One of a kind

I went to visit Grandpa Guy, and here is what he was wearing when he greeted me at the door:

Late in life, my father has discovered the joy of custom-made shit. He orders from InkPixi, an outfit in Western Pennsylvania that makes "top-quality, personalized gift items, perfect for the people you love," especially if, as in Grandpa Guy's case, one of the people you love is you. To be fair, it's not just for himself, though he does love wearing stuff like this to amaze his friends at their weekly poker game. Grandpa Guy also ordered some hats to share with members of the Ferrer clan who pay him a visit:

How true. They definitely broke the mold after making Grandpa Guy.

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This is the perfect summer meal. After a hot Saturday morning run, I go to the City Market. I pick up my weekly eggs from Free Union Grass Farm, then go to the next stall and get all the farm-fresh ingredients I need to make this ratatouille. Then I get a baguette from the MarieBette stall (where I also pick up a treat for whichever one of you is home at the time). The crusty bread is perfect for sopping up the juices from the ratatouille.

Ratatouille

Adapted from The Art of Simple Food (2007) by Alice Waters (also at Food52)

Time from start to finish: 1:12

Use different-colored peppers, squash, and tomatoes for the most colorful ratatouille.

1 pound (1 medium) eggplant
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 pound (2 large) onions
1 pound (2 large) sweet bell peppers
1 pound (3 medium) summer squash
1 pound (3 medium) ripe tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more to taste
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
½ bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
a pinch of dried red chile pepper flakes

    1. Cut the eggplant into ½-inch slices, then cut each slice into ½-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a colander, set the colander over the bowl, and let the eggplant drain for about 20 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, cut the onions, peppers, squash, and tomatoes into ½-inch pieces.
    3. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Add to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5–6 minutes. Add a little bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the pot. Transfer the eggplant to a plate.
    4. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the same pot. Add the onions and a pinch of salt cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
    5. Stir in the garlic, basil bouquet, and red chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    6. Stir in the peppers and cook for 2–3 minutes.
    7. Stir in the squash and cook for 2–3 minutes.
    8. Stir in the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer.
    9. Stir in the eggplant and cook until all the vegetables are soft, 10–15 minutes. If the veggies aren’t soft after 10 minutes, you can pop a lid on the pot for the last 5 minutes.
    10. Remove the basil bouquet. Taste for salt. Stir in the basil chiffonade and a little more oil, to taste. Serve warm or cold, with a piece of crusty bread to sop up the juices. Serves 4 as a meal with bread, 6 to 8 as a side.