Summer brings hot lazy days, cold drinks, dragonflies and sunburns.  All good things. I know I’ll get flack for saying that a sunburn is good, but come winter I’ll wish I had that warm, tight feeling when my skin has just a tiny bit of pink overlaying the tan. 

At work, however, summer is the beginning of another year of residents.  The residents descend on the hospital in exactly the same frenzy you see with the new and returning wizards at Hogwarts.  Some are sweet, some awkward, some bossy and some are…Slitherins. It’s not pretty…

This year we also have a new attending doctor.  Sort of like a professor of wizardry.  He came to us after working for a few years in Hawaii.  This won’t be held against him.  How could he know?  The weird and crazy halls of medicine cannot be compared to the great expanse of soft sandy beaches, the magestic view and fiery lava flow from Kilauea, the haupia pie from Ted’s bakery.  How would he cope?  How would he manage to survive outside the hothouse world of the islands?

So I thought.  In casual conversation I asked what day he thought he plans to see patients in the clinic.  He revealed that he was a little concerned about seeing patients at all.  What? Was he shy?  Intimidated? Yes, I thought those things.  I may have…possibly even asked.  Silly me.  What was our new doctor afraid of? Said he “Sometimes I let the work stack up until the end of the day.  Then I wind up working on it in the evening.  I just don’t function well that way.  At 5 o’clock, I don’t want to work anymore.  I just want a drink.  Or several”. 

Welcome George.  You’re going to fit in all right.  You’ll do just fine!

Since I am no longer (and have not been for ages) a bartender, I settle for being the Jelly Lady, and make jam.

This recipe was adapted from www.yummly.com

                                Strawberry Margarita Jam

1	NOTE: Do NOT use a food processor to crush strawberries or you will get puree and jam will not have a good texture. Use a potato masher.
2	In a large pot, mix together strawberries, lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur.
3	Stir in pectin, bring to a boil over high heat.
4	Stirring constantly.
5	Boil hard for 1 minute.
6	Remove from heat and immediately stir in sugar.
7	Return to a boil and boil one minute.
8	Remove from heat and stir steadily for 5 minutes. This will keep the fruit mixed evenly throughout the jam.  Trust me- I forgot this step and you will notice I have floating fruit.
9	Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch from rim. Wipe rims clean. Apply lids and rings. Tighten to fingertip tight.
10	Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

It’s never going to replace a drink, or several, in the evening.  It’s a very nice jelly, however, and like that very mild sunburn, it’s a pleasant reminder of summer drinks and good times.

*** pie photo is from Ted’s Bakery, a local institution in Haleiwa, HI.  My husband became addicted to their pie.  As there is not yet a 12 step programs for pie fools, I’ve become adept at making them myself.  Watch for the recipe whenever Grumpy next tries to romance me with his laundry washing and car maintenance skills.