It's Summer!

You know it's finally summertime when the weather gets uncomfortably warm, you have a strange desire to go to work in your bathing suit and BBQ invites flood your inbox. Even though barbecuing in the city generally entails standing over a stove with a grill plate and turning the A/C off to imitate the "outside," New Yorkers will use any excuse to throw a party and socialize with friends, and there is no better way to do that than by having a good-ole BBQ. So this year, I'm coming prepared. No, I won't be venturing into the uncharted territory of throwing one of those wonderful parties myself, but I most certainly hope to be attending my share and will want to bring a stellar accompaniment to all that "grilled" meat.

So this year I'm coming with Nigella's coleslaw. This dish is super simple if you are lucky enough to own one of those Cuisinart choppers (thank-you wedding registry!). Otherwise, you could chop everything up with a knife at the small cost of your time and sanity, or just go to the grocery store and buy one of those pre-chopped coleslaw packages (if only life was full of decisions of these sorts...).

This dish is not only simple and yummy, but it screams summertime, and will be sure to make you a standout at any BBQ.

Nigella's New Orleans Coleslaw
Adapted from Nigella Express - Nigella Lawson, 2007

1 head white or savoy cabbage, about 2 pounds before prepared
2 carrots
2 celery sticks
4 scallions
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Salt & Pepper
2/3 cup chopped pecans (I used candied pecans because it was all I had and they made it delicious! If you have them or can find them I would definitely give it a try.)

• In the food processor chop up the cabbage into thin strips.
• Peel and grate the carrots.
• Slice the celery and scallions pretty finely.
• Combine the mayo, buttermilk, syrup and vinegar together in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk together. Add all the veggies on top and toss to combine.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. (For those of you who don't quite understand this line and have no idea what their "taste" for salt and pepper might be - like me - than just add a little bit-by-bit and keep tasting along the way. It's like blush, it's easy to add but hard to take away!).
• Top with pecans.
• Bring to BBQ and impressive friends/relatives/the cute guy who just moved into the neighborhood.