And Perhaps a Bit of Toast...

There are three sweet spots for me at estate sales... kitchens, attics and libraries.  Included among the many treasures I routinely look for are old cookbooks... I read them like novels... occasionally, I'll find a handwritten dedication and, quite often, the most interesting bookmarks (old letters, cards, photos, grocery lists) tucked inside... 

One of my latest estate sale finds happened to be a vintage book of recipes compiled from various castles and manor houses in Ireland... and while it didn't have any bookmarks of note... it did have a winkle...

I'd never heard of a winkle... and was prompted to do a little research... I thought I'd share... the research, the recipe and, of course, the winkle...

...believed to have been an important source of food since at least 7500 BC ...still collected and also consumed locally... usually picked off the rocks by hand or caught in a drag from a boat... mostly eaten in the coastal areas of Scotland and Ireland where they are commonly referred to as winkles... sold in paper bags near beaches in Ireland and Scotland, boiled in local salt water and with a pin attached to the bag to enable the extraction of the soft parts from the shell ~ Wikipedia

Roadside Wonders...

Are you bored? This is a great time of year to travel the back roads and see what there is out there to see... or smell... or eat!! Roadside stands are open and those little lakeside Mom and Pop diners have the coffee on.  It's almost time for my annual peach pilgrimage... driving up to the lake to stock up on the Red Havens I grew up on... and (fingers crossed) with a bit more rain, some corn and an heirloom tomato or two as well...

Wilted Lettuce...

I'm not going to ramble whine on and on about the heat and humidity (much)... This time of year it's all about getting in and out of the kitchen as fast as possible... I come home from the market... process my fruits and veggies... freeze a few handfuls of grapes and make a salad... and since my favorite salads have very little to do with lettuce, I usually stick to chopped and scoopable varieties... My current craving is a riff on the iconic Caprese...

You'll need:  3 English cucumbers, 2 pints of grape tomatoes, 12 pieces of string cheese, 2 teaspoons dried basil and a few grinds of black pepper.

Peel and dice cucumbers, slice tomatoes, slice cheese.  Toss the cucumbers with basil, add in tomatoes and cheese.  Toss gently and top with a generous grind of black pepper.  May be served plain or with a spritz of balsamic vinegar.  (It stores well and is a perfect portable for picnics, potlucks or brown bag lunches.)