Summer Garden Essentials

One of the many summertime essentials for a mountain cook is green beans. In fact, I would argue they are essential year round, as the women in my family put up/can green beans so they can eat them the entire year. These particular pole beans are half-runners, but in my family we call them "Old Man Stokes Beans." My dad once got the seeds for these beans (years and years ago) from an old man named Stokes, hence the name. So not only are these wonderful beans raised organically in my parent's garden, they are also heirloom. It doesn't get much better than local, organic, and heirloom all combined in one. Thanks again to my parents for supplying me with delicious fresh food!

So there is nothing at all "eclectic" in the way that I fix my green beans. I have eaten them lots of different ways in restaurants or at friends' houses (like sauteed with garlic and butter), but I contend that there is no better way to eat green beans than the traditional mountain way. That is, de-string 'em, break 'em, wash 'em, throw 'em in a pot, cover 'em with water, add some salt, and most importantly a couple slices of smoked hog meat, and boil for about an hour, covered. Last night I used double applewood smoked bacon in the beans. Yum.

I also made salmon cakes (nothing special here, just a "filler" for the meal in a I-would-rather-have-fried-chicken-but-am-trying-to-eat-what-is-in-the-house-in-an-effort-to-save-money-on-groceries kind of way), but more importantly potato salad. The potatoes for this salad came from my mother-in-law's garden--so once again, fresh vegetables...I can't complain!

Potato salad is certainly a southern and mountain summertime essential, and I thought this particular potato salad (made up on a whim by yours truly) was pretty good, traditional combined with non-traditional, so I'm posting the recipe below. I didn't actually use measurements making it last night (more like a pinch of this, a handful of that), but I have included my best guess on the measurements below.

Potato Salad with Fresh Basil and Gorgonzola Cheese

2 to 2 1/2-pounds small red skin or new potatoes, quartered
4 medium size eggs, boiled, peeled, and chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use Dukes or homemade aioli)
½ cup green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Cover potatoes with cold water, bring to a boil and salt the water. Boil potatoes until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine the honey, horseradish, vinegar, and mayonnaise in a bowl. To the bowl add the green onions, chopped boiled eggs, basil, Gorgonzola cheese and potatoes. Using a wooden spoon break up the potatoes into large chunks or desired size. Toss the potato salad, add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for an hour.