Kicking off Summer in the Suburbs

I have to say this cookbook is a great read.
I've seen the Ample Hills
outpost at Gotham Market West on 11th Avenue,
but hope to head to the mother ship in Brooklyn soon.

First. a fun backyard BBQ at Fred and Jude's with live jazz by Fred, Liam and other great musicians, plus a singer, Carol [sp], who belted out "Summertime." It was beautiful. I've never heard it performed live before.

Nice cheeses, salads, birthday cake for Fred from Little Daisy Bake Shop. Our friends Anne and Michael and John and Janet were there.

Then H. and I left for the annual tiki party hosted by boot camp friend Amy and her husband, Scott. They have an authentic tiki hut!!! Good vibrations. 

Welcome, summer.

Good night.

TCOY

1. I really enjoyed the craft of making brownies from the Ample Hills Creamery cookbook to bring to the BBQ. Used fine Lindt Swiss bittersweet chocolate, European butter, sea salt, La Maison du Chocolat cacao powder. Planned to eat just one while cutting them, though it may have been two. Very good. Piled them high on my little turquoise pedestal platter and topped with a hot pink dahlia and rosebud from our garden. Punchy is a brownie lover, so I froze a few for her. I do hope to pull out my ice cream maker from the basement and try an ice cream once I have a fully working freezer, but for now, I'm fascinated with baking the creamery's mix-in recipes. I used a 9 x 13 in pan, so baking time was longer than for the shallower brownies in the book.

2. Made a superfood smoothie with coconut milk, fresh lime juice and peel, frozen banana, flaxseed. Forgot the toasted shredded coconut!

3. Important reading, and light reading.

4. Lots of ice water.

5. H. and I watched the first "Twin Peaks" episode [from the 80s] on Netflix. Nice to have time alone. Fun to revisit that show..