Today, The United States of America celebrates the 4th of July, the day that thirteen American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. On July 4th 1776, the American colonies decided they would become their own nation and no longer be ruled by the British Empire. What these American colonies proposed at the time seemed like pure insanity, how could these small colonies gain their independence from a powerful empire. We know how the story ends and that through determination and courage the thirteen colonies achieved their freedom.
And who were the people of the thirteen colonies, well there were the native Americans, African descendants, and European descendants. In other words, aside from the native Americans, the rest of the people were immigrants to the colonies. We can conclude that every citizen in the United States, with the exception of native Americans, is either an immigrant or a descendant of a family of immigrants. I too am a proud immigrant to this country. This is a country that has thrived because of immigrants. Today I share a wonderful quote by Nelson Mandela, “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”.
What better way to celebrate the 4th than with all-American hamburgers prepared sous-vide method followed by a light grilling. And to honor the French Marquis de Lafayette who fought alongside George Washington we prepared a French Potato Salad. Peaches are in season so I have been using them in different recipes. Today I prepared a delicious salad with cherry tomatoes, peaches, avocado, and a balsamic vinaigrette.
The Kitchen Blackboard 