Yes, this should be tiny home Tuesday, but the only thing even close that sort of looked like it might be a tiny home I am pretty sure was a storage shed on a public lake. There ARE some small homes here in this varied neighborhood, older amongst the newer, but there wasn't really a chance to stop for photos. Maybe later on.
Besides, it was a day about cooking food for a dinner party tonight. I don't think the cooking and planning to cook stopped all day. But we did pause for a crab salad lunch, in honor of my Aunt Bev, who loved crab salad. And it was the last luncheon we had together, so Carroll, loving her as I did if not more, did it up right and we got stuffed with crab salad. Which is, when it is made right and light, sort of like being stuffed with sushi. You're not really stuffed. It's just...damn good.
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| Lettuce from the garden |
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| Peas from the garden and a lot of crab made super simple |
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Smoked scallops we got from this amazing fish store
(where the smoked salmon from breakfast came from -
he smokes the salmon and slices off the amount you want) |
In between all the eating Michael took us to three or four food stores to buy more food or just drool around. Three of them were small, very gourmet, super friendly staffs of one in each and I was officially having lustful thoughts toward inanimate objects. My brother took the following photos, I was otherwise occupied.
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This store that is all about meats - well, we spent awhile there.
The freezer containers of everything good were right there. |
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This is from the amazing good fish store.
This is how you buy smoked salmon from this store. |
This store was not a specialty store. In fact, it was an IGA. The best IGA I've ever been in. Michael says they upscaled it a few years ago. Yeah, that works.
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| Look what we found in the fish section! Cobia!! |
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| Sure, just your typical fish selection |
Back on the ranch, it was time to get serious. About another meal.
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| Prepping for dinner with friends |
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| Carroll and Michael have this down |
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| The slab bacon that will go into the best cole slaw |
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| Lots of creamy blue cheese beside whatever else is in here. |
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| From the market, not the garden. |
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| Garlic croissants. We were promised these were from heaven. It was true. |
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Michael pointing out his outdoor kitchen stash of fun cooking things
(translate - I don't even remember what is in there but I was jealous) |
Side note here:
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Jonny and I could not resist while at the fish store. Smoked scallops?? Really???
Considering we only walked out with one thing, we resisted a lot.
There is a chef there. In the fish store. In-house prepared everything fish. Uh huh. |
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| Jonny telling stories and making sure no one starves to death or dehydrates |
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| Smoked scallops, brie |
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| Buttered with oh so fragrant garlicky and seasonings butter croissants |
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| Into the smoker they go |
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| While the meat is grilling...and done! |
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| Finishing off the croissants |
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Really finishing off the croissants.
Chopped parsley from the garden and I got to apply it.
Obviously it is why they turned out so well. |
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This really was one of the best slaws I've tasted. The bacon. The blue cheese.
The sweet peppers. And whatever else he put in there. Fabulous! |
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| Tony turned out to be a pretty funny guy. I have no idea what he was doing here. |
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Lots of appetizers and wine later, it was actually dinner time.
Michael serves the filets according to doneness choice.
Rare won the day for most. |
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| Let the games begin! |
When it seemed we couldn't eat another bite, after some talk and lots of food praise, Carroll brought out the Atlantic Beach Pie she made. The recipe says it is based on a North Carolina Lemon Pie. We'd never heard of either one and think it was pretty much like a Key Lime Pie with whipped cream rather than meringue.
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| No matter what it is called, it was a perfect finish to an excellent meal and time together. |
The sun went down while we took an after dinner walk. The mosquitos came out and it was inside and very shortly, in bed.
It is not quite 6:30 in the morning and the smell of coffee is filling the air. Keeping up with this crew isn't for the faint of heart. Maybe that is how my aunt made it to 100. We'll see her today; I'll ask.
Have a tangy, tasty, thankful Tuesday. Do something ...do I smell bacon too? Ok, do something. Outta here!
Smoked scallops? I would never have thought of that. We can buy fresh scallops, dry, not slimmed in liquid, at our local market. Going to have to try smoking them.
ReplyDeleteWe said exactly the same thing. With Michael having a smoker, we got full of ideas. But we just had to try this as NONE of us had heard of it. They were delicious. Later we agreed that it would be better to slice them and have them on a cracker, or make a dip. As incredible as they were and they were, more than a small bite was probably a bit much. Too much richness or something. Hard to describe because anything that makes them sound bad is wrong...just should spread the wealth a bit. Try and let me know!
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