My relationship to the 4th of July holiday has changed over the years. When I was young, it was all about celebrating the day with family, which always ended with fireworks, whether professional or at home. Keep in mind, I grew up in Western Washington, where two weeks without rain is considered a drought. So fireworks and fire safety have a whole new meaning to me now that I live in California. But back then, if you had connections, the sky was the limit, so to speak.
Oh, sure, I read and was taught all the lore of our nation’s independence, but for me, I cared more about the fun. Over the years, my association with the holiday has shifted from the show and party to the people I love, and to pay a little more attention to what it means to be American.
My family and I have shared countless 4th of July picnics on Boggs Mountain, foregoing the hoopla and fireworks around the lake. And this year will probably be no different, with the exception of the evening BBQ at home. Normally, I, like so many Americans, stock up on fixings and sides for hamburgers and hot dogs. And boy oh boy, can we make them right at our house. We are the king of smash burgers and find the finest hot dogs money can buy.
But I have found a new love for this year’s 4th of July. This year, I will trade out burgers and dogs for kabobs. Why kabobs? Allow me to explain my new love for this versatile dish.
While the wooden skewers soak in warm water, chopping begins. My now adult kids are suddenly drawn to the kitchen. Piles of marinated chicken and beef, shrimp, chopped onion, mango, cloves of cooked garlic, colorful peppers, spicy jalapeños, ripe cherry tomatoes, chunks of juicy pineapple, succulent zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and eggplant pile themselves on top of my kitchen island, and it’s all hands on deck!
Whatever looks good to you is what goes on your skewer, which is the only rule when it comes to kabobs at my house. Every dietary preference can be accommodated. Doing low carb? Go carnivore. Want only vegetarian? Go vegetarian. Like spicy? Go spicy. Prefer sweet? Go tropical. And if you like all of it, as I do, well, dive in!
I’ve found that there is a sense of pride and joy that comes with making your own kabob, just as there is when you make your own pizza. Maybe it’s the combination of not just feeding your body, but the art of it all. Every kabob is full of color and flavor and made just the way you like it. And I don’t know about you, but food that I’ve made with my own hands always seems to taste better.
Of course, kabobs are easy to grill and pair well with all your 4th of July side dishes, or can simply be served on a bed of greens, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic for flair. In all honesty, much like a hot dog, there is no wrong way to eat a kabob.
Maybe being American is kinda like a kabob. Each of us is just a bit different from others; some are more colorful, and some are a bit spicier or sweeter, but in the end, it’s all kabobs. Maybe that is my lesson this year when I think about our nation’s big birthday.
Happy Birthday, United States of America, and have a fun and safe 4th, friends!
