Hello Everyone!
Well today planes couldn’t take of from Phoenix, Arizona because the thermometer topped out at 120 f/49c ! Wow that’s hot! Here in Santa Barbara we are blessed by being close to the ocean so it never gets that hot here, but even for us it was a hot day. When the temperature rises appetites fall, and the only thing that sounds remotely inviting is a cold beer, a glass of super chilled rose or chardonnay, a salad or just about anything that does not require lighting up the oven. Now if you are outside grilling isn’t a bad choice, but even then you still have to deal with hot coals and that bedeviling smoke that always seems to know how to find you. So here a few ideas on how to keep your cool.
We Gourmet Girls have found that our charcuterie platter in The Gourmet Girls Go Camping Cookbook is always a hit. It can be comprised of just about anything that tickles your fancy, but we find that a nice mix of cheese, fruit, and nuts with a cold glass of white wine is a real crowd pleaser. You can also have a meat platter with the above, though on really hot days I find lighter is better. ( see page 42)
Our Grilled Peach and Arugula Salad with Prosciutto for you grilling enthusiasts is a wonderful starter, and for some a main course. The peaches are on the grill for about 4-5 minutes or just until they show grill marks. You could follow that with our wonderful Veggie Skewers on page 155 since you already have the grill going. They have marinated eggplant, onion, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and orange bell peppers on bamboo skewers, all basted with a soy/butter glaze. Yum!
Another cooling option could be our Chicken Salad with Apple, Dill and Capers. You can serve this on a bed of arugula or baby greens. Add a couple slices of good bread and voila! You’ve kept your cool and didn’t have to fire up the grill.(page 81)
Oh! And don’t forget the Caprese Salad! Heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella with lots of basil and chives. Delish! (on page 158).
We hope you have a wonderful summer and that you and your families get out into nature, camp out under the stars and enjoy our beautiful planet earth.
Happy camping!
Denise, Gail and Lindsey