The weather and food connection

Spring came on like a freight train this year. It wasn't a slow gradual increase towards the balmy sun of May, it was a bounding jump into the scorching heat more reminiscent of late July. There was little of the spring rains that dominate an April in Minnesota. Suddenly it was May and it was HOT and being at the lake for Memorial weekend was a weird anomaly- air and sun so hot you barely wanted to move, but water so cold it was shocking. Thankfully, nights cooled to normal for May, the one saving grace.

Summer always means lighter foods, at least in my household. We no longer fire up the dutch oven for stews and soups nor do we stock up on much meat, even if it goes on sale. However, the fish counter gets frequent visits from me and I start to get really creative on the versatility of chicken. We enjoy the soy products too from MorningStar and Boca, they are wonderful for a quick meal and fortunately I have found a source where purchases are el primo cheapo. Let's not forget vegetables and fruits!! Oh my oh my.....I get absolutely bonkers in the head at the produce section sometimes when confronted with the multitude of selections available and the freshness of summertime's bounty. I love corn on the cob, I mean, who doesn't?? Most people boil it, often too long.....really, once the water boils, it needs about 3 minutes submerged and it's fine. Another popular way to cook it is on the grill wrapped in the husks. You need to first peel back the husks and remove the silk, burned silk tastes and smells like burnt hair. Yuk! Not what I want to eat! And this method basically just steams it, and sure it's fine that way. But the best way I have found to make corn is to remove the husks and silk, rub it with oil and grill it right on the grill until the kernels are browned and carmelized. The flavor is amazing, and the kernels fall right off the cob. There is a popular product I have seen in hispanic markets that is like a liquidy cream cheese, and other than calling it 'crema' I have no idea of it's true name, but if you season it with a little chili powder and spread it on a grilled ear of corn, it's one of those taste sensations in your mouth that comes back to you in your dreams. Rich, creamy, smoky and sharp....I could eat corn like that until I burst. I need to find out the name of that stuff! Carrots and Yams are really good on the grill too. You need to slice them thick or they fall through the grate. Brush them with seasoned oil and grill slowly. The natural sugars carmelize and the flavor becomes sweet, mellow and smooth. They need no embellishments. Zucchini strips, eggplant slices, pineapple slices spread with brown sugar or apricot jam, peach halves......the sky is the limit on what can be made more heavenly by a scorching on the grill.

So now.....weather, and the topic of the day. After several weeks of warm, and alternately hot weather in MN, today opens with clouds and the promise of temps in the 60's for a few days. A good thing, our A/C can take a break and we can get reacquainted with sleeves on our shirts, maybe a sweatshirt, and of course, the blankets on the bed. But when I look at the clouds, and feel the cooler breeze, something in me wants to make soup, or beef stew, or even a rich cassoulet or possibly my famous jambalaya. Comfort foods.....and I wouldn't even say it was cold out but it is cooler than it has been of late. It's an instinctual thing, really. A biorhythm change that signals from an ancestral place within our genetic makeup. Survival in cold weather meant heavier foods, more fat to pile on for the harsh winter ahead. But this is only June, and I certainly don't want or need any extra fat. But no matter all that, when the weather chills, my internal clock makes an audible click to a different mindset regardless of what the calendar is really saying. Last nights cedar plank grilled salmon and a vegetable saute are still fresh in my mind, the salmon was so perfectly done that it was melting like butter in my mouth and the crunch of the vegetables mixed with just the right seasoning and a little asiago cheese made for a fine accompaniment all washed down with a smooth merlot. I sat savoring the aftertaste in my mouth and the last sips of my wine while my husband cleaned up the kitchen. (I adore him for many, many things, but his willingness to clean up after my cooking is among the tops on my list!) I could feel in the air last night the imminent change in the weather, and on our post-dinner walk I tossed on a long sleeve shirt to keep the evening breeze off my arms. Today might even mean jeans, I suppose. But I am not going to give in to the urge to make a hearty meal that will sit like a constant reminder in our tummies for the evening. I think I will fire up the brain cells and get the juices flowing for a lively grilled chicken quesadilla, maybe with some poblano peppers and black beans, homemade guacamole and mesclun salad. Then I will pull on my favorite sweatshirt and watch the guys clean up the kitchen. Oooohhh....I can taste the smoky, grilled tortilla, the smooth black bean puree and the crunch of the pepper, all decked out in a dollop of creamy guac peppered with fresh garlic and the tangy bite of lime. I'll dream up the chicken marinade on my way today.

Ah...life is good, isn't it?