08/04/2019
There is something warm and fuzzy about having a simple homemade dinner with good friends. I don't know if it's the camaraderie or the laughter, the political discussions or the catching up n the odd news of the world, including that extremely odd duck that is the so called leader of the free world, who is destroying the very fabric of the country just south of us. But I digress. On the deck, on a warm summers evening is and always will be one of my favorite things.
Tonight we barbecued some exceptional pieces of pork, boiled up some fresh local corn and added a generous helping of a vegetable and herb, pasta salad. Now I say "we" but I really mean my good friend JG, who as always, was a generous host. While the meat sizzled in the background and the corn bubbled along we enjoyed a Mohito. Now if you don't know, a Mohito is a fabulous elixir of rum, mint leaves, lime and soda, with a touch of simple syrup to add a hint of sweetness. The mint and lime just smell like a summer party in your glass. They are always delicious, and this is where we started to catch up on the past week, making small talk and discussing the news of the realms.
Once dinner was served we added a red wine; a nice, deep, red, California Zinfandel. It was an excellent match for the spiced, grilled meat. We shared an outdoor summer meal with good hearts and more chatter while we fended off the occasional wasp. They always seem to rudely want a bite of our food, and are the most common of uninvited guests. It is getting into August already which means the wasps are going to start getting more even more aggressive about building their larders for winter. On top of that we saw a flock of geese in that unmistakable V formation heading down to Beacon Hill Park no doubt, but that too reminded me that summer is always gone faster than we ever imagine.
As the evening wore on we lit a fire and enjoyed another cocktail that included another very summery twist, the blackberry. From a sunny August day to a lovely summer evening around a fire (which I am sure is caveman TV because we can all still just sit and watch the dance of the flames.) It was a great way to spend a Saturday evening. Finally we came inside for a late desert of homemade cheesecake. Now I am not a great lover of desert but cheesecake always seems light enough and not to sweet enough to be decadent.
The wasps and the birds remind me that time, like summer can be short, so we need to do these things. Visit friends, eat great dinners and enjoy all of your days not just the perfect summer ones. Until next time, cheers!
