A Day Around Food & Sharing the Pleasures

(Community Matters) Well, Sebastine’s (Countryside Farm) chickens were delicious. I need to cook another unadorned with the rub and garlic/butter/rosemary under the skin in order to fairly compare. Nevertheless, while just prepping the birds, I could see a difference in texture of the meat. Tecolote’s marble new potatoes were perfect roasted in sage/butter/garlic. Katie’s string beans yummy stir fried with just a little garlic, soy and sugar. I picked up garlic at yesterday’s Farmer’s Market too – outstanding – fresher, lighter taste when still really moist, not dry. The greens with melon and Asian cucumbers in a poppy seed dressing were fine, not my favorite. I expected the yellow melon to taste more watermelonesh rather than cantaloupe. This year’s Fredericksburg peaches are juicy with just the right level of sweetness. I made two peach galettes topped with raspberries and slightly accented with lemon.

Carol’s pear and sundried tomato goat cheese (separate, not same), Campagne Pate, an extraordinarily delicious hummus we also picked up at Saturday market (mashed garbanzo beans rather than pulverized), Whole Foods roasted nuts (the maple/bourbon pecans & rosemary/garlic cashews), and a bit of brie as starters with Champagne.

Jill & Stephen, Margo & Gregory, Leslie Jarmon and Kip Keller joined us for the full evening. Keith Walters (our house guest from Portland) and Michael Barnes joined us for dessert. Michael Mitchell stopped by as we were prepping but didn’t stay for dinner. Long evening of delicious conversation. After straightening up, Steven and Keith retired and I watched the first half of Almodovar’s All About My Mother in the pool house. For some reason, a European flick was perfect for wrapping up our day of produce shopping, cooking and entertaining.