Busy Bees

I thought I’d continue on and publish the other post I did while guest posting for my friend Meg while she was on her honeymoon……

 

We were outside watching the bees work in the lavender when the call came in..  “Grammy called, there are raspberries!”

 

 

 

 

Two minutes later we were all in the car and on our way to the best pick-your-own patch I know, my mother’s garden.

 

 

 

 

The boys and I picked (and ate) until we had gotten our fill (aren’t they beautiful!?)

 

 

 

 

It’s no wonder they were gone in a flash!

 

I’m sorry that I have no recipes for raspberries today since they always get eaten too quickly!  I like them best just as they are, but you can also top them with a dollop of freshly whipped cream for a decadent treat!

Summer = Fresh Food

I’m going to deviate from my usual blog style to share some blogposts I did for my friend Meg while she was on her honeymoon.

One of the best signs of summer I know is when the yellow flag is out at my local farm stand on Cape Cod.  The yellow flag is there to let people know that there is corn (if the flag isn’t there, they’ve sold out for the day).  It is so sweet and delicious that all it needs is three minutes (or less) in the steamer.

Another super fresh Cape Cod summer experience is quahogs.  Some of you may know them as “Littlenecks” or “Cherrystones” (names which actually designate the size of the clam).  All it takes is a shell fishing license, a basket and low tide to get a tasty treat!

Some people only like the smaller sizes because the large ones (known as “Chowders”) can be a little chewy and are more suitable chopped up in chowder – hence the name!  Shellfish may seem intimidating at first if you have never cooked them.  But they taste delicious when cooked simply.  One nice way is to make them in a red sauce like this:

Quahogs in Red Sauce

1 T Olive oil

a few cloves of chopped Garlic

several chopped Onions

20 oz Crushed Tomatoes

2 (or more) cups of red wine

scrubbed fresh Quahogs

Place the clams in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes or so.  Since they are bivalves and filter water constantly, this will help to flush out sand so that you won’t end up with a gritty dinner.  Then you need to scrub them well under running water.  Discard any that are already open.

Heat the oil in a large pot, add the garlic and onions, and sauté until tender.  Add the tomatoes and wine then simmer for “a while” (as long as you have time for).  When ready, bring to a boil then add the clams and cover.  Steam them until they open.  The smaller ones will take less time than the big ones.  After about 10 minutes pass, take a peek and then every few minutes after that to see if any are done.  Depending on how big your pot is and how many clams you have you may need to cook them in shifts.

Eat them up with some good crusty bread or over pasta!