My neighbor & walking friend, Ann, who’s a pediatrician, had a gathering at her house last night for people from the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network; mostly doctors & their families. She wanted me to make a couple of big bowls of salads, and some bars for dessert.
Based on what I got in my CSA box, and what I had in the house, I made a giant bowl of tabouli, using my lazy-cook’s-overnight recipe – and since it’s summer, the tomatoes were so delicious, they made the tabouli; a big salad with feta and olives and balsamic vinaigrette, zucchini & tomato gratin, and fruit salad. The bars were Key Lime and vegan brownies from the Veganomicon girls – but I made them cherry instead of blueberry. I used up all my zucchini, the ones from my CSA box and the ones I bought for Cheryl’s dinner – just two yellow squash left, and the leftover lettuces also from Wednesday, and all the cucumbers and all the tomatoes, and even half the bottle of Key Lime juice that I brought back after Dave & Jen’s party. They had scoured Seattle for the just right brand of Key Lime juice for the margaritas, and then had a bunch leftover – and the bartenders in the interest of speed, had punched out the foil under the lids on a lot of the bottles. I think they froze some – it’ll keep that way – and I packed this bottle in my suitcase. And a 2 plastic bags and another bag, and in with my shoes, in case it exploded.
Probably the best part is that we transported all the food over the Ann’s on foot and by little red wagon – just as the huge storm that finally brought us rain was blowing in. Today riding home, I liked how obviously the weeds & crab grass are hardier than the regular grass – they’re all green again after one rain, and regular grass is still crispy brown.
