Summer has finally arrived and I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day, as many know, is the unofficial first day of summer. By now most people have fired up the grills, took the patio furniture out of storage, and have changed their shoes to sandals.
During the summer months on the mainland, farms are producing many fruits and vegetables. Everyone should take the time to visit a local farm or farmers market to eat local. Not only are you supporting a local business, you’re also eating fresher food that doesn’t get shipped in from all over the world. Trust me, when you buy local produce it lasts twice as long without spoiling!
Shopping at farmers markets are inspiring as well. Between the colors, smells, and friendly interactions you will leave happy and your imagination sparked. The other day I picked up some Ka’u, grass fed beef, Ka’u coffee, Puna goat cheese, and a few veggies. With just a little help from the web, I was able to make a delightful coffee rub for burgers.
For the coffee rub, I used dried herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary. The coffee was freshly ground and should be a little more fine than coarse. However, I flavored the meat with freshly minced garlic, fresh herbs (oregano, basil, parsley) from my home garden.
The goat cheese I held off until the burgers came off the grill, so it wouldn’t melt off. I skipped the bacon and barbecue sauce and topped the burger with fresh arugula, tomatoes, and maui onions. I even went as far as to make my own rolls for the burgers! Every bite was delicious and rewarding. All and all a great recipe to start off with that can be tweaked, depending on what what’s available at a local farmers market.
Summer is definitely here! Kick off those shoes, grab some extra charcoal and ice (for those adult drinks) and let’s grill! What do you plan on eating?
