It is hot and muggy here is NOLA, which means summer is here and you know what that means…yes, sno-balls and swimming of course, but also high temperatures and stifling humidity. If you want to avoid sweating like a Louisiana princess wearing a ball gown in the afternoon sun, it’s time to ditch your wools and woven jerseys and try instead for more appropriate summer fabrics.
- Focus on natural fibers instead of synthetic ones – they’re lighter, airier, and offer greater breathability.
- Choose lighter hues – lighter colors reflect heat better than darker ones.
- Avoid tight clothes – when picking patterns, choose loose shapes that will allow air to circulate around your body more freely.
Our essential fabrics for summer include:
Seersucker, Double Gauze, Cotton Lawn, Batiste, Chambray and Linen are our go to fabrics for hot summers in Louisiana.
Linens are my all time fav. It is the best fabric for my money. It is incredibly breathable. Best of all it is it easy to sew. I feel so much cooler on the 100 degree days. Try it on sundresses, shorts, cover-ups and wide legged pants. I don’t even care that it WRINKLES.
Cottons are a winner during the summer. It is close to linen as far as being breathable and such a wide variety of colors and prints.
- Let us help get you started sewing a breezy caftan, shorts, loose trousers, a flirty dress, or a blouse. All of the patterns above, and more, are in stock and available now, in-store and online. Here’s to staying cool this summer!
Remember to check out Monday’s, July 31st for Baby Quilt by By Nidhi Wadhwa and come back Monday August 7 for Bella-rina by Studio e.
See you all next week.
I just know you are going to enjoy this fabulous recipe.
Boy, do I love Shrimp!!
Shrimp Ceviche
Ceviche is typically a white flesh ocean fish, scallops or squid in a citrus marinade, the acidity of which “cooks” the seafood. Its cool tartness is deliciously refreshing. In this recipe shrimp is first lightly cooked and then marinated in the citrus juice. Since the marinade only “cooks” the protein, the brief submersion in boiling water kills any bacteria.
I first had ceviche many years ago. Originally it was scallop, based but I prefer shrimp. What’s great about this dish is that it requires no real cooking except for a quick boil for 2 minutes. For those hot summer days when cooking is not in the cards a ceviche is just the ticket.
Ingredients:
1 lb.medium raw shrimp in the shell
¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small red onion sliced into thin rings
1 medium tomato, seeds removed and cut into a small dice
1 serrano chile, seeds removed and finely diced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
Guacamole (see recipe below)
Crisp tortilla chips
Procedure:
In a pot of salted boiling water, place the raw shrimp. Cook only 2 minutes, drain and transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
Drain shrimp, remove shells and place in a glass bowl. Add lime juice and lemon juice, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Mix in red onion, tomato and serrano chile. Refrigerate for 2 more hours. Just before serving, add cilantro. Serve guacamole and tortilla chips alongside. Serves 3-4.
Guacamole
Ingredients:
2 Haas avocados, flesh cut into a half-inch dice
½ red onion, minced
1 serrano chile, finely diced
2 T cilantro, finely chopped
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
½ t coarse salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Procedure:
To diced avocado, add onion, serrano chile, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Toss gently. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap directly on guacamole and refrigerate for up to ½ hour.