Sun & Fun on Cold Cape Cod

Today we decided to take the morning off to enjoy a relaxing breakfast with friends. We chose to meet at the Harwich Central Cafe tucked just behind Main Street in Harwich Center. Cape Cod is not a busy place at the end of January so we were pleased to see others enjoying the warm and subdued atmosphere of Harwich Central. They feature Indigo Coffee from the great city of Northampton in western Massachusetts. It is great coffee! From Spinach Frittata to Cape Cod Cranberry Scones, Kris and Blaze at Harwich Central have a nice array of anytime baked goods and they even have my childhood favorites: Half Moons! We chose to sit in the south facing front room for some warm sunshine after enduring a week of grey and stormy days. Their collection of art from local and very talented artists was an inspiring start to the day. After about 3 hours of laughter and heart-to-hearts, they finally kicked us out-not really- it was time to get to work! I am definitely going back for a great cup of coffee and a Half Moon Cookie...

Winter Cooking on Cape Cod: January

Winter time is a great time for cooking. Warmth escaping from simmering pots and baking ovens helps to offset the cold drafts that flow in through panes of glass and leaky doors. It is also a great time to share our creations with friends and family.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, our resident chef, Joe, came up with a wonderful down home meal consisting of Barbecued Ribs, Beans & Rice, and Collard Greens with Black Eyed Peas. The aroma from the Barbecued Ribs filled the house with a sensational southern scent, just what we needed to banish the bone chilling cold outdoors. As the Collard Greens began to cook, I must admit I began to lose some of my appreciation for scents emitting from the kitchen as they began to overtake the sweet and tangy scent of the ribs.

As friends began to arrive they delighted in the theme of the evening's menu and shared with their children the authentic nature of the food they were about to partake. Much of the menu was a first for me and the children. While they were less impressed to try the Collard Greens, I dove in and to my surprise loved every last bite. Our friends were also delighted and with every ooh and oom that came from them, the chef was rewarded.