Summer is in full swing and so are all the flavors that have been fueling my kitchen these days. And just like my fridge, we’ve got this month's newsletter chock-full of seasonal produce, tasty recipes, cool restaurants, and inspiring ways to support the Detroit community. So read on and stay cool friends. 

We are leading right out of the gate with the smorgasbord of fresh ingredients that are just begging to be taken home from this Sunday’s farmers market or the occasional roadside pop-up. Your go-to list for August here: Apricots, Beets, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cherries (peep to the left Cherry Fest in Traverse City over Fourth of July), Corn, Cucumbers (its pickle making season!), Eggplant, Fennel, Green Beans, Leeks, Mustard Greens (a peppery green), Peaches, Radishes, Snap and Snow Peas, Summer Squash, Watermelon, and Zucchini. You can explore even more fresh fruits and veggies here. 

First up on the recipes are a summer (all year in my book) essential, my Dill and Garlic Pickled Cucumbers (spicy & regular). These babies are perfect as the perfect accompaniment for sandwiches, grilling, BBQ, etc. or you can let them take the main stage as the perfect anytime snack (can you tell this is a house favorite?). It is very important to use a thick-skinned, firm cucumber that will hold up to pickling. Cucumbers, such as English cucumbers, will not hold up well and will become mushy. The Kirby variety is a popular option to use. Pickling cucumbers can be hard to find at the local grocery stores where they commonly carry waxy-coated, thin-skinned cucumbers. The best spot to find pickling cucumbers would be at (you guessed it) your local farmers market. 

Moving on to our next course, we’ve got THE taste of summer with none other than our star CORN (and zucchini too I guess). So get your big bowls out because this is definitely not a cup situation and get ready to serve up this recipe by @littlebrokenblog- Summer Corn and Zucchini Soup. 

Our main course is here (if you didn’t count the pickles) and I have to say the colors and flavors of this dish are absolutely out of this world! Meet my Blackened Fish Tacos with a Mango Cabbage Slaw, a taco filled with fresh & flaky blackened fish topped with a sweet & crunchy slaw in a charred flour tortilla shell, and coming together in about 20 minutes?! Get out of here. But seriously get out of here and make these tacos ASAP. 

If you guys know me at all, you definitely know how much I love food and even more, how much I love the Detroit community. So if there is a way to combine the two, you better believe I am all over that. And funny enough that is exactly what you can expect from EAT Detroit which showcases our city’s diverse culinary scene with a one-of-a-kind experience benefitting our most underserved citizens, all in one night. I had the absolute pleasure of attending this year with my bestie Christina. And if you have never run around Detroit enjoying endless culinary masterpieces all with one of your best friends, then take a quick look at my IG reel for a brief look at all the smiles, laughs, and a list of the Detroit restaurants we hit! 

Learn more about @saydetroit here.