Hot Child in the City
Posted by Moose on May 15th, 2008. Filed under: Daily.My inbox is about to swallow my head (whole, minus any discreet chewing), so I wanted to issue a blanket statement to anyone who has commented: Thank you. Also: Y’all are FUNNY. Much funnier than the original posts. I sit in my chair snickering (maybe snorting, though you didn’t hear it from me) and it makes my day just that much better.
In other news, according to the weather, it is now mid-August. In the Sahara desert. Summer in San Francisco generally means pulling out the sweatshirt and waking up to fog horns. But the past few days have been sunny and hot and I’ve pulled out the tank tops and maybe done a little warm weather prancing. (Until today when the swelter hit, all prancing abruptly halted, and I wilted straight into the nearest ice cream shop.) I love the shift from spring to summer. Summer means hiking and camping trips and searching garage sales for a tiny barbeque I can set up on the deck and grill things that aren’t meant to be grilled. Like twinkies.
(P.S. I’m always looking for hiking partners. If I hike alone, someone would be dragging my squirrel-gnawed skeleton out of the woods six months later, because I got lost three feet from the path.) (Ditto on the camping.)
Yesterday, Jemima and I went to the farmer’s market where I got my first apricots and peaches of the season. We opted not to elbow through the hordes for cherries, and ate tamales while sitting on the grass instead. Devil hound slobbered on my bare feet and it was grand.
I’m eating my first white peach of the season right now. Every year there’s that moment where you look at your first peach and wonder if it’s going to be ripe and sweet or mealy and tasteless. This one is ripe and sweet. It’s kind of like Groundhog Day for produce.
A perfect peach on a hot, historic day. I recommend it.
May 15th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I was there, too!!! But I missed the peaches… so sad. I’m REALLY ready for a great peach!
May 15th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I cannot wait for peaches. Unfortunately, it takes until August for the local peach season to kick in here.
Dammit.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Oh, Moose, thank you!
Sometimes I think I’m the only one around who remembers that Nick Gilder song (You mean that’s a guy singing?!! REALLY??!!! . . . still not completely convinced).
Historic, indeed. Hurrah!
May 15th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
And do I dare to eat a peach?
You know what’s silly, I didn’t eat peaches until…two years ago. But peaches in other parts of America are mealy.
But peaches in Cal-li-for-I-eh are amazing.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
YOU HAVE PEACHES????
We don’t get ours until August.
That’s it. I’m moving to California.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Ooooo heat. What I wouldn’t give for some summer here in the Midwest. Right, well, I’ll just have to move to California. Then get a job. Maybe reverse that. Or not, after all who needs a job when you have peaches?!
May 16th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Heat? Sun? I think it’s finally here in Seattle too, but it took long enough.
May 16th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Oh, please. I’d take your forecasted high of 83 over my forecasted high of 101 here in Sacramento ANY DAY!!! And if you love white peaches, Trader Joe’s has dried white peaches that are FABULOUS!
This is the first time I’ve posted. I really enjoy your blog!!
May 16th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Hey–you made me run right out to the grocery store and buy some of those peaches…and they were AWESOME! I ate 3! Thanks:)
May 16th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Delurking! I found you via Schnozzfest and just love your blog. You are a delightful writer.
The first fresh (and local!) produce of the year is so very exciting. Farmers’ markets may be my favorite events/places. Any bounty is still many weeks away for us, however (sniff).
And – it was a historic day, indeed. Yay!
May 16th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I can’t believe I’m the first to comment about Twinkies on the Grill! Wheee! I mean, sure, peaches are fantastic and all…but lard! over charcoal! Wheee!
May 17th, 2008 at 6:00 am
It’s raining and cold here. Need I say more? I’m jealous.
May 17th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
It was 101! in Portland yesterday. In MAY. I had to look around to make sure we hadn’t moved to Arizona when I wasn’t paying attention.
We all took ice baths. Which is mostly true, except by “we all” I mostly mean “Iggy took an ice bath while Chris and I looked on, envious that we don’t still fit in the kitchen sink.”
May 18th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Oh, you are making me drool here! Wish I were back there (been twice!) and enjoying the beautiful days with you… and yeah, you could even drag me out for a hike (if you bring me a peach!)
May 19th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Two things:
1. Please share that grilled twinkie recipe … served hot with anything? Chocolate? Blueberries? I work for a grill company and would happily post it on their blog, referencing you if you wish.
2. For giving me the simple pleasure of your lovely writing post after post, I wish you a summer that is ripe and sweet.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:38 am
I am so totally envious that you have peaches – fresh and for sale NOW! Mmmmm that’s just peachy!
PS – are you going to bake a peach pie? MMMMMMM!!!!
May 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’m always looking for hiking partners, too (and I don’t think I can resist the bay area hike scene in August when I move there). Unfortunately, I’m also similarly directionally challenged. Usually this leads to following detailed trail guide directions (and sometimes retracing steps)…or tagging along with a group of other, more competent hikers. I think that’s why they created user-friendly GPS…you aren’t alone.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:20 am
Oooh let’s hike when I come out there…
May 21st, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Grilled Twinkies!
Now, there’s a challenge!
I’d get some hickory smoke going in the cooker, then grill the Twinkies over a medium fire to get some grill marks, but not dry out the Twinkie.
Then I’d serve it on a layer of raspberry jam, unseeded and mixed with a little sherry.
Alternatively, you might get away with some lemon sherbet and a few blueberries.