Heat-Induced Fantasies of Food to Come

[Chris Amirault]

It's HHH here in Providence: hazy, hot (90-plus) and humid. This is not cooking weather, friends, neither on the stove nor on the grill. It's barely eating weather either -- unless you have central air (nope) or a budget that allows eating every meal at a restaurant (sorry).

Most people fantasize about sunny, warm weather. Not me, not now: lately, I've been fantasizing about what I'll be making not for tonight's dinner but for some crisp fall afternoon: a simple roast chicken, perhaps, with a few brussels sprouts tossed with bacon and mashed potatoes. ... sigh ...

Anyone else thinking about meals they'll make or eat once autumn has arrived? What'll it be? Make my mouth water....

[bavila]

So I'm not the only one having cook's block. I've been trying to come up with things to cook and freeze in preparation of baby's arrival (didn't you do this recently, Chris?), and the things I think of as doing well in the freezer are more cool weather foods.

Specifically I've been thinking about seafood and andouille gumbo. A friend of mine is starting cooking classes in her home and asked me to be one of her guest instructors to do a gumbo lesson, so I've be mentally processing the logistics of such a lesson and therefore mulling over the ingredients -- some nice spicy andouille, sweet crabmeat, succulent oysters.

Otherwise, I'm pretty much good consuming ice cream tight now. Did I mention that the temp reading in my car today was 103? That's hot even for a Louisiana native.

[Priscilla]

Oh not being able to cook is the worst thing about really hot weather. In the market the other day very nice lamb shanks were mocking me -- "Wouldn't we be lovely braised for hours and served with orange-rosemary gremolata? Hmmm?"

But it was Italian sliced meats, bread and cheese instead.

[Chris Amirault]

So I'm not the only one having cook's block.  I've been trying to come up with things to cook and freeze in preparation of baby's arrival (didn't you do this recently, Chris?), and the things I think of as doing well in the freezer are more cool weather foods.

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Yep, that was me. And there's still gumbo, lamb curry (from cook-offs, in fact!), and a few other things waiting to be defrosted. But, damn, it's too freaking hot to make even rice!

[Genny]

I'm feelin' ya chris! Out here in AZ we are fortunate to have AC (you could literally die without it!) so I've been cooking inside. Its been tough to get the DH to grill outside though, if he consents, he puts his swim trunks on first and jumps in the pool even before grilling. It has been 115 or so here for a few weeks.

Dreams of fall cooking have been rolling around my pea for a couple weeks though! We have just confirmed that we are hosting Thanksgiving for the third year in a row. A tradition!

I've decided to bake a bunch of Double Whammy Cherry Brannies (whole grains, banana, dried cherry fat free muffins) & Pumpkin Cranberry muffins to have in the freezer on hand for breakfasts and snacking for the family (about 15 people in and out for 7 days). Ive almost decided to forego the turkey this year in favor of leg of lamb or prim rib with garlic and green onion mash potatoes.

Once things cool down some I'm also planning on canning some onion confit and garlic confit for holiday gift giving. I've also been playing with making bon bons as well. Also hot work

Dinner tonight? Tuna sandwich &/or fruit salad!

[fiftydollars]

I’m really excited about tomatoes. I’ve been scoping out the scene at the Berkeley Bowl and things are starting to look up… but it’s still not quite time for BLTs.

There is little I would rather do in September/October than eat fresh tomatoes. It’s what I most look forward to in the fall. Sure we have a few tomatoes in the summer, but the competition from other produce is fierce and the tomatoes really can’t fight back until September. That’s when tomatoes finally reach a point where eating anything else is futile.

Once they are gone it’s a difficult time. From there it’s a long slog to Dungeness crab season, which is my favorite time of the year and a time when I regularly forget about any other food groups. In mid-November my idea of a balanced meal is making sure to drink a glass of wine with my butter, lemon, and crab (don’t forget the baguette).

It's still July... DAMN IT!!

[jgm]

I've been trying not to think about it, since it can be pretty depressing--realizing that cooking season doesn't start for another 2 1/2 to 3 months. But I'm not sick of cantaloupe yet, and the tomato plants are just beginning to produce, so I've got that to hang onto. It's a good tomato year here. The grape tomato plant has turned out to have expansionist policies and is about to become a zoning issue.

