Cool & Damp Evenings on Cape Cod & Oriental Salad / 8-14-19

      I remember some of those evenings like we have just had recently that were cool and damp. Mom would be sitting in one of the lounge chairs, either working on a crossword puzzle or knitting. Dad would sit in the other matching lounge chair, wither reading or watching TV (which did not come till many years after we had been going and that was only a small black and white one). I would be at the kitchen table working on those of those posters you get that you use colored pencils or colored pens to make your own wall art. Or I loved to do hide n seek puzzles or I Mom would make me read some. Why do I remember these as damp nights? Because as Dad would sit in the chair he would make comments about his arms sticking to the varnished wood arms, and the plastic table cover would get that tacky feeling. The smell of salt and seaweed in the air was heavy and strong because of the dampness. And somewhere between 7 and 10 we would look out onto Old Wharf Road and notice that the fog had rolled in from the cottage you could barely see across the road. The street lights would have that eery yellowish glow about them that seemed to scream something of a Humphrey Bogart movie or Out of the Black Lagoon. An occasional car would come down the road, you could hear it but you could not see it until it was nearly on top of you. Then out of the dark damp misty fog the headlights would slowly appear, pass and slip back into nothingness. The Twilight zone of mystery and wonder, and had the earth opened up and the seas reclaimed its land to swallow up those who dare to travel its path? It never seemed to phase Mom, and she would must keep working away at her knitting for awhile, till out of the blue she would offer to play a game with me. She would put away her knitting needles and I would go find the game Quinto. It was a tile numbers game based on multiples of five. We would sit down to play and Dad would start with that whine of I'm not sure I remember how to play this game, You better remind me, they he would proceed to beat the pants off of anyone who was playing. He does this still to this day (ya he's 92 and still as sharp as a tack and uses it to his advantage anytime he gets it). Anyway, we would play play two or three rounds and call it for the night. Mom and Dad would head to bead and as a mid-teen I would head out to do rounds with the night guard for Chases Ocean Grove who I got to know real well and he would wait for me to come out and go with him. I would eventually get home between 12 and 1 in the morning and slip into bed. Mom and Dad never worried where I was at as they knew I was out with the night watchman. The ones for our areas Chases, Campers Haven and one other down the road were all special duty police officers who most were teachers during the off season. They watched after me and made sure I made it back to the cottage ok and was a great experience. Yup I know it sounds strange but these are what has made my memories what has shaped my loves about the Cape and what I remember about my family being together while here on the Cape. Mom's been gone now 31 year and there are times like these that it feels like just last year we were here all together. Yes I miss my mother, extremely, and sometimes more than others. She was 58, the same age I am now. After she got past that first year, she fell in love with the Cape as much as do and I know she would have been here as much as she could. Thanks Mom for the memories, and here's to what you and Dad gave to me and my love for this place we call Old Cape 

      Well small business report time. One of my favorite go to places on 6A anytime of the year is in Brewster called the Lemon Tree Village Shops. This grouping of shops is a wonderful place with something for just about everyone in the family. So if you want someplace that is fun, has practical shops and is open year round this is the place. Located at 1069 Route 6A in Brewster or find them online at http://lemontreevillageshops.com. Also each of the shops have their own websites or are facebook and twitter on their own. So what kind of shops are located here. Well here are some of the shops you will find: Brewster Sweets making hand made chocolates, this stuff is pretty darn good. The Lemon Tree Pottery Shop. I have found more things here than my pocket could ever purchase or my house could hold. From figurines, to garden sculptures to to mugs to plates and wine glasses to bowls and the list goes on and on. Next is By the Bay Designs they have a wide variety of affordable, imaginative American-made gifts, jewelry, greeting cards, and decorative arts for the home.  Working along with many local artisans, we offer some of the most unique Cape Cod-themed items available. (ok I stole that from them) But still great place to go. La Bodega; Ladies this is your kind of clothing shop. With all kinds of styles that would make any woman fit right into the Cape scene. Let's not forget the Village Toy Store, this store is upstairs but don't think they are just hiding up there. They have so much fun stuff, but that help teach and learn and those things that are just for play time, and if you are into games they have those too. So climb the stairs and check them out. The Cook's Shop, wow, if you have not been in there you are missing something. two floors of all things cooking. If you are looking for that special tea pots, spatulas, whisks, measuring spoons, and the list goes on. Then there is the cookware upstairs and baking ware and small appliances and they even have Lodge cast iron ware. Back downstairs they have teas of all kinds, jams, vinegars, oils and specialty dry goods. Just go in and check them out. The last I will mention is a two in one now. The Woodworks Gallery bought the Brewster Birdhouse shop and have moved them into the same space. If are looking for bird houses and wild bird items check them out. But if you are looking to add some outdoor patio furniture. In their words: This shop carries a unique selection of American Crafted Wood Art and Gift Items.  Wood Gift Items includes Hand Carved Birds, Jewelry, Jewelry Boxes,  Signs, Salad Bowl sets, Serving Spoons and Tongs, Watches, Old Fashioned Toys, Toys and Games, Wood Wick Candles, Wind chimes, Rocking Chairs, Amish Furniture. Stay tune for what we hope is some exciting news in the next several months, especially for you folks that winter down near Sarasota, Florida area. Will keep you posted. But for now keep this place in mind for your outdoor and indoor decorating needs. Now I am not getting everyone. There is a cafe, and jeweler, not just jewelry but a real jeweler that can repair your gold and silver jewelry and more. So go and have a fun time shopping at the Lemon Tree Village Shops.            

