Some days you wind up stacking up activities. You can stress about it, or just roll with it. Things get a little crazy and over-scheduled for all of us once in a while, but you know you're in good company when you can all relax and laugh, no matter how it unfolds. Even if the house didn't get vacuumed, even if you're cooking while the guests look on (is that a glint of hunger in their eye?)

Sunday was a roll-with-it kind of day beginning with the food-on-wheels gathering in SoWa.

First Annual Food Truck Festival

Such was my day this morning and I never did find the chef I was so looking forward to catching up with this morning! The First Annual Food Truck Festival

Duke's Trolley Dog - my first bite of the day.

Brunch with Friends

I entered my loft, fairly drippy, to lovely pâté and a flute of Hesketh Proposition and laughter. You know you're among good people when no one's stressing, not even the cook!

This didn't hurt, either.

I love the Pan-Seared Scallops, Corn and Tomatoes recipe from Epicurious.com. The guys from Epicurious made farmers' market appearances at Copley Friday and Govt Ctr Monday. Hope you found them on your own since I didn't get this posted in time to tell you. Sorry!

Here's my version of the perfect brunch with new friends dish:

The Leather District Gourmet's Pan-Seared Scallops with Corn

Serves 4

• 16 large sea scallops (by dry scallops and ask for those not bottom dredged, here's more info on Seafood Watch)
• 2 strips of bacon
• 2 - 4 TBSP olive oil
• 2 - 3 scallions
• Fresh corn, cut from 6 ears
• 1 large mild chili pepper
• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
• good dry vermouth for deglazing
• herbs, fresh or dried, I used about 2 TBSP fresh thyme, four large fresh basil leaves cut in chiffonade
• Sauce and gravy flour, for dusting; pimentón, cayenne to taste.

1. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour on waxed paper or a plate, sprinkle with pimentón, cayenne (I used cayena molina from Valencia) to taste. Place scallops, rinsed and patted dry, on the spiced flour. A very light dusting is all you need.
2. Cut bacon into small strips and sauté in large frying pan. Remove to paper towel to drain.
3. Sear scallops. (Place them in the bacon fat but then leave them alone. They will release when they have a nice brown crust.) Remove to plate. I did these in 2-3 batches.
4. After the scallops are done and resting on a plate, saute the pepper, corn, scallions and cherry tomatoes in the pan adding light olive oil or canola oil as needed.
5. Deglaze with good dry vermouth (like Quady or Sutton) then add fresh herbs at end. S&P to taste.

Tip:

• To prepare corn: remove husks, silk then snap off stalk. Hold on end in large flat bow - perpendicular to the bowl. I  like a big pasta bowl for this. Take a large sharp knife and cut straight down. The kernels will fall into the bowl.

We enjoyed this with some beautiful red chard wilted with garlic, oil then finished with Earthy Delights Crema di Balsamico - easiest agrodolce side dish ever.

Easy drinking, it was. Easy brunch. Good times.

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