Recipes from Metropulos: Potatoes, Cabbage and the Aromas of Memory
Summer is a special time and place for many of us. For me, it’s always been a season to slow down and ease off the gas. But I’m a serial cooker, so to stop cooking isn’t an option—even in the heat of summer. What is an option is turning to my recipes that are cooling, that come together quickly and that sit happily in the fridge, waiting for the moment the salmon, burgers or sausages come off the grill.
These recipes tick all those boxes—and more. They also hold a special place in my heart. And they are all about aromas.
Photos: Rosminah Brown
The first, Craig’s Famous Potato Salad, came into our life—and Metropulos—through my husband. He would linger nearby in the shop when it was made, ensuring the aromas of pickle juice and vinegar were just right. This is a recipe of aromas. Pay attention to your sense of smell when you add the pickle juice and vinegar to the hot potatoes; it will be more important than the quantities. In time, your intuition will take over, making the recipe your own.
The second, a Southern-style Carolina coleslaw, is straight from my mother’s recipe collection. When we prepped it for the deli case, I was instantly transported back to childhood. Sundays were grill days in our house. Before we had a gas grill, I cleaned the Weber grates each morning. Mom made this coleslaw while Dad handled the grilling. The aromas enchanted me—evoking the lazy summer Sundays in our suburban Chicago backyard. The memory includes the sound of cicadas and the dirge of the mosquito zapper. Funny how these senses can transport you right back to a moment in time.
I hope you enjoy these, and that they bring joy to the aromas of your lazy summer days.
