Dip Keepers or Dip Coolers are essential serving pieces to have on hand in the summer! Here is how they work…the “Dip Cooler” consists of two pieces, the actual bowl that the dip goes in and a surrounding container that “hugs” the dip bowl. Between these two bowls, you can add ice cubes or refreshable ice cubes (the reuseable type) and this will keep your dip cool for hours. Many dips call for mayonaise or other perishable ingredients so ensuring the dip is cool is a good idea for food safety.

But, why stop at just serving cold dips when you can use the same Dip Keeper or Dip Cooler for serving warm dips? Our “Dip Coolers” are made out of oven proof ceramic so you can actually bake your dip right in the bowl. Imagine a yummy hot spinach and artichoke dip or a con queso dip…and when the dip has finished baking, you can fill the outer bowl with hot water to keep your dip warm longer. The possibilities are endless when it comes to dips.

Here at Emerson Creek Pottery, we sell a variety of dips from Linda’s Garden located in Virginia. You can purchase them as gift sets with our “Dip Coolers” directly from our website. You can choose from Garlic Blend, Italian Blend, Spicy Veggie Blend, or Tarragon Blend dip mix. Sometimes I like to add canned tuna or chicken to the Tarragon Blend dip and serve it with crackers. These are wonderful to have on hand for last-minute guests or pot-luck dinners.

If you want to round out your presentation, try serving your crackers in one of our Emerson Creek Pottery Cracker Baskets. It is a nice way to have crackers or chips nearby in a coordinating serving dish.

Are you ready to freshen up your kitchen with a new look for summer? Many people change dishes for Christmas so why not change your dishes for summer? I think Emerson Creek Pottery’s Buttercup Servingware is perfect for summer. The soft yellows, oranges, greens and muted reds will bring a new look to your kitchen this season. I can just picture a delicious salad of cherry tomatoes, yellow and orange bell peppers and mixed greens served on one of our “Frilly Platters”.

Summer is the perfect time to brighten up your kitchen with sunny hues. In addition to changing your servingware, why not consider new dish towels, potholders and even add some fun stemware to your mix. With the Emerson Creek Pottery’s Buttercup design, I think yellow or orange accents would really make a kitchen pop with style. An easy and edible centerpiece would be to fill one of our “Frilly Fruit Bowls” with oranges, lemons and limes.

One thing that I always seem to buy in the summer is the fragrance “Summer Sorbet” by Aromatique. It is available at major department stores and I have seen it at our local Hallmark store. I like to buy the potpourri and display it somewhere near the door my family uses most often when we come into our house. It just reminds me of summer. The colors in this potpourri are a perfect match for our Buttercup design. It would look beautiful spread out on one of our “Small Buttercup Trays”.

I hope you have found these ideas helpful. How do you freshen up your home for summer? I’d love to hear from you.