Bake the Book: Home Made Summer

[Photograph: Oof Verschuren]

Summer is not a season to be spent in the kitchen. Author Yvette van Boven has taken this lesson to heart in Home Made Summer, a sprawling ode to nature's most bountiful season. Unlike its sisters (the acclaimed Home Made and Home Made Winter), Home Made Summer was made to entertain. It's written as an homage to the summers van Boven and her husband have spent in Provence, surrounded by friends, family, and ludicrously fresh produce.

Van Boven, who now splits her time between Amsterdam and Paris, has incorporated elements of both those worlds into a book that reads like a love letter to the season. It's crammed with personal experience, familial influence, and culinary know-how that combine to form recipes with stories as interesting as their ingredients.

The recipes are many and comprehensive; every food occasion is accounted for, from breakfast to tea time to dessert. There's even a chapter for drinks, featuring the kinds of creations you want to press against your forehead between sips on a sweaty day. Elder blossom collins and cava sangria, particularly.

It's tough to overlook the stunning savory dishes and focus on dessert, but dessert does not disappoint. We've chosen recipes that aim to mimic van Boven's aesthetic: making the most of what's freshest, and sharing it with those you love. To that extent, we'll first be featuring Negroni Fig Ice Pops, a portable cocktail. Next, Coconut & Lime Cheesecake, followed by the classic Rhubarb Pie (updated with almond paste). Finally, an unusual but delicious Prosecco & Elderflower Jelly with Melon.

Win A Copy!

Thanks to the generous folks over at Abrams, we are giving away five (5) copies of Home Made Summer this week.

All you have to do is share your favorite summer treat in the comments section below.

The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.