Cool As The Proverbial Cucumber

The perfect summer lunch for a day that dawned clear as a bell, built the heat by 11am and promised to be even hotter in the afternoon. I had just returned from errands in the interior of Marin County where it gets really hot during the summer and wanted a light but tasty lunch.

Cucumber sandwich on plain white bread sliced as thinly as possible with the Slice-a-Slice, spread with a dab of mayonnaise and studded with thick slices of peeled cucumber.

To drink, the chamomile-mint tea I learned how to make last year - cooling and delicious. Sat down with a good book as I nibbled my way through a favorite summertime treat.

Subtle Summer Quencher

I continued to subscribe to Sunset magazine even when I lived in the east - the gardening advice was no earthly use to me there but the recipes were always inspirational and the rest of the magazine was nostalgic. Now that I'm back in the west, I can enjoy the whole magazine, back to front, as soon as it arrives each month.

In a recent issue, they gave the recipe for a relaxing summer drink. Not having any "dried culinary lavender" on hand, I skipped that and just used the chamomile tea and mint. All you do is add about two chamomile tea bags and a cup of mint leaves, crushed in your hand, to about a quart of water and stick it in the refrigerator for a few hours. After you fish out the tea bags and the mint leaves, you are left with a lightly golden, mild and minty iced tea that really is refreshing and relaxing. I've been drinking it for weeks now and getting more and more mellow by the minute.

Or, maybe it's retirement that's so relaxing?

In any case, give this tipple a try - it's truly a summer pleasure.