I thought today, June 20th, was the summer Solstice, but according to the Wikipedia it is 11:28 am June 21st. This means tomorrow is the longest day of the year and the first day of summer. Either way summer is finally here at least according to astronomy and imagination.
Today was also Father’s day, an American-born holiday honoring Fathers, now celebrated in 55 countries.
My sons wished me a Happy Father’s Day and my wife and I celebrated by taking a bike ride on the Oak Leaf Bike Trail which ends near our house. Actually I call it the Grape Leaf trail since I see more grape leaves on the trail than oak leaves. Grape leaves are an important ingredient to well love Middle East dish made in our family, grape leaves.
Grape leaves vines, with or without grapes, grow all over the world and are just about everywhere. My mother took us children to a neighborhood park to pick grape leaves for this meal. Now I have grape leaves growing all over my fence around my garden as the picture of my backyard garden in last night’s posting will testify to.
We stopped along the bike trail to pick grape leaves, collecting over 350 to be cleaned and frozen for some great eating someday. People wonder what we are doing when we pick grape leaves. Today a lady came up to me to ask me. I explained that this was a vital ingredient to our cooking. I also felt obliged to explain how when one picks a grape leaf another one grows as well as the vine. The more you prune the leaves the more you get. This explains why our yard a few years ago had a lot fewer grape leaves on the vines.
June is the best time to pick grape leaves. As the summer wears on the leaves become old if not picked, eaten in part by bugs and polluted. Also now, as explained in the posting of June 10th, I can solo make stuffed grape leaves.
In that posting I promised to update the recipe but still have not done it. In part it is because I am still learning more about the art of picking and cooking grape leaves.
Last week when I was at the Middle East grocery store to pick up supplies my Palestinian friend in the store explained to me a technique his mother uses in making grape leaves.
If I am making a lot out of grape leaves it is probably because I feel that Father’s Day, like Mother’s day, is a lot about heritage. My Middle Eastern heritage, on my mother’s side, has formed me. Grape leaves, besides being delicious, are part of this heritage.
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