Longest Day 2010.

Happy Summer!!!

This being Summer Solstice, it is the official start of the season, and the longest day of the year. Thereby making it the best day of the year.

As per usual, we had gazpacho for our annual Longest Day dinner. This year we served it with grilled bread (with garlic and olive oil), grilled chicken breast (rubbed with a spicy mesquite seasoning), and prosecco (which was a happy find, as I planned on coming home with ordinary champagne).

You know, every year I go online looking for the definitive gazpacho recipe, thinking there is one and I've forgotten it. Every year I remember that there isn't one. It's a chilled veggie soup with a million interpretations. Just stay away from anything that actually calls for "tomato juice" as an ingredient, because the whole point is that it's a raw, fresh soup.

Also!

This was our first time ever grilling skinless, boneless chicken breasts, and they were fantastic! Perfectly done, moist, tender... Not sure how we managed that. I think a lot of the credit has to go to Searing First, Cooking Thoroughly Second.

The night was super enjoyable, though HOT, and we stayed outside watching fireflies until after 10:00, listening to Pink Martini on the stereo.

Even the cat joined in, staying outside for what is probably his latest supervised night out ever.

He really wanted some of my bread. Like, really wanted some of my bread. Everytime I picked it up, he practically tripped over himself trying to paw it out of my hand. Poor confused kitty....

Lovely Longest Day.