Tasting Notes // Summer Edition '26

A seasonal field guide to summer through the senses

Jun 24, 2026

It’s late June and the light won’t quit. 8:30 and the last bits of the sunset are still illuminating the sky. I’ve had the windows open for a week straight. The stone fruit and tomatoes have arrived at the market. Everything is warm and golden. Summer is officially here.

Below I’m sharing a few tasting notes from what’s piquing my senses for the summer season ahead—

SEE

Summer sunsets that make the sky glow. The blue of ocean water. Curtains blowing in the wind. Fireflies blinking on at dusk in the backyard. A swimsuit hung out to dry after a day at the beach. The first tan line of the season. Sunkissed skin.

Watching: Tucci in Italy, a wonderfully done show connecting the food and culture of Italy. Fair warning—it will make you want to book a trip to Italy.

HEAR

The cicadas coming alive. The birds are happier for longer days. The music is more relaxed. The thunder rolling during a summer storm. Waves hitting the shore. The ice cream truck in the distance. The clink of glasses and chatter on a patio as the night settles in.

Listening to: Sounds of Summer

listen here

TASTE

The first tomato of the season, vine ripened by the sun. Juicy stone fruit from the Sunday morning market. Peach juice dripping down your chin as you eat it over the sink. Buttery corn on the cob. Flaky grilled fish. Crisp salads. Tomatoes on toast. That first BLT. Berry pie a la mode. A crisp glass of something chilled.

Tasting: A few favorite recipes for this season

A refreshing ginger grapefruit spritz
A decadent Tomato Pie, the perfect way to use up some of summer’s best
A perfect plum and hamachi crudo for when you want something elegant and delicious but also refreshing
A wax bean and tomato salad that shows off summer’s produce in a simple way
Tomato, Peach + Strawberry Salad with Whipped Feta and Sumac Vinaigrette, another delicious way to dine on the best of summer flavors
The yummiest Blueberry Peach Cobbler, made even better with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream

SMELL

The salty ocean air. Right before and after a summer thunderstorm. Fresh cut grass. A garden bursting with vegetables and berries. Produce, just picked. Sunscreen. The scent of something grilling. Marshmallows toasting over an open fire.

Smelling: If you can’t get your hands on a fresh garden tomato, this is the next best thing. And for you- a scent that is warm and sweet, perfect for sunkissed summer skin, and another scent that is crisp and cool, dare I even say it has a hint of cucumber in it (but in the best way, I promise), for something refreshing and light.

TOUCH

The first dip into the ocean (or lake), the way the water is cold and biting, immediately washing away the last season and plunging you head first into summer. Wrapping yourself in a fluffy beach towel. The way ocean water dries on your skin. Sand between your toes after a day spent in the sun. Barefoot in the grass. The way you feel the humidity sticking to your body. The sun-baked stone of a dock holding heat long after you’ve climbed out of the cold. The warmth of tan skin. Linen flowing in the breeze, resting gently on your skin. That post-beach everything shower.

Touching: The perfect beach tote. Fluffy beach towels. The one fabric worth living in all summer. A linen set that gets softer with every wash and somehow makes you look like you have your life together.

TRAVEL (yes this is a sense for me)

Somewhere in the Mediterranean. A tiny island. A perfect beach. Gentle evenings over candlelight. Somewhere that expands your horizons and your taste buds. Late warm nights. People spilling out into streets.

Traveling: The Balearics are always a good idea. But so is a tiny Italian island where almost no one outside of Italy goes. If you haven’t been to Ponza yet, please put it on your radar (but like also please don’t ruin it and tell everyone). It’s one of my favorite places I’ve been to in Italy and I’ll be sharing a guide for it soon. In the meantime, I’ve got a guide for Mallorca (Menorca coming soon), and, for something stateside, my updated Big Sur guide recently went live.