Perfection

This is it – summer perfection at its peak! For weeks now, we have nurtured the tomato plants, just waiting for the first few fruits to appear. We watched as this tomato grew into a large ball and turned from green to an orangey-red. We picked it just before it was completely red and let it finish ripening in the window in order to keep the deer and other wildlife from enjoying this prize. We did all this and endured a summer storm, 5 days with no power, and record-breaking temperatures. But, today, we finally enjoyed the “fruits of our labors,” placing delicious slices of red garden- grown tomato on soft slices of white bread, layered on mayonnaise and a sharp cheddar American cheese slice -the first tomato sandwich of the season! It needs nothing else, no further description – the tomato sandwich is perfection, and we hope to enjoy many more before the first frost comes this fall.

Homemade Parker House Bread and Rolls

The only thing better than a warm, golden Parker House roll straight from the Parker House in Boston is making (and eating) your own rolls and loaves using the actual recipe at home. I have never made rolls where the dough balls are coated in butter top and bottom and then folded on half, wrapping that buttery goodness inside the roll-to-be. Once cooked, this bread is the finest, smoothest bread with the sweet slightly salty flavor of the sweet cream butter baked into every bite. Eaten hot with butter (add strawberry jam or some apple butter for a totally decadent treat), there just is nothing better. The recipe is on the Parker House website and it is one recipe that really works and is absolutely worth the effort.

Homemade Fried Potatoes!

Potatoes are one of my three most favorite foods and there is nothing better than a panful of thinly sliced potatoes, diced onions, and green peppers fried in butter until golden brown with a crunchy edge! This is comfort food extraordinaire! Add a little sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and you will feel your spirits lift, no matter how bad your day has been!

Homemade Poptarts!

If you want to enjoy a truly decadent, feel-good childhood memory, then home-made Poptarts are just the thing! Featured in the Food Network magazine recently, the dough is a deliciously layered pie crust and it can be topped with jelly of any flavor. We particularly liked black raspberry jam in our Poptarts! Top it all off with a powdered sugar glaze and sprinkles and you have an edible work of art! I can’t wait to try them again- I think that apples fried in butter and brown sugar and flavored with a splash of Cognac would perfectly match this flaky crust. Add a vanilla bean paste-cinnamon glaze and it should be an amazing one-of- a-kind Poptarts experience!