For the past six years, we’ve gathered with friends on Labor Day weekend for “Lamb Jam” (“jam” is short for a scout’s jamboree. Why lamb? That’s another story.) There are craft activities, beach walks, hikes in the woods, fierce euchre and ping-pong games, and of course, shared meals. If the weather permits, we start the evening with happy hour around the fire pit. I keep track of the menus from year to year, and we try not to repeat ourselves. When I asked my husband Eric for ideas for this year’s happy hour treat, he suggested tater tots. “It’ll be fun,” he said.

“Tater tots?” I paused. “Why not?” We had a propane cooker and deep fryer with a basket. We’d made onion rings at the fire pit before, a messy but delicious affair; dipping the cut onions in the batter, frying, and laying them

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