Food

"The season" is upon us now. What sorts of terrific wonders can we suggest instead of the mountains of tender, chilled shrimp, creamy cartwheels of ripe Brie, buckets of tangy dip surrounded by kaleidoscopes of raw vegetables and stacks of crackers and chips, and endless rafts of pink ham slices carefully fanned out and artfully garnished? What new goodies can you offer during the next three months to the parched and ravenous mobs thronging your deck or lawn amid the non-existent clink of disposable plastic glassware?

Carrots are a staple. Available in fairly good condition all year long, at reasonable prices, they evoke little comment. Only a severe shortage and/or outrageous price increase will affect their status. (And you never know.)

A primer on the appreciation and cooking of mushrooms, complete with a favorite pasta recipe where mushrooms play nicely.

Avocados are not one of my favorite foods. Occasionally I find some in a salad I am served. It doesn’t interfere. However, I prefer seafood salad with an artichoke.

At this time of year, when tomatoes and many other fruits or vegetables are lemons, turn to lemons to refresh a tired menu.

"Whoever heard of Christmas without dried figs?" (Is that anything like New Year's Eve without a date?)

There is still time to enjoy local tomatoes. Another month (with luck) before the rich, ripe, winey crop disappears for good, to be replaced by the phony fruit from Florida. 

Many ovens also have a summer vacation. Meat, whatever the cut, is prepared on the barbecue grill. It couldn’t be simpler. Paint on the “basic red” (as Craig Claiborne calls it), let it sizzle until you finish your gin and tonic, and serve.

Squid are simple to prepare, and when prepared simply, are very delicious.

The rules of purchase for steamers are the same as for hard clams: no broken shells and only those which are closed or which close when tapped should be selected. Steamers are soft-shelled clams which flourish from Virginia to New England.

Lacy French cookies, served for tea or to accompany an elegant dessert, benefit from the addition of wheat germ, as do the diners.

In this navy bean soup recipe, a cup of cooked dried beans will provide as much protein as two hot dogs, a thick pork chop, or a good-sized chicken leg. And except for the chicken leg, the calorie commitment is about the same.