Things In A Can, And Other Pleasures

A less-than-fussy summer passes pleasurably.

Maine wild blueberry wine is summer pleasure in a can.

I was struck by a passage in Alicia Kennedy’s excellent newsletter this morning:

Allowing yourself pleasure, teaching yourself to enjoy things—when revisiting Rebecca May Johnson’s Small Fires…I realized that I’d underlined a line about that on my first read: “in an experiment with pleasure, I go and buy a coffee and a takeaway box of profiteroles in the late afternoon.” It keeps sending shivers down my spine, because I think many of us need to consistently experiment with and teach ourselves that we’re allowed pleasure—simple ones, like a cup of coffee, and major ones, like moving to start your life over again.

I’ve been thinking a lot about pleasure—simple and major—during this quiet, indulgent summer at the beach. Some major pleasures are on the horizon. In the meantime, many of the simple pleasures have been a little surprising. For instance, one surprise has been how good a canned sparkling blueberry wine is. Bluet is made with Maine wild blueberries, is low alcohol, and is definitely not sweet like you’d imagine. Rather it’s super dry, and easy drinking, yet even has what might be called “tannic structure”—if we were in wine-talk mode. Which we are not. Bluet offers something actually unique in the drinks world: a fresh new experience.

Now, I have not always been down with things (besides beer) in a can. I’m especially skeptical of ready-to-drink canned cocktails and mixed drinks. Even though some dear friends enjoy RTD things like Surfside Iced Tea, that stuff has never really been my…cup of tea. But this summer, I’ve completely relaxed my stance. I’ve already shared my love of The Finnish Long Drink earlier in the year. But I’ve dipped my toe a little further into the RTD pool.

A Long Drink After a Long Week and—For Some—After a Long, Dry January

For instance, I’ve been enjoying two of Cardinal Spirits canned mules—the Bramble Mule with vodka, raspberry, hibiscus, and ginger and the Maui Mule with vodka, passionfruit and ginger. (Seriously: Who am I?)

I’ve also always been a fan of the Cutwater Lime Margarita. What I like about it is that Cutwater isn’t afraid to can the cocktail at 12.5 percent, the same alcohol by volume as a normal mixed margarita. Of the flavors, I’ll admit that I like the Strawberry Margarita very much, too. (Again: Who am I!?)

Other summer pleasures have been less surpising, but still lovely. For instance, it’s melon season. I know, melons are a divisive fruit. It always surprises me how much some people do not like melon. I’ve interrogated this melon hate before, in my piece on gewürztraminer wine last summer—reframing both. But I am here once again with a letter of recommendation: open your mind to ripe summer melon (and, honestly, to gewürztraminer, too). I recently ate such a beautiful, juicy hami melon (aka snow melon) from the farm market that I’m still thinking about it.

Gewürztraminer is the Melon of Wines

Finally, here in South Jersey, it is eggplant season. In my part of the world, that means the iconic Italian-American dish, eggplant parm, is a must. Now, I realize that eggplants are also a divisive fruit (yes, they are a fruit, by the way). But if you are an eggplant hater, I hope you will give them chance in this wonderfully simple and delicious recipe for baba ghanoush, which I am republishing below. There’s something about slowly grilling the eggplants, preferably in your wet bathing suit, that is summer personified. The end result is so good that, honestly, the dip often ends up being dinner.

Last summer, I recommended you pair carignan with the baba ghanoush. But this summer, for whatever reason, even that recommendation feels a little too specific. it also goes well with gewürztraminer, blueberry wine, and really anything chilled in a can.

Who Loves the Lowly Eggplant? Carignan Does.

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Baba Ghanoush

The trick to this recipe is how you handle the eggplants. Grilling them over fire until charred and soft is best. It’s also important to let them rest after cooking and then drain as much moisture as possible.

• 3 to 4 Italian eggplants

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated

• ¼ cup sesame tahini

• ½ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Kosher salt

• Pinch of Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne, or other dried pepper.

• Chopped fresh parsley

If using a grill. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork, then place directly over heat source. Grill eggplants for at least 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally. You want the eggplants super charred and soft, collapsing and offering no resistance to a knife or fork. When done, wrap in foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

If using the oven, there are two methods for cooking eggplants. 1) Preheat broiler to high. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork, then place on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, until eggplants are super charred and soft. When done, wrap the eggplants in the foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Or 2) Preheat to 218*C and light a burner atop the stove. Prick the aubergine all over with a fork, then place each aubergine directly on the burner, turning occasionally, until it is fully charred, about 5-10 minutes. Then place each on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until eggplants are super charred and soft. When done, wrap the eggplants in the foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

After you’ve grilled, broiled, or roasted the eggplant, let them rest in foil until they’re cool enough to handle. Slice open and scoop out the flesh, making sure to remove any of the burnt pieces of skin. Drain the excess moisture of the eggplant flesh. Transfer flesh to a salad spinner or fine-mesh strainer. If using salad spinner, simply give the flesh a whirl to drain the moisture. If using a fine-mesh strainer, let sit for at least a half hour to drain.

In a large bowl, add the eggplant flesh, lemon juice, and garlic. Mash and stir into a rough paste. Add the tahini and whisk vigorously, then add the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying as you whisk. Add more lemon juice if it gets too thick. Stir in salt and pepper.

Serve in bowl, topped with chopped parsley, drizzled oil, and pinch of the pepper.