Off to First Grade

Is summer r e a l l y over? Just asking.

It's Friday, so why not.

Strawberry Moonshine Julep

2 large ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into ¼–inch pieces
2 tsp. sugar
3 leaves fresh mint
2 oz. moonshine or white whiskey, like Original Moonshine(don't we all have moonshine in our liquor cabinet?)
½ oz. lemon juice
Sprig of mint, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine cut strawberries, sugar, mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Stir and let stand until strawberries are macerated, up to 10 minutes. Add moonshine, lemon juice, and ice to fill the shaker, and shake vigorously for an additional minute. Pour out contents into mason jars, adding more ice as needed. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Courtesy of Saveur                 

And now finding a shark in Chatham is easier than ever... Check out this latest news Channel 5 news break covering our friends, the owners of White Marlie. These folks are most authentic to their brand. Sharknado is looking ever more possible every day.....

WCVB News Break

Maybe we should go shark hunting today.

White Marlie.459A Main St, Chatham, MA 02633.(508) 945-0877.www.whitemarlie.com

A Six Year Old Dream Come True!

In this case, the parent is the victim.

Have fun.

Warning: This dino is about 18 stories high andI have to ask the question, "Has it ever been cleaned?"

Cape Cod Inflatables
518 Main St
West Yarmouth, MA
(508) 771-6060

The Great Escape

This is kind of a secret so don’t tell anyone.

Head out to Province Lands some evening. Fuel your picnic basket with a few cocktails and crowd-pleasing snacks, park your car on the side of the road and head to the shaded path along RT 6.

You might be a bit squeamish at first --it’s like walking through a wormhole. Once you break through, it’s the New World. Sunset City. Total euphoria. There is a good chance you will never want to come back to earth.

(Sand martian. Best hide and seek local on the Cape.)

Our directions last night were cryptic. "Head towards 2:00."

But it was the best pop-up cocktail  party of the summer.

Province Lands

USA

When eggplant takes over your garden....

                             

                       

...Eggplants sandwiches

· 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

· 2 large eggs, beaten

· 1 cup panko bread crumbs

· 1 medium eggplant (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick rounds

· 1/2 cup canola oil

· kosher salt

· 4 leaves romaine lettuce, torn in half

· 2 medium beefsteak or other tomatoes (about 1 pound), sliced

· 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

· 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1.      Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, then in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), and finally in the bread crumbs, pressing gently to help them adhere.

2.      Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the eggplant until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining oil and eggplant. Sprinkle the hot eggplant with ½ teaspoon salt.

3.      Layer the eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, basil, and goat cheese to form 4 "sandwiches," with the eggplant on the top and bottom of each stack.

Courtesy of Matt Romero

For those of you who  thought you might want to take up paddle boarding this summer, think again where you plop your board ...The news was pretty straightforward today that a 12-foot Atlantic White Shark was tagged off of North Beach in Chatham yesterday -  essential reading for a tourist. 

WCVB Breaking News: 12 Foot Shark Tagged off of Cape Cod

Oh I forgot to tell you that last Sunday a few weekenders were taking the shuttle from Morris Island to North Beach and coasted into a pool of blood and a not so perky abandoned seal along the way. We are talking about a 5 minute boat ride from hither to thro. Luckily they brought along a stash of summer beach reads, but ( excuse me) unannounced to us, we were in the vicinity  splashing in the waves.  

I did ask myself the honest question...if there were dinosaurs in the water, would I be doing the same pokey backstroke along the shore? 

No,no, no  we would be at the Museum of Natural History in Brewster pretending we were eaten by a shark.

Choose your ocean.
(BTW: This is a great rainy day museum.)
http://www.ccmnh.org

Hallet's on Main

Lucy had her first ice cream Sunday ever.  As she popped the cherry in her mouth she said, "This is the best day of my life, " a phrase she often says as an expression of love.  Today this was lunch.  With summer almost over,  I was raising the bar to summer fun.

Old fashion soda fountain sums up this Yarmouth port local. It's worth the stop. Nostalgic root beer floats, homemade sassafras,  malted frappes, milkshakes...."Famous Clam Chowder." (The menu includes cream cheese and olive sandwiches which is another era altogether.)  Something for everyone. I ordered a BLT wrap and a Hallet's Raspberry Lime Rickey and was happy as a  clam. The ice cream is homemade so you really can't miss!

