Hungry Times Two

We and some friends of ours saw Tableland , the first of several food-related films being shown as part of local food film series. We're not pure Slow Food members or anything like that .. yet .. but we do strive for local food via the Farmer's Market, etc. (saw Jeff Themm, Nashville Farmer's Market Exec. Dir. in audience). The film festival 's running 6:30 p.m., every Tuesday, from June 16-23, so check out a film or two if you live in Middle Tennessee. One of the best characters from the film is an B.C. oysterman named Brent Petkau. He not only hauls in some tasty looking bivalves, he waxes poetic on them and " The Oyster Revolution ." Seriously, he's great, as are all of the chefs, farmers, etc. in the film. There's also the guy from Soiled Reputation that also had some notable quotes. Lastly, I finally saw a face behind a name, something of a food celebrity sighting: Pete , of Pete's Green's. Somehow, I'd heard the company name ...

Yep, it's yet another rant about the malarial heat of Nashville, when you just want to lay around without any clothes on...oh wait, that's not appropriate for this blog. Instead, how about when you just feel downright maniacal as the temps reach 90 degrees and the mosquitoes are out and you just don't look too cute with those visible beads of moisture crowding your temples and upper lip. Yeah, it's so hot. And not in a Paris Hilton kind of way. Thus, it's time to make some iced tea and chill the hell out. For tea, I like to use my blue pitcher, formerly used by my beloved late Grandmother Coxey to make her fruit tea - a disgusting mix of brewed iced tea and whatever fruit juice happened to be accessible, such as orange juice or the remaining syrupy juice from the canned peaches, pears or pineapple in her oh-so-1950s style ubiquitous fruit salads. Don't get me started on her favorite throwback of a salad, the half of a chilled canned pear nested on iceberg lettuc...

So, it's officially June, and that means one thing for certain: the A/C will likely be no match for the ungodly sweltering summer heat about to inflict us here in Nashville. I know, it's not Mississippi/downright Deep and Dirty South, but it's already 90 degrees here today and I just don't think I have another heat-induced hissy fit left in me. My 28 years in this humid-ass place known as the South have used up those sweaty tantrums. Luckily, my favorite summer pastime known as Being Lazy as all Get Out is already in full swing, with my first session turning out better than expected yesterday evening. With an icy beverage within reach on the coffee table and a supplemental box fan running at full-speed on my outstretched form on the couch, I held court in the living room with a couple books to while away the sultry night. I present to you the first of several, the one, the only.... Summer Reading Lists for Those of Us Who Really Like our Food, MmmKay ? 1) The United S...