I’m not oblivious to the fact that this blog has devolved into a self-piteous testament to my homesickness.  But please cut me some slack.   It IS, after all, the 4th of July.  I am missing barbecues, my town’s 10K race, and some sort of red, white, and blue jello salad.

If I were in the grand old US of A, somebody somewhere would definitely have a pool, and they might even invite me over for a swim.  A dog or two would be dressed up (against his or her will) like Abraham Lincoln.  There’d be a small parade, with a high school marching band in suffocating polyester uniforms and elaborately adorned shakos.  At least one child from that marching band would pass out, mid-tuba-blow, from heatstroke.  There would be hot dogs, hamburgers, and hope that the one guy everyone loves to hate will toss a firecracker down his pants, or at least into his mouth.  All that is missing from my ultra-comforting vision is me…drawing a penis in the inky night sky with the trailing glow of a sparkler.

But, I’m in London. My only plans are taking some crappy English breakfast tea to the river and dumping it in.  If I’m alone I will surely shout, “NO TAXATION WITOUT REPRESENTATION!” and “WE HAVE IT IN OUR POWER TO BEGIN THE WORLD OVER AGAIN!  But really, that’s not what the 4th is about.

It’s about this:  Sitting under the stars with your big sister, getting nibbled by mosquitos as fireworks explode way up above.  A man in a cowboy hat screams “WHEEE!!” every single time a firework goes off.  It’s about your sister, waiting for the perfect, moment to say in her loud, clear, sweet, twelve-year-old voice, “He mister, you watch them, you don’t ride them.”

Or at least that’s what it’s about to me.

All is not lost though.  When the sun goes down, I have one sparkler left.

Happy belated 4th of July.

Smoked Haddock mini pies/frittatas

• 300 g/.65 lbs smoked haddock
• 50 ml/1/4 cup milk or cream
• 2 TBS coconut oil
• 2 leeks cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 2 tsp fresh horseradish grated or 1TBS horseradish sauce
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
• ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F and grease 8 muffin holes.
2. Put the smoked haddock in a shallow dish and pout milk or cream over it.
3. Cover with foil and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Drain and set aside, allowing the fish to cool.  Once cool, remove skin and flake into pieces.
5. Heat the coconut oil and add the leeks and garlic.
6. Cover and salute for five minutes until the leek is softened, then remove the lid and cook off the liquid.
7. Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.  Add 2 TBS parmesan cheese, horseradish, and flaked fish.
8. Pour into the eight holes of the muffin tin.
9. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the muffin/pies.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
11. Allow to cool a few minutes  before removing from the muffin tin.
12. Top with a mini sparkler.
13. Delicious.