sandwich of summer

In the past week or so we have had two long and welcome rainstorms and are now back in a series of extremely humid and uncomfortable days. Mostly in the 80s F, but even when it's not terribly hot - like at 6 AM today when I stepped outside to quickly transplant anise hyssop - it's unpleasantly humid. By 8, it's difficult to breathe without sweating. Today feels like it might be another day with absolutely no breeze. Even a slight breeze helps tremendously. Yesterday was so still and stagnant just moving through the paddocks felt like a bad dream.

All the more reason to have a cold sandwich for breakfast. Or lunch. Or supper. Again.

This has become my go-to for the summer of 2026:

It's 2 layers of provolone on a roll (usually a slider, but this one was a burger roll) with mayo on one side and eggplant pickle on the other. This is the pickle:

I didn't realize until taking this snap that the hotness rating is Medium. Surprising. I'd give it a rating of Wonderfully Flavorful With the Tiniest Hint of Heat That You Might Not Even Notice. You can see how sparingly I use it on sandwiches, so perhaps if added in greater volume or eaten by the spoonful it would be hotter? I don't know. I'm going for the flavor. Which - did I mention? - is wonderful.

This is another product from what I think of as the Turkish Coffee Store, now shuttered. The source of my only coffee (Mehmet Efendi) and bulgur (Duru Extra Extra Coarse) which you've probably heard me whine about already. Also brined cheese (beyaz peynir), 5-pound yogurt tubs, homemade baklava, and jars of lovely ginger/garlic paste which meant no more garlic bulbs or ginger roots wizened and forgotten in my kitchen, huzzah.

Irresistible bonus discoveries were made on every visit. Patak's eggplant pickle was one of those discoveries. This was the last jar in my cupboard and I'm going to enjoy every bit of it.

And someday...squinches-up eyes and crosses fingers...someday, somehow, I will find myself in another shop that carries all these favorites and more, and I will come out of that shop with a year's-worth of treasures. What a happy thought!

What are you favorite food discoveries, past or present?

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day two

Impatiens capensis
jewelweed

~~~~~

drawing august

Day 1, lobelia on the path to barn

Not sure exactly which lobelia this is.

I looked it up and it's probably one of two species,

but one of those species has three varieties

and it was just too steamy and uncomfortable today

to go back out with a hand lens and micrometer.

 Maybe tomorrow.

Anyway, here it is August already.

Who saw that coming?

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rain at last

 

This is only the third or fourth time since first planting

 that the gardens will not need morning or evening watering.

After barn chores this morning I went to check on the new garden as usual,

and just stood for a minute watching the rain make all the leaves shine.

Very refreshing.

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first fruits

I haven't planted summer squash for ages, but with a new garden spot added this year, there was room for a couple of plants. This is the very first squash, harvested yesterday. Isn't it beautiful?

Do any of you gardeners have trouble actually picking and eating your perfect, beautiful vegetables?

Asking for a friend.