Last Scenes of Summer

As September settles in with sweater weather and the smell of wood smoke from chimneys, I thought I’d offer here on my blog one last glimpse of summer. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted. I’ve been busy with a number of endeavors, including tending to a smiling but always hungry two-month-old and tackling another revision of my book. In all the busyness, summer has started to slip away, quietly, as it always does, like a guest leaving a party without saying good-bye so as not to interrupt the fun.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to taste the spectrum of summer’s final, peak flavors at Milkweed, a private family farm nestled near the hills of Spring Green. During the summer and early fall, Chef Isaac Spicer cooks up fantastic, multi-course meals for a few lucky diners to enjoy under the stars and the sound of the cicadas.

Because Milkweed is a “dinner club” and not a restaurant, getting a reservation takes some planning, since their calender books up fast. My husband  managed to book a table for us and some friends to celebrate my birthday and our first night out without the baby. I can’t imagine a more perfect night. The food was incredible, featuring just-picked tomato crostini, sugar-sweet corn soup, salad studded with Chioggia beets, halibut cooked to perfection, and even cow’s tongue, which sounds intimidating, but was quite delicious. Then, to top of an already perfect meal, the chef came by our table to offer a taste of small-batch Black Maple Hill bourbon. I’ve never been a whiskey drinker, but it turns out that bourbon is delicious. Who knew? I hope you savor these photos of summer’s end, taken by my friend Connor Sabatino, as much as I savored the lovely meal at Milkweed.