Hanging On To Summer

           Even though the days are growing noticeably shorter and football season is upon on us, two hallmarks of fall, I'm still into summer mode. I'm not ready to shift yet maybe it's denial but the fall equinox isn't until September 22 at 9:54 pm. All around me it seems everyone is ready to drink their first pumpkin lattes (announced by Starbucks on August 28th) for crying out loud, and of course the Halloween candy and decorations are already out at Wegmans. The last straw was when my husband brought home a pumpkin pie this week! So in defiance I made this blueberry pie to counter the pumpkin craze, which he wasn't too upset about.

It's on my bucket list to go hear music outdoors this month which shouldn't be too hard, because there's still plenty to be found. Here are some good possibilities: Buttonwood Grove Winery has music through the end of the month overlooking Cayuga Lake, on their multi level deck. Warfield's restaurant in Clifton Springs is offering some in their outdoor garden on September 22, from 5:30-8:30. Then there's the Blue Heron Café Terrace at Heron Hill Winery with live music each September Sunday from 12:30-4:30, with panoramic views of Keuka Lake. Finally one of my favorites is Ventorsa overlooking their vineyards and Seneca Lake on the deck, Wednesdays through September from 6 until 9. There's still lots of summer left to be enjoyed if we just let ourselves relish the moment and not get caught up in the push to get onto the next thing.           

Santorini Surprise

      In May my daughter and I took our first trip to Greece.  I hadn't been out of the country since I was in my twenties, some 40 years ago and my daughter had never traveled out of the country. We were there because of a destination wedding. My inclination was to one day visit the Netherlands or Scotland, countries of my ancestors, people I had something in common with. So in a sense Greece chose us. And it was a country I never gave much thought to before.  We landed on the island of Santorini first where the wedding was to be held and spent 48 hours taking in as much as we could. It was like no other place I had laid eyes on before, so different from anything back home with its white washed buildings clinging to the cliffs, high above the Agean Sea. We fell in love with the people who were so gracious and friendly. But it was the food that really grabbed us, especially the white eggplant so sweet it melted in your mouth, only grown on the island because of its volcanic soil. There was this amazing honey too, especially when drizzled over creamy Greek yogurt, tasting nothing like the honey that comes from the plastic bear found in most American grocery stores. That's because the Greeks had been perfecting honey for 3,000 years and have unique flora and plants found in no other parts of the world.  
We discovered by accident a shopping paradise high above the noisy streets below in Fira, the capital of Santorini where souvenir shops mingled with high end establishments. We purchased all things Greek to bring back home, olive oil soaps, herbs for cooking, coral bracelets and magnets with island pictures to name a few.
Of course in the spirit of remembering our trip and the wonderful dishes we sampled, I recently made a vegetarian moussaka for my daughter visiting from California. My mother warned me it was labor intensive when I told her what I planned to make. She almost scared me when she said she only made it the one time. But I prevailed first with crushed tomato sauce on the bottom then layering the eggplant, potatoes and zucchini, topped with feta cheese. I also used my herb package I brought home from Greece for seasoning. This gets baked in the oven first for 35 minutes. While its baking I made the béchamel sauce a simple white sauce with milk, flour, eggs, nutmeg and butter. This goes over the cooked mixture then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until browned. It's a lot like lasagna with all the assembly, but just as worth it. The laborious part was spent on all the chopping and frying the vegetables. The eggplant needs to be salted first and left to stand for 30 minutes to take out the bitterness. I learned my lesson the hard way and will oven bake the vegetables next time, especially the eggplant which completely absorbed the oil. It was way too messy. It definitely brought back the delicious taste of Greece to us!

