Sunday Letter: 07.16.23

Dear Sunday Letter friends~

Oh, I had a fantastic birthday week. Thank you to all who sent greetings via text or Twitter, face-to-face or Facebook, cards or flowers or lunch dates. I don’t know exactly when the spring chicken phase of life ends, but I am well past it. Now, as a seasoned hen, I am becoming more and more aware that every day is a gift.

 

How about we welcome every day as the celebration it is?

Cheers to the BLT

There comes a point here in the steamiest part of the southern summer when I can no longer think clearly. In fact, I begin to reassess the entire structure of my life. Specifically, I wonder—

• why do I willingly live in a part of the world with rainforest-like humidity?
• why do I bother with growing a pollinator garden when each time I step outside the no-see-ums ravage my ankles?
• why oh why haven’t we at least moved to the lake or built a swimming pool?

And then right before I plunge into full blown madness, the Cherokee Purples ripen. Just knowing this causes a shift in my thinking, enough so that I will walk to Farmer’s Market to buy a basket of them. And I will make a special trip to the grocery store for a fresh loaf of my favorite bread and a pound of center cut bacon. And I will fry the whole pound of bacon in my favorite skillet with little regard for the increased kitchen heat generated by said activity.

Now I gotta ask—

1. Is it really summer without a BLT?
2. Could we truly survive summer without one?
3. What do vegetarians do?

I suppose an ATL (avocado tomato and lettuce) provides a decent substitute. The Minimalist Baker has a vegan version that substitutes fried strips of eggplant for bacon. It actually looks amazing.

Vegetarians, what say you?

Splatter Screen

Since we are on the topic of frying, I thought I’d tell you about this Williams Sonoma splatter screen I received for Christmas last year. I don’t often fry anything the traditional way because 1) I don’t like a greasy stovetop; and 2) fried foods are simply not healthy no matter how you spin it. But because we are doing whatever is necessary to survive the summer doldrums (i.e. making BLTs), I finally used my splatter screen.

It is a frying game changer. 

Not only does it keep grease from splattering (hence the name), but it also absorbs odors so that the entire house doesn’t smell like fried pig fat.

Who knew?

Maybe you need a Christmas in July gift? Also, ‘real’ Christmas is only 162 days away…

Never Turn Down an Invitation for an Ice Cream Cone

When your husband (or significant other or even the little voice in your head) asks you out on a hot Friday night date to get a dipped cone at the Dairy Queen, you say YES.

(Yeah, we #fancylike Dairy Queen.)

You may think DQ soft serve and a BLT are nothing alike, but really they are. They both belong in the category Simple Ways to Survive Summer in the South. (I could do an entire post on this topic—maybe I will later.)

The basic Dairy Queen soft serve (or Taste Freeze or fill in the blank with your favorite dairy bar name) truly is summer in a cone. Dip it in chocolate or keep it plain, but there is zero need for fancy fixins or crazy add-ins. Just grab a paper napkin and enjoy it from the tip of the ice cream curl to the last drop at the bottom of the cone.

Nostalgia.
Happiness.
Sweet summertime goodness.
And yes—the ultimate handheld device!

Things Momma Says:

I have never liked a fish taco.

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Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Letter. I vote we all celebrate the week ahead, whether it’s your birthday or not.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.