blue artichoke

I know we're fully a week into August, and we're feeling the heat here at Blue Artichoke headquarters. I've complained about the heat before, and I'm still complaining. It's about 100 outside, 90 in my office and 85 in the living room (with a window A/C unit). Sheesh. I curse August weather, but I embrace August produce. Here's a list I copied of what is in season this month:

What's In Season? August

n = newly in season
p = peak of season
w = winding down

Vegetables
• avocado, Hass
• basil
• beans: green (p)
• beans: fresh shelling-cranberry (n)
• beans: fresh shelling-black-eyed pea (n)
• corn (p)
• cucumber (p)
• eggplant
• garlic (p)
• okra (p)
• onion (p)
• peppers, bell
• potatoes
• squash, summer (p)
• tomatillo (p)
• tomatoes

Fruits
• apple:Gravenstein (n)
• berries: blackberries (w)
• berries: blueberries (w)
• berries: raspberries (p)
• figs: Adriatic (p)
• figs: Black Mission (p)
• figs: Brown Turkey (p)
• figs: Calimyrna (p)
• figs: Kadota (p)
• grapes: Red Flame (p)
• grapes: Thompsn seedless
• limes (w)
• melons (p)
• nectarines (w)
• oranges, Valencia (p)
• peaches (p)
• pears: Asian (n)
• pears: Bartlett (p)
• plums (p)

It's too hot to cook in these parts, so it's a good thing that most of these seasonal items can be enjoyed raw, once I muster the energy to peel myself off of the couch in front of the AC to head to the sweltering kitchen to slice a cantaloupe, wash berries, shuck corn or slice a tomato. And leaving the house to pick up those items? Sheesh, that's an epic, sweat-drenched journey.

Getting to Know All About You: What do you do to stay cool in this heat?