Dining - Inside or Outside

[crouching tyler]

Usually, you can count on a summer Seattle afternoon to be sunny and warmish - perfect for catching up with friends over dinner on the patio - an ideal situation to show off all your summer produce.

But then, every once in a while, you wake up and the morning is grey, cool, 60 degrees - definitely fleece-wearing weather.and the forecasts is cloudy, and showers.

Do you just keep with your planned menu of summer produce delights but perhaps plan to relocate to the indoors? Just past out the fleeces and dine al fresco anyway? OR do you tweak the menu a bit, maybe a gratin instead of a quick saute, and rethink things to accommodate the weather and its attendant mood?

Me, I am sticking with summer vegetables galore, postponing the indoor v. outdoor dining table decision until the last minute and peering at the sky every couple of minutes.

How do you deal with Mother Nature on her indecisive days?

[Marky Marc]

I don't work in a joint that really has much of a changing menu. That being said, I made a lot more soup today than I usually do during the summer months.

[hummingbirdkiss]

I pass out the fleeces ..put a tarp over the fire pit and dine outside anyway! Even in the winter we eat outside if we can ...

I think the trick to living here is to embrace the elements!!!

my menu does get "warmer" if it is gloomy but we have always camped and hiked in the winter so I can find all kinds of wonderful foods when the grayness comes on

I have had my friends whine when we go out in the rain to eat but when they realize it is only water and they will not die ...and after a few beverages around a lovely fire ...

hell rain beats bugs any day!!!

we eat all the same things I just may make a more hardy meal when it is cooler and gloomy ...same foods though whatever is in season we eat...

for instance I will bake a pie vs a serving fruits with ice cream as dessert or for dinner curries or stews instead of salads and cold plates ...

anything I bbq is the same rain or shine ...in fact I think bbq is cheerful in the rain!

you gotta work with whatcha got I figure!