Hallet's (Since 1889)
139 Main Street, Yarmouthport, MA 
508-362-3362

Did you say Red Nun?

We don't want any sailors perishing this summer.  Lucky that a new Red Nun  opened this season in Dennisport. Set your GPS and head that way, it's not far from the beaten track and better yet it's not in the middle of nightmare traffic. There are a lot of good looking people in this bar/restaurant and that's probably because it's next door to Power Yoga of Cape Cod. Another amazing destination that is sure to revitalize you.

Red Nun Bar & Grill Chatham | 746 Main Street Chatham, MA 02633 | (508)-348-0469.Red Nun Bar & Grill Dennis Port | 673 Main Street Dennis Port, MA .

On yourof

Waiting for My Pie in the  Sky

Once in a blue moon, Lucy sits perfectly still and experiences the sacred moment of patience. This is what that magic looks like;  a miniature Buddha on the countertop. Every kitchen needs one.

Baking is not my natural affinity and Lucy knows it, but a blueberry pie was the top of her agenda last night. Perhaps she was waiting for divine intervention. I was waiting for my mother to call with her signature blueberry tart recipe.

Earlier in the day, we went berry picking at Hokum Farm, a giant blueberry patch in Dennis. 

Located off of Route 134 in, there is a little Hansel and Gretel path that leads to a pasture of smiling farmers in safari hats and tall boots. We dressed in the same attire --my philo is "dress like the natives" they must know what they are doing. (Yes, I am tick phobic, too.) The farm provides trays lined with pint size cartons and directs you into the netted patch of Blueberry Oz.  It's heaven on earth. We ate billions of berries before we made it out of the patch.  

Carpe Diem.

....As the hour of bedtime passed and I was just about to lay this blueberry endeavor to rest,  this email arrived.  My mother pulls through. (Again.) It's an award winner.

Iris's Blueberry Tart

1 pint blueberries

2 T. lemon juice

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 cups flour

½ cup of chopped pecans

1 stick  cold  unsalted butter

add 1 tbs  vinegar    knead  and if time  refrigerate

·         Combine blueberries, lemon juice and sugar and set aside.

·         Cut the butter into the flour with a knife or a food processor. Knead. Add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

·         Roll out the crust between waxed paper.

·         Add ground pecans to the crust

·         Put in spring form pan or tart pan  with removable bottom...using hands spread across surface.

·         Pour the blueberry mixture on top

·         Bake in 350 oven  until golden and then add 1 egg yolk beaten with a little of the white and 1/4 cup sugar...Spoon this over the baked  tart and cook another 10 min or so.

Gluten Free Version Crust 

1 Cup Walnuts

1 Cup Almonds

½ Cup dates/figs or raisons

¼ cup simple syrup or ¼ cup maple syrup or honey

½ cup of shedded coconut.

·        Combine all ingredients in the food processor until moistened.

·        Press the mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a 9'' diameter glass pie dish.

·        Bake until the crust is slightly toasted at 400’, about 12 minutes. The crust will have slipped down the sides, use the back of a spoon to press it back in to place. Cool and add blueberry mixture and serve with dairy free ice cream or mix with  Tal Ronnen's Cashew Cream

Visit their website to see hours and directions to the patch. www.hokumrockfarm.com

G00D M0RNING F00DIES,

By the way, today is the Grand Opening Celebration for the new Mashpee Commons Organic Market! Now the Upper Cape can share the love of  Darby Ziruk and Rory Eames' commitment to organic, clean and local food as seen in their Dennisport flagship store and our favorite laid back Chatham market. The produce and goods you will find in this amazing market is how nature intended it to be. Fresh. Happy. Delicious. All of their locations are a beehive of knowledge on health and well being.  Come party with them. Live Music! Dance Your heart out!  Kids Activities! Free Samples! I love the miniature shopping carts. Kids are permitted to go way over the speed limit.

. 

Mashpee Commons Organic Market @32 Market Street @ Mashpee Commons
Summer Hours: 8am to 8pm
Check them out on FB

What to do on a rainy day besides wear sunglasses in the house?

