Ten Ideas For A Special Fourth of July Feast.

By Erica and Karen

Are you going to cook a feast for your family and friends to celebrate a July 4 weekend that is not under a cloud of fear and uncertainty? Here are some ideas.

1. We always think about drinks first. We will definitely have our celebratory gin and tonics. Pretty simple, but genius made with good gin and good tonic. (We don’t agree that you should forget the lime.)

2. A lot of people like beer. There are many patriotically named brands. We’ll go with Blonde Bomber.

3. To go with the drinks—potato chips with a homemade onion dip. So easy, and so good. Or, if you want to go luxe, truffled potato chips. Oprah apparently makes her own but we buy Luke’s.

4. American Flag Caprese salad. Ambitious. But so pretty! Maybe.

5. Potato salad is a must. We like Yukon Golds and red onion and a dressing with mustard, but there are so many delicious ideas.

6. We love beet salad, and it can be part of a patriotic display—think about beet salad with onion dip and blue potato salad. But our beetist families will divorce us if we actually serve beet salad.

7. Instead, they tolerate fennel salad. We’ve recently become obsessed with it. But it’s not that colorful.

8. Fresh corn is in the green market. Mandatory.

9. Also mandatory—hot dogs and burgers. Pat LaFrieda beef hot dogs are really tasty. We think herbed and spiced lamb burgers are delicious too, For the pescatarians among us, fish burgers. And for the vegetarians, veggie burgers. Of course with buns—one of our children is extremely partial to potato roils—and all kinds of condiments—salsa, charred onions, pickles, smashed avocado, sriracha mayo.

10. Berry pies for dessert. Make the crust yourself. It’s worth it. Serve with vanilla ice cream. We like Jeni’s.

Celebrate our country and our emergence! Have a special Fourth!