Friday, July 3, 2009

Recipe for a Happy 4th (or any summer meal)!

For me, all holidays revolve around food. I don't know what you all are making for dinner or the picnic, concert or fireworks show you'll attend but I'm bbqing spare ribs. I'm slathering baby backs with a home made rub courtesy of a Bobby Flay recipe, letting them absorb that overnight and then basting them with a grilling sauce over a very low flame on the grill three shelves up for several hours. I'm making home made potato salad, cole slaw and probably some kind of corn bread. All recipes are old and tried and true.

We used to attend a fireworks show and take a picnic basket of food. Every July 5th we would pack a big lunch and take out our ski boat and spend the day on a lake. It has been a tradition for years. This year, however, the incessant rain has interrupted those plans. Instead, my husband and I celebrated the beginning of the long weekend last night by attending an outdoor concert with Diana Krall.

We went with two friends, driving to Meredith, NH on Lake Winnepesaukee where we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant called The Lake House at Church Landing. After an incredible meal that included appetizers of mussels in a cream saffron sauce, crab cakes, and the house salad made with Gorgonzola cheese, we had entrees of swordfish, hangar steak with grilled peaches, and a perfectly done medium rare slab of prime rib. We were stuffed so we rolled ourselves out of there and drove on to the concert venue, Meadowbrook Outdoor Pavilion.

It was, after a month of rain, a perfect night with the moon out, some clouds, mostly stars, warm breeze. We enjoyed fresh squeezed margaritas during the performance and the acoustics were fantastic. I never realized what a great musician she is until I watched her play. Great backup group consisting of an electric guitarist who looks like Clapton but plays like Wes Montgomery, drummer/percussionist and bass player. It was like being in a large club. Very intimate.

I'm currently reading a biography of Julia Child, a Penguin Lives series, by Laura Shapiro. It is FASCINATING and makes me feel a whole lot less embarrassed about my love of food and my own cooking! Can't wait to read her autobiography now.

Anyone looking for a good rub? Here's the Bobby Flay recipe from "Grilling for Life":

Espresso Rub

1/4 finely ground espresso beans
1/4 C ancho chile powder
2T Spanish paprika (sweet paprika)
2T dark brown sugar
1T dry mustard
2 tsp kosher salt
1T ground cumin
1T fresh ground black pepper
1T dried oregano
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cayenne

Keeps in a jar in a cupboard up to one month although I've kept mine a lot longer.

10 comments:

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Thanks for sharing the Bobby Flay rub - sounds great - will give it a try this summer. Have a Happy July 4th!

Baino said...

Yum, I'll have to try this, I love ribs but not for consumption in public, trust me! Have a lovely weekend. I have a friend who also marinates ribs in spices and coca-cola of all things, really tenderises.

Pop and Ice said...

Wow that was quite the celebration! Dinner, Diana Krall - what more could you want?

Marguerite said...

What a fantastic evening! The dinner sounds divine and the outdoor concert sounds fabulous.

Also, thanks so much for the great rub recipe, as I'm grilling ribs, tomorrow,and wanted to try something different. Have fun!! Cheers!!

Susan said...

OMG, gourmet food, perfect night skies, margaritas AND Diana Krall all in one evening?!!!!! You could not possibly imagine how incredibly jealous I am right now!

tony said...

Belated Good Wishes.I Hope the 4th July Was Good For You.Regards From Tony (& England!)

Tanna said...

I have drooled all over my keyboard! Good food, good company and good music. Doesn't get any better than that! LOL.

Reya Mellicker said...

Thanks for the rub recipe. I've been looking for a good coffee rub mix for awhile - this one sounds delicious.

For me all holidays are about gathering with others and feasting. Food and conviviality is how we celebrate.

Glad you had such a great day. Cheers!

Ruth said...

I'm like Susan and am gaga over this post. Every food and drink description had me stomping my foot in glee and hunger. Ribs as you described is perfect fare for the 4th.

I do love me some Diana Krall, and I imagine she is wonderful in concert. You have a dream life in this post. Wow.

Thanks for the rub recipe, I may need it before the summer is out.

California Girl said...

To All: I'm thinkin' I should be sharing more recipes. I haven't done it before because it's time consuming and I have to look them up and I'll lose my spontaneity but a foodie like me should be sharing. I know I love the food-related blogs.

Christina

Christina
by Cole Scott