Healing with Food

Over the years I've noticed more achy joints and am always on the search for anything that can either help or worsen this condition. I've never been formally diagnosed with arthritis although I was sure I had some in my hip but the recent x ray didn't show anything. Most of us are familiar with the more well known kinds; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. Especially my husband who developed osteoarthritis in his 40s and especially feels pain and stiffness in his hands and feet. He especially swears by handfuls of sour dried cherries he consumes daily and can definitely feel it when he isn't able to get his hands on them.
 I was shocked to learn there are many more types, over 100 different kinds are know to affect so many, up to 50 million adults, according to the Arthritis Foundation. That's a lot of us looking for relief beyond pain medication that have their own side effects. It's all about managing it as there is no cure.
 Foods can make a difference in reducing inflammation which damages joints. Good oils such as extra virgin olive oil, salmon, cherries, most berries, beans, green tea, broccoli and nuts; walnuts, almonds and pine nuts are great sources of antioxidants. One of my favorite vegetables the tomato, of the nightshade family along with eggplants and potatoes has gotten a bad rap from someone who claimed it contributes to inflammation, swelling and pain. Apparently it got started because the leaves of the tomato plants are poisonous. The Arthritis Foundation hasn't found any substantial evidence through research to support this. They encourage more consumption of fruits and vegetables packed with nutrients and vitamins, including the nightshade veggies. It reminds me of the butter vs margarine debate back in the 50s when suddenly butter was the enemy because it clogged your arteries, according to one doctor's recommendation. We've since turned that on its head.
I didn't worry when I enjoyed my caprese salad from the bounty of tomatoes found everywhere in summer. The orange ones are less acidic and had a very sweet taste which went well with the thick slices of mozzarella cheese from Wegmans. All you need is some seasoning, a drizzle of good olive oil and balsamic, topped off with sweet leaves of basil. It's a nice accompaniment to any dish or by itself with some toasted sour dough bread. Don't forget to top it off with a glass or two of dry Finger Lakes Riesling when you salute to summer!

               

Those Charming Country Farm Stands and a Great Peach Bellini.

                                                                                                                                
                       One of the best parts of summer is the abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers and the discovery along country roads those unadvertised farm stands. Housed in cute sheds with names like Snuffys, on flat bed trucks or just a simple table, they fill a need. Because sometimes the last place you want to go is the supermarket, after a long day.
 The wagon comes to mind on the road we live off of where you will find all kinds of produce, home grown honey and arranged flower bouquets, that come in handy, especially when you need a bunch in a hurry for those special occasions. Such as last year when we picked up a half a dozen to decorate tables for my mother in law's 96th birthday party.
This week the peaches finally came out. My husband came  home his arms brimming with tomatoes and the long awaited peaches. "Here, I know you'll think of something to do with all these." he said as they scattered onto the counter top, the floral fragrance of the peaches filling the air. My eyes scanned the produce and I immediately thought of using the large heirloom tomatoes for a caprese salad that would be perfect for a mid week get together at my friend's home on the lake. They would also be great for those California BLT's that make a simple summer super. As far as the peaches go, my husband was hinting about some peach cobbler that would go with the vanilla ice cream. But what I really had my heart set on was a fruity, refreshing peach bellini. I went about making my simple sugar with equal parts white sugar and water that equaled a cup,boiled it for a few minutes and then set it in the fridge to cool. By the way did you know Wegman's sells simple sugar now? Honestly I can't imagine anyone buying it, it's so easy and cheap to make yourself. But then they think of everything, knowing someone out there will buy it. Then I pealed 5 ripe peaches and blended them in the blender and set it to cool in the fridge. Time to run out and buy some bottles of Finger Lakes Swedish Hill Sparkling Riesling for the alcohol. This house serves nothing but Finger Lakes wines, although some recipes call for Prosecco. Then it was time to blend together the simple sugar and peach puree, which was a thing of beauty. Get your mason jars, tumblers or wine glasses out to pour the peach concoction into followed by the sparkling wine, then top off with some crushed ice. A thing of beauty as well as well as being dam delicious!
                                                     

      

Summer in the Finger Lakes

                      

 

There aren't many places left on Canandaigua Lake to enjoy the beautiful lake views. There's Kershaw park a great spot for picnics and swimming but if you want to eat out by the lake and have an experience, there's nothing like Canandaigua Inn On The Lake. You can go down to the Sand Bar where the atmosphere is super casual and watch the boaters come in, with drink or two and order some bar type food. On Wednesdays and Fridays you'll catch some local talent and get to enjoy live music. Sometimes you'll find people just sitting on the grass, taking it all in. Then there's the patio up above that offers up delicious main entrees where I've celebrated many events over the years. I really love that the Inn offers Finger Lakes wines to choose from, a focus of mine who as a lover of the amazing wines we have here, am disappointed many local establishments don't show case them. After dinner you can stroll by the lake where you'll find plenty of comfortable redwood Adirondack chairs, strategically placed along side the lake in front of the Inn, to take in the sunset during the long, dog days of summer. The Inn has also added a popular Finger Lakes wine and beer tasting event under the tent on Wednesdays during July and August. I'm already freaking about the Inn's closure next year to begin their huge project to update the facility through 2020.This has always been my go to place to bring friends from out of town or just to kick back with my husband. There really is no place like it. The Inn On The Lake represents the best of summer in Canandaigua. So better get down to the Inn on the Lake and make the most of it. After all summer is fleeting in Western New York.