      Hello, and I am glad many of you have come back to visit me again. I will say I think this young reporter now only comes up to get those cookies, pound cakes and bundt cakes. The wife does all the cookies and and an occasional cake. But what most don't know is that I am the one making most of the fruit pies, bundt and pound cakes. I love those things. But what he doesn't know won't hurt him, at least in this case. Well the weather has just about been perfect. Just one drippy day that ended up with a hang over but the rest has been perfect and so does this coming weekend look fantastic. So if you have the opportunity to come on out and experience the good life, rest and relaxation well then this weekend would be great. And also one of the last empty weekends before the kids have to go back to school, ok parents stop cheering so loudly you will scare the whales away. LOL. So, the guests and visitors have continued to stream in, we are seeing about 50 or so a day and on the weekends it's been exploding to 2 to 3 times and I think we had one or two weekends that we had over 200 each day. But I expect things to remain steady through Labor Day then start to slow down. So if you are empty nesters or DINKS (double income no kids, really folks) September would be a wonderful time to plan to come out and visit us. With all the sunshine filled days the view have been spectacular from the lamp room and so much to see and experience. Remember this coming Thursday we are doing a night climb from 7-9 pm and the weather looks like it is going to cooperate for us to make it a great evening. So I hope you can make it, but if you cant please come and visit us any other time during out daytime hours. Last but not least a report on your Great Whites, I just hear that so far this season we have had more than a 150 sighting, and needless to say many of you know this as they have periodically closed down beaches. But what's a little inconvenience to safety, so we will deal with it and until we do something about the seal population we will not see the number of Great White sightings decrease. Well folks that about it, another day another week another report, I hope you have had a fantastic summer so far and have been able to get here, or are still looking forward to that long awaited holiday and still planning to come see us. I hope regardless of your situation, you have a great and wonderful the rest of your summer but especially if you can do it right here on old Cape Cod.    

      Well another wonderful summer eek and time for a nice vegetable based side dish. I like a good Asian type salad as it can serve as a really good side dish or if you really wanted to you could add a meat to it and make it into an all in one lunch salad. You can also dress this salad up and down a lot and have some really good fun with it. So check it out, nothing goofy in this one, and give it a try, I think you might like this a lot and find different ways to change this around too many different occasions. Now let's get to it with this week's yummy in the tummy, Oh and if you find another Oriental salad recipe, they are different, I make sure of that. Now on with the show:

      This week's recipe: Oriental Salad

      1      cup      slivered almonds

      2      Tbsp    sesame seeds

      1      small    head of cabbage (shredded or chopped)

      3      stalks   green onions (chopped)

      2      pkgs     chicken ramen soup (broken up)

      Toast almonds till slightly brown, then let cool while you get the rest ready. In a large bowl, put shredded or chopped cabbage, chopped onion, sesame seeds and almonds,  and set aside.

   Dressing mix:

   1/2      cup      salad oil

      3      Tbsp    vinegar (for some fun use an infused or flavored vinegar)

   1/4      cup      sugar

   1/4      tsp       salt

      2      pkgs     ramen soup seasoning mix

      Mix dressing ingredients in a separate container and add it to the cabbage bowl and mix . Right before serving add crumbled ramen noodles so they don't get soggy. and serve.