If canning is not your jam, there are plenty of summer fruits and vegetables that freeze surprisingly well.
Summer is my absolute favorite season, so when the calendar turns to August, I inevitably get a little sad.
Between the longer days, the relaxing pace of life, and the warm weather, it just seems to go by so much faster than the other four seasons.
One of the things that helps me keep a little taste of summer in my life year-round is to find ways to preserve the things I love about summer the most.
Read on for a few of my favorite hacks to keep your favorite things about summer with you throughout the year!
You can do it! OK, bad pun, but one of my favorite winter treats is to enjoy the bounty of summer gardening in the middle of winter!
Now, in full disclosure, I lack the green thumb that many people in my life do, but thanks to the generosity of family and neighbors, I have been spoiled with lots of fresh vegetables to enjoy!
My sister — who generously sends over lots of fresh veggies in the summer — has mastered the art of pickle making, and so our family gets to enjoy the bounty of her garden year-round.
Whether it is pickles, tomatoes, salsa or other extra in your garden, taking the time to can the extra bounty you have is a wonderful way to save a little taste of summer and save money on the foods that are going to be either unavailable or overpriced this winter!
For a great tutorial on basic canning, visit www.blessthismess.com.
• Stock Your Freezer: If canning is not your jam (bad pun intended), there are a lot of summer fruits and vegetables that freeze surprisingly well!
One of my favorite winter treats is to break out the summer sweet corn that I froze at the height of the season!
All you have to do is blanch shucked corn for four minutes, cool promptly in ice water for another four minutes, drain and cut kernels from the cob.
Place in freezer-safe bags and voila, instant summer goodness in a bag!
Other vegetables that freeze well include asparagus, green beans, peppers, shelled peas, herbs, and most berries and pit fruits!
It may take a little extra prep time now, but you will thank me this winter when you get to enjoy tasty veggies and fruits.
• Summer Vibes 365 days a year: As much as I love autumn colors and scents, there is something about summer hues that I just can’t get enough of.
Making a color change to the main room of your house — think teal greens, salty blues, or cool corals — combined with touches of eucalyptus or other artificial greens will create a summer retreat that can warm you up on those chilly winter days!
Another way to make your home feel more like summer is to find ways to bring in more of that natural light that is so hard to find in the cold winter months.
Replace heavy drapes with sheer curtains to let in more light and adjust furniture so that windows are not blocked.
Adopt more mirrors into your interior design as well — this will help you spread the light into more corners of your home and evoke that coveted summer feeling!
Instead of bringing out those heavy flannel comforters, opt for neutral duvet covers in light colors and keep a throw blanket nearby — this will elevate your decor and keep your living space looking more minimalist.
Finally, use neutral tones and materials that remind us of our favorite summer retreats — think wicker, macrame, burlap and driftwood.
A simple glass jar or vase filled with sand or seashells can add a nice pop of warmth!
• Mix-tape your favorite tunes: One of my favorite ways to transport myself to my happy place is through the sounds of my favorite songs.
Make a playlist of songs that you love to cruise on a cool summer evening to, and keep those nearby to stave off those mid-winter blues.
Just so you know, this works for those times in July when you just need a little Christmas spirit to perk up your mood in the middle of a heat wave!
Some of the summer tunes on my own playlist include tunes from the Beach Boys (“Kokomo,” “Don’t Worry, Baby”), The Eagles (“Boys of Summer,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling”), Harry Styles (“Watermelon Sugar”), and Billy Joel (“This is the Time”).
Feel free to borrow a few of those to get your own summer jams play list started.
(Editor’s Note: Kristine George is a freelance journalist who resides in Easton.)
