Mention summertime in the South, and you’ll undoubtedly get an earful about mosquitoes and how “it’s not the heat, but the humidity that’ll getcha.” But that’s just what we like to whinge about to the uninitiated. Yes, we may sweat our way through the months of May to September… eh, October… but we Southerners also know there’s a special brand of magic that accompanies these sweltering months. Here, we’ve rounded up six things no one ever tells you about Southern summers—because then everyone would want to live here.
Related: 60 Summer Quotes That’ll Have You Ready For Good Times And Tan Lines
You’ll Make Less Trips to the Grocery Store
While there’s no denying the appeal of our weekly venture to Publix or The Pig, come summertime, stocking up on groceries means more pit stops at roadside stands and farmers’ markets, which tend to have an especially colorful and delicious selection this time of year. There’s a reason summer is when local restaurants trot out the best veggie plates they’ll serve all year.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You’re in Weekend Mode Every Day of the Week
Maybe it’s the extra daylight or the delightfully slow-moving pace (yes, we are capable of slowing down even more), but any summer night is an excuse to fire up the grill and eat a later dinner outside. Just don’t forget the citronella candle.
Sandwiches Just Taste Better
Tea sandwiches may reign supreme in the spring, but every Southerner worth their salt knows that true sandwich season doesn’t arrive ‘til summertime. This is because our hero stacker—that classic white-bread tomato sandwich with tomato and a slather of mayo—is all dependent on those ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes plucked straight off the vine and cut into beefy slices. Bonus points if you eat it over the sink and don’t bother wiping your face until the last bite’s gone.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You’ll Experience a Nightly Natural Show
Whoever claimed nature was quiet has never sat outside on a Southern summer evening, when you’ll catch a bona fide concerto composed of whatever wildlife is native to your area, from cicadas to whip-poor-wills. There’s nothing more soothing… or surprisingly loud. And it wouldn’t be a real performance without the starry lights of fireflies, which, in some parts of the region, put on a particularly impressive synchronous display.
Swimming Holes Abound
Whether the local waterfall, the state park’s lake, or the neighborhood pool, there are plenty of places to go for a dip and cool off. And because these are the perfect spots to shake off the swelter, they also unintentionally become the season’s go-to gathering places, where you’re sure to run into friends and neighbors.
Dessert Options Multiply
While canned and frozen options may be available year-round, there’s no denying that fresh fruit just tastes better—especially when baked into a cobbler or churned into ice cream. Southern summer produce is guaranteed to elevate your after-dinner treats, from peach cobbler to blueberry sonker to watermelon pie. Plus, nobody around here argues when someone declares you’re having ice cream for dinner.
Read the original article on Southern Living
