It was only the second meat entrée I’d prepared in the last 2 weeks, although that’s actually not unusual here. Neither is the quality of what I brought into the kitchen. Respecting the specialness of these occasions and honoring the excellence of the farmers’ livestock, I usually try to minimize the seasonings and condiments I use.

• *four lamb loin chops, weighing 18 ounces altogether, from Shannon Brook Farm, dried thoroughly, cooked on a very hot enameled cast iron grill pan for a total of about 10 minutes, seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, but only after they were turned over (twice), finished with a squeeze of an organic Whole Foods Market lemon, scattered with chopped rosemary from Phillips Farm, and drizzled with a little olive oil
• three Backyard Farms Maine ‘cocktail tomatoes’ from Whole Foods, halved, seasoned with salt and pepper,  briefly grilled in the same pan just as the chops were finishing cooking, arranged near them on the plates and drizzled with a little olive oil

• one yellow summer squash from Lani’s Farm, plus 2 different kinds of green squash from Campo Rosso Farm, all sliced lengthwise approximately 1/4″, tossed with a little olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and placed in/on a well-seasoned 2-burner seasoned cast iron grill pan above medium-high flames, cooked until softened, and scorched by the pan ribs, having been turned at least once, arranged on a plate, scattered with chopped spearmint from Keith’s Farm and chopped parsley from John D. Madura Farms, half a dozen or so pitted and halved kalamata olives from Whole Foods Market, and drizzled with a little olive oil, served at room temperature [a warning: the grilling process definitely filled the kitchen area with smoke, so I should remember to go very easy on the oil next time, perhaps merely rubbing the ribs of the pan with a little oil on a paper towel]
• the wine was an Italian (Puglia) red, Aglianico Polvanera 2013, from Garnet Wines
• the music was Antonio Salieri’s 1784 tragédie lyrique‘, ‘Les Danaides’, Michael Hofstetter conducting the Ludwigsburger Festspiele Orchestra and the Ludwigsburger Festspiele Chorus