We hate to even say it, but summer is slowly drawing to a close. Don’t get too down! Soon we’ll be in the season of pumpkin spice everything, cozy knits, and the best baked goodies of the year. But right now, we are not quite ready to let summer go.
In the same boat? Never fear, we’re going to help you make the most out of your last few weeks of gorgeous weather and long summer nights – well, we’re going to help your summer diet, at least.
Here are 9 beach eats that you need to indulge in before summer’s end.
1. Lobster Rolls (Or any Insert Seafood Here Roll)
Imagine lobster so fresh it still smells (pleasantly) like the ocean, mixed with mayo and perfect seasonings, all atop a buttered, toasted bun. That, friends, is the ultimate summer food, a.k.a. the lobster roll.
Now, lobster rolls tend to run a little pricey, so we completely understand if you replace this high-end seafood with fried clams or fresh crab. If it’s good seafood on a buttered roll, you’re pretty much living in summertime heaven.
Nowhere does a lobster roll (or, more accurately, lobstah roll) better than New England. If you’re up North, you have to try Maine staple Five Islands Lobster Co. and if you’re by the Cape Cod National Seashore Park go to Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar which has a jumbo roll that’s worth the trip to Massachusetts.
2. Fresh Oysters
If you’re someone who struggles with texture, we don’t blame you for ignoring this one. But for everyone else: WE NEED TO MAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER BY HAVING AS MANY OYSTERS AS POSSIBLE.
Seriously, if slurping down a fresh oyster topped with a spritz of lemon and cocktail sauce isn’t the epitome of summer, we don’t know what is.
3. Clam Cakes
Another New England specialty, these doughy balls full of fresh clams are to die for. As someone who grew up half the time in Rhode Island, summer wasn’t truly summer until I had a basket full of these bad boys and an excess of tartar sauce to dip them in.
If you’re going to be soaking up the sun in the North East go for Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock in New London, Connecticut or Rhode Island, Iggy’s Doughboys & Chowder House. Then run home and tell all your friends how clam cakes changed your life.
4. Frozen Custard
Summer is the time for frosty desserts, is it not? And while we love a good ice cream cone every now and again (read: every other night) it can be fun to mix it up with your chilly treats of choice.
Anyone from the Mid-Atlantic area will tell you that frozen custard should always be that chilly treat of choice. Richer and more flavorful than its ice creamed cousin, custard is an indulgent way to beat the late-summer heat.
5. Fish Tacos
We don’t have to tell you that tacos can – and should – be enjoyed year-round. But fish tacos? Good fish tacos? Those are reserved for summertime.
Nothing beats fresh, flaky fish in a warm corn tortilla, hopefully covered in corn salsa and avocado. Enjoy the pinnacle of tacos quick, before it’s back to good ol’ ground meat and shredded chicken.
6. Saltwater Taffy
The end of summer is essentially the end of one big, long vacation. And what does any sane person do at the end of a summer vacay? They go to the nearest tourist spot and pick up a big bag of salt water taffy – maybe a few, for all their friends and family, too.
So, if you think about it, there has never been a better time to buy your biggest bag of saltwater taffy yet. You’ll need enough fruity, chewy goodness to last you all the way into winter, after all.
7. Blue Crabs
Technically, blue crab season can stretch from April to November, but it’s never going to taste as good as it does basking in the sun, on a dock, staring out at boats on the dazzling summer water. Right? Right.
Try it steamed, smothered in butter, or give BBQ crab a try if you’re cravin’ Cajun.
8. Poke
Poke — the cubed, raw fish salad — was originated in Hawai‘i and has now spread like wildfire into the States. If you live on the West Coast, odds are you can (and do) get poke all year long. But if you live anywhere else, now is your time.
One of the great things about poke bowls is that they’re a light, fresh summer meal. Oftentimes, summer food is fried or laden with sweet sugary goodness, but poke captures the flavors or summer without affecting your beach bod.
9. Peach Cobbler
There are some fruity desserts that can be enjoyed all year long – looking at you, blueberry pie. But there are others that really should only be enjoyed between the months of May through September. And, without a doubt, peach cobbler/pie is one of them.
Peaches are especially fresh during summer, which has made this sweet, juicy fruit the official produce of the season (not technically, but it feels that way, doesn’t it?). Enjoy your cobbler and pie at its freshest while you can, hopefully with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons