It's Fourth of July; Let's Eat
June 30, 2008
In small town New England, where I live, July Fourth is the busiest day of the year. At the parade and at the fireworks, you see people you haven't seen in ages. The folks who are wheeling baby carriages have faces that are familiar from Little League. People introduce themselves by last name, or by relation (the brother or daughter of so-and-so.)
Lots of families that live on the parade route have barbeques. Some people send out invitations, while others assume that, if you were invited once, you'll be coming back, carrying a platter of watermelon or fritatta, for years afterwards.
Food is reduced to essentials – grilled meats, salads, fruits, desserts. Nobody wants to spend time in the kitchen when there is such good weather and so many people to see.
In our town, after the parade, everyone moves to the field behind the elementary school, where the selectmen hand out prizes for the best floats, and a parachute team lands in a circle painted on the playing field. Although some years they don't land exactly where they're supposed to, as far as I'm concerned, the whole day counts as a bullseye.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
