That sweet, soft, summer heat.

Congress took off in August for a reason, and somehow that season of recess has backspaced into July. It's hot outside. It's sticky. It's making you really want to be just 6 again and jump into a pool or pull out the sprinkler and put on those big bug-eye sunglasses just so you can hop around in the water to cool yourself off. We knew it was bad when our cold water came out lukewarm.

It's weather like this, that really makes me not want to eat. Drink a ton of liquids, yes, but not eat. The most I think I can manage these days is a simple salad - which, while light, is not the worst thing for this preggobelly that I've not been able to shed, even after Baby2 turned 1. So while I've been munching away on salad, the pants have slowly gotten looser. And hope is turning on a light, at least along the way in the euphemistic tunnel.

So enjoy a salad as summer hits your neck of the woods. And here's a couple of easy dressings to enjoy - so that you don't spit out the lettuce on the floor and go "bppppppttthhh" at it the way Baby1 reacted to her first taste of undressed lettuce.

All those nooks and crannies - lettuce needs some clothing to be proper for serving.


All of the following formulas have the same execution: mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and whisk until thoroughly emulsified. And they all require the same type of olive oil: the type that you would be perfectly happy to drink without any enhancing consumable.

Caesar
1 egg yolk
olive oil equal to about 2x the volume of egg yolk
anchovy oil equal to about the volume of egg yolk
squeeze of 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper
1/2 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced
anchovies, finely chopped
parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated (no, not the stuff in the bottle)
(optional twists - pinch of dry parsley, some citrus zest, pinch of cloves)


Vinaigrette
2 parts olive oil
1/2 part vinegar
pinch of herbs (parsley, rosemary, chervil, cilantro - the sky's the limit for experimentation)
crushed clove of garlic (I like elephant garlic)
tiny spoonful of mustard (enough to create emulsion)

C'mon, it doesn't get simpler than this - put down those mixes and store-bought bottles already
olive oil
squeeze of lemon
pinch of salt (prefer kosher)
fresh grind of peppercorns (your choice)