'It could be bloody November!" a fellow walker shouted at me as we hurried past each other on a wet cliff walk in Howth. With the rain streaming down my face and my T-shirt and shorts (a slightly over zealous decision, I admit) stuck to my skin, I was forced to agree that it felt less like June and more like mid-winter.
Despite Ireland’s well known indecisive weather and all its shortcomings, I have always held a special place in my heart for the Irish summer. Mild and misty, cold and wet, and if we’re truly lucky, beaming sunshine that lasts just long enough to try our hands at mastering the art of the barbecue.
Armed with umbrellas and raincoats, we Irish come prepared, and are all too aware that our dreamy al fresco feast, in a matter of a few short minutes, can be turned into a cosy fireside supper. There’s nothing quite like eating a burger while wrapped in a blanket to make us feel at home.
Whatever the weather, there is absolutely nothing quite like the Irish countryside at this time of year. Lush green fields make the perfect playground for our dog Max as he hunts tennis balls, while I watch on, running my hand through long thick grass as tall as my waist.
As Sofie and I make the journey back to Los Angeles, I take with me the scent of sweet honeysuckle, tall green ferns and heady elderflower blossoms.
It’s a terrible thing really, the moment I know we have to leave. It’s that sudden sense of nostalgia for a uniquely Irish summer and its spoils.
Roadside strawberries eaten from the punnet, turning chubby stalks of rhubarb from the garden into a crumble, bottling sweet cordials and saving the season’s fruit in sweet jars of jam – all part of the perfect dreamy Irish summer – when we get it.
So while my American summer is bound to include icebox pies, frozen yoghurt and calorific doughnuts hard to resist, it will be these simple desserts I will dream of.
Fresh Irish strawberries need so little to make them shine, but served with whipped cream in an Eton mess, lightly scented with rosewater and dotted with pistachios, they are an instant showstopper. A blueberry and white chocolate cheesecake that requires no baking is an instant summer hit and is one of my most requested recipes.
Finally, stone fruit baked until oozing, served with creamy mascarpone, honey and flaked almonds. These are some simple summer desserts to savour the season.
