Any time is a good time for bruschetta but, it's at it's best in mid-summer when the tomatoes are at their sweetest and fresh basil is abundantly growing in gardens everywhere. We often make bruschetta in summer - it's our favorite camping food.
4-5 weekends every summer we go camping to nearby beaches or redwood forests. Only one night spent camping every visit, but it's a lot of fun, and undeniably a highlight of our summer.
We always make bruschetta when we go camping... it's so easy and a perfect camp food! I pack 3-4 nice ripe heirloom tomatoes, a bunch of basil and usual condiments. Chop the tomatoes finely (seed and all), grate a clove of garlic and add to tomatoes, add handful of finely chopped basil ribbons. Season with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper - and voila, bruschetta is ready! Sometimes I add chopped kalamata olives or mozzarella cheese for an extra oomph but totally optional.
While the bruschetta is resting, we slice and grill the bread loaf using lots of olive oil straight on the campside grill and then rub the freshly grilled bread with a clove of garlic to impart more of the garlicky flavor. Then laden the bread with bruschetta and dig in!
I don't mind tomatoes releasing water and making a little sauce in my bruschetta, I love dunking the remaining parts of toasts in that and devour at the end. But if you do, just salt the chopped tomatoes and set them aside for 15 minutes, gently remove the water and follow the remaining steps.
This year all the campgrounds are closed.. but we are keeping the camping spirit going by making camping foods in our backyard on the weekends and sharing scary stories under the starlit sky. Here is to hoping the next summer brings us lots of missed outdoor activities and travel :)
July Reading
I started July with an ambitious book list but at these times when so much around us is changing rapidly, sometimes a lot of comfort can be found in an old beloved book... a book where you intimately know what happens next and you have read it and enjoyed so many times but still every reading brings you a new round of joy and happiness. One such book for me is a beloved copy of Pride & Prejudice. I re-read it again and enjoyed every bit of it!
Another good read for the month was "The Stationary Shop" by Marjan Kamali. It's a sad but ethereal love story set in 1950s Iran, woven with the political backdrop of the time. There are no major spoilers but a story describing political climate of the nation and it's effects on everyday people. I enjoyed reading the book, the culture and the often detailed descriptions of Iranian foods and recipes :)
On the beach reads front, I read "Distant Shores" by Kristin Hannah. I have enjoyed a lot of her books but this one fell off the mark for me.
Last book of July was a juicy mystery by Lucey Foley "The Guest List". While not very thought provoking, it is indeed a page turner keeping you glued to the book as often a good mystery can :)
In terms of activities, on the same theme of familiarity, I binged on the season 2 of Downton Abbey - which is by far my favorite season :) Daughter and I also finished our embroidery projects and spent a wonderful afternoon weaving these hand bracelets - so fun!
Hope you are having a good summer and staying safe!
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