ALL I THINK ABOUT IS FOOD...

I

...in one form or another, these days.  From the lush and plentiful beauty of vegetables hanging on the plants in my garden,  harvesting each of them, washing and cleaning them, then planning (the really fun part)  the cooking and finally the eating.  I am obsessed with food, and even in my dreams (Duck Daniel??) food is central.

I am now harvesting broccoli shoots and continue to grill them.

I quarter a head of broccoli ( or use just the shoots) marinate them in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper for a few hours, and grill.  A great deep flavor emerges!!

Grilled potatoes are unbeatable, when first marinated in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, place cut side down on the grill.

Crispy, salty and delicious.  

If I do not have my own homegrown potatoes, I usually purchase organic ones from the co-op...mostly Yukon Golds.  And that is what I did for my first grilling this summer.  However, the other day while shopping at Woodmans's I grabbed a bag of red potatoes out of convenience...and I am so sorry.  

The first day I grilled the organic potatoes I thought "Wow, wouldn't a potato salad made from grilled potatoes be great!'  Well I made one with potatoes that were not organic, and I did not like it at all!  I must say, even straight off the grill the potatoes were inferior...despite the delicious crispy, saltiness of them.

Straight out of the garden, snapped, and simply steamed in a steam basket, served with butter.  The beans speak for themselves.

Back to the grill with eggplant slices, cut about 1/2" thick and brushed on each side with olive oil.

Tomatoes straight from the garden, cut up with cucumbers, onions garlic, and plenty of fresh basil, salt and ground pepper, olive oil and wine vinegar.  Let sit for an hour or so.....

and top each eggplant slice.  The taste is so fresh and seems to awaken in the mouth...honestly, this is terrific...and could hardly be simpler.

Sweet eating.

Blackberries seem terribly early this year.  I picked a few quarts the other day, but my old stand-by...cobbler seemed out of the question what with the thermometer pushing 100 degrees for several days.

So I thought....a 'steamed pudding', which can be cooked on top of the stove.

This recipe (with a few tweaks) comes from a very old cookbook I have owned for many years, The New England Yankee Cookbook, published in 1939.  

2 c. flour, sifted; 4 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 2 tbs. sugar; 2 tbs. butter; 4 tbs. honey; 7/8 c. milk and 1 1/2 c. blackberries.  (Mostly organic ingredients)

Mix and sift dry ingredients; cut in butter, combine honey and milk and add gradually; add berries and turn into a greased mold.  Steam for 1 1/2 hours.

Now a steamed pudding isn't exactly attractive on its own, not being browned on top (however, one could sprinkle a bit of nutmeg over the top before steaming....)

...but it is surely attractive, and utterly delicious served with a dollop (or more) of fresh whipped cream, and a topping of berries briefly cooked in a little water with a little sugar.

A fine cool ending to a refreshing summertime meal.