Friday, August 07, 2009

Weekend (by res ipsa loquitur)

Here are some weekend suggestions.

Watch
Volver on video. A terrific story about mothers and daughters. And if you're beached out and just want to stay in, watch Simon Schama's Power of Art (also on video).

Walk in the woods at a local park. Try this one.

Swim: pools, lakes, ponds, the ocean -- whatever you like and can reach. I'll be here.

Lay a blanket under a tree, pour yourself a refreshing beverage, get the August 3rd and August 10th issues of The New Yorker, and delve into Ian Frazier's two-part mega-article about his road-trip across Siberia. Abstracts here: Part I, Part II. Not That Kind of Girl and the new Pynchon also look interesting.

Cook. Here is a recipe into which you can incorporate the surfeit of zucchini and/or yellow summer squash (plus some herbs) from your garden.

1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti or linguine
4 medium zucchini (or 2 each of zucchini and yellow summer squash)
1 large onion, sliced thin
3 Tbl. olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
A fresh herb from your garden (1 tsp. minced thyme or a 10 slivered basil leaves or 1 Tbl. chopped parsley (flat leaf or Italian, whatever you like))
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta
al dente. Meanwhile, peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Discard the peel. Then, with the peeler, peel "ribbons" of squash lengthwise until you reach the seeds. Set the ribbons aside and discard the seeds. Heat the oil and add the red pepper flakes. Cook for one minute. Add the onions and sautee until they are soft and translucent just beginning to show traces of brown. Add the ribbons of squash. Sautee for all of one minute, then add the squash and onions to the drained hot pasta. If it needs a bit more fat, add 1 Tbl. of butter or olive oil. Toss gently, adding the herbs, and finally, the Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus more Parmesan, if that's your preference.