Summer brings with it many favorite foods. This past spring weekend, I thought of one of my favorite summer meals, Caprese salad, as Wade and I planted tomatoes and basil in our garden. I also eat treats, such as pancakes laden with chocolate candies, while camping with friends or at summer festivals.

That’s why this summer edition revolves entirely around food. Our main feature is a photo spread about some food items noted for their health benefits…while some of these have long been noted as healthy, such as asparagus, others have been controversial over the years. Eggs, for example, were considered bad in the 1970s and 1980s because they are high in cholesterol, but have made a comeback in recent years for their high protein content.

The second feature has to do with curbside dining. I know my husband and I ordered curbside a few times over this past year. We have a favorite pizza place from which we ordered pies and salads at the house and had them brought straight to my car instead of going inside to pay and pick up. It was convenient, and this pandemic-induced trend is here to stay.

My sister and I have summer birthdays, and we have fond memories of the parties our parents threw for us, whether intimate gatherings with a few close friends from school or larger gatherings of extended family. The larger gatherings were highlighted by my dad’s Texas-style barbecue and my mom’s red velvet cake (in an era when such dishes were not commonplace in the Midwest). Other children, particularly those who are homeless, do not get such luxuries. Our giving profile subject, Robin Kern, volunteers her time to make sure children residing at the MICAH House in Council Bluffs are able to celebrate their birthdays with monthly parties that include home-baked goods.

Barbecue, of course, is also a traditional summertime meal. This month’s Obviously Omaha lists six barbecue places around the metro where diners can purchase, and eat, smoked meats and traditional side dishes. Those who enjoy a variety of barbecue styles will not be disappointed.

Many Midwesterners refer to barbecuing as a term for grilling. Omaha is certainly a good place to find steaks and other meats for throwing on the grill on a lazy Saturday afternoon, and in this issue, we profiled one man who can help grillers create the perfect meal. David Rose, executive chef at Omaha Steaks, is a passionate cook whose YouTube videos highlight great ideas for cooking the local company’s products.

June in Omaha is festival month—in the past I enjoyed walking down to the Riverfront for the Santa Lucia Festival and eating Italian fare. We spoke with some of the people who have long been involved with organizing this festival for our 60-Plus feature.

This entire magazine has made me hungry…I’m going to sign off and head into my kitchen. I hope you enjoy all the articles in this issue.

* Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

This article originally appeared in the June 2021 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.