Summer Kitchen Essentials
Summer is finally here and I’m ready for it with these few essential items for the kitchen. Hot weather brings different menus than the cold Winter has to offer. When it gets hot, it’s time to ditch the hot soups and warm grain bowls and make a move towards salads and smoothies. Refreshing foods are what make Summer so enjoyable while it lasts. Here are a few kitchen essentials for your Summer time basics!
An Apron
Because I’m a hot mess…
I don’t know about you, but I’m just a slop-opotamus when I cook. By the time I’m done cooking dinner or even just serving up a few simple cocktails, the kitchen looks like a disaster, so you can only imagine what my clothes look like. This year, I’ve invested in a few aprons to keep in the kitchen because my outfit doesn’t need to match my messy kitchen. I also recommend keeping an apron around if you’re on dish duty because that can get pretty messy too. Plus, I always volunteer to help when I’m at a gathering being hosted by someone else and I hate getting my nice clothes dirty while volunteering to wash dishes. This cross-linen apron is super comfortable and also comes in a denim blue or black, if you’re worried about the beige being too light for food stains. And it’s linen so it’s pretty easy to care for, only requiring a cold machine-wash and line dry, which is what I care about most in any clothing item.
Serverware
To serve food and drinks in style…
When it comes to the smaller groups for an intimate get together, I go all out with fancy garnished cocktails and elegant small bites. But if it’s larger party of fifteen or more, it’s time to bring out what I like to call “self-serverware.”
I prefer to serve easy breezy cocktails from a fancy jug like the one of the left, so that it’s easier to serve the masses or let them refill whenever they’re ready for the next round.
I believe in having plenty of food options for my guests in bowls, no matter shape or size, as long as they look nice. The porcelain serving bowl to the right can be found at Food52 and comes in a variety of sizes. And I think a colorful fruit salad in one of these blue marble bowls looks gorgeous.
Drinking Glasses & Coasters
To stay hydrated with refreshing libations & other zero-proof beverages…
I love to drink from pretty glasses and I’m a sucker for chic home decor, so on my left are these gorgeous little coasters for your guest to sit their glasses down on. I don’t know who else is a stickler for it, but I know some hostesses that just can’t stand the sight of rings around the table glass.
Copperware
For endless Moscow Mules…
I love refreshing cocktails during the Summertime and Moscow Mules are always my go-to because they’ve got citrus and ginger beer. Plus, these metallic cups help keep drinks colder and longer compared to drinking glasses.
A Knife
To slice up all that citrus…
I love eating more fruits and raw veggies when it’s hot out because they’re a refreshing morning treat and healthy snack. And I try to keep those extra pounds off for the Summer, so why not? I cut up lots of citrus fruits and melons to diffuse them in my water. Squeezing lemon in your water works like a great cleanse because it’s natural diuretic, so it’ll help your body rid itself of extra water it may be holding onto. I like to make exotic fruit salads and pretty cocktail garnishes for guests, especially if we’re eating outdoors in the heat. I’m talking about those horned melons and dragon fruits that are a little difficult to cut with a dull knife that’s been sitting in your kitchen drawer. Not to mention, I like to save money by making my own lunch for work, so that means lots of salads and veggies to chop up on Sunday nights when I meal prep. So, I need a good knife and here is!
Table Cards & Table Card Holders
For your guests…
If you’re like Sutton Stracke, one of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills who is from Georgia, and need a table card to tell you where to sit at a BBQ… Here they are!
I’m pretty casual and I find my guests typically work their own way around the party without me micromanaging them by telling everyone where to sit. But, if I’m being bougie or a “Sutton-approved’ Southern Belle, I break out cuties like these to dress up the table. And yes, I always have plastic-wear and plastic utensils for eating, no matter how tacky they might seem. If I wanna get real fancy, I step it up a notch with the faux-metallic plastic-wear and cutlery.
Grilling Set
For the guy or gal working the grill
I’m really not one for working the grill, so I let my guy handle the meats, but I do enjoy cooking up dessert. Yes, I said cooking dessert. You’ve got to try these grilled peaches smothered with honey and cinnamon served up with a nice cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.
In any case, you need top of the line grilling accessories because everyone’s always watching the main course being cooked on the grill. I find that grilling tools can rust easily and are hard to wash all the char-buildup and marinades off of, so it definitely pay to invest in a high-quality grilling set every few years.