Hi! I know it's hot just about everywhere, isn't it! Sometimes it's just too hot to cook or BBQ.
The farmers market will probably be closed on Wednesday since that's the Fourth of July. (already! where did June go?!)...so I stocked up on goodies for the very long weekend that will last through the holiday, or maybe all week?
Lots of breads and cheeses for deck time/ cocktail time (as we called it in Cape Cod!)...
And LOOK! Lo-cal pina coladas? Back home in Illinois, before Cape Cod days, pina coladas were my mom's special Fourth of July treat for us all. I'll let you know how they taste.....
Beautiful berries...which make me want a strawberry daiquiri! Or strawberry shortcake, another of my mm's specialties. (Big Chicago prime porterhouse steaks and homemade potato salad, doesn't get much tastier than that!Oh and just picked corn! And LOL, my dad had a little cannon he'd shoot off before the fireworks.)
Back to the farmers market and reality! I served the berries with creme fraiche, in the little glass tub.
I also got these greenhouse heritage tomatoes, so cute! I quarter them and marinate them in vinaigrette with lots of black pepper, herbs, and fresh garlic. Wonderful spooned on top of BBQed steak or chicken, like a tomato chutney? I just fill up a quart Mason jar and keep it in the fridge.
Aren't these beets, orange and purple!---beautiful? I wish I knew what to do them. Beets taste like mud to me, lol.
Sunflowers for all my pitchers,
I'll add my collection of little American flags for the Fourth...
Exceptional lettuces.... It's worth the drive into town and hassle of parking, just for the lettuce, wow.
...butter and ''real'' arugula, like we used to get in Brooklyn. Big tasty leaves, so fragrant! [on the left], instead of that tiny prickly stuff we're sold on the stores.
I made a quick dinner the other night with large artisanal rigatoni, white wine, bacon, and cubed fresh parm. Added a handful of the arugula for color and zip. Yummy, easy, fast.
Back in the slow lane I got out the Crock Pot and made what my mom called Italian Beef, but is, I guess, more or less a pot roast that you slice and serve warm on crusty rolls on that night when you're too tired to BBQ or a storm rains you out. I used an eye round roast, mostly because the market did not have rump roast...added my farmers market baby carrots, tiny new red potatoes, mushrooms, sweet onions. Red or rose wine and brown gravy mix....it cooks overnight, then you have something easy in the fridge for the starving beach returnees! Or whatever, whomever, you need to feed...
I'm making pasta salad now...not sure what else for the holiday itself. Any special Fourth of July foods you /and your family love? I'll take suggestions!
love
lizzy
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