The first time I remember eating dill dip and rye bread was at a party at the Ko home. It was summer, and one of Suzie’s older brothers had graduated. They were so much older than us that their stories and lives operated on a level beyond what our focus could hold. We found our own fun, exploring the gardens and the carriage house, behind which chickens used to live. There was an element of danger to them, lending excitement to the lower driveway, and as our parents mingled with their friends, we passed the time near the big rubber tire filled with ice and soda cans. A red and white checkered tablecloth fluttered in the wind, and on it stood a round rye filled with dill dip. Alternately hiding under the long table, and popping up to pop some bread an dip in our mouths, we did what kids did and blended into the background, literally disappearing beneath the food table while adults did what adults did – the mystery of which I’m still not sure I’ve figured out.
Ever since that day, dill dip and rye bread has been a favorite party food, something I serve faithfully at all our gatherings – a classic slice of Americana that I’ve spread about to friends and family. It’s one of those dishes that I’ve toyed with taking a break from, but that would cause a revolt, and sometimes it’s easier to acquiesce than try something new.
This summer, without a gathering or opportunity for making it, I found myself missing its tangy creamy richness, so I made a quick batch and sat by the pool nibbling on it and remembering parties of the past. Here, at long last, is the simple recipe I use. It can be changed up and revised as you see fit – this is what has worked for me. The key is mixing it up and tasting it AFTER it’s had a chance to sit and meld.
DILL DIP
- 1 package cream cheese (softened – I leave it on the counter for a few hours)
- 1 container sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp dill weed
- 1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
- 1/2 Tbsp dill seed
- 1/2 Tbsp garlic salt
- 1/2 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp. fennel seed (to echo the rye bread)
Combine all the ingredients and mix well, then chill. Taste after a few hours to adjust seasonings as needed. Carve out a round rye bread, saving and roughly chopping the bread for dipping. (I usually get a couple of loaves of rye bread for dipping, and double the recipe for parties. We eat the leftovers for breakfast the day after a get-together.)
Summer demands the indulgence of nostalgia.