But I'm thinking about stewing a couple of hens, and making some noodles, for chicken and noodles; plus chicken pot pie; and chicken and dumplings.

I had only begun to explore the braising possibilities of my new Le Creuset pot; it'll be nice to get it out again. That means we'll have to make a trip to the little Amish community nearby, to pick up short ribs... and go across the street to the restaurant to have the only pie I'll eat that I didn't make.

Julia's potato and leek soup would be good, too. Plus cream of celery soup with creme fraiche. I have plans to explore squash soups this year...

[Dianne]

Thank God I am not the only one to find hot weather a deterant to cooking. But we finally got AC at the cottage today; so finally I can cook with all the great produce that is in our farmer's market right now. I am thinking of corn chowder, tomato pie, ratatouile(sp?) etc.

[jackal10]

There is a thread on the NZ forum on winter foods...torture

Leek and bacon suet roly poly...sigh..Roll on winter

[Anna N]

Never thought I'd be wishing for summer to end, but this year......... I want soup and stews and casseroles and braises. I want cool evenings and days that don't leave me enervated and dripping. I want FALL!

[daniellewiley]

So I'm not the only one having cook's block.  I've been trying to come up with things to cook and freeze in preparation of baby's arrival (didn't you do this recently, Chris?), and the things I think of as doing well in the freezer are more cool weather foods.

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I, too, had grand plans of doing this, but it's been way too hot!!! Today was the first cool day in weeks, and I had a blast making couscous salad with roasted squash and steamed green beans. But, I fear I won't be able to prepare much in bulk in prep for baby's arrival (about 3 weeks away).

Is there a thread somewhere of good freezer foods? Maybe we could bump it up and search for some that don't require hours of cooking.

(back to topic)

Do any of you eat in your bedrooms? Our bedrooms are the only rooms with A/C, and I've been tempted to make a picnic. I'm so tired of eating out!!

[suzilightning]

no ac and the basement with 2 dehumidifiers going is at 80F. way too hot for me to eat though i am going through 1/2 gallon each of tea and lemonade mixed.

ohhhhhh, a nice red gravy with sausage and meatballs over spaghetti

braised lambshanks

venison stew

roasted capon with the leftovers being made into a pot pie

chris - take heart. the last line of thunderstorms should be through you in an hour or two and the temperature is supposed to drop by 10-15 degrees

[jgarner53]

I guess this is where the San Franciscans, in 60-some odd degree foggy weather get to gloat and say that we never quite have to give up those warming fall foods. Big pot of soup simmering all day on the stove? Bring it on! Roast chicken? Sounds great!

In my SF microclimate, I doubt it's gotten much above 60 degrees today. Up from a low this morning of 57. Oh yeah, it's summer. I'm wearing my slippers and a sweatshirt and thinking of making some hot tea. A steaming bowl of pho is welcome anytime.

[ghostrider]

We have a ground-floor room air conditioner which the previous owners of this house installed in the kitchen/dining area wall. We also have a pretty good range hood that sucks the stove heat up & out. So, this being prime corn season, I'm still cooking, even though the heat has been mid/upper 90s these last 2 weeks.

Fall, like Heaven, can wait as far as I'm concerned. There's corn to be et, dadgummit!

[Genny]

I guess this is where the San Franciscans, in 60-some odd degree foggy weather get to gloat and say that we never quite have to give up those warming fall foods. Big pot of soup simmering all day on the stove? Bring it on! Roast chicken? Sounds great!

In my SF microclimate, I doubt it's gotten much above 60 degrees today. Up from a low this morning of 57. Oh yeah, it's summer. I'm wearing my slippers and a sweatshirt and thinking of making some hot tea. A steaming bowl of pho is welcome anytime. 

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Ah Jennifer, work at the bakery isn't miserable for you in the summer, that is nice!

This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

"My favorite winter was a summer in San Francisco" I believe it was Steinbeck who said that.

