Late Summer, in pictures.

I know I haven't really been "blogging" lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking and eating. And before you start giving me a hard time about leaving my many, many readers dying of anticipation, let me just say that if I wanted someone to nag me, I would go visit my dry cleaner, who apparently gets testy after a mere few weeks. ("you don't stop by, you dont call... what am I a coat rack?" For which I had the zinger, "What are you, my boyfriend? Cause let me tell you, I got standards, buddy." Yes, another successful New York relationship.)

But I digress. The last few weeks of august were bursting with produce-- so much so that I found myself buying eggplants, tomatoes, and peaches that I didn't even need, just because things felt so bountiful. And while I haven't had the time to do as much mind-blowing cooking as I would have liked, there were some memorable moments.

And then, just like that, it was over; labor day came, and someone flipped the switch from summer to fall. Suddenly there are pumpkins at the farmer's markets and I am wearing tights. I am trying to extend the last of the summer's produce as long as I can, while still getting excited about stews, squashes, and apple pies.

A visual diary of the end of summer:

Peach pancakes!

Brunch + Bundt= Bundtch.  Note the very sad bundt fritatta that I tried to hide with cheese.

 El Perrito Misterioso takes top toy dog!

 Fresh peach ice cream

 Lorenzo's second birthday. I sang him happy birthday, he wagged his tail.

 Quality time spent with the Eataly butchers. In my dreams, I am behind the counter, "curating" prosciuttos.

 A good way to use up a bunch of produce: antipasti night. Grilled and roasted veggies, pesto and ricotta bruschetta, absurdly expensive cheese, and my favorite wine to date (Oh, and by the way, I'M GOING THERE.)

 Last of the tomatoes. Sad.

 But first of the pumpkins and squash!

Concord grapes came out last week, and I forget every year how unbelievably intense they are.

What else to do with them but make a grape and rosemary foccacia to celebrate the harvest? Let the pagan rituals begin.