Photo Credit: PAOLA + MURRAYI just got a new personal email address for the first time in decades. I finally switched from AOL to Gmail! (I know, I know.) It feels weirdly freeing and delightful, an acknowledgment that I'm doing different things now. I changed it because things in my world are changing!One big change: This is the final issue of this magazine. I think it's so rich with beauty and emotion and food and fun, and I was proud to put it out into the world. I love the talented editors who made it. But things end. We had a great run over 16 years, racking up awards and industry accolades. And most important, we helped you get a healthy, delicious dinner on the table. Words can't express how honored I am that you welcomed us into your kitchen every night, and how grateful I am that you stuck with me all these years! You are why I do what I do, period.What's next? Well, I have many new projects coming up (see below for one), a whole bunch of new ball games, and it's super exciting. Follow me @rachaelray to keep up.In the meantime, this issue is here, and it's jam-packed. I may have mentioned once or a thousand times that I have mixed feelings about summer. I will never be on board with heat and humidity. But what makes me love the season in spite of all that sweat is the abundance of fresh, right-from- the-ground ingredients—and the opportunity to share with you my vision for what to do with them. When it comes to cooking for and with your loved ones, the universe, the soil, maybe God himself is giving you a huge leg up this time of year.We're our best selves when we share food with one another. In summer, we also share the warmth of the sun and the cool of the water. We become children again and play more and live outside more and feel more alive. I want you to use the recipes and ideas in this issue to play, to run and jump and feel free of all your pressures and just be. As I've said since the first issue, my goal for this magazine, its purpose, was to encourage people to take a bite out of life itself. So that's your homework. Go do it. I will too.This article originally appeared in the Rachael Ray In Season Summer 2022 issue. Get the magazine here.
