It’s been more than two centuries since Thomas Jefferson and the boys hashed out the Declaration of Independence, officially and bitterly breaking ties with the British Crown. Nowadays, almost entirely forgotten are the gripes of a fledgling nation — exorbitant taxation, clandestine government meetings, paid-for judges, specious trials, murder. Back then, however, as the five drafters held up for days in a small, stuffy room, these matters danced vividly. The intellectual wrangling and sense of power and possibility must have been staggering as they laid down these immortal words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
Moving sentiments, indeed.
One can’t help but wonder what sort of nourishment fueled such brilliant and passionate creation. The signers — quills in hands, wigs on heads — undoubtedly paused often for meals and snacks. In fact, judging from Benjamin Franklin’s paunch, their appetites were considerable. I suppose they munched on whole pheasants, beef brisket and root vegetables, all the while downing foamy tankards of ale. John Adams probably dragged his frilly sleeve through the gravy, ruining a perfectly good draft of the Declaration. I can picture Jefferson, amid a fevered screed, coughing up a chunk of undercooked potato. The greasy fingerprints and scattered bones must have been an absolute nuisance. I’d wager, in fact, that if these men could do it all over again, they’d choose lighter, tastier, tidier snacks. They’d select fare lovely in color, exquisite in texture. Food nibbled from atop smart little chips or crackers. I’m talking, of course, about dip.
Dip really is the perfect American food. Practical at crowded parties and even in the dark, during scary movies, it represents variety, mobility and good old-fashioned gumption. Some of America’s greatest developments have come in the form of mobile foods (we put wieners on buns, ice cream on sticks). Not satisfied with one activity at a time, we like to eat while doing other things, too: talking, reading, driving, shooting guns.
To satisfy this fetish, our nation’s womenfolk have sweated long hours to develop a stunning array of dip options. Why, there are as many delicious dips to choose from as there are stars on the flag!
On the simple side, there exists that enticing elixir of French onion soup mix and glistening sour cream. Also, nobody can pass up a bowl of salsa combined with melted cubes of Velveta. Going a bit further, we come to Disappearing Dip, Artichoke Dip, Tapenade and Crab Dip. These are the best, tried and true favorites.
My friend Liz’s Disappearing Dip
16-oz. can refried beans (black or pinto)
Small carton sour cream (1 cup)
1/2-cup mayonnaise
Small (1.25 oz.) pack taco seasoning mix
16 oz. package grated cheddar cheese
Two avocados mashed with a little lemon juice
Salsa
Chopped onion
Chopped tomato
Find a nice plate or platter. Onto the plate, spread the refried beans, unheated. On top of that, layer the mashed avocados. In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and taco seasoning mix. Spread that over the avocados. Then sprinkle on the tomatoes, onion, salsa and cheddar cheese (in that order). Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with chips.
Mary’s Wonderful Artichoke Dip
14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
4 ounce can diced green chilies, drained.
Black pepper
Combine all the ingredients. Scoop the mixture into a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
Dear Stevie’s Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade
1 jar roasted red peppers (about 7 ounces), drained and patted dry
1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
1/4-cup capers, drained and rinsed
1/2-cup Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2-cup fresh Italian parsley
1/3-cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Throw everything into a food processor and chop until creamy (you can also do this in a blender). Scoop the tapenade into a pretty bowl and serve with crackers or pita bread. You can make this a day early — letting it rest in the fridge overnight will blend the flavors.
Crab Dip
By Sara
6 ounces crab meat, flaked (canned will work)
Juice of 1 lemon
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2-cup whipping cream
1/2-cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4-teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Dash salt
Fresh chives
In small bowl, marinate the crab meat in lemon juice for 30 minutes. Drain well. In a blender or food processor, combine the crab meat with the remaining ingredients (except chives), just until thoroughly mixed. Spoon into a serving dish. Garnish with chives. Serve with crackers or potato chips.
Jennifer Vogel brings a fresh perspective to island cooking as she has only recently taken up serious cooking. Send commentss to vogel@whidbey.net
