When the weather gets too warm to turn on the stove, ceviche offers a cooling respite. Typically made with high-quality raw fish or seafood cooked in citrus juice, this vegetarian version doesn’t require a trip to the fishmonger—and is far cheer. Turn to a trusty can of fat butter beans for the base of the dish. The bigger and meatier the bean, the more reminiscent this dish will be of proper ceviche—you could even cook your own gigante, corona, or white lima beans from dry; but any can of white beans will suffice in a pinch.

Inspired by Ecuadorian and Mexican shrimp ceviches, which feature a soup-like broth, you’ll blend a large, ripe tomato (if you can’t find a nice heirloom, use smaller Campari or Kumato tomatoes, which are sweet and juicy year-round), then stir in lime juice and hot sauce for a powerful bean-marinating liquid. While you could add toppings—sliced jaleño and red onion for heat, offset with buttery avocado—immediately and chow down with a bag of chips, the longer the beans sit in the tomato mixture, the more flavor they’ll absorb.

Before the Rocco, that meant perching bottles on top of my roommate’s old college mini fridge: a retro light blue number that looked cute next to our yellow couch but left a lot to be desired functionally. The interior was designed like a fun-size version of a normal fridge, with no space-efficient way to store cans or bottles. It also jutted into the room further than we’d have liked, and the square top was fine for stashing bottles but not great for actually finding them.

The Rocco seemed like the ideal upgrade. Designed to hold a mix of wine bottles and canned beverages on adjustable racks, with a top built to function as a home bar and a shallow depth that works well in tight quarters, it promised to meet every one of my needs. Plus, it was pretty.

What I love about it

In addition to being cute, the Super Smart Fridge boasts dual temperature zones to keep your reds and whites propriately chilled and a host of smart features (hence its name), like p connectivity and a camera that supposedly tells you what’s inside your fridge.

After testing this fridge for two years, I can confidently say that it’s been a true hosting game-changer. I love that I can set one half of it to fridge-cold for sodas, hard seltzers, and the like, while keeping the other half at a warmer temp more suitable for wine—all of which I can control remotely from the p (which works very well for that purpose). It’s incredibly quiet and even has multiple noise level modes that you can switch between (Smart, Quiet, and Party).

Shawarma, the beloved Middle Eastern dish of thinly sliced, marinated meat slow-roasted on a vertical spit, is typically served with flatbread and an array of accompaniments. This version, which calls on chicken thighs for their juiciness and resilience to overcooking, chars them under the broiler alongside chunks of onion for a fuss-free dinner that will quickly make its way into your weeknight rotation. After the chicken comes out of the oven you can push the thighs to the side to make room for all of the toppings: sliced tomato, cucumber spears, and a tangy garlic yogurt. Loading the lot into warm pitas makes for a satisfying meal that comes together faster than you could order it for delivery.

These grilled shrimp are the kind of low-effort, high-reward dinner that tastes best eaten outside—you can practically feel the beach breeze in every bite. A confetti-like chimichurri packed with parsley, garlic, lime juice, red wine vinegar, and Fresno chile adds a splash of color and bright, fresh flavor that perfectly complements the charred shellfish.

Jumbo shrimp can go directly on the grate, but if you’re working with smaller ones, thread them onto skewers to keep them from slipping through. Tossing the shrimp with oil before grilling helps prevent sticking (without fussing with the grate) and encourages those smoky, lightly blistered edges everyone wants from grilled shrimp. Serve with grilled bread, steamed rice, a big green salad, or whatever else your cookout heart desires.

Do I need skewers for grilled shrimp?

Jumbo shrimp can go straight on the grill—though skewering them is fine if you prefer it. Smaller shrimp are easier to flip and less likely to fall through the grate when threaded onto skewers.

How do I know when grilled shrimp are done?