One of my favourite summer treats, when I was a little girl, was a ripe, red, tomato picked fresh from the garden, smashed in a bowl and sprinkled with sugar. Sugar was meant to balance the acidity of the tomato, but I just loved the taste.
Another favorite summer treat was the triple decker ice cream cone I would get when it was my turn to ride along delivering our cucumber crop to the grading station. We used to love finding the biggest cucumbers. At the grading station we would learn that the tiniest cucumbers were the most valuable. Those tiny cucumbers were destined to become that crunchy, sweet, gherkin pickle that we all love. Followed closely by the cool, crisp dill pickle.
I think those long ago trips to the grading station, triggered my love for canning, preserving, and dehydrating til, in late autumn, all the shelves are full.
Groovy Tales of a Well Adult 