My Favorite Summer Food Is...

As summer quickly approaches, many of us are thinking about eating around campfires, on our patios, or even going over to a friend's house with a bowl of salad to bring with us.

And most of us usually are on the lookout for our favorite summer dish.

But guess what?

I can't relate to any of that!

It's true.

Besides my four years in foster care, the closest I've come to any of this is my Girl Scout camping trips, and I didn't even like half of the food that was prepared.

I don't have many friends and haven't been invited to a summer cookout to figure out what my favorite summer food is, at least not yet.

But I do have a few foods I'm looking forward to eating in the warm weather.

Watermelon

Don't you just love it when you take a bite from a piece of perfectly ripe watermelon and savor the sweet hydration it brings?

Well, I do.

Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits, and not just for summer, although that's when we mainly consume it. It aids in quenching my thirst. And it's so good, both cold and at room temp.

Corn on the Cob

This is one of those items where we go to roadside stands where people are selling fresh corn, so you know it will be tasty as hell.

It gets even better because my mom boils them in sugar and milk when she cooks them, making the corn sweet and juicy.

Then I roll mine in butter, followed by a good shaking of salt and pepper. It is heaven. Too bad I can't remember the proportions or the cooking time, or else I'd share that with you.

Fresh Cherries

Another roadside stand delight.

Fresh cherries are fantastic just to eat. No need to put them in anything except in a bowl, which you can use to spit the pits in after.

I prefer red cherries, but the yellow ones are good too. As long as they're not dried or in a sugar-laden filling, I'm happy.

Fire-Roasted Hot Dogs

While many of us like hot dogs no matter what, there's just something about using a fire to cook them that takes it over the edge with flavor and look.

Maybe it's because of the summer weather. Or it is being around friends and family. Or how the fire smoke adds a level of flavor and color you can't get any other way.

No matter what it is, there's nothing like it. And I can't wait to have my share of fire-roasted hot dogs this summer.

Raspberries

One of my favorite summertime memories as a kid was when my mom and I went to berry fields to pick blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, which she would later turn into freezer jam for us to enjoy year-round.

But for as long as I can remember, raspberries have been my number one. Like most people with olives, I like putting one on each finger, then eating them one at a time.

And being from Washington State, I know we have excellent berries in any variety. And I like all of them. But these red delights are my favorite berry.

S'mores

Outside of my mom (who prefers just eating fire-toasted marshmallows), I don't know anyone who doesn't love this classic summer treat.

Crunching graham crackers, smooth chocolate, and gooey marshmallows, it's a textural explosion, which is usually a must for me when it comes to food.

Unlike a lot of people, though, I like my chocolate hard and my marshmallow burnt on the outside.

I know, I know, I probably sound like a crazy person, but the burnt flavor adds another layer to the whole s'more experience for me.

I ensure my mallow is gooey on the inside first, then scorch the outside right before it's squished between the graham cracks and chocolate.

Popsicles

We all love having something cold to consume during those days.

But I don't like the usual brightly colored pops that leave a cloying sugar coating on your teeth. So I'll leave those for the children, thank you very much.

No, I like fruit bar-style pops, like Outshine.

I've even been making homemade popsicles with the fruit my mom froze last summer, so they will be tasty, healthy, and a few of them boozy. And I've covered most of the colors already.

I'll probably do a few repeats as we consume them, but that's fine. It will only clean out our chest freezer.

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So while I don't have one favorite summer food, I have a few that I'm excited to indulge in once again.

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