Tailgatin'

I considered titling today's post "The Season's First". Because the season's first corn was the inspiration for the bizarre tailgating session I recently conducted. And really, doesn't the season's first (anything!) sweet corn, perfect tomato, juicy strawberry, just get you excited? There is no substitute for that fresh from the vine, bush, tree or dirt piece of produce that transports you to another place.

I love to cook. I can visit only so many restaurants on a road trip and I have to find a place to cook SOMETHING! It's just who I am. I usually carry my chef's knife with me in my trunk at all times. Along with my Turkish coffee grinder that serves as my pepper grinder and some kosher salt. (Often you'll find fresh garlic in there too). What can I say?

I didn't have any of those things with me on a recent road trip because I knew I would not have a kitchen to work in. I was foolish and won't make the same mistake twice. From now on it's a hard and fast rule. Getting in the car? Take your chef's knife.

So, I was wandering through this amazing mercantile loaded with fresh, FRESH produce and house-made sausages, salsas, enchiladas, and sauces and I crossed paths with the season's first sweet corn. Local of course. There was a microwave in my waterfront hotel room but that just seemed criminal. I had other criminal designs on that sweet corn.

They included an open flame in the parking lot of a hotel that probably wouldn't approve. Let me just say right now that I have a life motto that says "rules are guidelines". I believe when the sign says "no food or drink allowed inside" what they are REALLY saying is "don't spill your drink or get food on anything". It's all about common sense isn't it?

Now, I don't know that what I was doing was illegal. Really, I don't. I imagine I was breaking a rule somewhere. My common sense told me to be careful and cautious and try not to start a chain of car fires in the hotel parking lot just so I could have a little grilled sweet corn. So, please don't try this at your next resort vacation destination.

That said, we went to the store and picked up a 15 dollar grill, some foil, olive oil and kosher salt. That's it kids! The rest we commandeered from the restaurant in the hotel. silverware, plates, napkins. Any flat surface can provide the space to create your mis en place. In this case I used the desk in the room.

From the market we had fresh new red potatoes, Walla Walla sweet onions and Anaheim peppers, fresh garlic and the corn. We had the house-made jalapeno-cheese sausages and some pilfered silverware. Oh, and of course the lovely stemware for our wine.

This was truly some of the best fun I've had in ages! It was clandestine, it was filled with hilarity and it was just awesome food!

We soaked in the full moon and view of the nearby suspension bridge (best seats in...er..outside the house!)

At one point we involuntarily offered up a sausage to the parking lot gods. This struck us with laughter that nearly incapacitated us.

First there were two:

And suddenly, only one:

Does this make you laugh just a little? Because it put me over the top!

Everything was wonderful! If I'd cooked it in my own backyard it probably wouldn't have been as spectacular. But then, maybe it would. That corn came through with an outstanding sweetness that forced us to proclaim over and over "what a wonderful meal"!

I love the phone cord in this one. Composition is everything!