Youhearsomuchabout summercooking,butovertime,I’vecometoseethatsummerisassummerdoes.InScotland,youcanfireuptheoventocookauberginesandtakeahamperfullofporraonapicnic.Andsitinacolddrizzlewhileyoudipprawncrackers,andwonder,what,exactly,youwerethinkingabout.ButnowI’minMadrid,andsummerinMadridisnotkiddingaround.Thereisnoturningonofovens,andstoves,aslittleaspossible,thankyouNationalresearchcenter.Gazpacho,wetherrealorAlvalle,isconsumedbythegallon.Fruitisdeliciousandplentifulandsocheapitleavesmeaghast,usedasIambynowtothehighwayrobberyupnorth.Thereareallsortsoflovelytins.Andifyouwantanythingelse,thereareplentyofbarsandrestaurants.Sothereyouare.Wherethereissummerfurnishedapartmentforrent,thereisnocooking,andviceversa.SometimesIgobeyondslicingafewofthebeautifultomatoes.Here’sasaladIlike.It’sthecocarroisinsidessalad,minusthepimentón,anditgoeslikethis:Chopsomecauliflower,small,intobitsthesizeofachickpea.Alotofthefloretswillcrumbleintosmallerpieces,whichisagoodthing.Chopspringonions,verysmall.InSpainspringonionsarehuge,unwieldythings,andonlythewhitebitiseatenHKUEamec,butyougoaheadandusethegreenifit’sdaintyenough.Nowdiceatomatoortwo,andaddsomechoppedflatleafparsley.Youwantagoodmixofcolor.
