Summer's Binge

Late summer is a challenge for me. Every year I’m overwhelmed with desire, when passing fruit stands, vegetable stands, and even farm wagons on front lawns, overflowing with fresh produce. I salivate in the car and especially the grocery store, when entering to purchase more butter to put on my corn. The freshness calls me by name and I come to my new friends. I can't resist. The month of August should be renamed “Binge.” You would think my beautiful wife of many years would be a tempering factor regarding my weakness, but she is as committed to binging as I, as we slather more butter on our cooked carrots. Pea salad, 3 bean salad and everything tomato make it onto my plate without limit. Piles of fresh produce are covered with salad dressings and mayo, that flow like wine. Salt is consumed by the pound on cooked squash and mounds of steamed broccoli. The harvest makes its way to my table by the armful. Day after day more and more arrives, like rain, and I feel a duty to the farmer’s market to make sure nothing goes to waste, while, unfortunately, it makes its way to mine. The good news is that it will soon be over, and these apples will be applesauce, these grapes, grape juice, and the tomatoes will be spaghetti sauce. Oh! Did I mention how much I love pasta?