Hall Sheriff is back from New York City and perhaps he will rejoin us this weekend.  Apparently he was laid over in some exciting city out there in the middle and was not super jazzed about it.

Moving on.  Oh yes, about this week’s  dinner menu.  Ben reports that on his Wednesday morning shopping expedition to Boggy Creek Farm he encountered the largest crowd he’s ever seen there.  Luckily, we are in peak season for just about all local produce – and he got there early (wow, did I just modify my brother with the adjective signifying arival at destination prior to the expectated time???).  I’m sorry – yes, food.  He purchased 7 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes – I’ve been banished from the prep area because I keep eating them – and he’s making a summer gazpacho to go with the lovely August (er… I mean June) weather we’re having.  We plan to marinate whatever tomatoes we have left with extra virgin olive oil and decorate every plate we send out with them (just about).   He also picked up all manner of haricot verts, baby yellow beans, baby chard, sweet onions, freshly dug new potatoes, and figs, alongs with several varieties of squashes and peppers.

So, while the menu is going to stay pretty consistent, we’re going to change up the sides and mix and match the bounty that is coming in during this all too brief window before we are reduced to peppers, squash, ochra and lest I forget, eggplant.  We do plan to introduce a new ravioli – this week’s ravioli will be stuffed with a puree of squash, basil and homemade ricotta.  Finally – I’ve got calls out for sardines and we’re waiting to hear about squash blossoms and some early summer corn (Ben is looking forward to trying a corn bread pudding.)

In closing, I needed to thank a couple of folks for their contributions to our little evening enterprise.  Cindy Keever at Centex was incredibly kind to send over several cases of beer for our Wednesday family happy hour, and I’m very late in thanking her.  Cindy – it’s hot out there and I can’t tell you how much we’ve appreciated the largess of your contribution – thanks very much.  Also – thanks very much to Kara, Austin, and everyone who joined us last Saturday for our cabaret night.  Kara was in fine voice and I think I speak for everyone here in expressing how much we enjoyed the event.

Hope to see you all this weekend – Bon Appetite,

Murph