By Late July, the heat at its peak. The farm asks more of me in this heat than in the cool weeks — the watering twice a day, the harvesting daily to keep the plants producing, the garden work done early before the afternoon bakes the garden beds. I've been up at five, in the garden by five-thirty, back in the house by eight when the sun gets serious. Then the cooking in the cooler afternoon, then the evening garden again. This is the July routine.
The tomatoes are starting to turn. I spotted the first flush of red on a Brandywine — that suggestion of color along one shoulder that means a week from ripe. I've been here before. I know how this goes. I'm ready.
Made cold sesame noodles this week, from a recipe in Helen's 1987 notebook that I'd never made: a summer noodle dish with sesame paste and ginger and scallions and a hit of vinegar. She'd written: "not Vermont but right for August." She was right. It's not Vermont but it's right for July and August, cold from the refrigerator, eaten at the counter in the heat. I made a double batch and ate it for three days. I'll make it every summer from now on.
Bill is coming to Vermont. He called on Sunday to say he's driving up in August for a few days — wants to see the farm, wants to have dinner, wants to finally meet the person he's been writing to for two years. I said: yes, of course. He said: I've been wanting to ask for a while. I said: why didn't you? He said: I didn't want to impose. I said: Bill, come to Vermont. He said: okay. He meant it and so did I.
The cold sesame noodles carried me through the worst of the heat, but a person needs something sweet at the end of a long July day, too — something that asks nothing of the stove and comes together fast, before the kitchen warms up again. I’ve been making this blueberry topping on repeat: ten minutes, a handful of ingredients, and then cold over ice cream at the counter the same way I’ve been eating everything else this week. I’m already thinking I’ll have a jar of it ready when Bill arrives.
Blueberry Ice Cream Topping
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the blueberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt.
- Cook. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to burst and release their juices, about 6–8 minutes.
- Thicken. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Cool. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a jar or airtight container. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
- Serve. Spoon generously over vanilla ice cream. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 65 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 15mg