As a self-described foodie, Christopher Precopia believes every season has a list of foods that capture the spirit of that time of year. For instance, you can’t imagine fall without the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Summer is by far the favorite culinary season of Christopher Precopia. After a recent friendly debate with some friends, Christopher Precopia thought a list of the top summer foods would make for the perfect blog post. Below is his definitive list of summer food specialties.
- Watermelon
Fresh watermelon may be the favorite fruit of Christopher Precopia. It’s also a fruit he only gravitates towards on a hot summer day. As a kid Christopher Precopia believed the old wives’ tale that watermelon seeds would grow the fruit inside your stomach if you were unfortunate enough to swallow a seed, so he’s always been very particular about picking out the seeds before consuming. Watermelon is the perfect summer treat because it tastes great and is refreshing and hydrating.
- Hot Dogs
For about nine months of the year, Christopher Precopia forgets hot dogs exist as an option for lunch or dinner, but when baseball is on, it’s time to enjoy a hot dog. Everyone has their favorite hot dog toppings, but Christopher Precopia believes they should be enjoyed with mustard, relish, and fresh onions when they are chopped thin. Christopher Precopia has been fortunate enough to visit many restaurants where chefs elevate hot dogs into culinary masterpieces. If you don’t have such an establishment near you, he recommends grilling some hot dogs, chopping them up, and mixing them in with some mac and cheese. This is an incredible summer comfort food.
- It’s Corn
Viral videos aside, corn on the cob is a summertime staple. Christopher Precopia recommends Jersey corn in the summer with just a sprinkle of salt and a dab of butter. Corn on the cob is a lot like hot dogs in that it’s rarely seen in the Precopia house during the winter months but is a frequent visitor of the summer dinner plate. Shucking corn can be a pain, but when you do it on the patio on a warm summer evening, it can actually be kind of fun!
- Tomatoes
Once again, New Jersey earns its Garden State moniker in summer with Jersey corn and Jersey tomatoes. While tomatoes can be great on their own, Christopher Precopia loves making a fresh Caprese salad as a side dish in the summer. The freshness of the tomato will make or break the Caprese salad, so Christopher Precopia recommends being picky about your tomato selection.
- Italian Ice (Water Ice)
Depending on where a person grows up, they either enjoy Italian Ice or Water Ice every summer. While Christopher Precopia was tempted to list ice cream, the truth is people will make excuses to eat ice cream no matter what the weather outside looks like. Italian Ice is a non-dairy treat that comes in a vast array of quality flavors. While cherry and lemon are the classics, Christopher Precopia loves to mix in a blue raspberry or even a mango every now and then. Anyone unfamiliar with Italian Ice should go out of their way to get their hands on some this summer.