Love Letter to Summer in Montauk

.01 Dawn Patrol

In Manhattan, the quest of summer can be an extreme sport. At the earliest glimpse of spring, the tees and sandals come out. Restaurants set up tables and chairs as concrete jungle dwellers claw their way into garden seats for a forkful of Eggs Florentine. Going from 0–100 is a social currency. You’re somehow always rushing to the next thing while your inner weekend warrior is telling you to sneak off to the ocean for a fresh-air break. (If you leave now, you might make it to the jitney and get some work done en route.)

This chapter is your metaphorical road trip to the beach. A bounty of seagrass and calm. The silhouette of flora at first light. A collection of slow foods—made for hanging out, thinking about life, eyeballing your crush, fueling between surf sessions, or elevating your yoga practice. Enjoy them morning, noon, or night. We’re easy.

For the creamiest smoothie consistency, ingredient order is everything. In a standing blender, first add liquids on the bottom, then powders, softer fruits, then any hard or frozen goods on the top layer. Blend and enjoy. Use fresh fruit that’s organic when possible and freeze fruit at its ripest for optimal flavor.

Aloha

Serves 2 (GF, VO)

• 1 cup pineapple-coconut juice
• 1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
• ¹/₂ cup cubed fresh mango
• 1 ripe banana, peeled
• ^1/₄ cup plain unsweetened yogurt of your choice
• 2 cups ice, plus more as needed
• Raw honey (optional)

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients, adding the ice last (if you’re using frozen fruit, you can skip the ice). Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Taste your smoothie—if you want it to be a little sweeter, add a spoonful of honey. If your smoothie is too thin, add more ice. Divide between two glasses and imagine you’re in Hanalei Bay. Mahalo.

02. Lunch

Luscious sandwiches, exotic wraps, and tantalizing smoothies! The afternoon rush at Joni’s is usually a mélange of the whole town: Hungry locals, bright-eyed tourists, and those looking to see and be seen. Everyone gets treated the same, except if you bring us a heaping bag of beach trash. Then you get a free lunch, darlin’.

From fresh fruit in O‘ahu to cafés in Colorado to blue zones in Okinawa—traveling is the single biggest inspiration for the unique flavors you’re about to taste. While best whipped up fresh, they hold up well in the fridge for the ones who love a meal prep moment.

Wild-On-Chicken

Makes 4 cups/1 quart (GFO)

Chicken and grapes? Nonsense . . . until you try it and the cravings linger on. This quintessential beach food was always one of our menu favorites at Joni’s. The fruit adds a touch of sweetness and the tarragon is bright and fresh. I like to keep a quart of this chicken salad in my fridge for quick lunches—it’s great in a wrap, over a bed of greens, or eaten right out of the container with a fork while daydreaming about waves.

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion, halved through the root
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt
• 1 ¹/₄ cups quartered, seedless red grapes
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• ¹/₂ cup mayo (recipe below)
• ¹/₂ cup chopped toasted walnuts
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Add the chicken (the chicken should be covered with water), onion, bay leaf, and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook over moderate heat until the chicken is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into small dice and transfer to a large bowl.
2. In the bowl with the chicken, add the grapes, celery, mayo, walnuts, tarragon, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken salad in a wrap or over some fresh greens lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

Vegan Mayo

Makes about 1 cup (GF, V)

A moment of silence for all the chickpea water we’ve dumped down the sink, when it could have become a garlicky aioli or granola or pisco sour. Aquafaba whips up like egg whites but is a virtually flavorless, vegan swap. Fresh avocado adds body and smooth texture, while contributing a pleasantly nutty undertone.

Please consider this vegan mayo a base. Make it yours by adding smoked paprika, finely chopped black garlic, fresh chives, or go wild with other ideas. It’s a condiment that comes together in moments, yet will make you want to abandon processed mayo forever. I bet you have what you need floating around the kitchen.

• ¹/₄ cup chickpea water from the can (aquafaba), chilled
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons brown rice syrup
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• ³/₄ cup avocado oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a blender or in a bowl and using an immersion blender, puree the aquafaba with the lemon juice, brown rice syrup, vinegar, and mustard powder until smooth. With the blender running, slowly stream in the avocado oil until the mayo is thick and emulsified, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

.03 Treats

Can we tempt you with a good time? No one has to know these bites aren’t bad for you. Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, these snacks are not too sugary and instead focus on letting the ingredients sing. Each one has incorporated natural sweeteners like bananas, dates, maple syrup, and coconut sugar.

Peanutty Energy Bites

Makes 12 large bites (GF, V)

Recovery after surf or yoga sessions. A midday pick-me-up. Hungry kids in the car. Energy bites provide the protein, fiber, and convenience you need in your life. I will also bet you that you either have these ingredients in your pantry or will use them in countless dishes once you do.

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy unsalted natural peanut butter
• ¹/₂ cup gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
• ¹/₃ cup semi-sweet mini dark chocolate chips, preferably vegan
• 5 tablespoons finely ground oats or oat flour
• 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened desiccated (finely grated) coconut
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• ¹/₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• Crushed peanuts, for rolling (optional)

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl and using a hand mixer, combine all of the ingredients except for the crushed peanuts with 2 tablespoons of water and beat on medium speed until you have a cohesive paste that holds when you pinch it between your fingers, about 2 minutes. If your mixture is too thick, gradually add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
2. Using a spoon or #16 (2 ounce) level scoop, roll out 2-inch balls. If the mixture is sticky, wet your hands with warm water. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.
3. In a shallow bowl, add the crushed peanuts, if using. Roll each ball in the peanuts and transfer to a plate. Take a bite and fuel up!

Excerpted from Joni’s, A Love Letter to Summer in Montauk, $65, published by Hound Publishing LLC.

Joni’s is at 28 South Etna Avenue, Store #9, Montauk, NY 11954. Open spring/fall, Thursday to Monday, 8am-3pm; summer, daily, 8am-3pm. 631-668-3663.