Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

A slightly complicated Fourth

“I am bringing sweet fruity kabobs. And yes, they will be kitschy.”

Produce section at Jimbo’s
Produce section at Jimbo’s

We will be having a big Fourth of July party at our house this year. But we’re going to start the day before: Tuesday, July 3rd, at the 130th annual Independence Day celebration with fireworks show in Oceanside. Fireworks start at 9 pm but food trucks and live music will be on hand starting at 6 p.m. The viewing area is on a closed portion of Rancho Del Oro Road.

The next day, friends and family will gather at our house, poolside and in uniform. Well, in matching T-shirts from Walmart: the Kelly clan will all be wearing red shirts sporting an American flag gussied up with sequins and captioned “Made in America 2018” ($4.97). (We are, at least. The shirts are probably made in China. Patriotism is complicated.)

Nobody wants to cook, so we’re going with fried chicken from Crispy Fried Chicken. They have two locations, on El Cajon Blvd and in National City. Both will be open on the Fourth of July; 15 pieces of dark meat runs $15.99; mixed dark and white, $19.49; and all-white, $25.99. We always get them mixed, plus a few sides of popcorn chicken ($12.99 for a large order). They have plenty of sides such as onion rings, mac and cheese, fried okra, and coleslaw. But our favorite is the hush puppies: $2.49 for 6, $3.49 for 12.

Sponsored
Sponsored
Grabbin’ a growler at Solti

The guests will be bringing sides of their own. Mary is planning on watermelon mint juice from Solti. “They have a tasting room in Miramar, and growlers of juice cost $35. What they carry varies by season. All the juices are raw/vegan, organic, non-GMO, unpasteurized and cold brewed. The watermelon is great for hydration, the lemon is cleansing and purifying, and the mint is supposed to be good for indigestion relief. But I also think it’s simply delicious and refreshing, perfect for a party on a hot day. And if the tasting room doesn’t have the Growler available, I can pre-order six glass bottles at 12 1/2 ounces each for $52.”

“I am bringing sweet fruity kabobs,” said Sally. “And yes, they will be kitschy. They are made with chunks of strawberry, pineapple, kiwi, and then blueberries. Red, almost white, and blue, plus green because it’s summer. And I’ll alternate little rounds of Rice Krispy treat with the pieces of fruit. The Fourth of July kitsch comes from the fact that, for a limited time during the holiday season, you can get Rice Krispies that have red and blue as well as normal colored krispies in the box.” Target carries it: $2.50 for a 9 oz. box (the treat recipe is on the side).

“Roasted corn on the cob is my specialty,” said Uncle Jim. “I buy my corn at Jimbo’s in Carmel Valley. Everything they sell is organic.” I called Jimbo’s and talked to the produce manager, Eric. “Right now, we are getting our corn from Mexico,” he said. (Patriotism is complicated!) Jimbo’s corn often goes on sale: 2 ears for $3. “But if it’s not on sale, I can sell it by the case. A case has 48 ears, and I can give a 10% discount.”

Jim shared his recipe. “It’s easy-peasy: preheat oven to 350 degrees. This is for four ears, so just increase it as needed. In a small bowl, cream together one clove minced garlic, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Spread that over the corn, wrap each ear in foil, and roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway through. Take out corn, open foil, and broil for two minutes to brown top of corn. The broiling makes for a perfect outer texture, while cooking it in foil keeps the corn juicy.”

Of course, Uncle Max is arranging a frozen margarita machine from The Margarita Man San Diego. “They use natural mixes made with real fruit juice,” boasts Max, “ and you know I will bring 100% agave tequila. Vons usually has a special on El Jimador, and you save even more when you buy six.” (More Mexico!) “We will only need the Fiesta package ($180), which comes with one machine and one mix: that makes 60-80 servings. Plus, you get 50 9 oz. cups. Can you tell I’ve done this before?”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Poway’s schools, faced with money squeeze, fined for voter mailing

$105 million bond required payback of nearly 10 times that amount
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Eating dinner while little kids mock-mosh at Golden Island

“The tot absorbs the punk rock shot with the skill of experience”
Produce section at Jimbo’s
Produce section at Jimbo’s

We will be having a big Fourth of July party at our house this year. But we’re going to start the day before: Tuesday, July 3rd, at the 130th annual Independence Day celebration with fireworks show in Oceanside. Fireworks start at 9 pm but food trucks and live music will be on hand starting at 6 p.m. The viewing area is on a closed portion of Rancho Del Oro Road.

