Grocery supplies for unplanned summer parties

Ingredients: prosciutto + nectarines + blue cheese

Dish: Summer meat appetizer

Melon gives way to smoked Italian ham—it also pairs wonderfully with summer stone fruits. Wrap a slice of peach, nectarine, or plum in a strip of prosciutto, place a slice of creamy blue cheese inside, and secure with a toothpick. It's the perfect appetizer for punch, sangria, and other summer cocktails.


Ingredients: brie + honey + baguette

Dish: Warm Cheese Spread

You can also make a campfire treat at home. Place a wheel of Brie or Camembert cheese in heavy-duty foil, drizzle with honey, and wrap tightly. Place the package on a low grill or in a medium oven; bake until pourable. Serve with slices of bread, crackers, or simply by the spoonful.


Ingredients: corn + lime + cayenne pepper

Dish: Mexican Corn

Grill the cobs until lightly charred and serve with lime wedges and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a spicy alternative to buttered corn.


Ingredients: shrimp + mayonnaise + za'atar spices

Dish: Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp

Mayonnaise adds a wonderfully flavorful marinade to your grill. Toss peeled shrimp with your favorite sandwich spread and za'atar (or dried oregano or thyme). Grill, turning once, until cooked through. Shrimp make a wonderful topping for a bowl of crisp white basmati rice, roasted green vegetables, or a luxurious Caesar salad.


Ingredients: pork + apricot jam + red onion

Dish: Glazed Pork Kebabs

Thread pork cubes and red onion wedges onto skewers, alternating. Grill, turning and occasionally brushing with warmed apricot jam.


Ingredients: goat cheese with herbs + lemon + rigatoni pasta

Dish: Pasta in Lemon Cream Dressing

In a large bowl, stir a block of goat cheese (with herbs) with a little of the pasta cooking water until creamy. Add a little fresh lemon zest and toss with the hot pasta, adding more cooking water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.


Ingredients: blueberries + basil + gin

Dish: "Drunken" Parfait

About 15 minutes before serving, toss lightly crushed blueberries with a splash of gin. Let sit, then sprinkle with fresh basil leaves—a refreshing finish to a farmer's market meal. Too spicy? Try the classic combination of candied strawberries drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar.


Ingredients: gingerbread cookies + whipped cream + caramel

Dish: No-Bake Ginger Layer Cake

For a simple no-bake dessert, arrange gingerbread cookies in a circle on a serving plate (brush the bottoms of the cookies with sweetened whipped cream to ensure they stick). Top the cookies with whipped cream and add another layer of cookies. Repeat 5 or 6 times to create layers, finishing with whipped cream on top. Refrigerate overnight, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Just before serving, drizzle with caramel sauce.


Ingredients: watermelon + sea salt + mint

Dish: Fruit salad with mint

Try Maldon, Guérande, or even kosher salt—a touch of salt enhances the sweetness of juicy sliced ​​watermelon. Fresh mint adds a cooling, bright note.


Ingredients: yogurt + chocolate-hazelnut spread + cookies

Dish: Frozen yogurt on a stick

Upgrade homemade vanilla, coffee, or chocolate frozen yogurt by mixing in chocolate-hazelnut spread, nut butter, or Speculoos cookie spread before freezing. Or create multiple layers using different flavors of yogurt: fill a mold one-third full with one flavor, freeze until firm, add a second layer, freeze again, and repeat for three layers. For something more creative, try mixing sweet toppings like cookies (chocolate or vanilla wafers work well), granola, or mini-granola into each yogurt before layering.