Just around bedtime last night, we had one of the most intense electrical storms ever. The rain came down so fast I had two inches of water in minutes on my stone patio, hail started bombarding the house, and the lightning flashed unending like strobe lights for over 15 minutes. The dogs jumped on the bed clearly terrified, and the phone alarms for severe thunderstorms and tornado watch kept going off every minute. Such drama on a Wednesday night in Vermont! There was a second wave of thunder in the middle of the night but I didn’t bother to check the time. This morning, I looked outside and everything was bone dry already since we are in the middle of a heat wave. It looked like nothing had happened overnight, and it was already 80 degrees when we walked the dogs early. I guess summer is finally here.
Let’s celebrate
We enjoy every minute of the long days and summer weather while we have it, so fleeting is the season and here we are already in July. Our nation’s semiquincentennial is Saturday and that will mean a lot of fireworks and picnics, although I’m not sensing a lot of energy around the event. Let’s hope we all pay some attention to the documents that are the foundation for our 250-year experiment, ponder the words of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution, and embrace the stunning yet imperfect message of our country’s freedom, all under great strain right now. Knowledge is power, and as it says on our 250th commerative half dollar, it is also the guardian of true liberty.
“Knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”
Celebrating in our small community began last weekend with a beach party on Lake Champlain. A lovely gathering of our town, a potluck beyond imagination, and all the grilled items and ice cream donated by local farms. It’s a wonderful gathering and great way to mingle with folks. We started out with just six of us, and our group grew to ten by the time food was served. We say hello to people we haven’t seen for a while, and to the season itself, pick up our town beach parking pass, and gaze out at the Adirondacks across the lake.
Flavors of the season
The side dish table at the party was abundant with all the flavors of summer – garden and pasta salads with new peas and broccoli, luscious greens, new potato salads, baked beans of course, casseroles of all types, and even simple plates of buttered summer squash or radishes and their greens, tender and colorful. You know that so much of it was crafted after finding what was fresh and flavorful.
I love it when the garden or the market or farm stand tells me what to make for supper. I go out to pick a bit of parsley and discover a ton of broccoli sprouts or little summer squash that need to be kept in line. Stir-fry for dinner! My peas right now are coming fast and furious, and I love these prepared as simply as possible too. I’ve planted both snow peas and sugar snaps. Usually, I save the snow peas for stir-fry and the snaps as a side. But when I have a surplus, I’ll often just toss them together remembering the snow peas take just seconds to cook.
The vertigo I’ve been battling is much better, so I’ve been able to cook again without falling on my face. This is good! One of the first suppers I made this week was inspired by what was overgrowing in the garden, a sorrel soup. The sorrel was starting to bolt which means its sourness would get more bitter, so I cut it back and harvested a big basket.
For those not familiar with sorrel, it is a perennial herb that grows beautifully and winters over even in our very cold climate. It is most definitely on the sour side and, and is packed with nutrition. According to Healthline, rich in anti-oxidants, one little cup has 29 calories, 2.5 g. protein, over 70% of our vitamin C, a third of our daily requirement for both magnesium and Vitamin A, almost 20% of our iron, and is a good source of potassium, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, manganese copper, and phosphorus, all with just 4 g. carbs and four g. fiber. It is thought to have anti-cancer properties, and contributes to heart health. That’s a hard-working herb, and it can be used fresh or dried.
My sorrel patch started with a plant from the garden center. However, when I was growing up, we children loved to chew on the wild sheep sorrel we called “sour grass.” It was quite tart and sour, but we loved it. Mom sometimes added it to soups, a vibrant and almost lemony flavor. My variety is a bit milder, but still packed with nutrition and flavor.
New potatoes, a large handful of chervil (also trying to go to seed) and a beautiful Vidalia onion borrowed from the south, and in no time at all, we had a tasty soup. I made it in the afternoon and served it up chilled for supper. This was a good move because it was still steamy outside.
If you don’t have sorrel, you can make this soup using spinach or another favorite summer green. Swiss chard would be good, as would arugula, one of my favorites. It’s all about the sour, so add more lemon juice if not using the sorrel. It packs up beautifully for a picnic as well (I tuck mine in a canning jar), so if you are headed out to the beach or even just your backyard to celebrate the Fourth, you can enjoy this anywhere.
Happy Fourth of July my fellow Americans! Enjoy and guard the true richness our country offers, that which is measured by knowledge, compassion for others, personal freedom and security, and not corporate gains or the stock market.
Sorrel and new potato soup
- 1 onion, about 10 oz. (300 g.) diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. (460 g.) new potatoes, chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup chopped Swiss chard or spinach leaves, stems removed
- 10 oz. (300 g.) sorrel, more or less
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- Zest and juice of a lemon
Prep all your veggies. Add the onions to a soup pot in a drizzle of olive oil. If you like you can add the chopped chard or spinach stems here too if using.
Sauté until soft and translucent and add the garlic. Stir around for a minute or so, until fragrant, then add the potatoes and water, and a good pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Once the potatoes are tender, add the chard leaves and cook another minute.
Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the greens. Sadly, no matter what you do, the sorrel will immediately turn olive drab to the grey side. No way around it. That’s why we’ll have to pretty it up.
Using a blender or food processor, puree the whole lot, and add the zest and juice of the lemon. Taste to correct seasoning.
