Ancient and Surly

When the mercury rises above 85, and especially when the humidity is high, my parents morph from reasonably normal 60 year-olds into ancient and surly people who are almost impossible to please.

Here is a lovely summer supper I prepared for them because my mom was actually too incapacitated to wash lettuce... I just hope they dont move to Florida, they will disappear in a swamp one day while searching for their car keys...

Above, clockwise from 12:oo:

garden salad of bibb lettuce, blue cheese, cherry tomato and artichoke hearts.

tuna salad, I personally enjoy VERY MUCH a mayonnaise SOAKED tuna that is almost a spread, I did add pepper and some celery, but not of my own volition.

A plate of carrot, pepper, avocado and green beans for the kids

Breadrolls from this bakery which, to be honest, I'm not wild about, but my kids and parents adore.

fruit salad of blueberries, strawberries, cherries, manadarin oranges and apple (kind of a scrounge from their fridge)

A caprese salad which I have actually heard referred to as a 'capricious salad'. G-- I love Rhode Island! PS Do not buy 'fresh' mozzarella if it has to travel more than 10 miles to get to you, it will taste like rubber- just use the semi-dry kind.

Center: a large bowl of kidney beans dressed with Extra Virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a tiny shake of garlic powder.

I hope the humidity breaks because I'm supposed to go back there today. Heaven forfend they actually drove the 40min to my house where it is always 10 degrees cooler...