I just hosted one of my last dinner parties in our apartment. Ian and I are moving at the end of the month to a brighter space (and a better kitchen) and soon our apartment will be a maze of boxes and deconstructed Ikea furniture. I wanted to get in one last dinner, one that really felt felt like a family meal of sorts, that was made for my actual family and those that have come to feel like family. This simultaneously meant ease and quantity and these chicken drumsticks with an apricot ginger glaze filled those requirements precisely. The glaze for the chicken has only 4 ingredients and the drumsticks themselves could easily be wings, breasts, thighs, or a combination thereof. It’s a very classic sweet and sour combination that appeals to almost everyone (and in fact, I bet you could use this as a glaze for baked tofu if you wanted to). The scallions and fresh basil aren’t 100% essential to the recipe, but there’s something about the brightness of the greenery that brings the other flavours into full fruition. I served these chicken drumsticks with a huge new potato salad dressed with a dill and Greek yogurt dressing, capers, and cornichons and a colourful side of roasted sweet peppers and onions, a very tasty tasty addition to the meal from my friend Jessica. All of this food was accompanied by a viewing of Japan versus Cameroon in the Women’s World Cup and pretty little raspberry gin cocktails that quickly whisked us all into weekend mode.

chicken drumsticks with an apricot ginger glaze:

1 cup of apricot jam

2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

A generous grating of fresh ginger, to taste

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper

1 bunch of scallions, minced

1/2 cup of basil leaves, cut in a fine chiffonade

1 kg chicken drumsticks

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Blitz together the apricot jam, rice wine vinegar, fresh ginger, and soy sauce in a food processor or blender. Set aside.

3. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet or large baking dish, I usually line either with foil to help with cleanup afterwards.  Season the chicken generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper before baking in the oven for 20 minutes.

4. Take the chicken out of the oven and brush with the apricot and ginger glaze. Bake for another 20 minutes and and then place under the broiler for 5 minutes to  let the glaze caramelize and thicken before serving.

5. Once the chicken is out of the oven sprinkle the entire contents of the baking tray with minced scallions and fresh basil. Serve family style so that everyone can help themselves alongside a big potato salad and a massive pile of grilled vegetables. Perfect summer meal!

As we’ve been packing up our things I’ve had the pleasure of finding things long packed up in boxes, like mix CDs that Ian and I made each other 10 years ago. Anyway, I had forgotten about this song; chosen by me for Ian because of its hopefulness when we were in a very long distance relationship. I’m pretty sure I had this song on a CD that I listened to on my DiscMan at the gym, a funny testament of its ability to uplift.

The Delays – Long Time Coming