I’ve been struggling a bit over what to say about our country’s 250th birthday that hasn’t already been said many times. And then my little lemon tree provided me with some insight. I bought the tree several years ago from a local nursery and envisioned lemon meringue pie, lemon curd, and lemon drop martinis, all made with fruit from my lovingly tended tree, which would of course yield an abundance of lemons. Alas, my CPL (cost per lemon) is pretty grim. When the tree blooms, the room where it lives is redolent with the intoxicating aroma of its flowers. Every female blossom carries the possibility of a lemon, so I hand-pollinate with a tiny paintbrush, fertilize, water, mist, and watch as the flowers fall off and the tiny green fruit emerges.

I know now that 80% or more of them will break my heart: I might get three to four lemons, which take nearly as long to grow as a human baby, or so it seems. It’s a cycle of hope, elation, fear, disappointment, and then deep appreciation, because three lemons are better than none! It strikes me that tending a lemon tree requires commitment to the long game, vigilance, and understanding that progress is not always linear (thanks, President Obama, for frequently reminding us of this!). Do you see where I’m going?

Our Declaration of Independence stated that “all men are created equal,” but women, enslaved individuals, and Indigenous peoples were not included in that promise of equality. It would take another 180 years for that to happen, and along the way, there was much hope but also plenty of disappointment. That continues today, of course, as we bear witness to mind-boggling economic and technological progress while, at the same time, watching freedoms that we once took for granted get snatched away. Again, progress is not linear. But we continue to hope, and to nurture our great American experiment, not with blind devotion but with clear eyes that envision the future while remembering and learning from the past without sanitizing it. In that vein, we have a very special not-to-be-missed story: Melissa Baehr shares her journey as an Indigenous chef, rediscovering her roots and her identity through food and history. We are very grateful for her voice, and her delicious recipe!

Also in this issue are some amazing recipes that take advantage of summer’s bounty: Molly Parr gives us recipes for melon, zucchini, and tomatoes that will help elevate those summer staples and make them both picnic and company-worthy; Leah Holzel’s Parade of Pies is a red (raspberries), white (coconut), and blue (blueberries) trio that you’ll absolutely want to include in your summer gatherings; Leah Wheeler’s Semifreddo with Blackberry Swirl and Pistachio Crumble is the perfect frozen dessert if you, like me, do not own an ice cream maker but love a cool, creamy, and show-stopping treat. Terry Ragasa of Sutter Meats shares some foolproof tactics for grilling cuts of meat that you may have overlooked, along with a superb potato salad by butcher Hella Kandt that has me rethinking my own timeworn recipe.

In the libations department, Philippe Jeanjean educates us on Thomas Jefferson’s travels in France and his appreciation of wines that we still enjoy today; and I share with you my neighbors’ recipe for vișinată, a cherry liqueur with Romanian roots that was also beloved by our own George Washington, who called it cherry bounce. And Jim Zacccara of Hope & Olive in Greenfield shares his recipe for the Porch Swinger—a refreshing and delicious cucumber mint soda/mocktail (feel free to make it boozy!).

Finally, I need to tell you that we are rejoicing because our two bee colonies survived the winter and the bees appear to be thriving. As it turns out, a harsh winter that remains steadily cold without confusing spikes of warm weather is good for the bees as they remain in their hive, huddled around their queen. We watched them emerge in April, then come back to the hives with their hind legs covered in dots of yellow pollen (they harvest pollen from trees long before anything else blooms). Will they give us 24 pounds of honey, as they did last year? We don’t know yet. After all, progress is not always linear. But we will tend them to the best of our ability, playing the long game and remaining vigilant. Sometimes that’s enough.

Happy summer!
Donna