Friends to lunch — summer

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, June 27, 2009—

THE DAY OF THE LITTLE BUGS, Lindsey calls it: Summer is here, and the gnats have appeared. I see one now walking up the screen of the iMac. Nothing is sacred.

Friends over to lunch on an incredibly hot day. I grilled "French" sausages over a fire of a little charcoal, a few dry rose prunings, more than a few tiny grape prunings, also dry. Lindsey made her delicious rice salad which involves also cucumber, celery, green pepper, onion, oil, and vinegar. She also cooked up some green beans with minced shallots that had been browned in oil .I picked lettuce and made the usual vinaigrette.Strawberries, raspberries, and apricots cut up, the raspberries warmed a bit, for dessert. Bread, oil, and salt, of course.

I think of Joe and Karen, who bring in the olive oil. They're in Portland: everything else (except the coffee) came from within twenty miles. I think of Franco Dunn, who makes such delicious sausages. Lindsey's father who began our vinegar and brought it such a long way. Nancy Skall, who grew the beans, the strawberries, and the raspberries. The Healdsburg ladies whose Chico relatives provide the apricots (another batch is drying in the El Camino this week). Kathleen and Maya (and their staff) who work so hard to make such good bread. Lou and Susan Preston (and their staff) who make such good wine. What a splendid day, even though it was 102°, and not even July yet.

Cheap Prosecco: Zonin, nv
Carignane: Preston of Dry Creek, 2006