Yep, that right it’s officially summer! (And Father's Day)
The good ole’ Dog Days of Summer….
But just what are the “Dog Days” of Summer? This occurs during the hottest and muggiest part of the season. What does it mean? Well…It’s the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere and it is also a period of stagnation or inactivity.
But where does the term come from? Why do we call the hot, sultry days of summer “dog days?” In ancient times, when the night sky was un-obscured by artificial lights and smog, different groups of peoples in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars. The images drawn were dependent upon the culture: The Chinese saw different images than the Native Americans, who saw different pictures than the Europeans. These star pictures are now called constellations, and the constellations that are now mapped out in the sky come from our European ancestors.
In the summer, however, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. During late July Sirius is in conjunction with the sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the Dog Star.
The conjunction of Sirius with the sun varies somewhat with latitude. And the “precession of the equinoxes” (a gradual drifting of the constellations over time) means that the constellations today are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome. Today, dog days occur during the period between July 3 and August 11. Although it is certainly the warmest period of the summer, the heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness. No, the heat of summer is a direct result of the earth's tilt.
I know a lot of technical mambo jumbo, but now you know what that damn saying means, becasue I never did!
Stay Cool for the Dog Days of Summer
The Bermuda Gourmet Goddess
“A perfect Summer Day is when sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” James Dent
So what do have planned this summer? Anything fun? Well the Goddess will be doing a lot of fishing, snorkeling, hanging with good friends and family and of course grilling some great food!
The ultimate steak for me to grill are a good old NY Strip Steak, must get it at least 1’ thick and just add some olive oil, salt and pepper…get your grill smoking hot (about 450) and throw it on, leave it, don’t mess with it, you will know when it is time to turn when it pulls away from the grill gently, turn, wait, don’t mess with it…once done, remove and devour.
Rare: 3 to 6 minutes
Medium: 6 to 9 minutes
Well Done (WHY??) 9 to 12 minutes
Another favorite is flank steak, I know it is one of the cheapest cuts of meat, but done right it is awesome. My go-to much loved recipe is my Italian Flank Steak, the balsamic vinegar really helps tenderize the meat.
Italian Flank Steak
1lb Flank steak
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp oregano
3 tsp rosemary
Salt / pepper to taste
1/4 c red wine
Place steak in marinate for 1-4 hours, again the longer the better. Allow steak to set out for at least 30 minutes before placing on the hot grill. Grilled to desire doneness, you will know when meat is ready to be turned over; it will pull away from the grill easily. (3-7 minutes each side for med-rare to med)
Allow steak to sit at least 10 minutes before slicing, this will allow the juices to redistribute to make for a juicer steak. Slice thinly against the grain. Serve with a nice Arugula Salad
Get some steaks and get grilling for Father's Day...Gie Dad the day off ...wish I could grill some up for you Dad! Happy Father's Day ... Love you lots and Miss you more.
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