Summer Reading List

What’s on your reading list?  While I took a break from running, I decided to catch up on some reading.  First book I read this summer was Love with a chance of drowning.  After watching this youtube video about it, I was hooked.

The story of Torre DeRoche, a woman who did not like swimming in the ocean for fear of being eaten by a shark and her new found love who has been planning to sail around the world , will have you laughing out loud as they embark on their journey.  It took me a while to read this one, and not because I did not like it, but because I did not want it to end.

reading list

While on our way to San Francisco, I began reading Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter.  If you like intermingled story lines, then you’ll love this one.  The book travels back in time and back and forth between Italy and Hollywood.  Interesting story line, but I’m not sure I loved it.  As  I said before, I find myself reading books faster if I just want to finish them instead of savoring every minute.

Summer Reading

Lastly, I picked up Wuthering Heights while shopping for the girls’ school supplies.  I had not read it while in High School, but I remember the book being mentioned in the Gilmore Girls.  Yes, I love the Gilmore Girls.  Did you know there’s a list of books mentioned in the Gilmore Girls series and even a list to read like a Gilmore Girl?  I’m almost done with it and I’m torn.  I don’t want it to end but I so want to know how it ends.  I know the book is set in Yorkshire, England, but I can’t help but imagine the storyline somewhere in the South, like Savannah, Georgia.

 

What book are you reading now?

Did you read Wuthering Heights in High School?

Were you a Gilmore Girls fan?

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Peach Cucumber Salad

Where do you find most of your recipes?  This Peach Cucumber Salad comes to us from @littleredkitchn via @TheSpicedLife.  I saw it on twitter and now that we have locally grown Plant City “pickles” at the market and we still have peaches in season, I had to give it a try.  And oh boy, am I glad I did.

 

It turns out we had both Pennsylvania and Idaho peaches.  Now, I must admit I was particularly skeptic about these peaches, especially the Idaho ones.  But rest assure, I tried both and they were both deliciously sweet and juicy.  The only thing that made them different from Georgia or South Carolina peaches would have to be their size.  They were a bit smaller than the ones we normally get from the south.

 

peaches and cucumber salad

A while back, I found this mezzaluna and I just thought it was the cutest thing.  Come to find out, you really should use something like this to cut fresh herbs because it cuts without bruising.  Is it necessary?  Probably not, but I really thought it was cute, so I was excited to use it. 😉

mezzaluna for cutting up herbs

 

To make this salad is super easy.  Basically just chop up the cucumbers and peaches.  Then chop fresh basil and mint. Whisk olive oil, cider vinegar, water, Orange Blossom Honey, and salt to taste.  Toss the vinaigrette with the chopped cucumbers, peaches and herbs and you are done!

 

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We paired the Peach and Cucumber salad with beef fajitas and yellow rice.  It was the perfect mixture of clean and fresh to our seasoned steak and rice combination.  I made enough that we have some left overs for tomorrow.

peach and cucumber salad

 

Do you ever eat fruit with dinner?

What’s the craziest fruit-vegetable combination you’ve ever tried?

Would you try produce grown in a different state than what you are normally used to seeing? I.E. Peaches from Idaho instead of South Carolina?

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New Fall Dessert Menu

We’ve been having some fun in the Shortcake area this week.  Now that the stores already have Halloween candy on the shelves and even Starbucks has their “PSL” (Pumpkin Spice Latte) available, we figured it was time to release our new Fall Dessert Menu!

Fall Dessert Menu

New Fall Menu…

Yes!  Our Pumpkin Pie Milkshake has returned.  But it brought some friends along too.  We brought back the Apple Pie Milkshake, now with some graham cracker crumbs.  My new favorite milkshake would be the “Birthday Cake” with colorful sprinkles.  Yes, I also happened to celebrate my birthday earlier this week. 😉  Dad has been asking for a caramel milkshake for a while, so we came up with two: White Chocolate Caramel and Heath.  Yep, my work here is done.

 

Fall Dessert Menu

But, we didn’t stop there.  Next up, our new Dessert Cups!  Everyone loves a chocolate turtle, right?  You know those tasty little clusters of nuts, chocolate and caramel.  Yep.  That’s what we did.  Take our vanilla ice cream, top it with hot fudge, caramel and whip cream.  Yum.

fall dessert menu

But what about the cheesecake lovers? We came up with two choices: our Pumpkin Cheesecake Cup or a Strawberry Cheesecake Cup.  And yet, I still wanted more.  So, thinking about all great things that go with fall, I couldn’t stop there.  Next up, is our Smore’s in a cup.  People, I ate the whole thing.  I. Could. Not. Stop. It was that good!  Without giving away any secrets 😉 there’s real marshmallows in it!  How could one resist?

So, there you have it.  I hope you’ll stop by and try one of our new creations.  Let us know how you like them by visiting our Facebook page.  Or better yet, share it with your friends!

Are you ready for Fall?

What are your favorite “Fall Eats”?

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