Good morning. Welcome to Memorial Day weekend and, for those escaping to beaches or mountains for the break, some of the worst traffic of the year. Just breathe. We’ll get to the news below, including the House canceling a vote that could have pushed President Trump to end the war — and Stephen Colbert’s late night goodbye. But let’s start with the weekend.
People get readyMonday is a somber, important holiday, one that honors those who gave their lives in service to the nation. We’ll salute them. But Americans are prone to celebration, even in the face of mourning. True facts: We’re off work on Monday, and summer’s basically here. You know what that means. Many will light grills this weekend, ice down cases of beer, turn up the music and gather with family and friends for good eating and endless debate: Is this a barbecue or a cookout? (I’ll tell you straight. The answer’s in the words. It’s a barbecue if you spend the day smoke-roasting a large piece of meat. If you’re just cooking outside, it’s a cookout. Here endeth the lesson.) Let’s get ready for that today. You don’t have to follow my lead and sketch out detailed menus for all three days, or order 200 clams and a few dozen oysters. You don’t need to string bistro lights over your lawn or through the bars of your fire escape so folks can stay late. I’m not going to insist you play cornhole. And you probably don’t need to seethe, as I so often do, about people who don’t understand the United States Flag Code. (That standard hanging from your window, pal? The stars should be to the observer’s left.) But it’d be great if you could cook. That, to me, is the best thing to do during this long weekend that heralds the unofficial start of a new season: to cook with the intention of delivering pleasure to others, to celebrate the delicious even as we honor those who sacrificed in order to make the delicious possible. What to cook?My old friends on Cooking have a huge collection of recipes for Memorial Day — amazing burgers, foolproof deviled eggs, excellent salads, intriguing desserts. Go see what appeals. Because that is always what you ought to make. When it comes to long-weekend cooking, you don’t have to choose a stretch assignment. Me, I’m thinking beer brats for at least one meal. Melissa Clark’s recipe calls for simmering the fresh sausages in beer for a while before grilling, but I might reverse that and follow the instructions from one of the commenters on the recipe, who calls himself Mr. Milwaukee: Grew up eating brats made as in this recipe. Currently make them by starting a brat tub with onion, half stick butter, can of American lager like Pabst or High Life; bring this to a simmer. Grill fresh brats on med high to high until just browned thoroughly. Drop in brat tub for 20 to 30m. Serve with mustard, proper fermented kraut.
A brat tub. That sounds fantastic. For Memorial Day itself, maybe a beer-can chicken? I no longer cook mine with an actual beer can. (Instead I use a stainless steel simulacrum I picked up at a big-box store for about $10.) It’s a grand feed alongside a simple coleslaw for which you don’t need a recipe. Just slice as much cabbage as you need into a big bowl. Then in a smaller one, combine around a cup of mayonnaise with a big splash of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkling of celery seeds. It may want some sugar, but not much. Season with salt and pepper, then taste to see if you went overboard with the mayo (in which case, add more vinegar) or with the vinegar (in which case, add more mayo). Mix that dressing in with the cabbage, cover and set it in the fridge while you cook your bird. And then a browned-butter rhubarb crisp for dessert? Have a fantastic weekend whatever you make, however you celebrate, however you honor the American service members who’ve died during peace and war. Give thanks.
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