Production Notes: We had an argument this morning about whether what was expiring today- midnight?- was either the 60 or 90-day ceasefires signed with whoever is running Iran.

Miles sighed. He said we need to be alert. The messaging and memes are about low-munitions and low morale on big ships, which is part of the only thing Tehran’s allies have at the moment is “words.”

We have seen much more of retired Army General Jack Keane on the Faux News channel we watch in the Conference Room. He looks a little tired, like he has come back on active duty at the end of the Conference table.

This being a new week with a lot of Fall advertising getting us uneasy about the changes to come, I served these with the Black Rifle Coffee in the Field Service thermo-canister this morning to honor the new breakfast guidelines from across the River.

Pop Tarts could definitely save me some time in the morning, but I doubt if we will pay much attention after today, since we Back to School projects are starting and we have to move on while the last real summer event comes up next weekend with the Grand Prix downtown.

Meanwhile, I have a chance to put together something like a buffet offering for the sides that have carried the Galley through the season so far.
I posted the cole slaw recipe months ago, since that is my main go-to side for just about anything sharp and fun. I make it a gallon at a time, and it isn’t particularly season-dependent.

There is a little less reliance on the Creamy Cucumber Salad, since that depends on getting a good sack of cucumbers down at the Whole Foods on the corner. Carrots keep nicely, so I normally have three bags on the shopping list if I need to send one of the Interns over for an emerging culinary requirement.

In my mind, these are light, refreshing side dishes that complement the main protein with something crisp and fresh. That makes the three of them winning partners on the plate—and reduces the amount of effort required to get dinner onto the Conference Table.

They share a certain cool goodness straight from the ‘fridge. That makes them particularly useful on warm days, offering a crisp contrast to grilled meats, barbecue and the other hearty main dishes for which I can normally recruit some free labor.

The slaw is always a delight. The cucumber is cool and creamy. The shaved carrots provide crunch, color and enough attitude to make the plate look as though somebody planned it.

Best of all, they are easy to make, keep well and can be on the table in minutes.

So I make tubs of them every couple of weeks and let the main course rotate around them: beef, pork, chicken or seafood. That is how a handful of reliable sides becomes a surprisingly varied Galley menu without requiring us to reinvent dinner every afternoon.

Depending on the harvest, the system can run pretty much year-round—and spare us some of the somewhat wilted winter lettuce.

Or, if current reports are accurate, perhaps anything coming north from Mexico.

Deirdre looked into the refrigerator.

“Anyway, we’ve got sides.”

And around here, that means we are already halfway to dinner.

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