recipes for summer

there is a part and place in my creative process where i think i'll never finish. it happens when i'm about 80 to 85% there. it seems impossible. i think i'll never accomplish anything. i think about doing it, but i don't do it. i think about what other people are doing. getting depressed is part of my process.

i want to make another cookbook with recipes for summer. this is my recipe for perfect potato salad.

perfect potato salad

1 1/2 pounds golden fleshed potatoes

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tbsp. whole grain mustard

1 tbsp. dijon

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. seasalt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

3 to 5 ribs of celery

3 scallions

1. put the potatoes in cold, well salted water in a medium sized pot. bring to a boil. lower the heat to a simmer and cook until easily pierced with a small knife.

2. whisk the olive oil, mustards, lemon juice, salt and pepper together. add scallions and celery.

3. slice the potatoes into quarter moons when they are still warm, but cool enough to handle. add potatoes into the dressing.

this is the basic recipe, but it can be expanded upon. some excellent substitutions are using fennel instead of celery. adding italian parsley in addition to scallions is what i do if i have both. just using a lot of basil as the herb can be sexy.

this salad is perfect next to a sausage, but is also really good with dabs of seared sausage stirred into it, especially sausage with fennel seeds if you are using fennel bulb instead of celery. also nice with cold slices of roasted meat if you are lucky enough to live with someone who still makes roasts.