summer

Recipes and ideas for summer cooking.

Few desserts deliver instant joy quite like a classic chocolate fridge cake. This no-bake treat brings together rich dark chocolate, buttery digestive biscuits, pillowy mini marshmallows, and jewel-bright glacé cherries, all set into neat, sliceable squares. There's no oven involved, which makes it a brilliant choice for warm afternoons or busy days when time is short. The magic lies in the contrast: snappy chocolate against soft marshmallow, crunchy biscuit against chewy cherry.

A cordial, in the British sense, is a concentrated fruit syrup that you dilute to taste with still or sparkling water — not to be confused with the American cordial, which is a sweet liqueur. This one captures the height of summer in a bottle: a deep ruby concentrate of cherries and mixed berries, sharpened with lemon and just sweet enough to balance the fruit. Stir a splash into a glass of cold sparkling water for an instant summer drink, or over ice with a mint sprig for something a little more grown-up.

Traditional Greek meatballs, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with fresh herbs and spices.  Keftedes are traditionally made with ground meat, fresh herbs, and spices, then either fried or baked.

Summer warm days claim cooling dishes and with the bounty of summer vegetables, cold soups, salads and lightly grilled meat or fish take part in most summer menus.