Seasonal attunement is more than just eating the right foods in the right season. It's about living the season. And nothing says summer like jumping into the nearest pool. At Radical Cooks, the swimsuits may be optional; the produce is required. As we put the wrap on summer, let's take one last luxurious dip in the pool and bring our produce box along for the fun.

Five Steps to Poolside Produce Fun

1. Find a produce box. We are die-hard, dedicated fans of eroots in Highland Park where we pick up a produce box each Thursday. The week we were pool-bound the bounty in the box contained amazing summer produce including but not limited to: watermelon, parsley, green peppers, beets, carrots, figs, and cucumbers.

Even the mermaids came up to check out the eroots produce box.

2. Make a quick trip to the market for basic, oh-so-basic, supplies. White balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Hepps citrus salt (our new favorite), lemons, limes, goat cheese, and prosciutto (if you engage in carnivorous consumption). Include beverages of choice including but not limited to: port, wine, bubbly, or beer.

3. Find a pool. We found our aquatic shangri-la in Rancho Mirage, CA. Stay local or set your sights far away. Just go.

4. Unpack, suit up, and do a little easy prep. Summer demands us to focus on the outside world. Such expectations translate into less time in the kitchen. No recipes. Just a little of this and a little of that.

5. Make it up as you go along. Based upon what was in the box, we savored the following bites, all of which which evolved as the nights and days progressed poolside.

Friday Night's Feast

Arriving late evening almost under a super moon, poolside fare was a plate of mission figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto.

Saturday Après Swim Lunch

What started with grand illusions of a Moroccan lunch with tabbouleh turned into simpler fare. Red onion, parsley, cucumber, and carrots. Add a little white balsamic vinegar, just a touch of olive oil, and Hepp's citrus salt. We were out of the kitchen and back in the pool in no time.

Sunday Afternoon Send-off Salad

Before bracing ourselves to face reality we took another plunge, then dined on a sweet savory combo of crisp green peppers, sweet watermelon, chopped parsley, fresh lemon juice, mixed with white balsamic vinegar and salt.

&nb… — Allie the Alligator floatie and color-coordinated produce.

Before we knew it ~ "C'est fini." Pool time was over and it was back to Los Angeles. We were refreshed, re-energized, and a little water-logged. Gazing out the window at the San Gorgonio wind farms a part of us wondered if the weekend was just a desert mirage. The empty produce box in the back said otherwise.