IF That's All There is My Friends, Then Let's Keep Dancing

P asked me today what would be my last supper choice.  That's a super hard question for a foodie.  What is your preferred last meal choice to end all meals forever.  It's like asking what your favorite album is of all time.  I'm sure I've never given the same answer because it depends on the season, what you've recently eaten, what you've been craving and what lingers as a mainstay for such lists.  I said nachos supreme and fried calamari as an appetizer, which right away i regretted.  The nacho preparation has to be very specific in order for them to be just right. Too much and they become soggy.  I like the cheese to be on the chip, not on the extras and the pickled jalapenos must be on the cheese directly. Matter of fact, put the extras on the side for me to dip into.  That's best. Seconds more to think I might say steamed mussels in garlic wine sauce with crusty bread and a side of hot artichoke dip teaming with cheese.  Or the best queso fundido with chorizo and warm chips, pico and guacamole. A trio platter.  Homemade lasagna with garlic bread prepared by my sister R would be the main course.  I feel firm in that choice even today.  I never allow myself lasagna but I love it so much.  I'd trust R to get it right.  For dessert, a hand made apple, rhubarb, cranberry pie ala mode with real vanilla bean ice cream.  I imagine the most flaky buttery crust.  I have a hundred variations on this meal and it's fun considering options.

I turned around and asked P.  He said my cheese enchiladas with my mom's sauce.  My steak bites with bloody Mary dipping sauce.  A Rachel Ray recipe actually.  And my pecan pie.  Dang.  Freakin' honor man.  I gulped hard, tried not to start bawling.  Truly touched.  And he meant it because that boy don't throw compliments out willy nilly.  

Sometimes I make my mom's enchilada sauce, just to taste it and then worry about what it will go over afterwards.  This day I made a turkey burger seasoned with chili and cumino.  I let it char a bit on the outside so I could smother it with this rich sauce. And like my mom's enchiladas, lots of cool iceberg lettuce sliced thin, tomatoes and onions on top.  And because you can't screw with tradition a bit of cheddar cheese as well.  Smothered Turkey Enchilada burger.

I Just Wanna Be Your Firecracker, Maybe Be Your Baby Tonight

4th of July at Fort Greene park in Brooklyn.  Can't see a damn thing and we all waited for a good long time in the humidity.  However, kind of a fun quiet experience to sit facing the sky with hundreds of strangers as if a spaceship was to appear any second or a great band was gonna take the invisible stage.  Eventually you could see some explosions over the tops of the trees on the far side of the park.  But I ain't got time for all of that, as the kids say at work.  So we took a walk and talked about all the previous 4ths, where we were, what towns.

That day I roasted these huge thick slices of cauliflower, open cheese burgers with fresh guacamole.  And the fireworks came in the form of an edamame succotash with juicy grape tomatoes, corn and red onions. Fresh herbs and lemon really bring out the bright flavors.

Earlier, like little moles we reluctantly left the comfort of the nest to forage for tacos.  Luckily it started to sprinkle and decisions were made to quick-style the taco effort to the corner joint.  We supersized the meal with salsa, homemade quac & chips and cold watermelon chunks.

I toyed with trying the new ice cream shop named Scoops.  As we stood in front of it like in a dream I see an old friend walking down the street towards me, and he's actually talking to me already.  My ear is still a little shoddy so I had to do a double take and get with it before I looked like a complete stoner.  I'm socially awkward.   He's always had a huge energy presence and there was some confusion as to why he left his wife and child in the book store or something, so the whole thing went quickly and frantically.  We exchanged quickie hellos and I forgot all about the ice cream. 

I've Been Trying To Enjoy All the Fruits of My Labor...

I'm still not a great cook and still not even in the top two cooks in my family but I'm getting better.  I made these tasty shish kabobs in the broiler because hey, it's a 3rd story, no grill apartment.  You gotta make it happen if you want it bad enough.