We got our butts in gear this am and headed out for the farmers' market. Well . . . it didn't exist. Not sure what was up, but it wasn't there.
Just as we had made up our mind to head home Cousin Timmy's wife Renae called and invited us to lunch. Their farm is on the way back here so we drove out to their farm.
WOW - out in the middle of the farm was a little oasis of green with flowers and lots of shade trees. Renae brought us out big glasses of her "rhubarb slushie" (all I could get out of her was rhubarb, wild strawberry jello, and watermelon tequila). After visiting for a while she and Timmy started bringing out food.
There was a big bowl of peaches and apricots, a bowl of big cucumber chunks (garden fresh), a tub full of watermelon chunks, grilled burgers on homemade buns, and a big ol' wooden bowl full of panzanella made with fresh tomatoes and basil. The bread in the salad was really good and she grinned and asked if I'd figured out what it was. Nope.
She didn't have any good crusty bread (does not exist around here) but they had been to a pizza place last night and had left-over cheesy breadsticks and pepperoni pizza so she just tore all that up and used it (didn't find any pepperoni (darn??)). It was amazing!!
Funny thing was that in the shower this morning I was thinking about Panzanella, one of my summer favorites!
It was a great little lunch, with wonderful fresh flavors and some real creative touches.
Just as we had made up our mind to head home Cousin Timmy's wife Renae called and invited us to lunch. Their farm is on the way back here so we drove out to their farm.
WOW - out in the middle of the farm was a little oasis of green with flowers and lots of shade trees. Renae brought us out big glasses of her "rhubarb slushie" (all I could get out of her was rhubarb, wild strawberry jello, and watermelon tequila). After visiting for a while she and Timmy started bringing out food.
There was a big bowl of peaches and apricots, a bowl of big cucumber chunks (garden fresh), a tub full of watermelon chunks, grilled burgers on homemade buns, and a big ol' wooden bowl full of panzanella made with fresh tomatoes and basil. The bread in the salad was really good and she grinned and asked if I'd figured out what it was. Nope.
She didn't have any good crusty bread (does not exist around here) but they had been to a pizza place last night and had left-over cheesy breadsticks and pepperoni pizza so she just tore all that up and used it (didn't find any pepperoni (darn??)). It was amazing!!
Funny thing was that in the shower this morning I was thinking about Panzanella, one of my summer favorites!
It was a great little lunch, with wonderful fresh flavors and some real creative touches.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!