Yesterday evening, I sat on the patio of the Bryant Park Grill in New York with my family and a few of my favorite L.A. friends.  We met at five and when we finished dinner at nearly 8 p.m., it was still light out.  When we arrived, some sort of concert was going on and when we left, there was an outdoor yoga class -- hundreds of people doing yoga on the grass.  We sat underneath a canopy of trees and enjoyed salads, crisp rosés, and the sizzle of easy, lively conversation.

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Finally, it's starting to feel like summer.  Not in a weather sense, or a pure calendar sense, but in a "summertime and the livin' is easy" sense.  This is what I'm craving for a perfect summer supper:  soft shell crabs, avocado, corn and tomato salad, and with it, Francis Ford Coppola's Sofia Rosé.

Fried Soft-Shell Crabs

1 cup flour
2 egg
3/4 cup small breadcrumbs (I suggest Japanese panko)
6 cleaned soft-shell crabs
2 Tbsp oil for frying
1 Lemon, cut into 6 wedges.

Arrange three containers on your counter and, fill one with flour and dashes of salt and pepper, the other with the egg (beat it), and the last with the crumbs. Roll a crab through the flour, then dip in in the beaten egg and then roll it through the breadcrumbs. Set to the side and repeat with the remaining five.

Heat oil in a skillet. (If you have a deep fryer, you can use that as well, removing the crabs when they're golden). Once it sizzles when you flick some water into it, add three of the crabs. Cook for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and wait 2 minutes more. Remove crabs to a plate or tray covered in paper towels. Repeat with the remaining three crabs.

Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

6 ears of corn, shucked
2 avocados, peeled and chopped into large pieces
3 tomatoes, cut into 16 pieces each
Handful of basil, torn into small pieces
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
A good pinch of salt & pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add corn, cover, and turn off heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove corn from water and drain.

Add tomatoes, avocado, basil, vinegar, and olive oil to bowl. Once corn has cooled enough to touch, slice off kernels and add to bowl. Add salt and pepper and stir. The remaining heat of the corn should melt the avocado slightly.

What's your idea of a perfect summer meal?  Is it starting to feel like summer in your neck of the woods?  Who are you looking forward to seeing this summer?  Any family reunion style grubbing going on?