Knock Knock

The one thing I know about you is that you are really missing summer right about now. Even if you are one of those precious people who adorably announces that you LOVE winter, you are still missing summer right now. It's just a fact. Summer means fresh things, and delicious things, and real smells. I mean, have you stopped to actually sniff winter lately? No? Well, give it a try. I'll wait.

Okay, so what we've learned here today is that winter smells like, uh, nothing. Okay, okay, so it smells like cold, and dryness, and sadness, and sometimes like soup, but mainly it smells like...nothing. No fragrant trees or flowers! No coconutty sunscreen! No warm wind! No chlorine! No briny ocean, no earthy lake! And certainly no fruit scents. Definitely no fruit scents.

Alright, friends. I want you to sit down for this. I have news.

Are you sitting?

Yes?

Okay. Here's what I have to tell you:

There's a cure! 

Really.

Really!

Ready? It's the easiest thing in the world.

Dried Strawberries

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Quarter or halve strawberries. Toss gently with a few pinches of sugar and a little sprinkle of salt. Arrange in a single layer on cookie sheet and place in the oven. Sit back, relax, and maybe even put on your swimming costume! Soon, you will start to smell the summery magic. Bake (well, actually you're just drying them) in the oven for 4 hours. Remove when they seem dried but still a little fleshy. Leave out on the counter on the cookie sheet overnight or all day. When they feel dried to your liking, pack them in a plastic or glass container. Eat out of hand, or toss in a salad -- use them like raisins or craisins. And the best part? You will get to enjoy the smell for DAYS. Not only does it smell like glorious summer the entire time they're in the oven, but your house will KEEP smelling like this for many more days. It's a winter miracle, folks! It's a really perfect little wintery miracle.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Summertime!