Maybe it's just me, but it seems like at some point every summer we have a 4th of July. In fact, I can't remember not having a 4th so I thought it would be good to plan ahead. My favorite is to barbeque (slow-smoke) baby-back ribs, and I find half a rack is just about perfect for one person. But this year I thought I'd do beef instead, specifically a tri-tip roast. I first ran across this cut in California where it's tremendously popular, but it's fame has been spreading and I can even get it here in Knoxville. It's a lot of meat for two - or even three - people, but it makes great sandwiches too
Pimm's Cup
Although beer is the most common July 4 beverage, I find a drink I call a Dogwood is even more refreshing. This begins with Pimm's No. 1 Cup, which is a sweetened gin-based liqueur flavored with herbs. A Dogwood is:
1 jigger Pimm's No. 1 Cup
1/8th lime
Soda water
Fill a small lo-ball glass with ice cubes.
Add Pimm's.
Squeeze in juice from the lime and toss in lime squeezed lime into glass.
Top with soda.
Sun-cooked Tomato Bruschetta
Copyright 2010 Naotakem
Hopefully you've experienced the intense pleasure of picking a ripe tomato from the vine and it right then and there, warmed by the sun. This Sun-cooked Bruschetta kicks that deliciousness up a notch. It's an outstanding munchie while you wait for your steaks or ribs to cook and, although not quick (it needs 2 - 3 hours in the sun), it's easy to make and suffuses your mouth with the taste of summer.
Grilled Tri-tip: California Grilling
Copyright 2010 www.bluewaikiki.com
I think it would be fair to say that the tri-tip is the most popular cut of meat in California - at least for grilling. I'd never heard of it before living there, but these days I can even find it here in Knoxville. It's actually a roast, but because it's a small roast and fairly tender it's suitable for grilling. Even a small tri-tip is around a couple of pounds, but it makes great sandwiches and is delicious in a steak salad so I'm glad to have leftovers because it means at least two fast non-cooked meals which is great in the summer.
Potato Salad: An Old Family Recipe
Copyright 2009 Kevin D Weeks
This is an unusual potato salad recipe. It’s surprisingly simple with only five ingredients plus salt and pepper. It doesn’t include mayonnaise but, instead, is dressed with a basic vinaigrette. And it’s better the second day so I usually make it a day in advance. And note, with the vinegar and oil dressing it’s also resistant to bacterial contamination so it’s probably one of the safest potato salads around.
Greek Caprese Salad: Variation on a Classic
Copyright 2009 Kevin D Weeks
The Italian Insalata Caprese is a tomato salad created on the island of Capri. It consists of sliced tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil. It's absolutely delicious and well-deserving of its fame. But I like a Greek version of the salad that I make better - in fact it's my standard lunch during tomato season.
Fried Artichoke Bottoms: Keep It Simple
Copyright 2010 Kevin D Weeks
Fried artichoke bottoms? I'm Southern so of course I fried them. Simple enough, although I did go all Italian on them by dredging them in finely grated parmesan cheese and using olive oil. I happened to have bought four fresh artichokes which I steamed and after eating one dipped in butter, I trimmed the others, but I've also made these using canned artichoke bottoms (as in the recipe below) - not quite as good as fresh but artichokes, like tomatoes, actually can pretty well.
Key Lime Ice Cream: Makes Me Feel Fine...
When the temperature hits the 90s I turn to Key Lime ice cream to cool off. This recipe is adapted from my recipe for Lime Icebox Pie. Sometimes I even make graham cracker crust, break it up, and stir it in at the end but when I made this batch I didn't know I'd run out of graham cracker crumbs.Pineapple Sherbet: The Perfect Summer Dessert
Kevin D Weeks
When I was a kid during the summer, my father often made this Pineapple/Buttermilk Sherbet. It's wonderfully fresh and a perfect end to meals consisting of grilled steak, smoked ribs, or fried chicken. Unfortunately, Dad would simply make it and stick it in the freezer until it was a single block of ice so we'd have to let it thaw in our bowls and then drink it more than eat it. In this recipe I avoid that problem by treating it as a sorbet - more work, but worth it.