“I doubt whether the world holds for anyone a more soul-stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice cream”- Heywood Broun

This post is not really about ice cream, but in the second photo a young Chris Grove of Nibble Me This seems to be embracing what will become a lifelong passion. The joy of food and the strength of family. In the photo his dad seems to be working hard to bring Chris this joy. What a gift. The kind of gift that only a potent combination of summer and childhood can bring. GREG

I grew up in the sweet sticky heat of Florida summers.  I was literally “toes in the sand, head in the clouds” before I learned to walk.

I was raised in the “middle class dream” of block houses, lawn chairs, picnic tables, and family cook outs.  We spent our weekends at the YMCA and the beach.  My dad hand-churned ice cream in the backyard on summer afternoons.

Once I could walk, I beat the summer heat by getting out early and spending my mornings exploring the wide world known as “our lawn”.   I would chase anoles (lizards indigenous to Florida, not Aholes, which are indigenous to most highways).  I tried mimicking the birds that sang out to see if I could trick them into replying.  I watched ants as they busied themselves building their mounds.  I built forts for my plastic army men and streets for my Matchbox cars in my sand pit. 

But the one constant to my summer days was just about the time it was getting too hot outside, my mom would call me inside for lunch. 

I know you like fried calamari. I flat out know you do. You can pretend like you don't all you want, but I know deep inside you like it. You can even put that pained and squeamish look on your face and then try to tell me that squid is just not your "cup of tea" (so to speak). But I know you'd just be saying that just to get me all riled up.

That's because you like fried calamari. I flat out know you do.

Armed with that knowledge I feel it's quite alright to play against your expectations with this dish. Maybe even break a few rules. Maybe even include a spicy chipotle citrus dipping sauce with your calamari when you aren't looking. Scandalous!

I know what you're thinking. It's just not done... and it's true I'd be the first one to join the argument that says fried calamari is best hot, salty and simply adorned with lots of lemon. It's a winning argument. There is a whole lot of truth in it. But you hear that squelch? That's me bending the truth once again!

Because I am here to say that (sometimes), it's quite alright to go against even the plainest of truths. That's just what I have in mind. So get ready to have your culinary foundation rocked. Because truths, they are 'a tumblin' down.