin, until smooth.

Toss chicken, nectarines, cucumber, and onion in large bowl. Stir in dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon salad into lettuce leaves and sprinkle with walnuts. Divide among 4 plates and serve.