Summer is here! For those of us on the East Coast it made less of an entrance this year after the incredibly mild winter we had, but nonetheless it's time for barbecues, drinks around the firepit, s'mores and more.
Tonight I'm headed out with a bunch of friends to a local park to picnic and watch the fireworks. I think it's great that the lone vegan in the crowd was tasked with bringing the munchies! I picked up blue and white corn and some "red" sweet potato tortilla chips as a tribute to our grand old flag, and two kinds of salsa, one mango and one mild. I am also prepared with lots of avocados and limes for my signature guacamole (of course!) In addition I grabbed some salt & vinegar and some malt kettle chips just to switch things up for my friends' kids, and have gorgeous sugar snap peas, snow peas, green & yellow squash from my CSA with two kinds of hummus - a traditional and a macadamia nut. I cannot wait...I rounded it out with some plump, ruby red cherries for a sweet finish.
If I were also in charge of cocktails I would make the one I had at Bond St. in the East Village last Thursday night. It was a shishito margarita with Alma Blanco tequila, shishito agave nectar, yuzu lemon air (no idea...) and grated jalapeno on top. Outrageously good and I loved the kick! I were hosting at home, I would pair that with some charred shishito peppers drizzled with a tamari soy sauce and sesame seeds, something similar to what Bond St. offered on their appetizer list. Such fabulous flavor, but watch out - one of those suckers might bite you back!
For a guiltless vegan dessert, try halving some fresh nectarines and plums and tossing them on the grill, flesh-side down at first. When you flip them (and it won't take long) add a tiny bit of butter in the center where the pit was once and drizzle a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze on top. Of course, you must make vegan s'mores! Take some Sweet and Sara vegan marshmallows, skewer and roast them over a fire, top with Green and Black organic dark chocolate and smoosh between two graham crackers.......YUM!
