Athena Calderone, author, interior designer and all-around visual and culinary storyteller has shared some of her summer favorites.
I have been blissfully cooking every meal from the freshest local summer ingredients, and a newer restorative pastime has been gardening -- something about planting your hands in the earth just feels right -- so grounding! I am a passionate gardener and cook, but really that just means I make a mess and dive into any endeavor with wild abandon. I have learned the hard way that it is best to wear gloves. These were a recent purchase. Also, my most trusted cooking tools - a mandolin and a microplane. Besides a sharp knife it is almost all you need!
Happy cooking, Happy gardening!
Right now sungold tomatoes and corn have just burst into the farm scene offering their sweet golden goodness. My favorite pasta to make during high summer is a simply fresh sungold tomato and basil pasta. And if the corn is as sweet as ever I usually shuck raw kernels right over the dish just before serving.
Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum is the absolute restorative cure-all for my dry skin. Not only is it incredibly silk and luxurious on my face, but the scent is incredibly intoxicating while the serum magically oxidizes my skin cells! I call it my liquid gold and never go to sleep without it!
I am hyper-conscious of only using natural deodorant -- my mom is a two time cancer survivor and experiencing her battle, particularly how it spread to her lymph nodes, has made me incredibly sensitive to protecting myself. But let’s be honest, many of them simply do not work - Corpus Deodorant is the exception. I also love the scent of sandalwood and…. this lady loves a beautiful package!
Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish - I looooove an exfoliant -- helps to not only remove dry skin cells and hydrate but I also find that it offers a boost of energy in a similar way that dry brushing does when you massage it into the skin. Coconut and Rose is also a heavenly combination that leave me feeling like I offered myself some spa-like self care at home.
Grown Alchemist Body Cream: Mandarin and Rosemary Leaf soothes, smoothes, and smells superb! It’s perfect after a soak in the bath and leaves your skin deeply hydrated and nourished.