Mulberry Jam

Last night we finally got some rain; July has been shaping up as a dry one. Most disappointing after all that nice rain we had in June and May, too. Despite the respite, I know it won’t be long before we’re back to the heat and humidity that is summer in Washington. I look for any way to avoid heating up the kitchen on days like that, and here’s a recipe for a cold soup that has found its way into heavy rotation at my house.  You can whiz this up in a blender or food processor in five minutes flat.

Chilled Cucumber Soup
(makes about one quart)

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
1 c. greek style yogurt (such as Fage)
1 c. regular plain yogurt (may use 2 c. regular yogurt if greek style isn’t available)
1-2 c. buttermilk (depending on how thick you like your soup)
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs: mint, marjoram, thyme, you pick
salt (don’t skimp here, it takes at least 1t., and maybe 2)
black pepper

Garnish: minced hard boiled egg, snipped chives

In food processor or blender, buzz up one cucumber and the garlic clove to a rough paste. Add salt, pepper, yogurt and blend on pulse. Add herbs and the second cucumber and pulse to blend, but leave a bit of texture in the soup. Add buttermilk to thin to the desired texture. Chill for at least an hour. You may add a few ice cubes to speed chilling of the soup, but don’t dilute it so much you make it watery. Garnish with the chopped egg and chives.

Last night I went out the ball game with a couple of girlfriends. This was my first opportunity to see the new Nationals Ball Park even though my husband has been, oh, dozens of times!

It was a beautiful night, not so hot as it has been. The end of the game was a total nail biter. The visiting team was the Arizona Diamondbacks, and most of the game had been a pitcher’s duel, with lots of great defense. The score going into the ninth had the Nats behind 0 to 2, but they tied it up with some good hitting (finally). So there we all are with no outs and bases loaded.  The whole crowd is on its feet, but the Nats can’t get their men home before the inning gets closed out. So the game goes into EX-tra Innings (as George Carlin says).

In the bottom of the tenth the D-backs go ahead, 5 to 2. The Nats come back and tie it up again, but again they are unable to eke out the winning run. No-one in the park has left or sat down since the ninth inning. Finally, in the eleventh inning the D-backs score one more run, which the Nats couldn’t match. Game over, sigh.

But it was a great night anyway. Jamie’s five-year-old daughter caught a tee shirt AND got onto the jumbo-tron, and there was much enjoyable junk food consumed. All in all, a terrific summer night.

Naturally since the weather over the three-day holiday was not so good, today is just lovely. Sunny, blue sky and not horribly hot considering it’s July in Washington. The mulberries are finally fading after five weeks of creating their usual sticky, jammy mess on the front walk and street. I did get to make a batch of mulberry jam this year, and I think it turned out well. Now to decide who deserves one of the little labors of love. (Fritz, I’ve got one with your name on it, you lucky devil!)

This Spring raced by, filled with a heavy schedule of consulting and yoga teaching. At last the yoga studio session has finished, and I’m looking forward to a break from teaching. I’ve committed to just one class per week during July and August, which should allow a bit more breathing room in my weeks. I plan to use the extra time to catch up on some overdue writing projects, re-invest in my own personal yoga practice, and hopefully post to the Jam a bit more regularly. Most of all, I want to slow down and enjoy the summer by spending more time with friends and family.

We had the unexpected pleasure today of hosting our good friend and neighbor Chris Apostolou and his father for lunch. Chris’ father is a spry Greek gentleman with a gift for cooking. He’s sent many traditional pastries and other goodies our way through Chris, and today he finally accepted a long-standing invitation to drop in.

Mr. Apostolou emigrated to America from the mountains of central Greece in the early fifties, with no English and just $60 in his pocket. He’s a fantastic story-teller and an inveterate leg-puller. I was charmed to learn his name is Pericles! Greek names are so wonderful. I’ve met other Greek-Americans with names like Socrates or Athena. It’s enough to give a person a cultural inferiority complex.

We lingered over lunch for a couple of hours, listening and laughing over Mr. Apostolou’s stories of working as a haphazardly trained waiter at high class hotels like San Francisco’s Fairmont and Washington’s Mayflower in the fifties. His best punch line: “And how do you want your steak tartare done?”

If I worked in an office I’d never get to have lunches like that.