Summer moves quietly. It sleeps late, and leans toward noon each day effortlessly. Even in my unremittingly early-rising household, we—the Green Lantern, Lil E and I—have slept later than we thought possible. Like all things summer, plans melt effortlessly. My friend Tamara and I dubbed this summer “The Search for Delicious” in honor of Natalie Babbitt’s novel. We had plans for seeking out the delectable in this city, not the most difficult quest in the world. We started on a long walk to Miette Confiserie where amidst the many splendors of high and low culture candy, Lil E chose—after much method—an Aero bar, and the Green Lantern chose a pocketful of flavored malt balls. We sat on the green opposite Miette, and contemplated our summer options as the sugar softened and disappeared in our mouths.
In mid-July, if you are a teacher, the summer hardens then dissolves. In the middle of June, plans shimmered on the horizon. Now I can name a week and see it in plain sight right up until the center of August. And this is probably why last Sunday I was seized to make soup, a gathering-in activity if ever there was one. The afternoon fogged, the family needed sustenance before the family movie night, and so I made Happiness Soup, lovingly adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer. While I was pottering around, I also stirred up David Lebovitz’s strawberry frozen yogurt from the endlessly cheering The Perfect Scoop. Sky-blue bowls, soup and dessert, Lil E, Green Lantern and the Assistant Principal. To paraphrase Li-Young Lee, what more could I want?
Happiness Soup
Adapted from Nigella Lawson
4 small or medium pattypan squash
One tablespoon olive oil
One medium to large lemon, zested and juiced
A rough few tablespoons of minced shallots
2 teaspoons of turmeric
4 cups of chicken stock
One half cup of basmati rice
Cut the squash into small batons and cubes. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan, and put the squash, lemon zest and shallots in the pan. Do not fry—just heat gently until the squash softens and you can smell the lemon zest. Add the turmeric, stirring it through until the squash is even more yellow. Add the chicken stock, letting it come to a quiet simmer—at which point add the lemon juice and rice. Leave uncovered and cook until the squash and rice are cooked through, anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Ladle into a bowl, and serve up your loves some happiness.