The next day, friends and family will gather at our house, poolside and in uniform. Well, in matching T-shirts from Walmart: the Kelly clan will all be wearing red shirts sporting an American flag gussied up with sequins and captioned “Made in America 2018” ($4.97). (We are, at least. The shirts are probably made in China. Patriotism is complicated.)

Nobody wants to cook, so we’re going with fried chicken from Crispy Fried Chicken. They have two locations, on El Cajon Blvd and in National City. Both will be open on the Fourth of July; 15 pieces of dark meat runs $15.99; mixed dark and white, $19.49; and all-white, $25.99. We always get them mixed, plus a few sides of popcorn chicken ($12.99 for a large order). They have plenty of sides such as onion rings, mac and cheese, fried okra, and coleslaw. But our favorite is the hush puppies: $2.49 for 6, $3.49 for 12.

Sponsored
Sponsored
Grabbin’ a growler at Solti

The guests will be bringing sides of their own. Mary is planning on watermelon mint juice from Solti. “They have a tasting room in Miramar, and growlers of juice cost $35. What they carry varies by season. All the juices are raw/vegan, organic, non-GMO, unpasteurized and cold brewed. The watermelon is great for hydration, the lemon is cleansing and purifying, and the mint is supposed to be good for indigestion relief. But I also think it’s simply delicious and refreshing, perfect for a party on a hot day. And if the tasting room doesn’t have the Growler available, I can pre-order six glass bottles at 12 1/2 ounces each for $52.”

“I am bringing sweet fruity kabobs,” said Sally. “And yes, they will be kitschy. They are made with chunks of strawberry, pineapple, kiwi, and then blueberries. Red, almost white, and blue, plus green because it’s summer. And I’ll alternate little rounds of Rice Krispy treat with the pieces of fruit. The Fourth of July kitsch comes from the fact that, for a limited time during the holiday season, you can get Rice Krispies that have red and blue as well as normal colored krispies in the box.” Target carries it: $2.50 for a 9 oz. box (the treat recipe is on the side).

“Roasted corn on the cob is my specialty,” said Uncle Jim. “I buy my corn at Jimbo’s in Carmel Valley. Everything they sell is organic.” I called Jimbo’s and talked to the produce manager, Eric. “Right now, we are getting our corn from Mexico,” he said. (Patriotism is complicated!) Jimbo’s corn often goes on sale: 2 ears for $3. “But if it’s not on sale, I can sell it by the case. A case has 48 ears, and I can give a 10% discount.”

Jim shared his recipe. “It’s easy-peasy: preheat oven to 350 degrees. This is for four ears, so just increase it as needed. In a small bowl, cream together one clove minced garlic, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Spread that over the corn, wrap each ear in foil, and roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway through. Take out corn, open foil, and broil for two minutes to brown top of corn. The broiling makes for a perfect outer texture, while cooking it in foil keeps the corn juicy.”

Of course, Uncle Max is arranging a frozen margarita machine from The Margarita Man San Diego. “They use natural mixes made with real fruit juice,” boasts Max, “ and you know I will bring 100% agave tequila. Vons usually has a special on El Jimador, and you save even more when you buy six.” (More Mexico!) “We will only need the Fiesta package ($180), which comes with one machine and one mix: that makes 60-80 servings. Plus, you get 50 9 oz. cups. Can you tell I’ve done this before?”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Classical Classical at The San Diego Symphony Orchestra

A concert I didn't know I needed
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Eating dinner while little kids mock-mosh at Golden Island

“The tot absorbs the punk rock shot with the skill of experience”
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader