A New Look at the Seasons

It seems like yesterday that I was waiting in anticipation for local Ontario strawberries - so juicy, and red, and sweet and now they're just about gone. This week I've been gorging myself on cherries, another short-lived delicacy.

Even though cherries are a particular favourite of mine, I am too lazy to actually pit them to turn them into jams, or pie fillings, etc. I just pop them in my mouth whole and eat them until my lips, tongue and fingers turn that unique shade of purple that lets everyone know what I've been up to.

I usually think of the seasons in terms of the weather: Winter- cold and dreary and lasting wayyyy too long, particularly because I'm not a skiier or skater; Spring - my favourite, when everything comes to life, but is sooooooooo fleeting; Summer - usually wayyyy too hot and muggy for me to take full advantage of patio dining, picnics in the country, or the many outdoor festivals (I wish I weren't such a delicate flower that wilts in the heat), and Autumn - my second favourite season, with leaves changing colours and a crispness in the air, and is also wayyyy too short.

Writing these postings have me now focused on the foods of the seasons which makes it much easier to get through this especially muggy and hot summer. Now, instead of whining about the weather (when few people agree with me anyway), I just think of what's new at the market, how flavorful everything is because it's locally produced, and what's coming next....peaches, corn, tomatoes.....mmmh.

Of course, it also makes me notice how quickly time passes. Remember the adage "don't forget to stop and smell the roses along the way"? Well my new one is - don't forget to savor the delicious bounty when it's at hand.

Speaking about savouring the moment, last night the weather was not too hot and quite breezy so we went to Hollywood Gelato, a very popular ice cream parlor not too far from home. The range of flavours of gelatos and sorbets is awesome. I'm addicted to their hazelnut and rocky roche, which is a chocolate gelato with crushed up Ferraro Roche balls. Other favorites are tiramisu, key lime pie, coconut cream, three chocolate variations and the menu keeps on changing. I keep meaning to try out the fruit sorbets that are so brilliant in color, but I keep coming back to the hazelnut, rocky roche and cappucino.

Ambling down Bayview with its cool shops and trendy restaurants, just checking out the diners eating on the patios (so I'll know where to go next and what to order) and window shopping while eating the smooth, rich gelato - what could be a better way to spend a summer Sunday evening.