[Daddy-A]

You have all got to be kidding me! Here in Vancouver the warm weather has only been with us for a couple weeks. Cold and wet before that so our tomato crops are WAY behind. I haven't even had my first summer tomato and you're craving stew??? Let me get through my corn, tomatos, eggplants and a case of rosé and then we'll talk

Some braised lamb shanks would be tasty though ....

A.

[snowangel]

Fall, like Heaven, can wait as far as I'm concerned.  There's corn to be et, dadgummit!

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My thoughts exactly. I have too many months of the year to spend braising, stewing, and just flat trying to stay warm. Finding ways to occupy myself when the garden is under 2' of snow. Struggling to get enough veg and fruit into us. That 8 months of yearning for a real tomato. That feeling that the only time you are really warm is when you are in a hot tub.

Give me corn. Give me cold food. Give me sun, sweat and warmth.

[Grub]

"My favorite winter was a summer in San Francisco" I believe it was Steinbeck who said that.

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That's Mark Twain: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco"

Always fun having customers visit from Europe, coming Sacramento during the summer -- 100-degree heat, and they take off for SF on the weekend, only to return with a bunch of sweaters with Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf on em... It's crazy how big a difference there is...

Of course, my favorite moment was when some Englishmen did this, and one of them was trying to quit smoking. I asked him how it was going, and he responded just as a collegue (Californian, and not well versed in British English) walked past us, and the dude responded (and I swear, this is the absolute, honest truth), "I'm doing pretty good. We went to San Francisco on Saturday, and I only had two fags the whole day." I'll never forget the look on the face of my collegue...

(Oh yeah, "fag" = cigarette in British slang).

[snowangel]

Tonight, dinner was chicken on the grill (lots of leftovers for, perhaps, a composed salad tomorrow night).

Green beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, zucchini on the grill.

While the chicken was great, the sweet corn was to die for. Literally. I ate 6 ears (and no chicken), and tons of the other veg. Everything, except the chicken, was purchased at the farmer's market this morning.

As we ate dinner, I remembered this topic, and wonder why anyone would want this season to end?

[daniellewiley]

As we ate dinner, I remembered this topic, and wonder why anyone would want this season to end?

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I love the produce during summer, but with no A/C and 90 degree days so frequently this year, it's just hard to actually cook any of it!!

When it's actually cool enough to cook on the grill, I'm OK with fall not coming right away.

And local corn just started coming in - yeah!

[racheld]

  Ive almost decided to forego the turkey this year in favor of leg of lamb or prim rib with garlic and green onion mash potatoes. 

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Does this mean that not only to you have to add those ruffly panties, but a tightly-buttoned dress as well?

Sorry---I've been proofreading for DAYS and my mind is rebelling.

[Genny]

  Ive almost decided to forego the turkey this year in favor of leg of lamb or prim rib with garlic and green onion mash potatoes. 

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Does this mean that not only to you have to add those ruffly panties, but a tightly-buttoned dress as well?

Sorry---I've been proofreading for DAYS and my mind is rebelling.

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[racheld]

I've been off-and-on immersed in a deadline for proofreading, and I'm getting addled, as well as blind. The little typo of "prim rib" just set me off into almost hysterical giggles, from which I was rescued by Hubby with a soothing voice and a frosty Margarita.

Sorry for the lame humor.

And the menu sounds luscious.

[AmyKay]

I have recently moved to a cold climate from a very, very (year-round) hot one. I have never really experienced a true winter, or, for that matter, honest-to-goodness seasons.

So, I am having all kinds of fantasies about cold-weather cooking. I am picturing stews and soups galore. Roasts. Steaming mugs of fragrant-hot tea and frothy mugs of chocolate. In front of the fireplace, with snow falling outside. I have plans to acquire a crock-pot in time for winter.

This is all my fantasy conjecture, since I don't really know what I am talking about yet on this subject. But man, I can't wait to find out! It's all high adventure for this Texas Gulf Coast girl!

[Chris Amirault]

AmyKay, believe the hype: there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like walking from a cold, wintry outside into a warm, cozy inside in which there's a roast chicken, or bread, or frittata in the oven.