I was in the city this week (I'm taking a novel-writing workshop at the New School that meets on Monday evenings) and couldn't resist these gorgeously purple, dusky and enticingly fragrant Concord grapes I came across at the farmers market. Plus I had seen Meredith Kurtzman's recipe for sorbet in New York magazine and was dying to try it. I tweaked it a little bit because I'm always looking for good ways to justify the $30 tin of fennel pollen I bought at the Demon (aka Dean & Deluca). It was SO GOOD—mouthpuckeringly tart and yet just sweet enough, full of the grapiest grape flavor ever (like Welch's on acid), and with that essential counterpoint of salt. WOW. Not to mention all the wonderful antioxidants. You simply have to make this whenever you can get your hands on some beautiful, organic Concords.
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The first year in my house upstate, I discovered big patches of a leafy green plant that smelled deliciously lemony. It popped up as soon as the earth warmed and couldn't be deterred. Turns out it's lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a perennial herb in the mint family that is native to the Mediterranean. Mine grows into big bushes that have little white flowers by summer's end. These are full of nectar and attract the bees, and thus the genus name Melissa, which means "honey bee" in Greek.Lemon balm has long been used as a medicinal herb because of its antibacterial, antiviral and sedative properties. It is said to be effective against the herpes virus. A poultice made from the leaves can be applied to any sores or lesions. You can also rub the crushed leaves on your skin as a mosquito repellant. It is exceptionally high in antioxidants and also exhibits antithyrotropic activity, making it useful in treating hyperthyroidism. Amazing, no? Try simply steeping the leaves in hot water for a soothing tea. Or make this panna cotta, infused with a delicate lemony flavor.
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I love scented geraniums (pelargonium). Their sweetly spicy aroma makes me swoon and revives me all at once. (I wonder if this is why they were so popular with Victorian ladies?) There are so many different varieties—apple, lime, ginger, lemon, rose, frankincense—and they retain their smell all year long. The oil exuded by their leaves is said to repel mosquitoes and biting flies; it is also antibacterial and speeds the healing of cuts and burns. My friend Kenny wears it as his signature fragrance. A couple of drops on your pulse points and you smell great all day long. You can also use scented geraniums in cooking: to flavor sugar or simple syrups; to line the bottom of a cake pan before pouring in the batter; in vinegars and marinades; combined with lemon balm or mint for tea.
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I feel a soapbox moment coming on again. Sorry. But I just can't remain silent when it comes to soda because IT'S THE DEVIL. Why would you want to drink anything that falls under the category of "soft" drinks, anyway? Gross. Did you know that soda is not only worthless to your body, it actually causes actual harm?! I'm sure you've heard by now that soda consumption is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity. The sugar it contains combines with bacteria in the mouth to form acid, and even the diet version contains carbolic acid—this means weakened enamel and more cavities! The phosphorous and caffeine contribute to osteoporosis. And I just read that soda consumption may be linked to chronic kidney disease, development of metabolic syndrome (a heart risk) and fatty liver, a chronic liver disease. YUCK! SPIT IT OUT! AND DON'T LET YOUR KIDS NEAR IT!
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The first time I had a Pavlova was long ago at JoJo, Jean Georges Vongerichten’s jewel box of a restaurant in an Upper East Side townhouse. That might even have been the original source for his now-classic (and copied into ubiquity) molten chocolate cake. But it was the Pavolva in all its crunchy creaminess that captured my heart. This ethereal meringue dessert was allegedly created as a tribute to the ballerina Anna Pavlova on her 1926 tour to New Zealand and in fact it’s wonderfully light—and relatively low in calories. Balthazar does a nice one with mixed berries. A Pavlova is fancy enough to impress guests and quite easy to whip up. The version below, from Gourmet magazine, is served with lemon curd.
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We own 4th of July. That means that friends know not to plan other events because they'll be coming to our house. We always serve pulled pork—if you clamor for it, I’ll post the recipe but otherwise just look it up in Cook’s Illustrated. I prefer the North Carolina style with a vinegar-&-hot-red-pepper sauce, and serve it with classic coleslaw, pickles and cheap white bread. One year I bought lovely brioche buns from Eli's and was informed by my friends from Charlotte that this is a no-no.For dessert? Nothing beats ice cream sandwiches. I’ve been known to make the ice cream myself but I like to offer lots of flavors, so now I usually order a FedEx delivery from Graeter’s, an old-timey place in Ohio that's been doing it right with fresh cream and egg custard since 1870. Mint chocolate chip is my favorite, but don’t miss the caramel or the coconut or the black raspberry. Bake the cookies yourself, though. You can make these in advance and freeze them in large Ziploc bags. And, if you’re lucky (or you make extra), you’ll still have ice cream sandwiches left after the 4th to eat while lollygagging in the hammock…
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