I haven’t been on social media all week. That’s a lie. I have been lurking quietly and less than normal but I haven’t posted a single thing. Easy Summer Grilling started this past Wednesday and I didn’t promote it. Not with a story or even a photo of the Grilled and Marinated Peppers with Buratta. I’m actually very happy with the photo I had ready to go but I couldn’t get myself to post it.
Since April of 2020, I have posted daily. My cooking, others cooking, the cats, our home, all my jumbled thoughts, and lots of Marco. It’s fun, it’s business, it’s exhausting, and it just is what it is. I have posted through joy and through secret sadness directing a show for the internet. This week I just didn’t want to do any of it.
My grandma finally called me on Thursday to check-in. “Are you not posting on Instagram anymore? I miss going up to your little circle and seeing what you are up to.” I’ll be back I told her when I finally got around to returning her call.
Having our friends in town last week was wonderful. After spending the day on a boat, still covered in sunscreen and in my bathing suit, I grilled chicken and steak as fast as I could before everyone arrived at our house. I was able to eavesdrop on two friends from different corners of my life getting to know each other above me on the deck. Marco turned our kitchen island into a messy cocktail station. His new signature cocktail is the espresso martini. I finally filled this house full of friends and we were able to gather over a meal.
As the weekend ended, I was left with the darkest internal sorrow. A combination of being alone again in this big house and realizing who was missing from the weekend. I struggle daily with feeling immense gratitude for our life but also intense sadness that I don’t have my people around to share it with.
The biggest storm in a long time rolled through on Tuesday dumping 4.5 inches on us in a short few hours. We lost power around 5 am and we both quietly rolled out of bed around 7. Marco and I sat softly in the dark staring at the world violently weeping outside our living room window. We were protected by our house and forced to be present with no distractions around us. By the time I got the camping stove out to boil water for coffee, the storm had passed and the power kicked back on before it was lit.
With a sliver of sunlight late in the morning, we started our week. Marco worked from home and I was comforted by his loud performative sales voice echoing up the stairs. Instead of my usual routine, I sat around in my oversized men’s fleece robe. I read books and caught up on all my newsletters. I made lists. Pen to paper. So many lists.
This newsletter serves as part food resource/part my diary. I wish I had more to write about cooking this week but this is all I’ve got; cold leftover pizza while standing in the kitchen wearing pajamas. Toasted English muffins with butter, one side peach preserve and the other mixed berry. Leftover coleslaw, beans, and potato salad from Jack Stacks which grew on me by day two. Tuna salad with romaine lettuce I cut from the garden. Mini ice cream sandwiches, four to be exact. Half a honeydew melon, soft strawberries leftover from picking, and expensive flavorless grapes. An unlimited amount of Scribblers popsicles because my throat is sore from allergies.
This week was not a bad week, do not read these details as such, it is just the honest reality sometimes. I did get some work done and I had next week’s Kitchen Club recipe ready to go way in advance. As the girl who likes to ride close to deadlines, that’s always a win for me. Plus I grilled radishes and kinda fell in love with them (recipe below). I just took a week to myself to wallow in the current state of my life. Changes are coming like they always do and we’ll talk about them when we get there.
This week’s Kitchen Club recipe…
Grilled & Marinated Peppers with Burrata which you don’t actually need a grill to make. This recipe can just as easily be made inside and it’s a hit for summer dinner parties. Serve with toasty bread to spoon the peppers and burrata on…😏
Buttery Grilled Radishes
A bunch of radishes, greens removed and halved if large
A few tablespoons of good butter
A lemon for squeezing
Chives, thyme, oregano, or parsley
Lightly coat radishes in a bit of vegetable oil and place them on a hot grill. Grill until slightly blistered and charred. They should be soft but still have a bite to them. Don’t overthink it and pull one off to test when you think they are done. About 8 minutes of grilling total.
While they are still hot, add them to a bowl with a few tablespoons of good butter. Allow the butter to melt and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon over the radishes and toss again. Finish with a sprinkle of herbs. Eat warm!
So, You’ve Built a Vegetable Garden—Here’s How to Take Care of It
The Best Diners in Every State *I agree with CA and MO.
Edible Tape Invented to Stop Your Burrito From Falling Apart
Many Ice Creams, but One Cone to Rule Them All *I am a sugar cone girl, always.
Fennel Salad With Spicy Green Olives And Crushed Pistachios *From Andy Baraghani’s new book, The Cook You Want To Be
Saltine Cracker Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich *I love saltines more than anything.
Adobo Style Wings *Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t care for wings?
Carrot Raita *I made six different raitas while cooking through my Indian cookbooks and I loved them all. I still make them to keep in the fridge and put on…everything. Making this carrot one next.
One of my favorites on my favorite podcast.
Nothing to do with food but wildly fascinating.
I have been sitting on a gift card to Antler Room since my birthday last September. We finally went this week and ordered everything that we were told could be Marco friendly – gai lan salad, duck fat roasted cabbage, gochujang fried cauliflower, falafel, a giant pork chop, and lamb and pork dumplings for me (not Marco friendly). The food was solid, the service was excellent, and the dessert was fine at best. It’s added to my list of places in KC I recommend for sure.
Giant tweezers are a staple in my kitchen. I use them for styling photos and placing items exactly where I need them. They help grab anchovies, pickles, and other small items out of jars. They are also very handy for grilling! I use them like tongs on a grill and they are the best for carefully flipping small items.
Three baby cardinals in a nest in our new hydrangea tree outside our front door 🥲. We have been watching the nest since it showed up a few weeks ago. There were four speckled eggs and three hatched about 10 days after the mama started sitting. They get bigger every day. This has been the highlight of our week for sure. Nature!
Thanks for reading, talk to you next week!
Xx M