Summer RoundUp #1: Cape Cod, Massachusetts – Jen from "My Kitchen Addiction"
I’m really excited! It is more than a month that I’m waiting this moment and now finally we can begin our adeventure! I am so happy to present the first guest: give a warm welcome to Jen from My Kitchen Addiction! Jen is a systems analyst and database developer from Pennsylvania (USA) during the day, and a passionate cook and baker during her free time. I’ve been reading her blog for many months now, I like her direct and genuine approach to food, her tasty and inviting photos. Thanks Jen for being the first to open this series of traveling guest posts!
Starting the Summer on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
When I think of summer, the first thing that comes to mind is eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, I am a foodie at heart, and I equate most seasons with the foods that go along with them. There is nothing better than biting into a perfectly ripe strawberry or picking snappeas off of the vine in my garden… And of course, there’s also ice cream… That’s definitely a summer favorite!
The fresh foods are definitely my favorite thing about summer, but traveling is a close second. This summer, my husband and I decided to head to Cape Cod, Massachusetts (US) for a week with our yellow lab (appropriately named Yellowdog). We had a great time relaxing at Nauset Beach and walking at Nickerson State Park. Naturally, I also spent the week exploring and enjoying the local cuisine and farmers’ markets!
We traveled early in the season, so the farmers’ markets on Cape Cod were just getting started for the year. Lucky for me, we happened to be there for the opening week of the Mid-Cape Farmers’ Market in Hyannis, MA. I was impressed by the selection of organic produce… I wish I had so many options at the farmers’ markets at home! Since it was early in the season, most of the stands were selling fresh greens (and one had garlic scapes!). I also found some beautiful strawberries that we enjoyed the rest of the week for breakfast!
Of course, since we were on the Cape, we had to have some seafood. What’s a trip to the beach without seafood, right? Fried seafood is one of my favorites – especially fish and chips! To meet our fried seafood quota, we enjoyed dinner at the Red Nun Bar and Grill in Chatham, MA, a fun and casual restaurant enjoyed by both the locals and the tourists in town. With my fish and chips, I also tried their wedge salad – a wedge of iceburg lettuce topped with both blue cheese and Balsamic dressings and some crispy bacon. It was a perfect treat after a long day on the beach!
We also enjoyed sampling ice cream from various local establishments including the Cape Cod Creamery (South Yarmouth, MA), Sundae School (Dennisport, MA), and Captain Frosty’s (Dennis, MA). There’s definitely no such thing as bad ice cream in my book, but we enjoyed the Cape Cod Creamery the most, and went back for more later in the week. Yellowdog was a big fan of the soft vanilla ice cream!
Our week in Cape Cod was a great way to start the summer… We were fortunate to have great weather, great food, and even better company! Now I’m feeling relaxed and refreshed… And ready to enjoy the fresh tastes of summer at home!
Thanks again Jen for your kindness and for having shared with me this first step of the trip! On Friday you’ll discover the next guest .. a nice surprise!
Simply amazing! Thanks for sharing with us a bit of memories, those places must be magic, I could stay in the lighthouse for days! Thanks Juls, and even more thanks Jen 🙂
Juls, you have so many good ideas and a great ability in finding great people and blogs.
Jen, I didn’t know your blog. Wow, I like your approach and ability in propose initiative like the Kitchen Bootcamp.
Now, I have just to discover Cape Cop 🙂
@ Reb & Rossella: my international foodies, thank you for leaving a comment in English fot Jen!
What a great post! I miss the Cape so…as we spent many summers there when I was a kid. Now that I moved away so long ago, I forget how special a place it is.
Reb, Rosella, and Chris – Thanks so much for your lovely comments (and for leaving them in English!).
Giulia – Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to guest post! 🙂
Thank you for hosting Jen! Jen, your photos are wonderful and your vacation sounded like the reprieve that you needed. So nice that you were able to take your beautiful dog with you. Cape Cod sounds magical 🙂
I already love Jen and her blog but now it appears I need to add Cape Cod to my list of places to visit. It always seemed like such a mythical place to visit when I was younger – you rad about it in books and it sounded so exotic! Great post and photos!