In The Interest of Experimentation

So this weekend I was quite productive. Natalie, Ross and I tried a new restaurant on Friday night--Jimmy's. It was delicious, and the beer was great (I had a yummy Japanese beer a white ale) . . . but we concluded that we would come back in the winter when the lack of air conditioning wouldn't matter so much.

Saturday I braved the heat and ran down to the Union Square Green Market (one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning), and got fresh ricotta, tomatoes, radishes, zucchini, and then I was on my way out and I saw squash blossoms. I have never cooked squash blossoms, but I have been reading so much about them, that when I saw them, I had no choice but to buy them (even though I am pretty sure I have never even eaten them).

Tonight, I made fried squash blossoms. One batch was plain, and one was stuffed with ricotta. The batter was light, just beer and flour and when the oil got hot enough the fried blossoms were delicious. The most amazing thing was how "squashy" they tasted, and yet the strong squash flavor in something so delicate was so out of this world: amazing how much consistency matters. I think the next time I will stuff them with a more flavorful filling (or as a friend suggested schtup them--although I have only heard that used as yiddish euphamism for sex, so I think I am pretty much just uncomfortable with the idea of "schtupping" squash blossoms . . . .um yeah), a perhaps stronger cheese with basil, garlic, and mushroom. I have leftover blossoms so I wish I could do it tomorrow, however I am not sure I can handle pouring out another half of a bottle of oil to make my dinner . . . maybe Wednesday?