Summer is flying by as summer does, and while it feels like my daughter and her beau just landed here; in a too-soon-approaching-tomorrow, they will be on their way again. Such is parenting and life when our nestlings have grown and flown — quite literally. Her sweetheart, @chefsamuelgregory is a French National and it’s difficult and expensive to get a US visa that allows a foreign National to stay in this country beyond 90 days. In the meantime though, we enjoyed an al fresco dinner on the patio the other evening with the full Chef Samuel experience. For me to allow someone else to pretty much navigate my kitchen without me hovering is no small feat, and he was a star. There’s something to be said for a private chef who does it all from shopping to prep to post-meal cleanup. The meal was fresh, simple and delightful — gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella drizzled with homemade pesto became un’insalata caprese, a fragrant mouthful of flavor. Samy made one of his favorite dishes for us because after all he is half-Italian and besides his fresh pasta, which we have yet to try, he made — what else but? Pizza!! With flours from Italy transformed into a pillowy yet lightly crisped and chewy crust. The crust was the vehicle for all manner of toppings and we stuck to vegetarian since the chef and his Lady are veggies. There was even gluten free crust and vegan cheese on one of the pies! The others were layered with an assortment of cheeses — mozzarella, fresh Narragansett mozzarella, creamy Vermont goat cheese, Parmesan-reggiano — on a base of either pesto or perfectly seasoned crushed tomato sauce — and scattered with colorful sweet peppers, figs, radicchio, arugula, herbs from the gardens, and more. While the pizza dough rose, the “kids” ducked out for a quick swim and stroll at a favorite nearby beach before returning to assemble and serve dinner. Mealtime was at dusk, a bit later than we’re used to, but it was a splendid evening in the company of some of the people I love best — my dad, Marty, my daughter and her guy, surrounded by what I love best — twilight descending amidst a verdant summer garden filled with trailing sweet peas, herbal scents wafting from window boxes, and grape vines wrapping and twisting through the pergola, threatening to embrace us all in the glory of one sweet summer evening in the waning days of summer.
Sounds like a splendid evening, the best kind to savor. ♥️