My Martha Summer of 2025: A Return to Beautifully Simple Joys

I’ve been loving the “My Martha Summer” trend on social media. It’s no secret I’m a longtime fan of Martha’s style. I had a subscription to her magazine until the very end. Gosh, I used to obsess over her recipes and crafting ideas!

One of my favorite issues was the holiday cookie issue of December 2005…I still have all the pages neatly arranged in my recipe binder. SO many good ideas! Yes, her cookie cookbook followed a year or so later, but the magazine had a better selection of recipes, I think.

Here are some of the recipes and photos from the good old days of naptime cooking I’m leaning into this summer to give it my own “Martha Summer” theme. With the world feeling so sad and fragile, it seems like an excellent time to dial back to simple joys with communities of loved ones.

Merrill’s Strawberry Jam spread on lightly toasted slice of sourdough bread sounds heavenly for a summer breakfast.

Roasted Peach Lemonade was something I first tasted on a food blogger trip to Atlanta. I recreated my own version at home and have been making it ever since. The ingredients are easy to procure and the recipe is dead simple. I still haven’t found a better picnic drink.

Summer Tomato Pie is one of my favorite vegetarian main courses of summer. I absolutely love this dish and first made it at my Blog & Bake Camp at King Arthur Flour in 2011.

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake is the ultimate summer breakfast / snack / dessert. I even feel like Martha when I harvest rhubarb from my very own plant.

Strawberry Mint Ice Cream is still one of our favorites. I remember serving it to my kids in these little ramekins when they were young!

Strawberry Rhubarb Slab Pie is a real showstopper in the summer. This takes a little time to make but will make you SHINE like Martha when you present it to family and friends.

Chilled Salmorejo is an incredible summer soup. In fact, I’m glad I’m posting this here because I’m putting it on the list to make again in July!

Blueberry Thyme Poundcake with Lemon Glaze is one of the best summer cakes. Yes, we eat a lot of fruity desserts in the summer and I love it!

Marian’s Plum Torte is famous around the world for a reason. It’s the perfect recipe for summer. No notes.

Homemade Ginger Ale sounds like it might a little fussy to make, but I guarantee you it’s 100% worth the effort. I mean, let’s face it, Martha would definitely make it homemade for you if you went to her house.

I’m grateful to live in the Northeast where summer is so gorgeous and accessible. My Martha summer involves a lot of cooking, farmer’s market shopping, and light gardening.

What will yours involve?

xxKelsey