Into the Summer. . We Go!

I hope everyone is having a good summer. I also hope there are enough of you guys in town to come over today and buy some food. We just got back from our vacation and it was awesome. We took a trip to Austin and had a wonderful time. It is a beautiful city, you should check it out some time.
Thanks to everyone who came to the end of school BBQ. It was a blast to see all the kids tearing it up, as well as the adults. Good, good energy. I have wanted to do an annual barbeque for awhile, I just never knew when to hold it. I think we found the right day. To me, the best day of the year was always the last day of school. Better than Christmas, the birthday, and Secretary’s Day combined. Special thanks to the unofficial Brentwood BBQ Council which currently consists of Greg, Terrel, and myself (even if they don’t know they are on it). I could not have pulled that party off without you guys.

Down to the food.
Joanna had wanted to do a “greatest hits” and most of these items were requested by you guys. I hope you enjoy them.

SNAX
We shall start with the Chipotle Corn Salsa. During vacation, I made the best salsa of my life. It was a wonderful blend of chipotle and tomatillo that was smoky, spicy, sweet, and tangy, all the wonderful attributes of a good cocktail waitress. The two subsequent efforts have not quite measured up to that one, but this one is close. Hey, it has corn in it. The Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad is (Joanna inserts) “the best chicken salad ever made in the history of mankind”. I have not made chicken salad since my days at Whole Foods back in the mid-90’s. It tastes good according to Jo, I am actually allergic to the bird and can’t try it. (This stuff is better than the tuna salad, I have already hoarded some for myself and have threatened execution to anyone who comes near it. . .) The Hummus is a standard version. I used roasted garlic instead of fresh to soften the bite.

SOUPS
Summertime is not the best for eating soups so we only did one, El Gazpacho. That was Annie’s request I believe, who happens to be in Bolivia. (It was actually Sonja, but who’s keeping track.) It is a somewhat Americanized version because I did not use day old bread or sherry vinegar (I only had balsamic), but it is good. I like it even though my Spanish cousin Guillermo Friedenand might scoff at it.

SIDES
The Violet Crown Veg made a return as well and its delicious sidekick roasted garlic basil compound butter. Yes, we are ripping off the love veggies from Magnolia, but I doubt they will sue us. The Carrot Cakes are back as well. I am going to sell these uncooked so they will be fresher and there is less chance of burning them on the reheat. I will cook them for you if you want though. The Texas Caviar is a new one. My mom used to make this black-eyed pea salad every summer and I loved it. I discovered that this was an invention of a Yankee who moved to Austin in 1940 to teach restaurant Management at UT. Helen Corbitt couldn’t find the high end staples she was used to getting in NYC here in Austin (this was before the era of Whole Foods and Central Market). The black-eyed peas were subbed in for Caviar at her first catered event. The Quinoa was also requested and is back this week. It is scrumptious and healthy, what more could you ask for.

SALAD DRESSINGS
This week we have the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette, a revisit of the famous Shady Oaks dressing, and a Creamy Chipotle (time permitting). Speaking of, it is time to go to work. Sorry to cut it short like this, but I gotta go. See you guys today and thanks for the support.

Joanna’s Notes:
Hey guys. Joel really outdid himself on the chicken salad. It constantly amazes me how he can make incredible tuna and chicken and not even taste it. . . but I’m telling you, the chic salad is a delight. The carrot cakes are really something you have to try. Last time, everyone who took them raved. It’s a hard concept to grasp until you have eaten them. They are delicious and once again, the focus is on health. My mom is visiting and had an opportunity to witness the whole experience. She has already bought some Texas Caviar and noshed on it. She loves to watch Joel cook so it was really fun for her, and we gave her some food to help wash dishes. If you haven’t met my mom, you gotta come over. She’s a lot of fun and a chatter-head like me. She’s been teaching for 40 years and a wealth of information. Finally, I would like to close with one word. . . “Quinoi”. You need to know it. Your body wants it. I hope you guys are all having a great summer. Oh, we switched out to a more sturdy, dishwasher safe container. I think you will like it.