HungryChris

A tomato sandwich and some zucchini fries. HC

Try as I might, there seems to always be 1 or 2 zucchini that escapes detection until it is pretty big. Sure enough, I found one today and quickly made it into stuffed zucchini to get rid of the evidence. I served it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and herbed garden tomatoes. HC

Last night was steak night for Deb and lamb chop night for me. I dearly love the loin chops, but also this one that looks like a miniature 7 bone chuck steak. I think it has extraordinary flavor. HC

Fried zucchini, a tomato from the garden and poached eggs on a snowflake roll. Fresh salsa on the fried zucchini is a winning combination. It would make a really great bar food. There will be no lunch today! HC

After a visit to the dentist that was close to a market I do enjoy, I paid said market a visit. They have the freshest shrimp in the area, I think, and Deb does love her baked, stuffed shrimp and I am just the guy to make it for her. That is how it went down tonight. HC

After a few hours in the garden, I made another favorite of mine for lunch, mortadella, imported fontina cheese, marinated zucchini, roasted red pepper on a hard roll with mayo and Dijon mustard. The cheese seemed to stabilize this one so it was much easier and less messy to eat than the similar sandwich I made yesterday. HC

Hughies was a renowned local restaurant, opened in the seventies by a retired local boxing legend, Hugh Devlin. It was a mecca for garlic lovers. The boxing glove shaped menus had a note at the bottom of the first page: "All our dishes contain garlic, unless requested otherwise". Hughies was famous for it's Love Salad, a pretty simple salad that consisted of cubed iceberg lettuce dressed in a garlic laden Italian dressing with chunks of tomato, strips of cooked salami, provolone cheese, topped with a copious amount of grated parmesan cheese and served in a wooden bowl. One of the favorite dinners there for a garlic lover would be a Love Salad with garlic bread and shrimp scampi. I had forgotten about that salad. It has been years since they closed, due to a controversial eminent domain land dispute. On a recent visit to my local brewery for growler fills, Deb got a "Hughie's Love Salad" to go from a newly opened pizza place next door. We took it home, transferred it to a wooden bowl, of course, and a door to history suddenly opened. I had forgotten how much I loved that simple salad and knew I would be putting it back on our menu at home. Last night we had Love Salads with pappardelle Bolognese and both loved the meal. I remembered the garlic bread in the oven after putting the camera away. HC

It also helps to leave your sense of decorum by the mirror when you eat this sandwich, and don't bother picking it back up until after you've cleaned up. HC

Salami, marinated zucchini ribbons and roasted red peppers with mayo and Dijon mustard along with the first of the homemade pickles from the garden. This time, on a poppy seeded hard roll, plus I started slicing the zucchini destined for sandwiches, twice as thick as those intended for salads or garnishes. The thicker slice brings a very satisfying crunch to the table in the sandwich. HC

Caesar salad and chorizo stuffed clams that were given a heavy hand of fresh oregano and rosemary. I liked the combination. My croutons for the salad had plenty of garlic, of course, and fresh thyme, paprika and a little salt. HC

Back on the ramen crazy train, and crazy about it! HC

Me too! HC

It's hot and humid here and I am in the process of trying to move a pile of firewood before the heavy rains in the forecast arrive and taking breaks in the A/C between stints. Maybe I should be taking longer and more frequent periods inside to recover my faculties. HC

zucchini ribbons, pan sautéed in ramp compound butter ....does that help? I changed the structure to bring out the truth.

Scrapple, zucchini ribbons, pan sautéed in ramp compound butter and a tomato sandwich. HC

The last of the hickory smoked pork ribs, corn from the farm down the road, potato salad, cucumber salad and tomatoes that came from the garden that afternoon. HC

Our dinner tonight was one aimed at a hot weather night. I did get and cook corn from a place I have been going to (and taken to) since before I could see out of the car windows. I do declare this to be "FCD" (first corn day). Leftover potato salad, tomatoes and cucumber salad from the garden, along with chorizo stuffed clams, from the freezer. @Shelby, our A/C is up and running, but I have been there, and feel for you. Also, if you look closely, you may spot the pickled pig ears, that I did not bring to Deb's attention, but did put on the table just cuz I wanted them there (see them just above the tomatoes and to the right of the potato salad). HC

I kind of think I would look upstairs for a little corner for a temporary table for two that could be a little refuge for an evening meal. I like salads, pickles, deviled eggs, cold cuts. Things like a quiche, that could be baked in the morning, then reheated in portions, for the little corner table upstairs, where it's cool. Prosecco or wine in an ice bucket would be fun too. Just my 2 cents. HC

This mornings modest, but satisfying pickage and some additional good news: The honey bees have suddenly showed up and are out there working in good numbers HC

That is why I have the fridge in the basement. "Don't look in there, you won't like what you see." HC

Linguine with white clam sauce with a few bits of garlic bread, and no, we are not sick of it yet! As I was gathering up the last of these clams tonight, I was already thinking about when I would be able to go out clamming again. HC

Hickory smoked pork ribs, local corn and potato salad last night. HC

Smoked salmon, watermelon sticks and leftover potato salad. This beer was opened yesterday and should have been finished then. The things I endure! HC

The Burpee Picklers are starting to get revved up. HC

I found some nice looking Atlantic salmon for $6.99 pp a few days ago. Brined overnight in the fridge, then air dried, uncovered on a rack the following night in the fridge and hickory smoked for 3 hours yesterday. This is a favorite snack food for me. HC