We are sweltering in the heat of another shoreline summer. It is 95 degrees out, feels like 108, and we are in for at least five more 90 plus degree days before this heat wave breaks. I know we’re not alone, the extreme heat is prompting safety alerts in 28 states as I write this. If misery loves company, I should be in love with the fact that forecasters say more than 200 million people will experience temperatures in excess of 90 degrees for at least the next few days.

But it brings me no joy.

My haul of farm share goodies does not this week either. There is some lovely lettuce that makes a nice salad, but the rest will require the application of some sort of heat and effort before I’ll be willing to eat it. And, when it comes to more heat, and any kind of effort, I’m just not in the mood.

I see, however, that some beautiful zucchini is in use-it-or-lose-it territory. So I ask friends for some ideas that might jolt me from my heat-induced stupor. Several friends recommend zucchini noodles, which require a spiralizer. Popular, yes, and not for me. Several others recommend a lasagna, using zucchini slices instead of noodles. Maybe, but not in this weather. Stuffed zucchini boats sound promising. I could bake them in the relative cool of the evening and serve them room temperature the next day. Both ratatouille and caponata sound good, using the same strategy, and would make a good lunch or dinner the next day on crusty bread, straight out of the fridge.

My friend Nicole recommends this Creamy Lemon Zucchini Pasta from Bon Appetit, which she dubs “stupid good.”: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/creamy-lemon-zucchini-pasta. Janet recommends another recipe that is new to me, Zucchini Granola Scotchies, https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/zucchini-granola-scotchies.html.

I decide to opt for some zucchini relish recommended by Bethanne and you’ll see why when you check out the recipe, offered here. She got it from a friend, who got it from her mom. The preparation requires a soak in cold water and only about 15 minutes of cooking. It looks delicious. And it uses a boatload of zucchini.

On deck, for later this summer, is a zucchini bread from 101 Cookbooks https://www.101cookbooks.com/zucchini-bread, recommended by Mary. There is a lot to love about this recipe, including the variation Mary favors, “My Special Zucchini Bread” with lemon zest, poppy seeds, crystalized ginger, and warm spices. Even better is this tip: “Pre-grate and freeze excess zucchini: When you have more zucchini than you know what to do with, grate it on a box grater and then divide 2 1/2 cup portions into freezer bags. Thaw and use with this recipe later in the year.” And that, in fact, that is what I do with my zucchini. Then I get in the car and head to the library, where the air conditioning is blasting.

Zucchini Relish

Bethanne Carroll McNulty

Ingredients:

10 cups zucchini

4 cups onions

2 peppers

5 tablespoons salt

4 ½ cups sugar

2 ¼ cups vinegar

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

Directions

Grind first three ingredients. Add salt. Mix with cold water and drain.

When the water has drained off, add in the remaining ingredients and cook approximately 15 minutes or until tender.