I love summer, I love hot weather. I can even love humidity
as long as the air conditioning works.
I stopped by my cousin’s rustic cabin (which is adorable and
loaded with charm) to visit one day recently and was reminded of growing up
without air conditioning. And I was reminded of how life used to be when we
tried to cool the house with shades and fans. And lots of big trees near the
house. I remember how sticky everything felt and how hard it was to cool off.
How miserable it was to sleep, how you’d keep flipping your pillow in the quest
for relief in your sweat-soaked pajamas.
Back then, Mom would always make sure the freezer was stocked
with popsicles and ice cream. We
ate cold cereal, egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad. Did I mention watermelon?
Cold food was requested at every meal. We even enjoyed the forays into our
farmhouse basement, damp and unfinished, just because it was about 10 degrees
cooler. On the very hottest days, when evening chores were finished, we piled
in the car (another miserable experience with hot, sweaty, kid bodies packed in
on top of each other) rolled down all the windows (manually, of course) and,
with wind whipping through our hair, headed to the lake for a swim. Nothing
spelled relief more to us than G-R-E-E-N L-A-K-E. Nothing does still.
So, while we continue eating egg salad and root beer floats
so, too, we continue to drop our flip-flops and sunglasses on the dock and jump
into the crystal clear water to cool off. And we are pleased beyond belief that
the air conditioner is alive and well, forever keeping us cool through the
long, hot summer nights.
HOT SUMMER NIGHT SHRIMP SALAD
1 large box macaroni shells, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup radishes, sliced
1 large bag cooked, frozen shrimp
3/4 quart mayonnaise or salad dressing
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley sprigs
Paprika
Blend shells with vegetables and shrimp. Squeeze fresh lemon
juice over all. Stir in mayonnaise. Toss. Season with salt and pepper and top
with parsley and paprika. Chill.
MOM’S POTATO SALAD
8 large potatoes, cooked, peeled, diced
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and sliced or wedged
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup radishes, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley sprigs
3 raw eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup mayonnaise or unsweetened cream, whipped
Combine vegetables and cooked eggs. Season with salt and pepper. In a medium saucepan,
cook raw eggs with sugar, vinegar and dry mustard. Stir in salt, pepper and
celery seed. When cool, whisk in mayonnaise or whipped cream. Fold into
potatoes and vegetables. Garnish with fresh parsley, paprika and more
hard-boiled eggs. Keep refrigerated.
50’S TUNA SALAD MOLD
1 small package lemon jello
1/2 cup boiling water
1 can tuna, drained
1 can chicken gumbo soup
2 tablespoons each: green pepper, green onions, celery,
chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup cream, whipped but unsweetened
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
In a medium bowl, dissolve jello in boiling water. Stir in
all other ingredients, except cream. Chill until partially set. Then whip cream
and fold into jello mixture. Chill in a mold overnight or for several hours.
Serve unmolded on lettuce leaves.
