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A Summer Evening

         Things are kind of dull. Summer TV continues to bore. My American goldfinches were only here one day. The indigo buntings were on the back porch for just a few days and haven't been back. The eggplants and peppers are growing. One big zucchini came was harvested from the garden.

         I saw a tiny bit of The Music Man over the weekend. Now I can't get the songs out of my head. It's one of my favorite musicals. I think I know almost all the songs, so it doesn't take much to trigger them. I've been humming "Madam Librarian" all week.

         Tonight I experimented with a funny pan we have had for a decade. It might be the second time I've used it. The bottom is like a Bundt pan, only thinner metal, with a more shallow hole. You fill it with water and place it on an electric stove. The next tray up is sort of like a double boiler, only a double boiler comes with no hole.  Then there are two options for the next tray, and a big domed top. So steam is the most important element. I thought the water would boil away too soon, but it didn't.

         So what I tried was store bought zucchini, cut up with garlic cloves. I put in a pinch of tarragon, sprinkled ginger and turmeric, and put one scant tablespoon of water to avoid sticking. I knew fluid would eventually cook out of the zucchini. I placed sliced carrots on the tray above it. I didn't need a lot.Then put on the dome top.

         When I checked, everything was getting tender, the water level was fine, and the stove top was still clean. The zucchini had about a quarter cup of fluid, and that steam had carried the flavor of garlic and spices up to the carrots. I sprinkled salt and sesame seeds on the zucchini. It was all delicious. Easy to cook and clean up. Healthy, too.