Purple Mountain Majesties
There must be a genetic link to hatred of holidays. When dad spoke of Christmas he would say 'I want to give presents when I WANT TO, not when I HAVE TO!' Which was never, apparently.
it wasn’t about being cheap, or self-centered, he just couldn't wrap his mind around shopping for anything. When I would go to visit him his refrigerator would hold a half stick of butter, some deli meat drying out at the edges, 6 eggs, and a container, a small one, of orange juice. The first thing I would do after sleeping off the flight, was go shopping. Who can drink coffee without half & half? Who doesn't feel better with a full refrigerator? For me the horrible part of holidays is not the pressure to shop...I do that gleefully and often, but another kind of pressure...the pressure to have fun, and to do that with other people who are also trying to have fun. This is a set-up for disaster in my book.
The worst of these disasters is the 4th of July. There is horrid noise involved, which makes it a painful and scary day, and in my neighborhood the fireworks start early, in mid-June. Each night at about 11 some jerk is firing off a rocket. Why do these people think it's okay to make noise? I understand the part about the pretty lights up in the sky, but I can't see them, so it's strictly about loudness. It freaks the cats out. They run and hide under the bed, and I wish I could fit under there too. The activity builds to a crescendo, culminating on the 4th, and the experience is like being in a war zone. I sit in the bedroom with the windows closed and earplugs squarely in place, waiting for it to be over.
Oh, I almost forgot the reason for all this 'celebration'.... the part about the Declaration of Independence. We separated from Britain and were now united and free. How's that working out? Feeling free lately? Want to wave a flag? There may be flags flying about, but not at my house or any of my friend's houses either. When I was a kid it was different of course. We would go to visit the Brogans in Westchester, and gather at a community park to eat and watch the display. I loved it. I was a tiny patriot. I felt real love for family, country, friends. Now family is dispersed (some into the ground or urns), country is worrisome, and friends, well, I do have a bunch of really good ones, and that may be the best part of all of this. That, and eating picnic food.
I would never actually picnic outside because of the presence of bugs, but I may save that story for later. To picnic indoors though is great. A few years ago my friend Allan had an indoor picnic with a nice red and white checked cloth on the floor, and the movie 'Picnic' playing on the screen. We got to have a virtual outdoor experience, the best kind, and to hang out with William Holden at his most handsome, just on the verge of becoming over-ripe. The food was splendid, all cooked indoors with bugs avoided. At a picnic there will always be meat of some kind, ribs or chicken, hot dogs, burgers...all delicious. Then what people refer to as 'side dishes', which I don't understand at all. These are where the creativity lies, and shouldn't be relegated to the side, ever. Traditionally these dishes are heavy on the mayo, which is a shame, unless of course you make your own, but I may be the only person who does that. Take coleslaw, which is just a humble pile of cabbage wedded with a sauce. If you eat it at a diner it will come in a tiny paper cup. I always want more than that! It has a crunch and a zing even drenched in mayonnaise. But forget the creamy slaw, and try this instead to make that stuff sing loud and bright!
Coleslaw Dressing
juice of 1 medium lemon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon anise seed
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
Put all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until emulsified. Let this dressing sit for an hour or so to allow the flavor of the anise seed to imbue into it. Because this is a fruity licorice flavor dressing add to your shredded cabbage (1 small red one) a red delicious apple, chopped fine, a red onion, sliced thin, and about ½ cup dried cranberries. You will have a purple mountain to remind you why you live here.