A summer of good food

Like every other young woman on the entire planet, the rise of the so-called ‘girl dinner’ has completely taken over my TikTok. For those unfortunate enough to be unfamiliar with the term, a ‘girl dinner’ typically refers to a random concoction of whatever foods are left in your kitchen. It usually takes zero amount of cooking (not even 200 degrees for 20 minutes) and can often take on the form of a non-pinterest worthy cheese board.

While I have always loved a good cheese board, the foods I have been obsessing over during summer are much more substantial. The perfect girl dinner for me would be a delicious carbonara, with fresh sauce, crispy salty bacon and, of course, tons of parmesan grated over the top. I kid you not, on holiday in Barcelona this year, my friend and I went to the same Italian restaurant (very Spanish, I know) and ate the exact same carbonara for three nights in a row. Absolutely. Unreal.

The second food on my list is also one for the girls. There’s just something about a Cesar salad that cannot be explained. The crispiness of the croutons mixed with the tangy dressing (and obviously, grated parmesan, the star of the show) makes for an ultimate meal. If you really want to take this to the next level, add a side of crispy salted fries onto the side and an ice-cold diet coke. Trust me.

A summer abroad would not be complete without the taste of an Aperol Spritz. It can be an acquired taste. Don’t be fooled by the neon-orange look of it. Many hearts have been broken as a result of people believing this drink would actually taste like a sweet orange. Nevertheless, the zesty, bittersweet tang of the drink can be a perfect accompaniment to the sunshine. And if you end up hating it, at least you can post a picture of it, so you look like one of those aesthetic European summer girls we all secretly long to be like.