Spice Holsters
Growing up, my family took a lot of road trips and camping trips. We didn't eat out, we didn't stay in hotels, but we never wanted for the high life. My mom was a magician in the front seat of the car, assembling little towers of crackers, avocados, and red pepper flakes and handing them to my dad while he drove. I don't know who first coined the term "spice holster" to describe my Mom's readiness with portable food. I think it may have been one of her son-in-laws. They love to tease her. She protests and acts like she's offended, but we love the stash of red pepper flakes in the glove box and kosher salt in her purse.
Thanks to the love and generosity of my in-laws, we just got back from a little vacation in Birch Bay. Right before we left, I had gone with the kids to Pike Place and picked out assorted veggies--whatever looked good. No plan except to throw them in the cooler.
But here's the trick--I had my vacation essentials. These are: olive oil (lots--don't want to run out and have to buy it at the corner store for $12.99), kosher salt, my pepper grinder, red pepper flakes, lemons, limes, lemon reamer, garlic, garlic press, and fresh herbs. Between my garden and Pike Place, I had tarragon, basil, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. Anything--indeed, the most delicious of things!--is possible. One might even say I resemble my mother with her spice holster. Phyllis (my mother-in-law) thought all my accouterments were hilarious (in an I-love-you-and-find-you-amusing kind of way).
I hardly spent any time in the kitchen, but we ate like royalty and on the cheap. We had a gorgeous antipasti spread the first night which included:
- Avocado with tarragon, lime, olive oil, and chile flakes
- Grilled radicchio with lemon and olive oil
- Blanched green beans with chevre and garlic
- Baby potatoes with thyme, lemon, and garlic
- Tomatoes with basil, garlic, and olive oil
- Assorted olives, salami, and cheese
This is Yancey's favorite dinner and the way to his cute little heart. Eating this way encourages lingering--we end up talking about all sorts of things we might not otherwise, tying up loose ends from old conversations, and plying the kids with more bread while we do it.
I talked here about how eating creatively and on a budget requires forethought. Spice-holstering (can I coin that term?) is another example of that. It didn't take Herculean efforts to ready my spice holster, but it definitely took more thought than just stopping at the store. I read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food while we were gone (in two sittings! Ah, glorious vacation). He says our declining health is marked by a declining amount of time spent preparing, eating, and cleaning up after our meals. If we want to eat well, this means we have to think about it. I may spend too much time thinking about it, but you all indulge me.
Nothing in our antipasti spread required a complicated recipe, but I offer here two of my favorites--the radicchio and the avocado. I ended up being away from this blog for four days, which is a lot for me. I missed you and I think you missed me. We are in this thing together.
Grilled Radicchio
Buy a large head of radicchio from Pike Place Market. Trim the outermost leaves that may be a bit wilted. Cut it into 8 wedges, leaving the core intact. This will keep it somewhat together on the grill. Put wedges in a bowl--drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Heat grill to medium-high, and grill wedges about 3 minutes per side, until charred and getting a bit wilted. Put back in bowl, squeeze half a lemon over, a little more olive oil, and moan with delight.
Avocado with Tarragon and Lime
I just had one avocado with me, so this is a small yield. If I had brought more, we could have eaten just this for dinner. With crostini, this would make an excellent appetizer to bring to a party. Just make sure you don't cut the avocado horribly far in advance, or they will brown. Lime juice does much to ameliorate this, but I'm careful anyway.
Slice a large, buttery avocado and fan onto a small plate. Sprinkle 2 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon, kosher salt, and a pinch of red chile flakes over it. Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze 1/2 of a lime over it.
