The Hawthornes Have A Fried Feast.

We haven't had fried for a while and my body was calling out to me for something battered and fried.

Mr. Hawthorne had bought tuna steaks the other night and sauteed a few, saving the rest for the next night. On the next night. I decided on fried tuna bites. As a rule, I don't fry tuna. I like to saute fresh tuna steak. It almost tastes like beef to me. But better. Mr. Hawthorne doesn't care that much for tuna. But then he overcooks it. So, why oh why did Mr. Hawthorne buy all this tuna the other night? Yeah, I know a bunch of kids were here, but you're just making them come back. Which brings me back to the fried tuna bites. I want to eat tuna the day it's landed or the next day at least. And I want it lightly sauteed. Butter, lemon juice, perhaps some capers. Cracked pepper. I decided to fry because it's 2-day old tuna.

I cut the tuna into bite-sized pieces.

And poured buttermilk over to marinate for 30 minutes.

What I have here is marinated tuna bites, shrimp, onions, broccoli, and the makings for the batter - flour and sparkling water.

Mr. Hawthorne tossed the shrimp into the buttermilk. To make the batter ...

... combine flour and a little more than equal amount of sparkling water.

Do the veggies first. Veggies or anything before fish.

Onions and broc go into the batter.

Mr. Hawthorne fries.

I love vegetables!

Perfect batter for a delicate onion ring.

Totally delectable.

And then I tried the broccoli.

It's beautiful on the outside.

First bite. The broccoli is smooth and cooked al dente. The batter is light and crunchy.

I am on my deck, overlooking part of my garden, eating this exquisite piece of broccoli. Frying is da bombe!

Junior looks westward to the approaching storm. I'm getting out my sauces. On the left: It's Rosie Pig Shack Sauce. In the middle: Rosie's Mango Habanero Sauce. On the right: Toasted cayenne pepper infused oil.

After frying the broccoli and onion rings, you may want to add a bit of Old Bay to the batter for the tuna and shrimp. Shrimp and tuna bites on the left. Onion rings and broccoli on the right.

Platter of broccoli and onion.

Fried broccoli floret with a dip of cayenne oil. Excellent.

An unidentified fried tidbit with Rosie's Pig Shack sauce on it.

Fried Fiesta.

Toasted cayenne oil crescent on the left. Rosie's Pig Shack Sauce bottom right. Mango Habanero Sauce top right.

The toasted cayenne oil and the mango habanero sauce were excellent together. An unexpected partnership of goodness.

Then we had this amazingly smooth, delicate, and lemony cheesecake with a judiciously appointed strawberry and lazy leftover chocolate leaf messes. Daughter Hawthorne's birthday cheesecake recipe here. It was delicious and sublime.