Dinner With Meg

Sun is shining, weather is sweeeet. At last, we’ve had some consistently sunny days here in the North West and I can’t help but think that perhaps this is the start of warmer days and those summer nights we’ve all been waiting for.

And of course as you grow up, the things you look forward to start to change as those summer months approach. As a child, lighter nights and warmer weather symbolised more trips to the park, or bouncing on the garden trampoline for hours on end. And, if you were anything like me and my sister, it would be mean building an obstacle course in the back garden, with the grass as the ‘lava’ you were so desperately trying to avoid as you leaped from cushion, to slide, to pop-up tunnel.

Heading into teenage years, it meant later curfews, and 6 weeks off school. It meant meeting your mates on the field with snacks from the shop after strategically deciding what to opt for from the shelves, and what would get you the most bang for your buck. It meant maybe even a pizza from the local takeaway if your pocket money stretched far enough that week.

And now, firmly in adult life, I can certainly say I’m in my ‘picky bits in the garden’ era. I see sunshine and lighter nights and all of a sudden, M&S Food Hall is taking more money from my bank account than usual, there are beers always cold in the fridge, and I count down to Friday nights after work when the first ice cold bottle greets my lips.

So, I thought I’d write a note about some of the things I’m craving now that we’ve been blessed with some sunshine.

Hopefully it gets you in the mood.

Picky bits in the garden

Let’s start with a personal favourite.

You know how us Brits love a cup of tea when things have gone to shit? The classic “shall I put the kettle on?” when you need a chinwag and to put the world to rights? Well as someone that isn’t really a brew drinker, I think my equivalent of this offering, and this warmth and safety, is infact picky bits in the garden. And, +10 bonus points if said picky bits are from M&S.

I bloody love it. And if I’m hosting, I love the whole experience where M&S is concerned. Their food hall really is my safe space. Forget therapy. Give me a credit card and one of the big food halls, and watch any ounce of anxiety vanish from my being.

It could be busy, and browsing the aisles are still an enjoyable, relaxing experience. Or maybe I’ve been programmed to the chaos of Aldi on Manchester’s Market Street after my stint living in town that actually, not many things come close to this level of somewhat apocalyptic scrambling.

Let that aircon hit, grab a basket, and get adding those items until you have no idea how you’ve spent seventy quid.

Festival food, in all its stodgy glory

Phwoar. I shouldn’t love it but I do. There’s no better feeling than being on a field, a few pints in, and scouring the food stalls between acts at a festival. It’s a chicken and egg situation really. Are you lining your stomach for the alcohol you’re about to consume into the day/night? Or are you soaking up the drink you’ve already had?

I’m not too sure how much my beer goggles have impacted my view, and my tastebuds, but I’d like to say I’ve had some great food at festivals over the years. A non-negotiable for me is that I always need a dose of mac ‘n’ cheese – it’s a staple for the food element of my festival experience. Simple, delicious when done right, and just the right amount of stodge.

That smokey BBQ smell with a burger in hand

As soon as the temperature hits about 20 here in the UK, I’m sure dusting the BBQ down is always top of the agenda for most. Whether with a large group or just nearest and dearest, I absolutely love sitting out in the garden, burger in hand, with the smell of a BBQ lingering.

Better still, when it’s warm enough to stay sat out until late with a fire lit, that feeling of being sat in the warmth of it with a blanket for an additional layer is one of the cosiest things ever. And made even better if you have a glass of wine in hand, of course.

That first pint after work, with added sunshine

Some pints just hit different. An airport pint. A holiday pint. And, that first post-work pint.

Regardless of the time of year, when living in town for a couple of years I’d love a post-work pint come rain or shine, hot or cold, beer garden or cosy pub. Don’t get me wrong, even on the outskirts of the city this is still the case, it’s just that said pints are no longer as accessible (if you listen carefully you can hear a ‘yay’ from my bank balance, and my waistline).

But if the sun is shining and there’s an appetite for it amongst the group, you bet I’ll be the first one to agree to a post-work meeting and drinking of pint(s). It’s always been a great ending to a working day anyway, but when you can feel that sun on your skin and the communal buzz amongst the beer gardens, it just hits different. And I’m picturing Manchester’s Stevenson’s Square as I describe this.

The ‘chilling-on-the-balcony-on-holiday’ duo

I feel so basic for saying this but there’s a reason that this combo is subject to many a TikTok and Instagram post. You probably know the duo in question before I even have to state what they are.

But for those that don’t know or want the confirmation, I am indeed talking about indulging in a crisp, cold Fanta and a packet of Lays whilst sitting on your holiday balcony, after a day in the sun by the pool or on the beach. And of course, after that ‘everything shower’ where you wash your hair, the day, and suncream away before lathering on the after sun.

My Fanta of choice would always be a Fanta lemon when I’m abroad. As for the Lays, I found a tzatziki flavour bag of these beauties in Crete back in 2022. It was the last bag on the shelf, and I’ve never found them since. Only in my mind, where they live, rent free…

There are a few other things that spring to mind when I think about that summer feeling and the things I crave when the sun is shining, but this captures those little things I always look forward to.

Now, we just have to hope we get a non-typical British summer that’s actually full of sunshine, so we can live out these moments for as long as possible!