WE ALL SCREAM...

Aaaaah!!! Summertime!!! The fragrant scented air – the unmistakable aroma of bodies on the hot sand frying themselves with everyone's favorite – Reef Oil – the heady scent of the coconuts that gave their lives so you could cook your skin to a crisp – not dissimilar to bacon if you stay out there long enough! The bronzed surfer dudes, nary a wet suit in sight, water dripping from golden locks...surfboards stabbed into the sand.

You can feel it in the sweat on your skin...you can feel it under your toes at the beach...you can feel the heat kicking in as soon as the sun rises each day! Summer – its here people! Time to indulge and divulge in this latest quest to find the MOST iconic food that represents summertime...my summertime!

Now, in my efforts to enlighten each and every one of you as to the most iconic summer food ever, I had to do some serious soul-searching. I wanted to make doubley-sure that I was right, I mean this time I really went for a deep-dive (pardon the pun!) into the ultimate mouth-watering foods that are so entirely and totally summer to find my absolute, without-a-doubt, most sublime and mouth-watering summer food ever!

First I asked a bunch of my friends for their opinions...what a mixed bag that was!

I got told by a handful, that you just can’t beat a beautiful array of summertime fruits on a platter...you know, the usual suspects – Mango, Pineapple, Watermelon, Rock-melon or Cantaloupe dependent on where you hail from, Oranges, Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, and don’t forget, the humble Banana...and blah blah blahdy blah! Been there, done that, got the T-shirt...Onto the next group of friends...

A few others told me that you just can’t beat the classic Salad. Sure, why not! Lets explore that for a minute – the reality is this people - How many truly great Salads have not ended up with loads of limp lettuce weaving its shredded tentacles to the bottom of the bowl, slivers of browning avocado smooshing itself into over-ripe soggy tomatoes, chunks or slices of murderous beetroot blood-staining every ingredient in its path, clumps of semi-coagulated cheese cubes forming an alliance with the alfalfa sprouts that are clinging to each other like a giant knot-ball, and all the above then tumbled and tossed within an inch of their lives only to now be threatened with ‘death by drowning’ with the heavy-handed dousing of oily salad dressings or creams ... Again, I rubbed my brow and thought to myself ‘Yep, there’s a mind-bender for ya!’ Need I say any more on that subject...

Then a couple of close friends said their absolute iconic summer food was the humble ‘fish’n’chips’...and they are right to a degree, and a lot of you would be in total agreeance right here. And why not, picture this...its a beaut day, 100 degrees in the sun, why would you want to stay in the air con inside your home or swim in your own pool that only took 10 years of savings, blood, sweat and tears just to keep not only your own offspring from whingeing about the oppressive heat – but all the neighborhood kids have to be happy too ...Geez!. And don’t worry bout saving your skin from those pesky melanomas – there's doctors who’ll only charge you an arm and a leg to treat those little buggers.

So you decide to surprise everyone with a trip to the seaside - pack up the kids, their friends and all your family members - Aunts, Uncles, Grandma, Grandpa and don’t forget Deefer Dog – pack ‘em all up along with the beach towels, the beach chairs, the beach umbrella (which is never gonna cover any of you in shade cause you’ll be too busy chasing that bloody thing down the beach every time the breeze kicks up and turns that sucker inside out and becomes its own windsail and people-javelin! - take 'em all to the over-crowded, stinking hot lava-like beach that feels like Satan is licking the souls of your feet while you’re hopping and plodding along half-kicking sandy tufts on fellow-beach-goers whilst looking for the ultimate gap among the frying bodies to plant your brolly and lay your towels that will later help to cover unsuspecting tanners in gusty sand trails when your kids flick them up to leave. Aaah, time to relax, you’ve got your patch of body-free sand. It’s only as you sit your butt down, pop your first can, that the kids are whining that their stomachs think their throats are cut – your wallet will be shortly emptied by the ensuing Fish‘n’Chips to sate the multitudes of your family...Yep, I get why the masses might think that way...I myself, I don’t like the crunchiness of sand in my Fish’n’chips, I’m a salty kinda gal myself and I certainly have never learned to appreciate the sand particularly as it gets into ALL your cracks...I know there’s a lot to be said for exfoliation, but at the beach...there really is no coming back from that!

Finally, I went to my varying family members and I told them what I believe is the MOST iconic summertime food ever...my hubby – he started conjuring up ideas for dessert that night – and let me tell you, ‘Death-by-Chocolate’ showcasing a smattering of marshmallows and smashed cookies featured very heavily in these! But all drooling aside...

So I moved onto my kids – The Neopolitan Crowd!...and Sheesh!!! I’m keepin’ my opinions to myself in future! I never asked for a lecture...I never asked for their kidneys – but it sure felt like it. Kids!

Can you guess what my in-laws and my parents faves were..??? Golden Oldies of course...Macadamia Honey and Mint Choc-Chip – who’d have thought it – I could’ve sworn they’d be the ‘Rocky Road’ gang!

And last but not least - my siblings...the old faves fared well – my sis is absolute and steadfast in her loooove of Strawberry and my bro..? – well, his fettish for the sweetness of Caramel, let me tell you, has served him well into his 40’s my friends!

So, my memories as a child growing up in the 70’s has confirmed over an over, time and again, what I believe is the MOST iconic summertime food ever...Yep, you must’ve guessed it by now...its none other than the deliciously creamy and decadent-flavor-understated ICE-CREAM!!!

It doesn't matter what flavor you are...be it a Banana Split, Salted Caramel, Mango, Lemon Cheesecake, Butter Pecan or Choc-chip Cookie Dough Sundae...to me, ICE CREAM is the absolute MOST ICONIC SUMMER FOOD! Bar none! (Sorry, just my whimsical sense of humor kickin’ in again).

Next time you’re thinkin’ bout a bowl of the creamy kind to satisfy a sweet tooth, how about trying one of these combinations of new age flavours -

Horchata - perfect on a cold winters night – a creamy blend of mexican inspired spices, plant milk, and infused with cinnamon.

Or how about Moose Tracks – a wonderful combination of peanut butter cups, creamy vanilla ice cream and laced with chocolate fudge...OMG...I just drooled all over my keyboard…

Maybe some ‘Ube’ – lavender purple in colour...comes from Hawaii…

‘Teaberry’ – pretty in pink and found in New England only!...aren’t they the lucky little buggers hey…!

If you want something a little more ‘dark’ – why not try the ‘Cherry Garcia’ – named after Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead Band...and a totally anonymous tip from a customer to Ben and Jerry’s! They’re clever boys! Its a delicious creamy array of cherry vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate and cherry bits – not dissimilar in flavour to smashing up a Cherry Ripe bar and scoffing it in huge mouthfuls of creamy vanilla ice cream...(just sayin’…)...again, just my opinion people!

One last thing...Whatever your poison so-to-speak...be it lactose free, vegan or regular...remember to savor and enjoy each and every mouthful of your favorite or soon-to-be-fave new flavor and think just how extraordinarily lucky we all are that we can eat this spoonful by delicious spoonful...all...year...round!!!

Now go...you deserve it, treat yourself, go and get some ice cream...