Despite my promise of bonus recipes last week due to L.’s dad’s visit, he and L. mainly indulged in fancy takeout so there actually wasn’t anything exciting to share with you. He kindly drove us to the Cape so, not only did last week’s menu get completely upturned again and nothing posted at all (sorry), but I find myself without a CSA box for the foreseeable future. You would think that this would make menu planning easier, but I find that I really do enjoy the structure of having to work around what appears in the box.
One of the first things that I did upon arrival on the Cape (since no one has visited our poor little house in nearly a year) was ruthlessly cull the pantry. Despite many more Covid-19 related out of stock items than Manhattan, I have replenished basics. I panic brought a few things from Manhattan, the first things to hand really, as I only had a few hours lead time before departure and couldn’t resort to my usual lengthy pre-trip checklists. These restrictions in terms of spices, more esoteric pantry items and equipment, the hotter weather, and the joy of now having access to a garden in which to dine al fresco, means that meals will be simpler in the weeks to come. Those of you who periodically email me to mention that they enjoy my prose but that my food is too complicated may therefore want to try at least one of my recipes in the coming weeks...
The Cape in summer is always wonderful, but after several months of Manhattan apartment dweller complete self-isolation, it is particularly lovely. The garden is the definition of the word lush and every shade of green imaginable. Birds start singing at 4:30 am at the decibel level of a rock concert, which the cats and I (surprisingly) all quite like. Though skunks seem to have completely disappeared over the past few years, we have already had chipmunk, wild turkey, rabbit and possum sightings, and either a fox or a coyote got the cats very upset late one night. The heat and humidity are bearable during the day, but a blanket is needed at night – perfect summer temperatures so far. The Internet here is crap but there are few things in life more satisfying than lying in a breeze-rocked hammock listening to mourning doves coo and pretending to read while actually preparing to catnap.
Sunday “Pantry Roulette”; fridge, freezer, and pantry item dinner]
Butterflied Pork Chops with Rosemary, Swiss Cheese and Crispy Bacon
Steamed Herbed Carrots
Monday [Wildcard; a more complex or fiddly dish than usual to test my culinary skills but it is summer and this week we are having a picnic collation in the garden instead]
Cold Corn Soup with Basil and Chili Oil
Vegetable Antipasti
Cheese Board with Baguette
Shrimp Cocktail with Avocadoes Marie Rose
Tuesday [Pasta]
Caprese Salad
Sour Cream and Smoked Salmon Potato Pizza (with frozen dough from the store because that is how we are rolling these days...)
Wednesday [L.'s choice]
Mixed Salad
Thursday [Fish]
Friday [Veggie-centric]
Hiyashi Tsukemen (Cold Ramen Noodles with a Dipping Sauce)
Saturday ["Picnic"; something that is easy to assemble and easy to eat in front of a movie]
Edited 07/01 when we remembered that Saturday was the Fourth and deserved a more celebratory dinner so:
Green Salad
Egg and Bacon Pie
Replaced by:
Chilled Blue Cheese and Walnut Soup (collaboration on an idea by L.)
Cold Poached Salmon with Avocado and Arugula Sauce (L.)
Spicy Corn (me)
Mixed Berry Cobbler (me)
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