Serve hot or cold with lots of garnishes!
If you like, you can add cream or plant milk at the end.
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A good read for a Saturday in July.
“Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
My eyes are wide open, and thoroughly enjoying this soup! I think I would prefer it chilled, given that it will be 100°F in the shade here for the next few days. I love how your community celebrates things, Dot! And I always appreciate your positive perspective, even in the toughest of situations. Happy fourth, my sister! ❤️😊
Happy Fourth to you all too! Have you got anything planned?
Glad you are better from your vertigo – and I love the idea of this soup: colorful and no doubt full of incredible flavor – I don;t cook with sorrel enough
It’s sort of the little forgotten herb, but it’s pretty handy to have in the garden!
This was a lovely soup, a thoughtful post, and I enjoyed the side of the community mix, too! I would eat that soup even without the flair! We had a loud thunder storm yesterday evening also–but at least, no lightning. It is a steam batch out there now, of course! Hope you and yours stay well and safe in the heat.
Keep cool my friend! It’s pretty brutal out there for most of us.
Hahahahaha! Yeah, weird color, but I know it tastes good!!!
The flowers help!
Beautifully written post! I have been feeling quite glum about our 250th, but your wise words were a great comfort to me. Your celebration sounded wonderful, with that nutritionally power-house soup being just the thing. So glad to read you are feeling better!
Thank you Laurie! Going to keep it simple on the Fourth, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra at the Shelburne Museum outside under the stars. What are you up to?
Thanks for posting the sorrel soup recipe! It sounds delicious. I am looking forward to trying it once my sorrel patch recovers from the Japanese beetle infestation. Sorrel was one of their favorite eats.
Oh those beetles! I haven’t seen any yet, but I know they are on the way!
Ugh, too bad we don’t have anything native that would feast on them!
I grew sorrel in the Concrete Jungle a few years back.
It’s an amazing plant!
I hear you, the weather is quite turbulent all over the US. Enjoy the soup, I’m sure it is delicious. I hope you have a wonderful 4th!
You too! Happy Fourth of July!
Happy to read the vertigo is better, D; dizziness combined with this heat cannot be good so do be careful. Your soup does look a bit like pea soup, which I love. Someone mentioned serving this chilled and that sound like a great idea for a heatwave. Have a fab 4th, my dear friend! 🎇
I like it best chilled, so very refreshing!
Thank you my dear friend, and Happy Fourth to you too!
Sorrel soups are indeed not the prettiest, but they are so tasty and nutritious, that we “forgive” them!
Glad to know you’re feeling better.
Happy 4th to you too! 🙂
I don’t mind the color because it tastes so good! I forgive!
Sorrel is one of those greens I tried growing years ago but didn’t really know how to prepare it. (Yet I have been known to make salad dressing with wood sorrel leaves, so go figure.) The soup looks delicious! I share your sentiments about the holiday. I have mixed feelings about it, and love your quote at the end of this post. Happy independence day to you and yours, Dorothy!
Thank you so much J M! Happy Fourth to you too!
To retain the color, try adding a pinch of baking soda and keep uncovered.
I will give it a try next time! Good old baking soda to the rescue once again!
A hugely happy 4th to you . . . am keeping my fingers crossed it will be one of relative peace across the land so that each of you can celebrate in the way that suits. Remember sorrel soup (‘hapuoblikas’ in Estonian!) from the childhood . . . must see whether it is available here . . .
Oh, I think that might be my new favorite word – hapuoblikas!
Thank you for your kind words!
Love the Mahatma Gandhi quote, Dorothy – it’s true.
Your images are delightful. Must have been a special time!
As for sorrel, I’ve heard of it but not seen it – I’ll investigate. Arugula always. It’s become a staple. So many uses. And –
so pleased you’re feeling better. 🤗
Thank you my friend, I am definitely on the mend.
Arugula is always in my garden and refrigerator!!!! Our local farmers grow it all winter too, so I’m all set.
Your Sorrel Soup sounds lovely, never mind the colour. Just the thing, cold on a hot day! I can’t remember ever having sorrel so it something to hunt down.
So pleased you are getting on top of the vertigo. Not too pleasant with the heatwave!
So nice to see people gathering and mingling and enjoying each other’s company with tasty food as well.
Enjoy your 4th July celebrations. It’s a special time in your country’s history and I’m sure everyone would be sorry if they missed giving it the importance it deserves no matter how they feel in the present times. Happy celebrations!!
Mary :))
Thank you so much for all your kind words Mary! I can sum it all up in “This too shall pass!” Wise words from my mom!
Our paths have been similar of late. It was hard to see the pretty in the lentil soup that I enjoy cold; a bout of vertigo laid me up for a few days – so debilitating when it’s at its worst; a Canada Day celebration with family & friends. I enjoyed Valerie Bertinelli’s herby snap pea & radish salad but not enough that it will be in regular rotation. Seasonal delights.
We’re in harmonic synchronization, only I’d rather not have had the vertigo to share.
Another coincidence, I had lunch with two of my girlfriends this week and one of them had just gotten over a bout of vertigo the week before. Strange….
I don’t think I’ve ever had sorrel, Dorothy, but I have no doubt that your soup is delicious.
Thank you Mary!