Thanks to the Union Square greenmarket and good fishmongers, we enjoyed some very good meals at home this weekend, once again in excellent weather, windows open to the garden.

Only now as I'm composing this entry do I realize that two of these suppers seem quite closely related. I experienced them as totally distinct when planning and sitting down to them, but I'm still surprised that the outward similarities (from happenstance, and from the modest bounty of our larder) didn't occur to me at the time.

Friday, August 22

yellow heirloom tomato, basil, oil, Boucheron, Ciabatta ring

grilled tuna steaks paved with crushed fennel, chilies, drizzled with lemon, oil
halved and grilled San Marzano plum tomatoes, finished with oil and lemon thyme
sauteed Pimientos de Padrón sprinkled with salt

baby yellow watermelon

Rioja Reserve Riscal, served slightly chilled

Sunday, August 24

red heirloom tomatoes, basil, oil, Boucheron, Panelle

Arctic char fillet pan-grilled on bed of salt, dribbled with excellent Spanish oil
boiled small red new potatoes, oil and parsley
grilled miniature sweet yellow, red, orange bell peppers sprinkled with salt

Kulfi Pistachio Cardamon ice cream

Argentine Torrontes Torino

[first image from nygirleatsworld; second from reimerseeds]

untitled (silver fish) 2008

I pass this and the many other rich, Chinese open-market landscapes of dried meat, fish and vegetables to be found on Chrystie Street virtually every time I'm in the area. I snapped this shot very quickly last Saturday, while trying trying not to get out of step, because of the crowds of serious shoppers.