Summer Hits The Food Section

Summertime and the living is easy The same with eating and drinking. It's a season of simplicity , with dishes that take seconds to make up and libations that are also a snap to mix. This was the main theme of today's New York Times Food section. All the columns, from a City Kitchen to The Pour reflect the lazy hazy days ahead.

Salads are a big summer recipe however Julia Moskin reconfigures it as something quite different.Instead of lettuce being torn to shreds and other veggies broken into pieces they are elegantly presented  as whole or larger pieces. This is similar to Italian antipasti where the veggies are served lightly dressed. Cold cuts and sliced meats are also added .Unlike antipasti though fruits are added. Put in figs, melons, mangos and cantaloupes to counter the savory  flavors of olives and grilled eggplants and zucchini.Ms. Moskin also suggests serving it with grilled garlic bread.which is the perfect accompaniment to this type of dish.Sam Sifton contributes a French summer classic beurre homard, lobster butter He takes lobster shells and cooks them with a stick of butter. This infuses the butter with the seafood's rich , silky flavor . It can be then used as a sauce for shrimp, more lobster or a truly decadent pasta co burro. There are also recipes for compound butter which has herb leaves and  champagne along with shallots and lemon or lime juice. The butter is not melted in this case, instead the other additions are blended in , using a fork.. Mr. Sifton also includes recipes for those summer classics marinade and rub, perfect for spedie. or kabobs.Melissa Clark contributes potato salad recipes with made with  different ingredients  from lemon and mint to kimchi.

Of course no summer meal is complete without dessert and drinks.Food regular contributor, Kim Severson includes two recipes,one is the classic fudgsicle.This was a hard one for her, however after some tinkering the pops turned out better than the kind bought from the ice cream truck,, She uses both good quality chocolate and cocoa powder. Whole cream is added for density and lushness. The secret to a good homemade popsicle is emulsion, a perfect blend of the chocolate and the boiled milk,cream nd sugar mixture. It can be poured into Dixie  cups for a homey nostalgic feel or cute silicon molds. Her second recipe is for shrub a curious drink from 18th Century England. It's a tart fruity drink made with vinegar(!) and different fruit. YOu can add tonic or seltzer for bubble and fizz. Shrubs are also a good way to get rid of bruised or old fruit too. It would pair well with the second summer dessert recipe,Melissa Clark's ricotta tart. This makes for a crisp and creamy base for the season;s fruit harvests.The cuust is like an crunchy almond laced shortbread while the filling is a satiny light tasting custard, flavored with honey and cinnamon.It is good on it';s own but great with a topping of fresh peaches, berries or cherries.

Summer is upon us and with it , some tasty foods and drink.Try these dishes to liven up a lazy Sunday barbecue or weeknight dinner. Enjoy them under a sultry summer sun or warm starry evening.