I'm losing my mind a bit over these brilliant pie lollipops from Luxirare.

Thanks go out to Wendy who emailed me the link, and I also spotted it over at Cakespy.

Too hot to cook? Too hot to even prepare drinks that require shaking? I can relate, it's hot here. (Seriously, it was 103 in Seattle yesterday. Nobody in Seattle has air conditioning. Temperatures over 90 get old really fast.) The only thing to do is buy a bag of ice and some grapefruit juice, make some Salty Dogs and sit in front of a fan.

Salty Dog
• salt the rim of a glass
• fill glass with ice
• one part gin (or vodka), three parts grapefruit juice
• retreat to cool area

If you're not a salted rim sort you can skip it, that is called a Greyhound. There are conflicting reports on whether gin or vodka is the proper spirit to use but, let's face it, it's too hot to give a damn.

These Plate Bowl dishes (no, seriously, that is what they are called) are my new perfect picnic plate. And probably a Let's Eat In Front Of The TV plate as well. It's got tall sloping sides, but enough of a flat bottom that you can cut things. We used them for salads yesterday and the sides prevented my cherry tomatoes from rolling off the edge and across the floor. Win!