Happy Summer Solstice

So, officially today is the first day of summer. At least we have some sun. It stopped raining around 7am and has just been misting off and on. The yard seems to be draining pretty well right now, so we're hoping it clears up just a little more with the sun and the wind so we can go out to the highway and rescue the remains of the first load of lumber... although the dark clouds on the horizon look a bit ominous and wind usually means we have a strom brewing. But we really do have to get the lumber off the road, this is just getting ridiculous now.

Speaking of ridiculous, let's talk about some things I've been craving lately...

• Fresh fried eggs -- mmmmm fried egg sandwiches with cheese that actually melts, on a toasted english muffin, with a thin slice of tomato and sliced mushrooms
• Salad -- any kind really... I might even sell my soul for just a leaf of crappy iceberg lettuce at this point. We have miner's lettuce wild here, but it's just not the same as a crisp romaine or mesclun tossed in a light vinegrette with feta and proscuitto with cracked pepper and cherry tomatoes
• Bruschetta -- lordy lordy but I've had a hankering for the wonderfully toasted crostinis with fresh tomato, garlic and basil "salsa"
• Caprese -- nothing says loving like fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella... as a salad or as canape
• Stilton and fresh figs -- ok, you really should eat these while drinking Port, but since I find Port to be relatively vile an I don't drink much these days anyway, just the cheese and figs would be perfect :)
• "Gourmet" cheese -- cheese is a gift from the gods, but you don't get a lot of variety up here in Alaska. I miss having a true deli cheese case that's as big as most produce sections. Stilton (as noted), Double Gloucester, Roquefort, Chevre, Camembert... oh, the list of yummy cheese is endless!  Paired with the equally enless assortment of olives...  **drool**
• Spring Rolls -- fresh Vietnamese or Thai style, and the more typical fried types of other Asian origins
• Sushi and Shashimi -- about the only raw fish I can get around here is salmon (wish is wonderful raw), but there are so many other lovely fish that I miss dearly (raw at least). I would probably die of pure bliss sinking my teeth into red tuna with wasabi, or spicy roe, or shrimp, or anything but eel really.
• Cucumber and Avocado canapes with caramelized shallots and capers

Ok... enough. I'm making myself hungry and nothing in my pantry of cans will satisfy these cravings. Heck, even a trip into Fairbanks would only marginally satisfy some.  I just need to get the homestead up and running so I can grow and make most of these myself. Now, if only we can get an oven set up an G can perfect breadmaking  (I'm sooo not even going to attempt to bake, really I'm doing the world a favor!), then we'd be all set.