Savour

With dog days of summer poised to set in, beware the kitchen burnout, friends. We know you're tired and you've been working too hard. But now is when we must take to the kitchen, spatulas grasped in palms sweaty from humidity and aprons shirked (it's too hot!). Cook and savor the last days of summer. And so we've unearthed a cook who, as you dig deep and remember why you love it, will happily camp-counselor you along for the ride. A Los Angeles mom with a full-time job, Savour "firmly believes that anyone can cook good, everyday meals from scratch with sufficient tools and encouragement" and tries "to create meals that are delicious, wholesome and not too intimidating." This woman is just what the doctor ordered.

With dishes that twist classics into delightfully new recipes, Savour's sensibility is fresh but satisfying (it's no surprise she's a winner for her Simple Summer Peach Cake -- pictured above.) Try this summer menu on for size: Squash and Cauliflower Salad with Cranberry Beans and Salsa Verde followed by Raspberry Meringue Bread Pudding. Cover all bases and be set for Meatless Monday -- what's not to like? But it's not all highfalutin: Grilled Pepper Cheese Sandwiches and My Daddy's Hot Clam Dip never get old. Nor do her lovely photographs. So, thank you, Savour for helping us make the most of the end of summer.

Read Savour's profile Q&A below and follow her on Twitter here.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Alligator at a (now defunct) Cajun restaurant in NYC

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Avocado on Toast, Grilled Cheese sandwiches

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My Le Creuset French Oven(s)

• Your ideal meal:
  Poilane Bread, runny cheese, perfect fruit, wine and chocolate

• Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
  Thomas Keller's food

• The number of bottles of wine you own:
  27

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6

• Kitchen pet peeve:
  Anything that requires superfluous dishes. I hate emptying the dishwasher.