Seasonal Things | Summer 2026

I spent many hours in the kitchen, testing and trying new things. I made my very first pasta bows; they were so fun and surprisingly easy to make. 

Milk powder testing became another summer kitchen experiment, with the goal of making my already popular and delicious hamburger buns even better.

I make homemade crispy crackers frequently, and they are a hit with everyone. 

To make a lattice tart, I used my galette dough recipe. I love adding semolina flour. It’s so good. And the filling? Sweetened farmers cheese, topped with homemade lemon curd, baked to golden perfection, cooled, and enjoyed with friends. It was so good. 

I made sour cream sheet bread several times this summer, so it deserves a spot in the summer roundup. It’s a crowd-pleaser: creamy, soft, and absolutely delicious. 

I turned to whipped feta dip countless times this summer. The beauty of it is that it is versatile, and you can follow the recipe precisely or loosely. Sometimes I don’t have yogurt, so I use farmer’s cheese or another soft cheese; other times I don’t have an exact amount of feta. It’s always amazing and such a great appetizer and even a side dish to potatoes or pasta. Recently I served it with honey-balsamic glazed carrots.

It’s been so hot that the cold tap water was hotter than the hot tap water. I know. I will not get into the whys. Thankfully, ice can fix it. And so I used a lot of ice to cool another batch of homemade bone broth. I also froze bottles of water just to make sure we have enough. We made 33.1 liters. I know. If you have any questions about why so much, you can email me. 🙂

 The Basil Gin Smash was refreshing and memorable. I don’t drink much alcohol, but when the time is right, it’s nice to enjoy a glass. And it can easily be made without alcohol, too. It’s so easy to prepare; you can put invert sugar to good use, too.

From June through August, I shared 6 new exclusive step-by-step tutorials on Patreon: Blue Owl Cookies, 3D Pinata Cat Cookies, Neon Summer Cookies, Yellow Submarine, Cacti Cookies, Terrazzo Cookies.

Do you need mermaid or flamingo dessert ideas? I released two new compilations on YouTube.

I consider myself pretty frugal, so I save honey jars, glass peanut butter jars, and anything else I think might come in handy someday. And they really do! This summer, those saved jars came in especially handy when we rendered a whole lot of duck fat.

I use tons of herbs in the kitchen, so whenever I’m at the farmers’ market, I pick up several herb bouquets. I wash them well, chop them up, and freeze them so I always have fresh herbs ready to use.

Our lemon trees had a nice crop over the summer. I made several batches of lemon curd to freeze (I freeze them in glass jars).

I use date paste all the time as a natural sweetener. It’s perfect for adding a touch of sweetness to things like cheese mousse or salad dressings. I make a small batch and keep it in the fridge, ready whenever I need it.

A little salamanquesa (gecko) somehow ventured inside the house, and, of course, I was freaking out! These little lizards can walk straight up walls, and honestly, the last thing I wanted was to wake up with one dropping onto my head while I was sleeping. We carefully guided him into a box and released him outside, where he belongs!

I created my very first cookie coloring book, inspired by my own decorated cookies! Have you seen it yet? You can find it in my shop if you’d like to take a peek.

When the temperatures soared this summer, I had to resort to a little ice pack on my head to cool down. Has anyone else done this?

I made this fun “jigsaw” puzzle for a friend’s son after spotting the idea on Pinterest and immediately wanting to try it. I think I may have underestimated him, though! Next time, I’ll have to make it a little harder; after building it for the second time, this 6-year-old declared it was too easy

Summer markets were teeming with vibrant colors, juicy fruits, and fresh veggies. It’s hard not to want to get everything.

On August 12th, we watched the solar eclipse. This was my 2nd time seeing this celestial event. Although the mountains blocked the full eclipse, it was still incredible. I’d been looking forward to it since learning about it last year, and it didn’t disappoint.

Halfway through the summer, I got black figs. When in season, they are soft, sweet, fragrant, and perfect for homemade jam. The trick is to use lemon juice to help it thicken, since I like to use it to make fig newtons; fig jam without pectin works best, or you can use dried figs too.

I usually freeze the jam and make fig newtons in batches throughout the year. It’s a gift that keeps on giving. I love them so much. Have you tried making them?

I put hamburger buns to good use: we used them to hold deliciously juicy burgers smothered with caramelized onions and fresh tomatoes. So good!

I made at least 100 hot dog buns this summer; I make them on repeat. Mostly, I double the batch now. They are easy to make. Dough is versatile and can be used to make burger buns, too.

What an unexpected surprise! I found an old egg in our spare fridge. I grabbed it and was ready to toss it, but it rattled. Puzzled, I cracked it open, and one solid piece fell out. Completely hardened. What struck me the most was that the glass-like layer- egg white had turned into a hard, crystal-clear layer.

I learned how to play Skip Bo, a fun card game, and we also played canasta!  

For the pizza night, I prepared a double batch of Neapolitan-style pizza dough (using 00 flour), and we cooked pizza in a specialized overhead heat-temperature grill-Beefer. Blazing heat cooked pizzas in between 60 and 90 seconds. 

I’ve been trying to walk more, but since it’s been incredibly hot this summer, the only time I could do it is at the crack of dawn. Getting outside early comes with its own rewards: picturesque sunrises, slightly cooler air, and quiet surroundings.

We ate some pretty incredible meals made with love, olive oil, and brown butter.

Vitello Tonnato Sous Vide was an absolute treat, prepared by our friend who is a chef.

Spiced cookies are not just for Fall and Winter. I made Honey Cookies twice this summer. They travel well and keep for several weeks.

I also bought several kilos/pounds of juicy cherries to freeze.

I released two new cookie-decorating videos on YouTube: 6 ways to flood cookies and Robert Indiana-inspired back-to-school cookies.

I’m enamored by the green agave color. It’s so calming. Our succulent rock garden is 5 years old, and it’s taught me so much about succulents.

Some succulents will thrive, and some will unfortunately die. Not all can adapt to a somewhat extreme rock environment. During my last maintenance round, I found a snail problem, so I treated the soil with granules to help mitigate it.

I’m still amazed by Salamanquesa: a gravity-defying, tiny gecko lizard that often blends naturally with the rock environment. I love watching them whenever I get a chance.

I piped ladyfingers to the size of the pan I used to make a molded dessert, and it worked great. Try it next time you make these little sponge cookies.

Peach galette is a must for the summer. I love free-form tarts, and they are so easy to make and can be topped with pretty much anything.

I’ve recentely updated my Coconut lamingtons recipe, with a new dipping technique that I love and find more efficient.