Summer in The Hamptons

Ok it's really summer in the Hamptons. Place is brimming............. no it's positevly overflowing with people everywhere. Not a parking spot to be found. Friday afternooon and every Hamptons village is bulging at the seams........ the markets, restaurants and pubs are filled to capacity. By private jet and helicopter they come. Trains and buses and stretch limos and luxury cars line Rt. 27 in a parade of bumper to bumper traffic. From hedge fund managers to rock stars to big biz moguls they are all here for one reason. They come from the cities to decompress from a week of stress. They want a swim, a walk on the beach or to sail the waters of Gardiners and Peconic Bays. With the weekend comes the flurry of entertaining....... be it thousand dollar a plate benefits to attend or charity balls or dinner party invitations. There is shopping on the Main Streets of the villages in the designer stores after a leisurely breakfast in a cafe, maybe a stroll on the beach or a swim in the pool and then the whirlwind of evening entertaining begins. Only the finest of foods and wines..........fresh fish from Montauk, caught in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, local farm fresh veggies on all the roadside stands, wines from the local vineyards....... and for those of us who provide the food for the fun, we spend our afternoons dashing between the markets, gardens and wineries before we head into the kitchen. I like to create a simple yet elegant menu to ensure success for any gathering. Fresh fish from the boats is always my first choice for the grill. My herb pots are handy next to the cooking area, add some fresh veggies and salad greens and a fresh fruit dessert to finish. After all is said and done and I return home maybe all I want to do on a clear summer night is sit outside and gaze up into the night sky, breathing in the heavy smell of salt that's all around me like the sea.