July is here and we are now over half way through 2009! Scary huh?
The visiting fishing boats are arriving for the big money Fishing Tournaments, the visiting sail boats have arrived from the Marion to Bermuda Race, cruise ship passengers are walking up and down Front Street with their feet covered in sand from one our most famous beaches with the slight aroma of coconut sunscreen lotion surrounding them. Yep, summer is most defiantly here and there is so much to do in Bermuda during the summer, so get out there and get to know your country again and if you are visiting...Enjoy it and may your visit be a Bermudaful one.
Speaking of Summer...There are two elements that spell summer for a Bermudian...Camping and Cup Match, they go hand and hand.
Starting as early as June you can start to see the campers along South Shore Road, the hillsides are scattered with camping tents. Here in Bermuda people go as far as taking small refrigerators and generators with them camping. Go For It! Be Gourmet! I grew up camping in the states and some of my fondest memories are packing up for a weekend or a week, including the horses and dogs and toughing it, in a camper or the “cabin” Poppa Steve had that slept 18, had a wonderful outdoor kitchen even before they became popular, the only thing that was roughing it for us was walking to outhouse in the middle of the night, so you made sure you used the bathroom before going to bed!
I miss July 4th in the states, either at a pool party or at a park with family and friends, but no matter where in every neighborhood you could smell the charring of burgers and hot dogs on the grill and you pretty much knew there would also be some potato salad, maybe a pasta salad, or cole slaw, ice cold watermelon and don’t forget the ice cold beer, all while waiting for the killer fireworks display. Bermuda does not celebrate July 4th, but I have learned to celebrate the 4th differently, no day off with fireworks and a hot dog cookout...We celebrate by FISHING, that’s right fishing. July 4th is one of the most Celebrated Fishing Tournaments in the World...So called the… Blue Marlin World Cup. For more info check out the website. www.BlueMarlinWorldCup.com This year I am super excited, July 4th is on a Saturday and I have the day off, I can fish damn it!
Oh, we still host a July 4th BBQ to indulge in tasty beverages and gourmet goodies with our friends, we just do the Bermuda Gourmet Goddess way, no regular hot dogs and hamburgers here. Yep, It’s official...Summer is here, so get out and be GOURMET in Every Way!
Smokin’ BBQ Bluesy Burger
2 lb ground beef
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp liquid smoke
1/4 C of your Favorite BBQ sauce
1 large shallot, chopped finely
Salt / pepper to taste
8 oz crumble blue cheese
Trust me with all that Blue Cheese there is no need to top the burger with more, it will over power it!
1 large red onion, sliced and grilled for 5 minutes each side
Good Quality rolls, toasted
Mix the first 5 ingredients together, once mixed, fold in the blue cheese and make into patties. I allow mine to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2-4 hours to let the flavors blend and become yummy. However, before grilling allow let them sit out for about 12 – 15 minutes to get the chill off.
Heat grill to med/med high and grill until desired doneness, 4-5 minutes per side for rare, 5-7 per side for med-rare, 7-10 minutes per side for medium, 10-12 for well. Times may vary because of the grill. While the burgers are grilling, place sliced red onion on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes each side and don’t forget to toast your rolls, Once Burgers are done place burger on toasted roll and top with grilled red onion. Drizzle with some more BBQ sauce (if you want) and enjoy!
Lemon Herb Warm Potato Salad
2 lb new potatoes
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/4 C chopped Basil
1 tbsp chopped chives
Zest on one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1/4 C Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the potatoes and cut the larger ones so that they all cook evenly. Fill sauce pan with water and place potatoes in cover until it comes to a boil. Once potatoes are fork tender (17-20 minutes) drain. While potatoes are cooking chop the herbs, zest and juice the lemon. Once the potatoes have cooled to room temperature add the zest and lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, toss well, now add the herbs and toss again. Garnish with a couple of wedges of lemon.
Serve room temperature and this is also great for picnics because there is NO MAYO!
Here are some camping safety tips I do hope comes in handy for you sometime in the future.
CAMPING TIPS
One common danger is not being prepared for extreme heat, as we all know the summer can be very hot and for young children this can be a problem, so it is best to keep them (and you) very well hydrated. Always wear some sort of skin protection; this includes sunscreen, hats and cotton clothing. Or try the new swim suit that has a SPF right in it.
Teach your children how to recognize landmarks at the campsite and on hikes encourage them to look back at the trail and familiarize themselves with the surroundings. WHISTLE. Teach your kids to whistle or have them wear a whistle. A whistle can be heard further than the human voice.
Setting Up a Campsite…Danger can lurk at some campsites, such as broken glass, yucky needles and other trash. Scout for a clean area before setting up a tent. Once you have found a clean area or have cleaned an area, you are now ready to set up your camp site the way you like, with all the comforts from home.
I know you are not far from home or from a store, but please ensure you have enough drinking water on hand and plan your food according to the days you plan to be out camping. Also, some portable foods, granola bars, trail mix, breads, peanut butter, fruit, etc... All mentioned are great to keep on hand for a healthy snack. Just remember that if you do have perishable foods to store them properly and throw any foods that may have been left out in the heat for more than 1 hr.
Things not to forget!
Essentials for every camping trip include:
Flashlight with extra batteries, extra food, extra clothing, including rain gear, sunglasses and sunscreen pocketknife, matches in waterproof container, candles or fire starter, adequate supply of clean drinking water bug spray...Other necessary items include: Tent (of course) sleeping bags, blankets, whistle (s), mirror, cell phone; duct tape; and 50 to 100 feet of nylon rope…You just never know…be prepared.
FIRST AID Kit…the most forgotten thing when camping.
Band-Aids (all types), self-adhesive roller bandages, sterile gauze pads, large wound dressings, blister dressings, non adhesive dressings, cloth-based adhesive tape, , thermometer, latex gloves, large plastic bag, safety pins, scissors, tweezers and needles (to remove splinters or ticks), antibiotic cream, Antihistamine, Tylenol or whatever you prefer, hydrocortisone cream (1%) and alcohol pads
July 4th … DID YOU KNOW?
"The Fourth of July" is a federal holiday celebrating in the US celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. However, the US became independent officially only after the war of independence, on September 3, 1783.
Independence Day is commonly associated with BBQ’s, parades, beer, picnics, and fireworks and of course all American baseball and those fireworks have been connected with the Fourth of July since 1777. In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white and blue bunting.
Such songs as “The Star Spangled Banner”, “God Bless America”, “America the Beautiful”, “Stars and Stripes Forever” just may be some song you may hear though out the day.
Piece of History
"The Star-Spangled Banner", commemorates the United States Flag that was visible by the light of the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air. This view of the flag through a night of bomb bursts inspired the captive Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 and provided hope for the United States as it defended Fort McHenry.
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