Evening concerts in the park just might be summer’s best offering. Pure summer relaxation: Sit on a blanket with chilled wine and some nibbles, and take all the heat out of the day.

Truth be told, we often just set out sliced cheese and crackers with the wine. When there’s a little prep time, I’ll make an interesting dip for cut-up vegetables or crisp crostini.

The local farmers market inspires the two dips that follow. Long, slender, exceedingly orange carrots taste great when eaten raw. Roast those carrots for even more sweetness. A sprinkle of curry powder and salt delivers more flavor than effort. Reserve some of the roasted carrots to puree into a dip with plain yogurt. Serve the dip at room temperature with the roasted carrot sticks for dipping. For a passed appetizer, smear a generous dollop of the carrot dip over crisp crostini or flatbread crackers. Top with a couple of carrot slices and sprinkle with chopped fresh chives.

Garden-fresh dill and poblano peppers team up in a dip based on pureed white beans and cream cheese. Fresh or frozen spinach, garlic and lemon add flavor, too. Try this dip with cucumber slices, celery sticks, pita chips, or pretzel flats.

I like to make my own crostini for serving with homemade dips. Heat the oven to 300 F. Slice a loaf of French or Italian bread into 1/3-inch-thick slices and place on a parchment paper- or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of each bread slice lightly with a fruity-tasting olive oil. Sprinkle sparingly with salt. Bake, turning slices over once, until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before storing in a covered tin or air-tight container for a day or so.

Other nibbles to offer at an evening picnic include grapes, which can be frozen on super-hot days for a refreshing bite, sweet cherries, sliced salami and seasoned nuts. Popcorn seasoned with pickle seasoning is perfect for picnic nibbles with adult beverages. Pack a large pitcher of chilled mint-cucumber water as a non-alcoholic alternative. Then relax, you deserve it.

Roasted Carrots with Roasted Carrot Dip

Makes about 2 cups dip, serving 6

2 pounds medium-size carrots, trimmed, peeled

6 cloves garlic, left in their peels

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Coarse (kosher) salt

2 teaspoons peri peri hot sauce or other red pepper hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1 container (5.3 ounces) plain Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Carrot fronds or fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Crostini breads or flatbread crackers, for serving

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line one large or two smaller rimmed baking sheet(s) with a silicon mat or parchment paper.

2. Cut carrots crosswise in half. Cut each half lengthwise, then cut thick portions lengthwise into quarters to make large sticks. Put onto baking sheet along with unpeeled garlic. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the oil. Turn carrots and garlic to coat them nicely with oil. Sprinkle with curry and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until carrots and garlic cloves are fork-tender and golden, about 30 minutes. Cool.

3. Dice enough of the roasted carrots to make 1 cup and put into a blender or food processor. (Reserve remaining carrots for serving). Peel roasted garlic and add to blender. Puree smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup oil, peri peri and thyme; blend smooth. Add yogurt, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process to make a thick sauce. Transfer to a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and hot sauce.

4. Sprinkle carrot sticks with carrot fronds or thyme leaves. Serve with carrot dip at room temperature. Pass with crostini.

White Bean Dip with Spinach, Dill and Poblano

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups fresh baby spinach or 1/3 of a 12-ounce bag frozen cut spinach

1 poblano pepper

1 can (15 ounces) white beans, such as Great Northern

3 to 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Grated rind of 1/2 lemon

2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon green hot sauce, optional

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1. If using fresh spinach, chop it into 1/2-inch pieces. If using frozen spinach, put it into a colander. Let drain in sink or over a bowl until thawed. Squeeze as dry as you can. You will have 3 or 4 tablespoons.

2. Set poblano directly over the flame of a gas burner (or on a baking sheet under the broiler). Roast, turning often, until skin blisters and blackens, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off blackened skin and remove stem and seeds. Rinse pepper briefly and cut into ½ inch pieces.

3. Strain beans, reserving canning liquid. Put beans, cream cheese, garlic, lemon rind, lemon juice, hot sauce and salt into a small food processor or blender. Process until smooth and light, adding a spoonful or two of the reserved bean liquid if needed for a dippable texture. Transfer to a bowl.

4. Stir in spinach, poblano and dill until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings with hot sauce and salt.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2026 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.