Category Archives: summer

Summer Jewel Salad

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Watermelon, Jicama Salad

In the June issue of Southern Living magazine, I spotted jicama in the list of ingredients in a watermelon salad and was intrigued. I’ve eaten jicama before and liked it, but never made anything with it, set out to buy it and when the sign at the grocery store read Jicama that’s what I thought I was buying. Wrong, it was a yuca (also known as cassava). I discovered this when I consulted YouTube to make sure I was dealing with the jicama properly and thought, “Whaaaaat? That looks nothing like the jicama I have!” After a little more internet research, I discovered I had a yuca in my possession and got back in the car to find…jicama. <sigh> Continue reading →

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Grape Butter

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Grape Butter on Multigrain BreadWe knew nothing about grapes. Two summers ago, Rob and I planted a grape vine that also shares space on our pergola (that Rob built) with wisteria and trumpet vine. In this relatively short period of time, they went up and over giving our pergola, and yard, a very romantic look and shade to our patio. Continue reading →

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Summer Stew with Fried Capers

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Summer Stew

Summer bounty in a bowl. It’s all about the Summer veggies, but because of some pesky varmints:

Caterpillar on ParsleCaterpillar on Tomatothere have only been some Cherry tomatoes – no Romas at all! Despite the noted absence of the larger tomatoes, it wouldn’t be summer if I didn’t make Ciambotta just once. I remember eating Ciambotta, an Italian, tomato-based vegetable stew, every Summer growing up. Family, friends and neighbors had massive gardens and once everything was ripe for picking, there was a constant supply of tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, green beans and the like. My mother made this every Summer and we usually just ate it in bowls, sometimes with bread. My twist is to add fried capers on top. Continue reading →

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Pimm’s Cup & the Perfect Burger

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I’ve been on this kick recently. I’ve discovered the unbelievable greatness of a grilled burger on…toast. Right now this consists of one perfectly grilled burger. I like mine medium well please.

With provolone cheese

and arugula from my garden which we are enjoying for a second time. We grew it at the beginning of the season, saved the seeds and planted them about 3 weeks ago. Amazing.

And, of course, toast. Oh, and a Pimm’s Cup on the side.

This is sooo good that no condiments are required. I may sprinkle a little salt if I can wait that long. Take note of the bread used for toast on this particular occasion. I’ve been enjoying my burgers on mostly a bakery multi-grain toast that is quite good, BUT… an angel from heaven dropped off what is possibly the BEST rye bread ever from Dortoni’s on Long Island (Levittown to be exact), NY. This rare delivery is to be cherished and I try hard to keep it a secret, but guilt wins out and I do share. Oh I would so love to keep this bread to myself. It has substance and is moist, chewy and the flavor is out-of-this-world ryelicious. If rye bread is just ok for you, I guarantee you would worship at the altar of Dortoni Rye Bread after one bite. I’m happy to see I’m not the only one getting into the whole toast thing. See, “It Is Called Toast” and “Toast & A Summer Break”. Fantastic.

And then there’s the Pimm’s Cup. I love having a new adult beverage that isn’t beer or wine or the lastest cosmotini-thing. It’s sophisticated and utterly yummy with its not-too-sweet-spicy-amber-ginger flavor. Basically, it’s a collins glass filled with ice, a shot of Pimm’s, fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer, a splash of fresh lemon juice, stir and enjoy. Lovely and refreshing. Tally ho, in we go Molly! Thanks to Orangette for turning me on to this. I don’t think I would have ever tried it if I didn’t read her blog about it. It definitely is my kind of drink in that it’s not too sweet and has that little spice kick from the ginger beer. I too prefer the zing of ginger beer (in my case Gosling’s) to the traditional “English-stlye” lemonade. I have to thank my local wine and spirits purveyor, Dagostini’s for the Gosling’s Ginger Beer. I wasn’t able to find ginger beer anywhere and she totally came through then proceeded to order a case for me! Next on my list: a Pimm’s Royal Cup mixed with champagne. I might like that.

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