TOLD YOU SO

The Fourth of July is a big day for us. Back in the 90s, my parents, along with three other foodie couples, would get together four times a year to cook gourmet dinners with and for each other. The summer party, always on the Fourth, was always at our house - because we had a big yard, a pool, and fireworks so close you can smell the TNT, but never have to leave the back yard. Those FOJ parties were, incidentally, the only ones the kids were allowed to attend, which meant that, once a year, I got to spend an entire day eating fancy food and playing with boys (none of the other couples had girls). There were some hits - whole smoked salmons in 1997 - and some misses - 1998's pig roast in the rain - but it was always fun.

Now, one couple has moved across the country, another has been adopted in their place, the kids don't come anymore, my father hasn't been there for a decade, and I've started having to make the desserts. Last year, I rocked out the entire course, with a maple bread pudding, key lime pie, roasted nectarines with a honey-balsamic glaze, vanilla bean ice cream, and sage-scented shortbread cookies. It was exhausting. This year, I relegated some tasks: one of our friends made a chocolate cake with chocolate-espresso frosting, and Anna made a wonderful key lime pie. Me? Rerun. Ice cream and cookies. Specifically, Alton Brown's ice cream and these cookies.

This year's "meal" went from shrimp skewers at 3pm to Jack Daniels at 1am, and consisted of the following (I only took pictures of the stuff I ate):








Hot pepper pizza, stuffed peapods, succotash, grilled king crab legs, salt and vinegar mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, caprese salad, and some red meat items I avoided. Then Anna, Erin, and I made a list of the things we love most about America. God Bless this holiday. And God Bless Leftovers.