Hey friend!

No, you’re not crazy, I told you I was going to email you twice in May, and then life happened and I totally forgot to send my mid-month email. Whoops. 😅

Here’s to June being a little more chill than May (but can we really count on that with the heat spells of summer?).

Despite the intense heat, June is my FAVORITE month of the year. Not just because it’s my birthday month (WOO!), but also because of the incredible summer produce on display. I’m always amazed by what can grow in the sweltering heat of summer, especially in Florida, and lately I’ve been following the farming adventures of a couple friends across the States, too.

My friend Maria basically started a full-on flower farm in the Eastern US, and my friend Shweta is inspiring tons of folks over on TikTok with her incredible desert garden spread in Southwest US. I even found myself following the journey of a woman who is growing her own dress. As in…growing the flax to be spun into thread to be woven into fabric to be sewed into a dress. She apparently has another season or two left to go, but I’m locked in for the ride. 😂

🔥 Here’s what else is HOT this month, including some of my absolute favorite fruits + veggies!

Check out the FULL BLOG POST HERE showcasing what’s in season complete with pin-worthy lists, infographics, and recipe inspo!

Meanwhile, in Central Florida, the only thing I’ve harvested to date is basil. Lots of it. Like tons. But I’m hyped, cause I love pesto, and once we get into rainy days here, my basil plants kinda tap out.

And unfortunately, our mango tree was hit with a freak freeze in February, so no fruits for us this year. BUT!!! I plan to pick up LOTS of summer berries, stone fruit, and summer squash this year. And I’m still seeing broccolini on sale, which is one of my all-time favorite veggies.

🛒 how to pick the good stuff (so your wallet doesn’t get burned in addition to your legs this summer)

• watermelon: watermelon is basically THE fruit of summer, but picking a good one can be kinda stressful. Look for melons that are heavy for their size and have a yellow field spot on them. When tapping, listen for a deep thump vs. a hollow knock.
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• zucchini: I know it can be tempting to go for larger sized squash, but stick to the smaller-medium sized zucchini and crookneck squash this summer. Bigger squash tend to be seedy and more watery, and the lil guys are just more flavorful. Sort of like the veal of veggies. Don’t think about it too hard. 🫣
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• summer berries: look for deeply colored berries, and avoid any lightly colored ones as they do not ripen after picking. Smell them. For real. Be the lil weirdo smelling things in the store. Good berries will have a fragrant scent to them. Meh berries will smell more “green” or “grassy” opposed to floral.
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🌞 summer-ready recipes to make this June:

Broccolini Sausage Pasta This pasta is SO EASY to make for a weeknight dinner, and while you can make it in one pot, I often use 2 to speed things up even more. Plus, you can swap in your favorite summer veggie + even use chicken sausage instead of pork (I won’t tell the Italians on you)! I need a weeknight pasta!

Strawberry Syrup This recipe is consistently in my top-viewed videos on YouTube (nearly 500k views!) and it’s because PEOPLE LOVE STRAWBERRIES. This syrup let’s you turn everything into a strawberry drink this summer. Lemonade, margaritas, coffee. All strawberry all the time! I wanna make strawberry syrup!

Circus Animal Sugar Cookies These cookies are stuffed with other cookies, and topped with more cookies. They’re possibly the most unhinged cookies I’ve ever made, next to my PB+J sammich cookies. I recently made them for a Bake Club event in Orlando and they were a hit! They’re sweet, chewy, and perfect for summer parties or picnics (no cooler needed). I'm ready for a sweet treat!

This summer, I’m leaning into the freedom June brings. I know people talk about spring = renewal, but to me spring can be a bit of a struggle. Long lazy summer days will always win, even if I have to swim through the humidity outside and look like I’ve stepped out of the pool after a 7am walk with the dog. 🥵

Until next time, friend, I hope you have an amazing start to the best month of the year!!! 🥳

P.S. Are you planning on having a hot grill summer? Reply to this email and I’ll share a handy lil infographic of veggies + fruits (YES FRUITS) that I love to throw on the grill! 👀