Happy Independence Day!

FreshTartSteph — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:35:15 PDT

Oooh! Aaaah! Despite, pouring rain (the skies cleared!) followed by a power outage (returned after a couple of hours; nothing makes one appreciate electricity as much as a power outage!), we pulled off a grand ol' Independence Day Barbecue yesterday and had ourselves a blast. The kids swam, the adults chatted and noshed, and eventually we all dug into dinner.

After Suz's berry trifle for dessert (check out the before and 5-minutes-after pics below - we attacked it!), we headed en masse out onto the golf course for fireworks under a full moon. (And some serious digesting.)

I've decided that 4th of July means barbecued pork ribs. Silky, garlicky, crusty pork ribs, braised all day in the oven, then passed over the grill for a good crisp crust, slathered in barbecue sauce, and served falling off the bone. God Bless America! Mini-burgers with homemade mini buns were a hit too. We countered the richness with crunchy-sweet broccoli salad (a delicious, lighter version of the classic) and garbanzo salad studded with onions and pine nuts, tossed with fresh herbs and lemon vinaigrette.

Thanks Harry (it's so much more meaningful to celebrate Independence Day with a Brit, ha!), Stephanie, Miles, Simon, Cory, Susie, Bowen, Stacey, Cooper, and David for a fabulous day! Special thanks to Vivian for all the help, and to Sullivan for Neopolitan ice cream sandwiches and an annually memorable 4th-of-July quote:

"I love these hamburgers so much I want to marry them, but the funeral won't be long after..." – Sullivan Shubert, age 7, regarding mini-hamburgers, July 4, 2009
"They start big but end fast, like a good sneeze." - Sullivan Shubert, age 6, explaining fireworks to Cooper, July 4, 2008
“Wow, those would make Vivian feel fancy!” – Sullivan Shubert, age 4, regarding super-sparkly fireworks, July 4, 2006

Fresh Tart

Happy Independence Day!