Trying to Beat the Heat

The heat is oppressive. It weighs on me like a stone around my neck. Coupled with the humidity, I feel like I’m swimming upstream with no time to surface and take a breath. Every now and then, a small breeze rustles through the trees and I let it cool down my skin. As the sweat drips down my arms, I think of the cold drink of water waiting for me at the end of this run. 

Some summer days are like this when you live in northern Indiana. They come with the geography and are here more often as our earth changes. The news soundbites don’t help. Hate and disrespect flash across my screens. The political heat leaves no room for the cooling waters of love and compassion that I want so badly these days. 

Back at home, in the drier, cooler air of my air conditioned house, I’m still mixing doughs for breads and pastries. As a hardcore baker, I can’t give up my passion because of the heat. Some of them will end up in the outdoor oven; others will bake here in my kitchen. But I prefer to lighten up my eating by making easy to prepare food that can sit in the fridge for several days. When it’s time to eat, the meal is ready, fresh and not too heavy on the stomach.

This week, my new go-to is a red cabbage slaw that I first tasted at my sister-in-law’s house in Pennsylvania. My husband’s family gathered there over the long weekend of July 4th. We always know that when Audra  and her husband, Jerry, host, the food will be homemade and delicious. They also have a woodfired oven, a patio and deck and a lovely outdoor kitchen. That’s where we gathered on Sunday to relax and eat. Jerry started the fire in the oven. Audra made the pizza dough. When everything was ready, the toppings came out for many varieties of pizza. Audra also brought out a big bowl of red cabbage slaw. “We love this coleslaw and will never do another,” she said as she put it on the table. After tasting it, I have to agree. It has that tangy yet sweet flavor that I like. And it’s mayonnaise-free. As I went back for seconds, I was imagining it with pork and beans or on a sandwich. Versatile, tasty, summer fresh. Check, check, check.

After we arrived home, and the heat started to set in, I couldn’t get my mind off of that slaw. So I went and bought a red cabbage then messaged Audra for the recipe. She sent me a photo of her recipe card and I got to work. I sliced and I grated and I chopped. I added the garlic and vinegar, mixed it all and put it in the fridge. That evening, after Jim came home from music practice, we sat down to a cool meal of lentil salad and vinegar coleslaw. It hit the spot on a hot day. Now if only I could find a way to cool down the heat of hate and divisiveness around me. I just keep reminding myself that we all have our stories and our landscapes and I’ll focus on what brings us together rather than on what tears us apart. It’s time to live a new summer of love.

Vinegar ColeSlaw

Salad:

1 large head of red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 carrot, grated

1 medium onion, finely chopped

⅔ c. sugar

⅓ c. sea salt

Mix together and let sit five minutes. Rinse in a colander and spin out liquid. Place in a glass or ceramic bowl.

Dressing:

1 c. apple cider vinegar 

1 c. sugar

3 T. olive oil

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. celery seed

fresh black pepper to taste

Mix together. Add to the cabbage mixture and mix well. Let sit for at least a half hour before eating. Keeps well in the fridge for several days.