If you’re lucky enough to live near the water, then you’re lucky enough, right? We all probably would like to be on a white sandy beach, but I’m happy to live on a bayou. Late in the evenings on these long summer days, I can hear the crickets chirping and the bullfrogs honking. Blue herons come in to roost in the willow and cypress trees, and occasionally a great white egret moves slowly along the water’s edge seeking his supper. My patio, surrounded by palms and banana trees, is the perfect setting for a casual, laid-back supper. For an appetizer, a chilled salad of lump crabmeat is in order. CRABMEAT SALAD Makes 4 servings

• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 dashes hot sauce
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Creole mustard

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. The salad can be served atop a mound of salad greens, on thick slices of tomatoes, or in an avocado half. It can also be served as an hors d’ouevre, with crackers or toast points.

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial arrival of summer as far as I’m concerned. While we do want to remember our fallen heroes of all the wars, it has also been a time to have family gatherings. And family gatherings always brings to mind good things like fried chicken(check out Zatarain’s chicken coating mixes), potato salad with homemade mayonnaise, fried fish (check out our fish-fry coating mixes), all things barbecued or thrown on the grill. And don’t forget the rice dressing (we have several different kinds of dressing mixes) and thick slices of homegrown tomatoes sprinkled with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a bit of vinegar. For just such an occasion, you might want to try Poche’s stuffed pork roast—a winner in my book. Bake it in the oven, put it on a spit in a pit or smoke it in your smoker. The flavor is fabulous. Here’s a great dish to serve with that pork roast, especially if you can get locally-grown vegetables in your area. MARINATED MIXED VEGETABLES

• Makes about 8 servings
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 3 carrots, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large green or red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched in salted boiling water
• 1 large zucchini, cut into strips
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the garlic, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Whisk to blend, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the vegetables into a large shallow container fitted with a lid. Pour in the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover with the lid and marinate, tossing the vegetables two to three times, for at least 24 hours.