jessicapecota.com

This is one of those nights when I am just going to post a photo.
Because it’s NaBloPoMo.

No commentary.
No editing.
Just pure summertime.

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Since the main ingredient of our signature cocktail is now out of season, Tom and I have moved on to experimenting with margaritas.

We’ve found three keys to margarita success:

1) Agave nectar (available locally at Sunshine)
2) Really good margarita mix
3) Serve them up (that is, shaken over ice, strained, and in a martini glass)

Here’s how to do it.

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz silver tequila
3/4 oz triple sec
1/4 oz agave nectar
Juice of one lime
3 oz Dr Swami & Bone Daddy’s Top Shelf Margarita Mix
Half of one lime, quartered
The other half of the lime, thinly sliced

Take one of the lime quarters and make a slit in the center of the juicy part. Put some margarita or kosher salt onto a plate. Grab your best martini glasses. Place the lime on the rim of the glass and coat the rim by circling the entire rim. Dip the limed rim into the salt.

Fill shaker half-way with ice. Add the tequila, triple sec, agave nectar, lime juice, and margarita mix to the shaker.

Be sure to use fresh lime. We found this nifty citrus juicer years ago at a restaurant supply store, but this one here also looks good.

Shake for about 15 seconds. Any longer is unnecessary and will only dilute your cocktail.
Pour the mixture into the glass and garnish with the sliced lime.

Serve with ceviche. We like to use halibut, but you can use almost any fish or shellfish.

Ceviche of Halibut Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
1/2 lb super-fresh halibut fillet
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1 green onion
4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the fish into small dice.

Combine the lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk to blend well. Add the fish and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. Stir occasionally.

As close as possible to the time you’re going to serve the ceviche, prepare the other vegetables. Peel and seed the tomatoes and cut into neat dice or julienne. Cut the red onion into very thin slices and separate the slices into rings. Cut the green onion, white and green parts, very thinly on the bias.

Fold the cilantro into the ceviche and mound it on a chilled platter or individual plates. Scatter the tomato, red onion, and green onion on top of the ceviche.

Serve with good tortilla chips (i.e. thin, crispy, and fresh).

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It’s been hot here in the Napa Valley.
But not as hot as I hear it is on the East Coast right now though. And humidity too. Ugh.

Do you remember that shocking yet sweet feeling of running through the sprinkler on a hot day?

After unusually late rains this season, summertime has finally arrived here in the Napa Valley.

Remember when you were a kid and how sweet those first days of summertime would be?

This weekend, we noticed the first of our heirloom tomatoes.

It’s officially (finally) summertime here in the Napa Valley.