Zinerman's Cold Brewed Coffee

I can't get enough of it! I think I'm late to the party here, because it's been around a while - but it only just now showed up at Plum Market in Bloomfield Township. I have been making iced coffee all summer, but Zingerman's Cold Brewed Coffee has changed everything. According to the label, "The extraction process for this caffeinated drink takes 24 hours in cold water, producing a naturally sweet coffee." Now, my genius husband claims he had a cold-press contraption in grad school and used to make coffee this way all the time (thanks for the heads up - how long have we been married?!?!) - and that everyone raved about it. I don't get out much, apparently. I am now investigating buying one of my very own - and if I would stop shelling out $2.99 for 16 ounces of the Zing-brew, I'd have the cash in no time. In the meantime, it's hot and I'm lazy and it's all too easy to twist that little plastic top and pour away...

When God Gives You Eggplant....

You make baba ghanoush...then, because you're so inspired, you decide to make hummus and tabbouleh for the classic appetizer trio...

Our eggplant crop...

Well, here it is! Our first eggplant of the season - we are proud parents, indeed! I questioned the harvest time - think it may be a bit soon, but I was afraid of letting it go and ending up with something totally inedible. Cut on Thursday, July 24, grilled over charcoal for baba ghanoush on Friday - after much recipe research, chose one from Cook's Illustrated (July 2001)...and I couldn't stop - just had to make hummus (Cook's Illustrated, May 2008) and tabbouleh (Gourmet, July 2008)...a lot of chopping, a lot of lemons but quite a feast. I refuse to do before and after pics on the eggplant - baba was lovely, but nothing can compare the pristine beauty of this...