Take a Dip

Summertime, and the weather’s for dippin’

Whipped Feta and Eggplant Caviar are served with Pita Triangles with Za’tar at a Lammas/Full Moon Party to celebrate the golden days of summer.

It’s hot. Everywhere. And here in PA, showery and muggy. But there are visitors and social occasions that require a modicum of cooking. Dips come to the rescue.

You can make them ahead, before you run out of steam. They stand ready in the ‘frig, all set. If you have the energy, you can make some pita crisps or tortilla triangles ahead. Or not. Stacie’s brand does a good enough job, and there are many flatbreads and crackers to choose from these days.

Our Colorado family headed east the last week of July, stopping at Gettysburg on their way north for an educational tour with John, our family Civil War authority. Lilah was enrolled in a field hockey camp at Penn State with her friend Sofia, from Boulder, who happens to be the granddaughter of Liz and Tom, the Brits who visited us at the end of May. The girls have been pals since preschool, and now, at 14, they are like sisters. They enjoyed staying in the dorm and going to the dining hall and came home exhausted from the many practices and games that they played. And they were hungry!

The Gettysburg visitors and Abe Lincoln; Sofia and Lilah munch on Salmon Bruschetta at Faccia Luna; Avocado Toast at the Nittany Lion Inn and Avocado Toast at Bonfatto's in Bellefonte on two consecutive mornings. Lunch at Kitchen Garden features Lentil Soup and a selection of tasty Middle Eastern appetizers, and our family dinner of kebabs--steak, shrimp, and tofu--served with microwaved corn on the cob and lots of dips.

Joe was happy to hang out and work at the new and vastly improved Nittany Lion Inn and Neian, and I had fun going around State College and Bellefonte on the morning that Joe and John fished at Fisherman’s Paradise. We had a big family kebab dinner on their last night, supplemented with lots of dips. No need to heat up the kitchen—though John suffered a bit of smoke damage on the grill.

The girls move in to their dorm room and are happy to be wrist-banded. Pick up of weary but light-hearted girls at the conclusion of the program. They did it--even if it did rain a bit.

Later in the week, friends from long ago were visiting, and we met them at an East End Social pop-up event on Heister Street—no food options there-- and then the next evening at Boal City Brewing, where we could bring our own food and enjoy their many beverage options.

Boal City is the quintessential meet-up spot these days, with a beautiful yard for lounging, interesting cocktail options that are both, NA and A, and beer. That night there was a rather extraordinary band playing. Warpig is a punk rock family band from LA composed of Iggy (8^th grade), Lolo (4^th grade), and their dad Jason, who played the loudest music I have heard in decades.

Roasted Vegetable Labneh and Roasted Beet Labneh, Nina's tasty Fresh Corn and Cotija with Cilantro, and her decimated Guacamole. Our table on the porch was in a perfect spot to enjoy the outdoors, especially once the band started playing at 7:00.

The Amish farm stand is going full tilt now, and it is so interesting to go back each week and see the progression in the vegetables—the potatoes and eggplant increase in size by about a third in a week. The corn is so much heftier. The blueberries are gone, but raspberries and ever-bearing strawberries still make an appearance during the first hour of the market. By 9 am, they are gone.

My eggplant cravings are strong in the summer, though I haven’t made a ratatouille yet. But I have perfected the art of making a quick-ish eggplant caviar/spread. I used to slice the eggplant, arrange the slices on a baking tray, and roast. Those are great for quick individual Eggplant Parmesan, for layering in a Moussaka, or stuffing with ricotta for Eggplant Oreos. But when I plan to toss it all in the Cuisinart anyway, I have devised a speedier method that uses less olive oil. Cube it, place it in a large bowl, and toss the cubes olive oil and your favorite seasoned salt or salt-and-herb mixture. Toss well with your hands to spread the love. Spray a couple of pans with olive oil spray and pour out the lightly anointed, seasoned eggplant cubes and roast for about an hour at 400°F, tossing the cubes every 15 minutes—and switching the pans from top to bottom. During the last half hour, add finely chopped shallot for some allium sweetness. Let the cubes cool on the pan before processing with parsley and basil and a bit of tomato paste. Sometimes I add pitted Kalamata olives. Sometimes I add drained capers. Sometimes I don’t add anything. It’s always good.

Eggplant Dip with shiny eggplant, Icelandic seasoning salt brought back by Stephen on a work trip, and cubes ready for the oven. After roasting, scrape them into a Cuisinart and add herbs, tomato paste, and capers or olives. The pita triangles are easy and fun to make, and you can keep them salt-free if you just sprinkle on some Za'tar for flavor.

If you have access to the plain yogurt from Musser Dairy in Bellefonte, you are lucky. If not, use your favorite full-fat Greek yogurt. Mix two teaspoons of Kosher salt into a quart of yogurt. Scrape it into a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl and let it rest in the ‘frig for a night. The resultant yogurt cheese (labneh) is delicious as is or as a basis for any number of dips. Why does it sound so much healthier to say “this dip is yogurt-based” rather than “this dip is cream cheese-based”? And honestly, the yogurt variable is tastier-- also lower in fat and calories, higher in protein, plus it contains live cultures that support gut health.

(Note to self—photograph the labneh setup.)

The swinging bridge to the party pavilion, Tony's Zucchini Fritters on Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Dressing, tins of beans and fish for charcuterie, and an Austrian Potato Salad to channel Herwig's Restaurant, long gone but not forgotten.

We are very glad to be done with Covid and able to meet in groups. The past few days have been very social, and we got to go to places that are way off the beaten track. We attended a potluck outdoor party at a farm near Huntingdon, crossing a swinging bridge to get to the farmhouse. And we attended a funeral for our neighbor who passed away six days before her 103^rd birthday. You can’t be sad at a funeral like that!

After the church, there was a reception at a private club high in the hills above Boalsburg that I had never seen. The views were magnificent, and the gathering was a true celebration of a life well-lived. I took some veggies—and dips, namely, the Eggplant Caviar, Lemony Whipped Feta, and Roasted Red Beet.

The Boalsburg Yacht Club was the site of the post-funeral reception. It was where Shirley's 100th birthday was celebrated three years ago.

RIP Shirley. Now that you and BJ are gone, I am the second-oldest resident of our Blue Zone here in Panorama Village. A recent article supports this Centre County longevity effect. Cheers—to us!

Eggplant Caviar Recipe

6 smallish eggplants, to yield 4 quarts of cubed eggplant

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 tablespoon coarse seasoned salt of your choice

1 really large shallot, or 3 small ones

Olive oil spray for the pan

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray two large sheet pans. Cube eggplant and place in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt and spread onto prepared pans. Finely chop the shallot and have it ready to add to the cubes when they are half-cooked. Roast for about an hour, tossing every 15 minutes and swapping the trays each time you toss so the cubes cook evenly. Add the shallot during the last half hour. When soft, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Pita Triangles

One pack of 6 pitas makes 72 triangles

6 pita

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Za’tar

Cut each pita into sixths, open and arrange on a baking tray. Dab on some olive oil and sprinkle with Za’tar seasoning or an herb blend that you have on hand. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes until crispy. These are perfect for a Mediterranean platter with eggplant spread, whipped feta with lemon, and roasted beet labneh. Or your favorite hummus.