Once upon a time -- 1967, in fact -- the youth of our nation converged on the Bay Area in what became known as the Summer of Love. Some came for the drugs, some came for the music, some for the free sex, others for the energy, the zeitgeist, the spirit and sense that we were on the brink of social change. I've never heard of anyone coming for the food.
Here we are almost half a century later, and once again, it's a summer of change. The Supreme Court has upheld gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act. We're trying to look civil rights and socio-economic divide in the eye. We are coming together in number, this time in... Pittsburgh. With apologies to its residents, Pittsburgh lacks the romance of San Francisco. On the other hand, this week it's got Vegetarian Summerfest, one big plant-based party put on by the North American Vegetarian Society.
Vegetarian events, once rare and code for Weirdoville, are now as much a summer tradition as fresh farm stand zucchini. The season boasts vegan happenings across the country, and you've got Vegetarian Summerfest to thank -- it's among the biggest and oldest, dating back to 1975.
Speaking of old, back in '67, our forebears advised us not to trust anyone over 30. And what do they say now? The presenters at Vegetarian Summerfest are all over 30 and turns out they have a lot to say from "The China Study" author T. Colin Campbell to Coalition for Healthy School Food's Amie Hamlin. What they're saying is vegan is the zeitgeist, it's the change agent, whether you're concerned about education, the environment, ethics, animal rights, whether you want to cook better, eat better, feel better or look better. They may have hit 30, but speakers including plant-based dietician Julieanna Hever and vegan athlete Rich Roll look pretty damn hot. Must be what they eat.
The Summer of Love happened before the Internet, before cell phones, and yet thousands of people sensed something was happening, something vague, but something big, bigger than than you or me They didn't blog about it, they got off their butts and came. They were part of it. It seems like a magically innocent time. Innocent we are not, but maybe we can make that magic happen, too. Change will take all of us. Come to Vegetarian Summerfest or any vegan fest for the ethics or the environment or your health, stay for the kickass camaraderie and food. Make this the Summer of Veggie Love.
Summer of Veggie Love Grilled Zucchini and Lemon with Fresh Herbs
Summer harvest and summer grilling come together for a vegetarian summerfest in your mouth. For optimal results, use produce, preferably organic, at its peak.
A standout by itself. To make it a meal, serve with white beans.
Serves 4 to 6.
2 lemons, rinsed well and sliced crosswise in paper-thin slices
2 zucchini, sliced into long, slender planks
1 red onion, sliced crosswise into rings
1 handful mint leaves, torn
1 handful oregano leaves
1 handful parsley leaves
1 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste pepperBring a small saucepan of water to boil, poking out the seeds. Drop the lemon slices in the water to blanch for a minute. Drain well and blot dry.
Brush lemon slices, onion and zucchini blanks with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill lemon slices for about a minute -- a grill basket is great for this -- or until the start to blacken, then flip and grill the other side. Set aside.
Brush the zucchini planks and sliced onions with remaining olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Grill a few minutes per side, or until softened and the onion is slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes, a little longer for the zucchini. My go-to source for grilling vegetables -- and for many things -- is "The Old Farmer's Almanac."
Arrange grilled zucchini, onion and lemon on a platter. Scatter herbs on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired. Set aside and leave out at room temperature for about 30 minute before serving, so the flavors get to know each other.
No grill? No problem. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Take 2 baking sheets or roasting pans. Place a parchment sheet on each.
Lay lemon and onion slices on one sheet, leaving room in between the lemon and onion. Spread the zucchini planks on the other sheet. Brush everything lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
Roast the lemon and onion slices until they start to char at the edges, about 15 minutes, and zucchini for 30 minutes, flipping the zucchini about halfway through, as it starts to blacken and blister. Prepare as above, topping with fresh herbs and perhaps a little more olive oil. Allow to rest and mellow for about 30 minutes before serving.