Summer Comes

Yesterday was a sunny day in the 70's with the garden in full on summer mode.  Absolutely lovely. 

For some reason I felt as though I were on vacation and didn't let thoughts of productivity bother me one little bit!  Weeded a little and then busied myself pointing out weeds to my husband.  Looked lovingly at my prosciutto bone and went through recipes.  Finally decided I didn't have the ingredients for any of the recipes and improvised.....kale and potato soup with prosciutto and lentils.  Used the prosciutto bone and a handful of parmigiano reggiano rinds to flavor the broth, sauteed lots on onions and garlic with some tender little carrots and celery, diced red and russet potatoes and then handfuls and handfuls of fresh kale from the garden.  Simmered it for awhile and since it was still a bit thin, thickened it with some crumbled stale Italian bread. I meant to add some fresh herbs but it was so perfect I just let it be.  I had planned to freeze it but we couldn't resist so it will be our lunches this week.  I have so much kale and swiss chard in the garden that I need to preserve some.  If it keeps growing at this rate and I harvest and freeze it we will be in greens all winter!

There is a bright yellow zucchini blossom this morning, the tomatillo plant is blooming and we harvested our first pepper yesterday.  We even have a teeny little green tomato or two.  Yesterday morning we were so happy looking at the garden and pointing out things to one another.  Then I missed my parents terribly.  Because by all rights I should be able to go call them up and say, "you wouldn't believe how the garden is growing....you'll have to come see it!"  But I thought of them.  I thought of them.

The prosciutto bone for $1.49 was one of my favorite things I got at Volpi!