The Summer of Glorious Eating

I think of summer, 2009, as the Summer of Glorious Eating.

Every social event I attended featured wonderful food. I remember the meals more than the conversations! Even small, unexpected treats were ambrosial. I remember a lazy latte sitting at a wrought-iron table on the Main street sidewalk of a small town late on a Sunday afternoon after the tourist shops had closed for the day and the only coffee available was from a tavern, but brewed to perfection. Man, it was good.

Two of the events—a 50th birthday party and a simple but gorgeous wedding—served the yummiest catered food I’ve ever eaten. I tried bison for the first time in the form of mini tournedos and found it lean, tender, and tasty. It didn’t hurt that it was wrapped in one of my faves—bacon. I tried chorizo ‘lollipops’ on wooden skewers, rounds of sausage dipped in honey. Sounds weird. Tasted great.

At the birthday party, I enjoyed the latest trendy version of golden French fries served in paper cones and topped with garlic aioli. Okay, I admit it, I’m addicted to potatoes. They make a great vehicle for flavorful toppings and fillings. At the wedding, I ate more than my fair share of tiny new potatoes stuffed with spicy shredded beef.

I had to (simply had to!) eat quite a few spring rolls before I figured out what it was in the rice wrappers besides the vegetables that tasted so refreshing. Slivers of pears.

Both of the catered events were outdoors, the birthday party in an enchantment of a garden filled with stone animals and small pieces of artwork tucked in among flowers and shrubs and rocks. Halfway up the hill toward the back of the garden, the children ate their food ensconced in large Adirondack chairs in an open-sided wooden structure with a peaked roof and backed by a stone fireplace. The kids called it ‘The Cottage.’

The wedding abutted woods full of tall pines and mature maples. Instead of a wedding cake, the bride—a cupcake fanatic—opted for tons of colorful pretty cupcakes, including decadent devil’s food, all of them decorated with edible flower petals.

Noshing al fresco on cool summer evenings under bright clear star-studded skies makes everything taste better.

I am SUCH a sucker for good food. Sigh. It was a good summer;-)