4th of July burger with cheese between two patties.
We have a “Firecracker 4” run in our town that attracts thousands of visitors and our friends’ son Shea Weilbaker has won it twice in a row. We’ll go downtown to see if he three-peats, then turn our attention to serious 4th of July business: barbecue.
Our smoker is on hiatus so, though we have several racks of baby backs in the freezer, we’ll probably go with a double grilled hamburger (our recipe has lots of mods for this simple repast), Jack Daniels-style baked beans and some Better-than-KFC Cole Slaw. And maybe some nice mustardy Texas-style potato salad. Dessert might be pecan pie, Mom’s chess pie or we might get lazy and go for a double scoop at our nearby Stewart’s.
Mom’s Chess Pie with whipped cream, an excellent addition. Photo by Becca Oppenneer.
And, no 4th would be complete without fireworks, which have been in short supply in recent years due to civic budgetary problems, COVID and other distractions. But now there’s a big display planned from the roof of our local parking garage so we’ll hope the rain stays away.
While you’re partying, remember that the holiday is not actually about beer and sunburn but liberty and justice for all. In fact, if you have a Penzey’s store near you you can get Justice (or another half-cup spice or blend) for free by buying $5 worth of something else. Saving money while celebrating… now that’s the American way!
You are correct this holiday is about the founding of a nation based on democracy and freedom. Your burger looks delicious. We will be capping off the holiday with dogs while watching Joey Chestnut on television while he competes in the Nathan’ hotdog contest on Coney Island. There is a fruit stand just across the street that sells sweet and juicy watermelon for $6. I will snag one of those beauties for our dessert. I plan to French fry potatoes and make my famous corn souffle from fresh ears of corn. I don’t know about fireworks; I suppose we will see something from nearby.
I ended up making Cornell chicken (do a search for the recipe) which was fine. it rained on and off but managed to get the grill pulled out long enough to cook and the rain then held off for our municipal fireworks, the first since before the pandemic. I am glad you are finding good eats in your new home, Philip. Availability of a juicy watermelon is key.