July 22, 2009
Reader Comments (14)
O.k. I thought I could make it through the whole month without commenting, but I can't. Love this post. I love the meals that you whip up around the table after church. A lot like these - simple, varied, delicious. I'm in the computer room and one of the sisters (the official kind) came in and said "And how did you feel while you were eating those olives?" Love that. And she thinks your kids (I introduce them as my godson and middle namesake, but I know they're your kids) are cute too. I'd like to be where those cute kids are she said. Me too! Looks and sounds glorious. I wish I could send you pictures of all of my meals on cafeteria trays. We had the best bbq'd pork sausage with lentils tonight and the juiciest peaches. I'm tearing up thinking about the kitchen staff and how much I love eating cafeteria style here and choking while we laugh so hard around the dinner table. There are some funny ass folks here. I'm so thankful that someone does take a lot of time thinking about and preparing the food here - not to mention the dishes. I turn my tray in with my dirtied plates and silverware and go sit in supervision for 1 1/2 hours talking about my dad and boundary issues and how this effects my role as director - good thing I had two servings at dinner, that session felt like exercise. I feel really nurtured in this Mercy Center dining room. I'm gonna miss it. I keep trying to think of a way to live this way without giving up sex (or to be more accurate - the possibility of sex). O.k. now you have everything on your blog - money, weight/body issues, God, politics, and sex :)
How does Michael Pollan snob factor rate that you've actually read his book?
Bigs hugs to Yancey and the kids. Love you.
She's back! YAY!
So happy you are back!! Hope you had a great trip up here...
Sounds like a good time. I love it when I can sit for long chunks of time and immerse myself in a good book. And I love eating this way. it's my favorite way, actually. I had been planning on posting about, too :) Great minds think alike?
The radicchio and avocado antipasti sound so delicious. I like that you put lemon over the radicchio especially, since it would pair really well with the latter's bitterness. Yummy! I'm glad you're back.
Welcome home!
We have a long-running family tradition. Whenever we eat at Wendy's, whoever picks up the napkins, ketchup, plastic silverware, etc. will say "I'll get the accouterments." Yep...
I "heart" Nazz.
Glad you're back, and glad we got to see everybody. You're right about the spice holster. It was Michael ,(Naomi's husband) that sat around at a family gathering teasing me that I should have a custom holster made that would fit around my waist and I could be ready at any time to "kick it up a notch". I would like to find a portable little carrier for all those" little dabs will do you"........maybe we could hunt for one on our culinary road trip to Portland, can't wait!
Your meals look so fresh, simple, seasonal and delicious! Your break was well deserved.
so my "i'll just check the blog one more time before i go to bed" paid off. welcome home. xo.j.
Yay, you're back. This looks like my kind of camping! I must try the radicchio. So is The Omnivore's Dilemma next on the reading list?
These pictures are gorgeous & your story reminds me of my own mom... I'm going to call her & thank her for always thinking ahead to make things nice for us. Thanks for bringing that into focus for me & welcome back -
Michael Pollan - yay or nay?
-TSG
This is such a great post. I can learn a thing or two from you. I'm always tied to making a "meal" rather than just delighting in what is good and seasoning it well. Thanks for the tips.
Spice Holster--makes me chuckle. So you recommend Pollan's book? I was just looking at it yesterday and Regent College. My husband, Ben and I went to a public lecture there on 'Food, Culture, & Christian Formation.' I thought it was about something completely different than what it was actually on. I'm going to write about it. You're giving me great ideas for our vacation in August--thanks!
I don't know, Beth... have you read it? Should it be next on my list?
A few days ago, my daughters and I were reminiscing about Sarah's and Yancey's wedding in Elizabeth Park. (We decided it was our favorite outdoor wedding.) During the ceremony, April fell asleep in my arms and I laid her under a big tree (a beech, I think) to finish her nap in peace while the wedding went on all around her sweet dreams. (She's 17 years old now and she must have been 3 or 4 then?)
Anyways. . . I was telling them about the incredible feast that your mom and her friends created for the reception and I said something like, "Everything had either olive oil or garlic or both. It was so delicious!" Then today I visited your blog for the first time and found the following list from your "Spice Holsters" meal:
Avocado with tarragon, lime, olive oil, and chile flakes
Grilled radicchio with lemon and olive oil
Blanched green beans with chevre and garlic
Baby potatoes with thyme, lemon, and garlic
Tomatoes with basil, garlic, and olive oil
Assorted olives, salami, and cheese
The apple didn't fall too far from the tree, did it? Your mama raised you right! Annie still uses "Peggy would like this" as a rating for the food she makes.