The summer heat continues to press against our skin. There is a loud, electric bug noise coming from the leafy maple tree in our front yard that sounds like angry singing against the mellow strumming of my husband's guitar song. Our kids have been crouched for long minutes, as only kids can crouch, gathering grass, berries and twigs for the bug habitats they made out of recycled plastic jugs. I am slouched in a daze from the heat, but my senses come alive after my first bite of a perfect summer tomato. It is seasoned with a dash of salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is the taste of summer.

The way in which I feel my senses and the strength of each of them changes according to the season. Since moving to Idaho 4 years ago my favorite sense in summer is taste. This was a surprise to me because my favorite summer sense used to be touch. One sensation I loved was swimming in the lake. My family had a little cabin on a cold rocky lake in Maine. I would lie out on our wooden deck to get as hot as possible. The wide planks would hold the heat and my only protection was my threadbare John Travolta beach towel. I remember the way the sunblock smelled, a combination of medicine and rubbing alcohol. My mother would be getting sun too, we would have the crackly transistor radio on playing the top forty station. After baking as long as I could, I would find my inflatable float and bring it to the edge of the dock. I would carefully slide on; my goal was to remain as dry and hot as possible. Paddling out to the swimming dock further out on the lake I would have to get my hands wet with the cold water, giving me a preview of the relief to come. After climbing up the dock I took a running leap and dived into the bliss. Each member of my family had a different method for getting into the lake. My parents would wade in. My little brother used the dock method except he would very slowly slide in from the dock. My method was considered bold. To this day, sometime during the summer one of my relations back East will say, “Remember how you used to jump in the lake from the dock like that?”

Since there are limited swimming opportunities in this area (sorry, a pool full of chemicals does not cut it after growing up swimming in that lake!) I have a new favorite summer sense, taste! While there may be a shortage of natural water in our area, we make up for it in the amazing produce our area offers. We had a simple and memorable meal over the fourth of July, which included local tomatoes with fresh herb, organic corn on the cob with garlic butter, local strawberries and raspberries and ice cream cones for dessert. There are so many local produce choices at our Co-op! The choices are almost overwhelming, but what a high class problem it is deciding which produce to enjoy! While enjoying your senses in our produce department I hope you will pick up ingredients for this light yet hearty meal. Savor it!

Caitlin Cole is looking forward to cooler weather!