Susan
Nye
June – Time to Celebrate &
Around
Greek Salad with Grilled Shrimp
the Table
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Spring 2015/Volume 452
And so it begins, June – a month filled
with rites of passage, transitions and
promise. Pomp and circumstance will fill the
air when graduates march from the high
school one last time. Bevies of nervous brides
will walk down the aisle to meet their just-asnervous grooms and tie the knot. Families and
all their earthly possessions will take to the
road for a new life in a new home.
Temperatures (and humidity) will inch up and
up, proving once again that there really is
summer in New Hampshire.
Along with those momentous occasions
and wonderful warm weather comes the
promise of parties, picnics, freshly squeezed
lemonade and local strawberries. But what if there are no smiling graduates or beaming
brides in your family this summer? What do you have to celebrate? Hhhmmmm.
Well, today is National Rocky Road Day. This well-loved ice cream got its name soon
after the stock market crash of 1929. With the country in depression, the inventor hoped his
new flavor would raise a smile on the difficult road to recovery. I suppose an ice cream
social would not be amiss; perhaps even obligatory.
National Yo-Yo Day is coming up on Saturday. You could always organize a
neighborhood tournament. Unless, you decide to forgo yo-yos in favor of the track, Saturday
is also the running of the Belmont Stakes. With American Pharoah two-for-two on his
quest for the Triple Crown, it’s a good time to whip up a batch of Belmont Breeze and invite
friends over to see if history will again be made. Of course you could combine the two. The
race only takes a few minutes, leaving you plenty of time to Walk the Dog and Shoot the
Moon.
Sunday is National Donut Day. Although she couldn’t boil water, my father swears that
his grandmother was the world’s best donut maker. Although she left a few clues, Nana
Slack did not leave her recipe behind. Perhaps I should celebrate the day by trying to
recreate her amazing donuts.
Later in the month, we have National Ballpoint Day on June 10th. I suppose we
could all go to the bank and make off with a stash of pens. I think I’ll give that one a
pass. National Picnic Day on June 18th sounds like a lot more fun. School lets out about
that time. Why not celebrate the last day of school with a trip to the coast or lake and a
picnic?
On the 21st you can take your pick and celebrate the Summer Solstice or
Father’s Day or both. Enjoy the longest day with another picnic. This time, your feast
should include Scandinavian delights like gravlax and lingon berries. Fresh lingon berries
are more or less impossible to find outside of Scandinavia but you can probably find some
jam at IKEA or on line.
If you have little ones at home or visiting, you can’t go wrong with National
Fairy Day on June 24th. Spend the afternoon building fanciful Fairy Houses. Start with
a walk in the woods to collect twigs, bits of bark and moss, acorns and stones for your
whimsical constructions. Find a quiet and cozy spot to build your house (or neighborhood of
houses) and put it all together. Finish off the afternoon with a scrumptious tea party
with strawberry shortcakes.
Here’s hoping that your June is full of delights and surprises. Bon appétit!
© Susan Nye, 2015
Susan
Nye
Around
Another recipe from Susan Nye:
the Table
Spring 2015/Volume 452
Greek Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Whether your picnic is in the backyard or miles from home, everyone will love this classic summer salad. Enjoy!
Serves 8
1 small red onion, cut in half horizontally and then into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
About 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
About 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes (in a mix of different shapes and colors if you can find them), halved
1 European cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
8 ounces feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
16-20 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
2-4 pita breads, quartered
Put the onion and garlic in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with vinegar and toss to
combine. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and toss again. Stirring occasionally, let the onions
marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Put the tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with the herbs and toss to combine. Add the
onions and olives to the tomatoes and cucumbers and toss to combine. Add the feta and gently toss to
combine.
To serve: transfer the salad to a large, deep serving platter or individual plates and top with shrimp
and a wedge or two of pita.
Grilled Shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
About 2 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
(optional)
Put the olive oil in a bowl, add the garlic, lemon zest and juice and
whisk to combine. Add the shrimp, sprinkle with herbs, salt and
pepper and toss to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to about 30
minutes.
Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the shrimp directly on the grill or thread them onto the soaked
skewers. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until just opaque, about 2-4 minutes. Serve warm or at room
temperature. The shrimp can be grilled in advance, covered and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to
room temperature before serving.
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© Susan Nye, 2015