Summertime Eats
There’s a funny meme going ‘round that depicts a mom pouring tequila with the caption WHEN YOU REALIZE THE KIDS WILL BE HOME ALL DAY, EVERY DAY FOR THE SUMMER.
Today’s youth are a bit different than the old days, with kids more engaged in technology and indoors, but summer in general is an outdoorsy time for all. Let’s see what Chef Becky has to share about this fun time o’ year.
Planets and Tilt and Cosmic Whatnot
The Summer Solstice of June 21st marks the Earth’s time of strongest tilt toward the sun (aphelion). If you dig a little deeper into the bigger picture issues of cosmology, some astrophysicists have wondered why planets orbiting suns don’t spiral into that sun. The reason is that planets do fall toward their suns, but are kept from falling in by a balance created between gravity, mass, a planet’s slightly oblong shape (not a perfect circle), and its orbit. Mass and gravity are still not fully understood completely, but suffice it to say we get to enjoy long warm summer days when the earth is tilted sunward, plus some spectacular moons such as the Full Buck Moon in early July.
Keeping It Real
New Jersey’s humid and bright summer days are great for reconnecting with the great outdoors. Cycling, fishing, motorcycling, skateboarding, fruit stands, and goofy goat antics, and fruit picking are just some of the activities beloved by New Jerseyians. Outdoor time means outdoor eats! Especially in the restored freedoms afforded by a post-covid rebound, people are remembering what it’s like to socialize, move around freely, and enjoy the state’s cornucopia of cultures and eats. “I’ve always been earthy and an outdoors person,” Chef Becky says, “and cooking outdoors presents its own challenges, logistics, and problems that I like to find solutions to.” Such as? “You have to improvise a lot when cooking outdoors – think of camping. You don’t have your whole kitchen at your disposal. One thing that we forget since we use our hands without thinking about it is what amazing tools our hands are. There’s nothing like a handcrafted hamburger patty on the grill in summer, hand-shucked corn, literally pulled pork, or a good imperfect goopy S’more. Look at the camping section of any discount store and imagine that’s all you have to cook with. Limitations breed creativity and inspiration.”
Generational Differences and Common Ground
Jokes and lore about growing up pre-digital abound. Chef Becky remembers: “Generation X was a totally outdoor generation. In summer, you went outside after breakfast and didn’t really return to dinner. You were hydrated with garden hose water. Injuries were commonplace. Concussions were walked off. First Aid kits had to be well-stocked and restocked.” Today’s kids enjoy better nutritional choices, but certain foods are just synonymous with summer, especially in a state that was once known for its fruits and vegetables. Nothing unites people like a cold ice cream cone after a hot summer day. 
Chef Becky’s Advice on Summer Cooking
“Don’t overthink it,” the Chef says. “Simplicity sometimes works best. Salt and fresh avocado. Salt and tomato. Marinate ears of corn in some olive oil and a spice blend such as Old Bay and grill them– but don’t overcook them! Keep that crunch. With BBQing, don’t smoosh down your burger patties as people are for some reason tempted to do. Retain the juice and factor in rest time. Beef is one of the more forgiving meats for undercooking. With the ways technology has reshaped humanity, tap into those instinctive hunter/gatherer skills. You don’t necessarily need YouTube how-tos and fancy gadgets. You have a wonderful gadget in your skull case! I’m an outsider chef, and as much as one can get from cooking school, you’d be amazed how much the basics are a commonality between school-trained and rogue chefs.”
Make it Easy with Bex
Consider Bex for your summer special event. We can cater at your place or you can do a super-simple package deal at our new gallery space in downtown Califon. The Chef can design your event to be as fancy or down-to-earth as you like. Summertime is a time to make memories, explore the Earth, celebrate America, keep students’ minds engaged, get married, and grow the stuff that made NJ the Garden State! And don’t forget to keep hydrated.
Stay nourished through it all with Bex.
