Squash blossom bonanza, wine DON'T

My good pal, JL, emailed me yesterday: what to do with an overabundance of squash blossoms? I tossed her a few ideas, she made a beautiful pizza, and then....she said she wanted to gift the rest of the blossom haul to moi. Would I take them? Indeed!

So this evening, we grilled a pizza. T opted for tomatoes and artichokes, but I layered mandolined squash, green tomatoes, the blossoms and mozzarella. Oliver tasted it and declared it wonderful. My thoughts exactly.

Unfortunately, I have a seriously horrible wine against which to advise you: The Sobon Estate Roussanne. Have you ever had a Roussanne? It's a white grape, and I often like the resultant wines. As well, they're great when blended with Marsanne. If you can ever get your mitts on a bottle, try Qupe's Mar-Rou blend. Aah. Anyway, I was slightly hesitant in buying this wine because I don't like the vineyard name or the label and the description left me a bit cold, BUT ever-hopeful for new and different summer whites, I took a plunge. After a few sips tonight, I threw it all out. Disastrous, lacking any complexity, cloying syrup of "No, Don't Drink This!" Blech!!!!

Incredible new salad, crazy boys

This afternoon, the boys ran into the front room, became eerily quiet and then returned naked but with underpants on their heads. Keep in mind two things: these were the underpants each had been wearing all day, AND they had switched and were now wearing the other's skivvies, on their heads. While I am usually pretty cool about butts, burps and the like, this was a bit much for me, and I insisted they stop.

They did not but instead found new and unusual ways to wear the underpants. Mon dieu. I finally just gave in and laughed though I tried to keep it under my breath lest they be too encouraged. I did give them a thorough bath!

When mommy time was done for the night and cook time reconvened, I did make the most marvelous new salad and will share the recipe pronto. OMG, for real. Pluots, green tomatoes, mozzarella and an orange-blossom honey and agrodolce vinaigrette. Ridiculously good! And finally, more cheesy mashed potato puffs for T, and toasted pecan-raisin bread with buffalo butter for us both. Perfection!I also made the summer couscous with pistachios, sultanas and squash again but it was less thrilling than last time. Ah well. It's pretty!