On The Coast of Somewhere Beautiful

Once a year in August, we join the hordes of travelers for a summer trek to Cape Cod.  When you’re born in New England, they make you sign a paper that says travel to the Cape is mandatory.  In preparation for the trip, I obsess about packing and why I can’t ever find the bag with the beach shoes in it.  But most importantly, I begin to plan out the meals that we will cook.  Yes, cook.  On vacation.  Since our family is in different directions during the week, it’s a real treat to hunker in and cook a meal where everyone sits together at the same table.   We do eat out occasionally and in the process, have found some of the best off-the-radar-no-award-winning-signs-here clam chowder, lobster rolls and ice cream around.  Not to mention, Portuguese glutton-fest in Provincetown. 

It’s breakfast that I look forward to every day.  We settle in, head to the nearest markets for Portuguese muffins, linguica, eggs, onions and spices.  Add to that the 6 or so varieties of potatoes I’ve brought from the local CSA, locally roasted coffee and let the fun begin! 

In the quiet of the morning, I relish waking up to start chopping potatoes and onions for the hash browns, brewing fresh coffee all while enjoying a cool ocean breeze.   At home, meals are never plated, but that’s not the case on vacation.  Fluffy eggs scrambled with linguica are artfully arranged alongside potatoes, muffins and fresh fruit on REAL plates. 

Boy, things are good until the day after vacation ends and we find ourselves back to the work routine; staring at cereal boxes and wondering who the hell is going to make breakfast.  *Sigh*