In the Kitchen: Sweet, sweet summer

Roasted one-pan chicken with leeks and barley. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)Fellow sun worshipers,

Now that that nasty, sweaty spell of Florida-like humidity has passed, we can finally begin to enjoy the sunny, dry Southern California summer that is our birthright. Cool evenings on the patio, glasses of chilled rosé, the hunger-inducing smell of smoke from the barbecue, these make up the sweetheart summer in our little piece of paradise. But there’s more to the season than that. Read on.

— Russ Parsons

Grain anytime

It might be that the last thing you want to think about on a hot summer day is getting more whole grains in your diet. It’s too much work, you complain. Who wants all that…