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Two Good Songs about Summer came up on shuffle recently, that one by Lana del Rey that everyone knows, and “That Summer Feeling” by Jonathan Richman. Summer songs are, in my opinion, one of only 2 good things about summer (the other is a summer vegetable, obviously).
It is my least favorite season; the worst season, in fact. Superior times of year do not make you sweat unintentionally. First-rate seasons don’t force you to make that “eeuuwwwghhh” noise every time you step outside. Summer is severely, wildly over-hyped. Cancel summer!
TURNS OUT I’M A SINGLE-ISSUE VOTER, AND THAT’S MY SINGLE ISSUE
The travel ache you can’t translate. Related: fantasy-planning an Anne of Green Gables-inspired trip to Prince Edward Island.
Hitch your wagon to an Andean condor! The world’s heaviest soaring birds can travel hundreds of miles without flapping their wings!!!
Via BBC Arts “Filmed in Lockdown” series: Swan Lake Bath Ballet. 27 elite ballet dancers from across the globe perform a modern-day Swan Lake from their home baths.
“Exiting the subway, skipping, I rub both my hands along the stairway railings”: the decadence of an earlier age.
If you’ve got the time/mild interest in reading a particularly unhinged Boomer rant about Millennials -- which includes the usual slobbering over Gen Z -- spend some of that energy on Lorrie Moore’s otherwise well-reasoned review of “Normal People.”
DESPITE MY STANCE ON SUMMER BOUNTY (PRO), THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO REASON TO EAT A CLAM CHOWDER MADE WITH TOMATOES
Prep/Cook: A good weekend project
INGREDIENTS
2 10 oz. cans of baby clams -- I can never find fresh at Publix* here in landlocked Atlanta. And anyway, it seems like a lot of effort for little reward. Draining is optional; keep the juice if you keep it clammy.
1 bottle of clam juice
1 tbsp Kerrygold* butter
2 cups heavy cream (half-and-half is fine, too)
2 cups chicken stock (use discretion here, if you are not draining the clams)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 leeks, tops removed, halved and chopped into half-moons
~2 big gold potatoes, cubed
4 oz. diced pancetta (or bacon)
1/2 cup dry white wine (you can also sub a dry rose or even vermouth if you’re looking to live out loud)
A sensible amount of fresh thyme (less than a whole bunch?)
1 tbsp. of dried rosemary
Black pep to taste
2 bay leaves
*Good news for my 22squared friends -- In Good Taste still has available space for sponsorship!
WHAT TO DO:
Melt butter in a Dutch oven (or deep pot with a lid) and fry the pancetta until browned and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and throw the leeks and celery in there to soften. Add cubed potatoes and wine, wait about 10 minutes to soften and for wine to evaporate.
Pour the whole bottle of clam juice in there and stir it around (should be enough to just cover the vegetable mixture -- if it's not, throw in a cup of chicken stock. Add your herbs/spices (thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, black pep). Let it all sit, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes at low-med heat.
Add in cream, clams, and reserved pancetta/bacon with greases. Season with pep as you see fit. The chowder will cure, more or less, meaning it will become a lot saltier than it is at this stage. Don't be tempted to add more salt! Taste to make sure!
Let everything come to a lazy simmer (no boiling) for about 5 minutes or so. Take out the bay leaves and fresh herbs. Let sit uncovered for as long as you can handle it (I can do about 45 minutes). Eat hot soup on a hot day! It’s fine. Even in summer.