One way or another, I have wound up sick the past three summers, but this year I thought I was discretely tiptoeing past the dreaded summer flu.  Not so.  My throat is sore, my entire body aches, and, somewhat unbelievably, I have zero appetite.  

I am sure it will not shock you to read that I do not enjoy being sick, but it is especially disheartening during the summer months.  It is hard to find comfort in slippers and oversized mugs of tea when it's 87 degrees outside.  Nonetheless, here we are.  I am just praying that my tastebuds will be back in working order by Saturday because we had planned to go to my favorite burger joint and I am not passing down that action.  

Mr. Pedantic's best comrade is in town which means the making of mozzarella sticks and cinnamon rolls, and maybe a little extra time for me to see my sister.  She is also sick so she will not frown at my germs.  

In the meantime, let's chat it up.  Froggy voice or not, we have got to live this weekend!  

Have you taken a peek at Jessica's new book covers?  Both are dreamy but I'm all in for #1. 

Hmm.  A spy/chef crossover?  I like this concept. 

In the relatively short time that I have been a part of food culture it has transformed tremendously. Whether we are sacrificing brand quality for mythical-themed, insta-worthy drinks or selling a slice of bread covered in smashed avocado for $12, the world, in my opinion, is more enamored with food than ever.  Fine dining is more available than ever.  Food voices louder than ever.  And thus, food, overall, less appreciated and respected than ever.  While we might appear to be at the apex of infatuation, we have little more attention than toddlers when it comes to food.  Now, it would seem, even restaurants fall short for the ever-discontent millennial.  The restaurant alternative? 

I have been making riffs off of this teriyaki chicken for the past couple of weeks and we love it for a quick weeknight meal! 

This little girl makes me smile every time I see her and this video was especially heart-melting. 

I have recently gotten into the habit of sharing a little love with my future self by freezing balls of cookie dough and piling them into ziptop bags for future enjoyment.  I know it is not a revolutionary concept, but for me, it had been a forgotten one. The true genius of the discipline surfaced last weekend when I quickly popped a tray of frozen cookie dough into the oven just minutes before my company arrived.  It's a simple way to love your future self and feel a little like Ina Garten.

Let's all take some deep breaths this weekend and make a couple batches of cookies.  It's called giving yourself a hug. 

Happy weekending! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie