August always makes me anxious. Summer’s winding down and the frenzy of the impending school year starts ramping up. I’m holding on tight though – it is STILL summer, right?
The Summer Shack Cookbook by
I cracked the pages of The Summer Shack Cookbook by Jasper White and I swear I heard the waves crashing and a seagull’s cry. I can almost feel the sand between my toes, the soft salt air on my face and see a hazy, lazy sun rising over the ocean. The Summer Shack Cookbook is filled with fantastic seafood recipes and personal anecdotes from a chef whose influences hail from his upbringing on the Jersey Shore and shore points explored from a lifetime of loving and living in locales up and down the Atlantic Coast. This is shore food at its best – no fuss, just good summer eatin’!
While I could have pulled any number of fantastic seafood recipes out of this book, it was the homemade corn dogs (p. 276) and lemonade (p. 326) that delighted the kid in me.
Muriel’s Old Fashioned Cooked Lemonade
p. 326
The lemonade syrup for this recipe must be made ahead and allowed to stand at room temperature for two days before serving.
2 Large lemons, well scrubbed
1 navel orange, well scrubbed
2 ½ pounds (5 ¾ cups) sugar
2 tbsp. citric acid
1 tbsp. cream of tartar
1 tbsp. Epsom salts (yes, like the kind from your local pharmacy – it’s multipurpose!)
3 ½ cups boiling water
Cut the lemons and orange into quarters and remove the seeds. Place the fruit in a food processor and pulse to chop.
Transfer the fruit and juices to a 4-quart glass pitcher or jar, add the sugar, citric acid, cream of tartar, and Epsom salts, and stir to combine. Pour the boiling water over the fruit. Stir well. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 days, stirring occasionally.
Strain the lemonade syrup into glass bottles. Refrigerate until ready to use. The syrup keeps indefinitely in the refrigerator.
The syrup must be diluted with water to make lemonade. This can be done right in a tall glass or glasses of ice for individual servings or in a pitcher for a large batch. The ratio of syrup to water is 1 part syrup to 4 or 5 parts water, depending on how strong you like it.
Makes about 2 Quarts syrup, enough for 8-10 quarts of lemonade.
A friend of mine traveled to Cuba quite a few years ago. She returned with stories of wonderful people, flavors, and colors in a country that most Americans can only imagine or dream about. I've been thinking a lot about Cuba lately, since it's been in the news...or maybe it was my conversation with my Aunt who lives in Miami where Cuban culture abounds...or maybe it was the Cuban restaurant I found myself in recently where I had a meal that knocked my socks off. Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs' Eating Cuban caught my eye in the stacks and has my taste buds singing and celebrating!
Eating Cuban by
Need a dish for a Picnic? Or maybe a quick side dish to round out a summer meal that doesn't heat up the kitchen?
The Carnegie Cookbook collection can help! Cookbooks of varied ethnic cuisines and food preferences abound. The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook, is not just a cookbook; it's a guide to growing your own food and eating sustainably. Recipes include notes and modifications to accommodate allergies, sensitivities, or just plain preference. Paleo, Whole30, egg and nut-free folk will rejoice with this coleslaw recipe.
The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook by
Modifications:
Whole30: Omit the honey.
Nut-free: yes
Egg-free: substitute 2/3 olive oil for the mayonnaise
Autoimmune Protocol for the Paleo diet (AIP): substitute 2/3 cup olive oil for the mayonnaise, and omit the black pepper
Homemade Mayonnaise
p. 344
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. water
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup light olive oil
Sea Salt and ground black pepper
Place the egg yolk, water, mustard, and lemon juice in an immersion blender cup or tall and narrow quart-sized container (such as plastic storage container, canning jar, or Pyrex measuring cup). Add the olive oil and allow to settle for 15 seconds.
Place the immersion blender head at the bottom of the container and turn it on. When the mayo starts to form, slowly draw the head of the blender upward to the top of the container.
Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper to taste. It's that simple!
Notes: I like to use light olive oil because it has a more neutral taste than other olive oils. You can also use macadamia nut oil or avocado oil.
Modifications:
Whole30: Yes
Nut-free: Yes
Egg-free: No
AIP:No
Enjoy!
Summer is on! Strawberries are plentiful, fresh, and locally available so find a local farm to pick ‘em yourself or buy ‘em up and eat your fill. There are so many ways to incorporate luscious, lip-smacking strawberries into your meals and snacks that it was hard to choose just one recipe to share! Here's something that everyone can do with limited resources -- jam in 40 minutes flat!
The Gourmet Cookbook by
Quick Strawberry Jam
Recipe from p. 922
1 lb. strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and halved
2/3-3/4 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of berries
2 tablespoons powdered pectin
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Mash strawberries in a large bowl with a potato masher or a fork. Transfer to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and stir in sugar, pectin, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over moderate heat and boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer jam to a bowl and cool, then refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. Cook’s note: The jam keeps, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.
Makes about 1 ¼ cups
Active time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 40 minutes