Monday, May 25, 2009

MEMORIAL DAY FEAST



Robin and I had a very rare day off together today. She spent most of the day outside pulling weeds. She likes to pull weeds. She doesn't get much time to work on the garden so she was very happy to be able to do so today. I piddled around outside some. Mostly I was harvesting assorted things for the all day feast we had. While I have nothing against grilling, we chose not to contribute to the huge amount of particulate pollution generated on a national day of grilling out. Instead we focused on preparing and eating a series of courses of local food most of which we grew ourselves. We started with a lunch of Georgia shrimp scampi. It was deeelllliiiisssshhhhuuusss!
Next we had roasted baby yellow squash, english peas cooked with our own kifir and garlic chives, garnished with lemon juice, smoked black salt, pickled radish, and borage flowers. Beautiful and satisfying.
Following that we had refried beans with beech mushrooms and leek flower buds, topped with zucchini blossoms stuffed with a mixture of neufchatel cheese mixed with parsley, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper which we coated in tempura batter and fried in canola oil. This dish was garnished with chopped cilantro and leek flower buds. Leek flowers are a very pretty purple hue. I'll post a photo soon. This was Robin's favorite dish.
Soon we will end our feast with a dessert of chocolate shortbread cookies in made this morning, topped with strawberry jam Robin made, sliced fresh strawberries the chipmunks left for us and a dusting of powdered sugar. Eating chocolate this late in the evening usually keeps awake late but it will be worth it.
A deeellliiisssshhhhuuusssssss day!

2 comments:

Ron Strilaeff said...

OMG Duane, you guys know how to throw a party! I'm serious, the food sounds delicious. I don't think I know anyone else who might use the words Kefir and Borage flowers in the same sentence. And like us, spending time out in the garden is a great was to spend a "holiday": it's not work at all.

duane marcus Facebook me! said...

Thanks Ron. There is nothing more relaxing than spending time in the garden soaking in the Mother's blessings!