Eating with the fullest pleasure--pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance--is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection with the world. In this pleasure we experience and celebrate our dependence and our gratitude, for we are living from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we cannot comprehend.
-Wendell Berry
In the middle of your independence celebration weekend, take a moment to reflect on how dependent you are. And how that's not such a bad thing.
Name: April
Location: Long Beach, CA
Type of space: Herb and vegetable garden
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I love being able to go outside and watch my vegetables and herbs grow. It's also the perfect spot to read a good book, enjoy a drink and breathe in the aroma of lavender, rosemary and thyme.
Name: Paula
Location: Matteson, IL
Type of space: Outdoor patio
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: For Father's Day this year, my mother and I decided to go all out for my pizza-loving father. For many years we used our back patio as a dumping ground for our seasonal junk. This summer (actually only an astonishing 11 days) we turned it into a pizza coliseum. The structure consists of a pergola with monogrammed edging, a one of a kind countertop, and a wood-burning pizza oven. We also made detailed mosaic pizzas and a stone seating area to honor the chef.
We took a walk back through our archives of grilling goodness and came back with an armful of good ideas, helpful tips, and inspirational recipes. From cinnamon stick skewers to when (and why) to leave the lid on while grilling, here are 21 of the more intriguing posts to help you grill out on the 4th.
Name: Melissa
Location: Greenbelt, MD
Type of space: Balcony
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I love to garden and produce my own food but I live in a condo. The space is small (11x6ft) and only receives direct sunlight until noon... I do love a challenge.
Name: Lauren
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Type of space: Backyard garden
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: My family hosted a backyard BBQ to celebrate my recent graduation. Since my Dad is Arabic, our menu was mostly Middle Eastern, including a huge batch of lemony homemade hummous, tabbouleh, lentil salad, olives, feta, falafel, kifta kabob (spiced meat), and turkey sausages. Our family is used to this kind of food but we knew it would be a treat for my friends.
Name: Amelia
Location: Washington, D.C.
Type of space: Community garden plot
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I am a foodie and a longtime container gardener, so I was thrilled to be assigned a fourteen by fourteen foot plot at a community garden here in Washington, DC. Over the course of the last six months, I have filled the beds with many of my favorite vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, salad greens, onions, beets, chard, potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, eggplants, and lots of herbs. Having this space has also allowed me to try out some eclectic and alluring seed catalog items, like my Mexican Sour Gherkins and Chocolate Cherry tomatoes.
Name: Erin
Location: Ames, IA
Type of space: Balcony
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I wish I could live out here constantly! Most of the balcony taken up by the plants, but we squeezed in a couple chairs and the grill, which gets fired up almost every night during the summer. The planters are overflowing with vegetables, edible flowers and herbs. I use something from out here with almost every meal I cook. I love tending the plants, trying new arrangements, and watching them grow. It takes a bit of time to keep it all maintained – on average, a couple hours per day – but it’s very meditative and therapeutic. Sometimes I just sit and stare; even from inside the apartment the view is stunning.
Name: Maria
Location: Edmonton, AB
Type of space: Garden
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: This is my second year trying out this thing called gardening. I have switched from having one huge bed to having 3 boxed beds and what I like to refer to as the Free Range potato patch. It is a strictly vegetable/edible garden that I have planted using Companion Planting strategies.
I love going out in the morning over the weekend and just picking weeds, smelling the tomato plants, and making sure my babies are healthy and strong. I can't wait for our first harvest! We have 46 potato plants growing so I see a lot of potato dishes in our future. Yum!
Happy 4th of July! Is the grill fired up yet? Well, we do realize that it's only July 3rd, but since the 4th falls on a Saturday, we're observing the holiday today here on the blog. But we're not leaving you with just yesterday's posts! We're running a final marathon of entries in our My Great Outdoors event, which is just wrapping up. Look for rich inspiration on balcony and container gardening for food, plus lots of outdoor eating. We'll also offer up a few good ideas from the archives on grilling, outdoor eating, and great eats for the 4th of July.
So whether you're working or already kicking back at home, come get ready for the 4th of July with us here at The Kitchn.
Maybe you’ve been known to make the occasional Gin and Tonic at home, but leave the Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Margaritas to the pro bartenders to mix up. Or maybe you’re already a master of half a dozen recipes, but haven’t yet tried that incredibly refreshing-looking one that just caught your eye because you’re short a bar staple or two.
Here’s how, by stocking up on some basic ingredients and a minimum of specialized tools, you can start building your own home bar for entertaining this Fourth of July weekend - and keep things shaking and stirring for months to come.
We don't often venture into kitschy territory with food (bad childhood memories of green milk on St. Patrick's Day), but there are a lot of dishes you can make that are red, white, and blue without feeling forced. And if you don't like our suggestions, you can always stick to a flag cake (or the more modern fruit flag!)...
I'm originally from Georgia, and recently returned from a month-long visit with my relatives. As soon as I get my feet back on some red clay, I immediately start seeking out my favorite Southern delicacies that I can't find in San Francisco. Among these are hot boiled peanuts. One of my cherished past times is driving along winding country roads and stopping at "HOT BOILED P-NUT" stands along the way, and purchasing a paper bag full of addictive, salty, soft peanut snacks. But when I am not in Georgia, I make these tasty treats at home. It's quite easy!
Earlier this week, a reader inquired about more uses for mung beans. Like several of you, my thoughts turned to Asian-style sweet mung bean soup.
If you're throwing a swanky dinner and want a spread that will really impress your guests, Savenor's in Boston is the place to go. We had just such a party in the works, so we decided to indulge our curiosity about the famous Boston landmark and go on a shopping spree.
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