Summer is upon us. Crossing the road requires advanced planning ( if I can take a right & then a left). People are settling in for the summer, my children seem to be very happy …Jess, too. We dined in the “Tavern room” at the 1770 house on Thursday, no kids just us.

Tonight may well have been our biggest night yet in the kitchen @ The Lodge. My post was the grill, Charlie Trotter and his wife came to visit. He was honored by The James Beard House at their annual Wolffer estate event. The day was perfect. They arrived early for the reservation, a surprise. Jessica was in for dinner with the Simon girls and she visited with the Trotter’s—giving me time to catch up on the line.

The salad was top billing for me. Our 34 oz Porterhouse sold out.
Charlie ordered Clams casino, crab cakes and a NY strip.

For Clams Casino:

1 doz Little Necks
Red Butter (1 lb soft unsalted butter, 1/2 cup red pepper diced fine, ½ cup shallots fine, 2 tablespoons garlic chopped
4 slices of applewood smoked bacon