Chatham Orpheum Theater offers  "Rainy Day" matinees  at 10:00 a.m. for only $5 per person! You can sign up to receive a rainy day email alert -- by 8:00 a.m. you will receive the featured movie or skip that and check their Facebook Page. 

Our passenger committee has sufficient justification to see sunny day matinees, too. Summer school has no rules.

Po t t e r y   P a l o o z a

It felt like 90 degrees and we were on a road trip on  6A. The passenger in the back seat was having an endorphin rush after having a giant size chocolate chip muffin at Grumpy's Restaurant. A little way down the road I saw a sign for Scargo Beach and without hesitation  I did a faster than normal hairpin turn and ended up on a dirt road with a hand painted sign to Stoneware Pottery. And this is where I landed.

Pottery abound. In the middle of the woods. We bypassed the beach altogether.

This is just a small part of the outpost.

A mesmerizing display of ....fairy like

C a s t l  e s.  Everywhere. To a six year  old, this was Narnia on the homefront.  Honestly, I wasn't sure if Lucy was coming back home with me, especially after she was treated as a special guest and allowed to feed the giant size Koi. (We had one of these at home and it only lasted two days due to overfeeding.)

Kim Holl, resident potter, has carried on the tradition of her father and created an amazing potter's paradise.

Pop by this hideaway when you are 'on your way."  Or join Scargo Pottery on 8/2 from 6pm to 9 for grilled food, cocktails and live music for a Pottery Sale/Fundraiser.

Scargo Pottery
30 Dr. Lord's Road
S. Dennis
508-385-3894

Cape Cod Capabilities

I love everything about Cape Cod Capabilities. Their operation on Route 6A in Dennis is a happening farm. I give them extra big accolades every spring when I pick up  the first local tomatoes you will see on Cape Cod grown in their own greenhouses. It's my first taste of summer splendor.  Cape Abilities Farm employs people with disabilities who work in every aspect of farm. Everything about this place just feels so good. Today we bought a bucket full of fresh picked crispy cucumbers, rhubarb and sweet little shallots.They also have a local farm in Marston Mills, The Chatham Bars Inn stand in  Brewster  and a farm stand shop on Main Street in Chatham where every week they hold the most amazing pie eating contest you will ever see. Stay tuned for more on that.

Cape Cod Capabilities
Route 6A in Dennis
Open Monday through Friday, 10am – 6pmSaturday and Sunday, 10am – 5pm508-385-2538

Rhubarb, Pomegranate and Vanilla Cobblers

Love Donna Hay 

2 cups flour sifted  200g butter  ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar  ⅔ cup (160ml) buttermilk  2 teaspoons vanilla extract  3 pomegranates, seeds removed  750g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 5cm lengths  ⅔ cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar, extra  2 vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped  ⅓ cup (25g) flaked almonds  icing (confectioner’s) sugar and double (thick) cream, to serve Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and process until the mixture just comes together. Add ⅓ of the pomegranate seeds and stir to combine. Set aside. Place the rhubarb, extra sugar, remaining pomegranate seeds and vanilla in a bowl and toss to coat. Divide between 4 x 1½ cup-capacity (375ml) skillets. Top with the cobbler mixture and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.  Serves 4. Courtesy of Donna Hay

Don't Rain on My Parade

One of the best summer kick offs is Chatham's 4th of July Parade.

15,000 people come to our tiny hometown  for this super local downtown pomp and circumstance. The circumstance this year was Hurricane Arthur, but at  4am on July 4th the town masters decided the show must go and and the streets overflowed in a red white and blue regalia. Every kind of Cape Codder varietal had a float and the sun was actually shining as we rang in the Independence. It was one of the best parades we have ever had. Chalk one up for Bad Weather. You just can't mess up summer no matter what you do.

The blue popcicles delivered by the Chatham Bars Inn were a big hit.

Flash Forward to Summer 2014

We did not post a single blog last year. I downloaded possibly 5000 summer images, but not one made it to the blog scene.  Here we are again. Lucy and me.  The only thing we are missing is Zoe who is now living in Manhattan.

My petite blog-mate, Lucy,  is now six and running on double battery life. As we compose Summer 2014 she is generally the one navigating the Go-Pro.

Welcome back. Next stop. The Best July 4th Parade you will ever see.