Good morning. How I’m hoping it will go today: light wind from the southwest, sun high in a cloudless sky, low tide around 2 p.m., a striped bass slipping along the creek where I’m staked out and inhaling the crab fly I’ve put right in front of her with an effortless cast. How it will undoubtedly go: hard wind from the east, sun blanketed by dark clouds if not sheets of rain, and some problem discovered that will keep me off the water anyway.
A failed sump pump in the basement? Dead battery in the truck? This season’s tracking poorly for me. Luck is spare on the ground.
I’m determined to enjoy the holiday weekend all the same. I’ll make spicy grilled shrimp (above) if it’s even a little bit warm; I’ll slow roast a bo ssam if it’s not. These bring pleasure to even the most bummed-out of revelers. I’ll make waffles for the holiday morning, then steam some eggs for egg salad sandwiches for lunch. And I’ll make a fresh ginger cake, just because. Who can feel bad about that?
Featured Recipe
Spicy Grilled Shrimp
As for the rest of the week. …
Monday
Mark Bittman’s recipe for farro niçoise steers into the nutty excellence of the grains, pairing them with a powerfully lemony vinaigrette alongside the salad’s usual accompaniments of flaked tuna, hard-boiled eggs, green beans and tomatoes. That’s a nice dinner.