I think this was my very first cookbook. I'm pretty sure I bought it in Charlottesville, when Ann Jones and I shared an apartment on Stribling Avenue shortly after graduating from UVA. We moved into the house next door to this cute reporter named Doug Holt.
The Moosewood Cookbook was all the rage, as I recall. It's a vegetarian cookbook, which back then was rather exotic, but it was also a hit because of its folky style and handwritten recipes and drawings. It was the first cookbook I moved with and while I don't reach for it very often, there are a few key recipes I love. Like gazpacho. I know gazpacho is not everyone's cup of tea, but to me it's like drinking a cup of summer. Chock full of veggies and ripe summer tomatoes with a little kick in it. Yummmmmmm.
Basically you throw together in a pitcher or tureen then chill for several hours:
4 cups chilled tomato juice,
1 finely minced onion,
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium bell pepper, minced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, minced
2 scallions, minced
2 cups diced, fresh ripe tomatoes (seeded)
Add:
1 tsp honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 vcup minced parsley
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
a few solid dashes of hot sauce
YUMMMMM
And now for that other kind of drinking summer -
don't forget the mighty Paloma:
rim a highball glass with kosher salt.
put a jalapeno slice on the bottom
add:
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces silver or blanco tequila
fill the glass with ice
top with grapefruit soda. (sometimes hard to find but persevere, it's worth it.)
Last
week we got back from our annual trip to Phelps. Amazing, as usual, and
we ate incredibly well, as usual. The master meal plan is posted
below, if anyone is interested and needs some summer menu ideas.
7/2: Arrivals--pulled pork , rolls, red cabbage cole slaw, dump brownies
7/3: Brats and Burgers--17 peeps (6 lbs beef, 2 boxes brats) corn salad, watermelon.
7/4: Baked Mostaccioli--17 peeps, green salad, garlic bread, pound cake with red and blue berries and whip cream
7/5: Chicken Chimichurri--17 peeps (18 chicken breasts) roasted potato, fennel, asparagus, green bean (ina), watermelon arugula salad (ina), peach and raspberry crisp (ina )
7/6: Surf and Turf--17 peeps grilled salmon and steak, baked potatoes, BLT salad, summer berry brownie torte (below)
7/7: Ina’s lemon Chicken--19 peeps (20 chicken breasts-or 18 lbs chicken pieces skin on), orzo with roasted vegetabes (Ina)
⅞ : Ribs--19 peeps (10 slabs) red cabbage cole slaw, baked beans, corn, blueberry lemon cake
7/9: out - alexanders pizza
7/3: Brats and Burgers--17 peeps (6 lbs beef, 2 boxes brats) corn salad, watermelon.
7/4: Baked Mostaccioli--17 peeps, green salad, garlic bread, pound cake with red and blue berries and whip cream
7/5: Chicken Chimichurri--17 peeps (18 chicken breasts) roasted potato, fennel, asparagus, green bean (ina), watermelon arugula salad (ina), peach and raspberry crisp (ina )
7/6: Surf and Turf--17 peeps grilled salmon and steak, baked potatoes, BLT salad, summer berry brownie torte (below)
7/7: Ina’s lemon Chicken--19 peeps (20 chicken breasts-or 18 lbs chicken pieces skin on), orzo with roasted vegetabes (Ina)
⅞ : Ribs--19 peeps (10 slabs) red cabbage cole slaw, baked beans, corn, blueberry lemon cake
7/9: out - alexanders pizza
Amazingly awesome Jane, I do not understand how you and Sue and Shirley can plan these meals and make it work! even dessert every night
ReplyDeleteProud Mama.....
You should be proud Mama. Jane is amazing and I was wondering the same thing...I don't do beautiful meals like those for guests! Sounds like a gourmet restaurant with the best view ever! She is an inspiration, for her meals and her faith and love of family. Janey I love reading your posts and getting some ideas for spicing up the family table. Love you!
ReplyDeleteaw, thanks Jan! Phelps is a total team effort so don't give me too much credit. More goes to my sister-in-law, Sue. We have a fabulous team, and it's all in the planning. We get up late, prep that night's dinner & dessert, work out, then spend ALL DAY on dock and boats, head up around 7 then it's all hands on deck (some clearing dock, some setting table, some grilling, some in kitchen.) It's a huge group and everyone helps and that's what it's all about! The hardest decision is the cocktail du jour.
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