A kick Of Watermelon

It may be the end of watermelon season but thanks to a new drink, you can have it year round.Wonder Melon is a new drink, that's not only good for you but tastes good too.

To be honest, I was a bit skeptical. Homemade watermelon juice can be a bit bland.Kayco, the company who makes the drink has decided to punch it up.One has the addition of cucumber which is refreshing. The other flavor is the watermelon mixed with lemon and cayenne, a nod to the lemon and cayenne pepper diet drink.Both possess clean, crisp flavors, which will appeal to juicing buffs. I can see Wonder Melon bottles gracing lunch boxes and late summer beach hampers.

Wonder Melon is a juice with a texture between thick and thin.Again, it 's just perfect with ice but you could also fizz it up with seltzer.For a kicky kind of ice, pour some into a Slushie cup.I guess Wonder Melon would also be good as a base for a few cocktails like the watermelon margaritas.Could you make a kind of Bellini with them? Yes, for a buzzy brunch drink. Save the bottles too.They'll  make cute candle holders, thanks to watermelon like shape.

Keep summer with you all year long with with bottles of Wonder Melon.They're fresh , with the definite taste of the season. You'll be reminded of balmy days and warm nights when the temps start dipping.

The Return Of Newark Cider

New Jersey has in recent years, been known for their wines and champagnes. Yet another heady beverage is making a comeback -  Newark Cider. This clean tasting fruity brew is being made in state again and is gracing tables as it did in George Washington's day.

Rachel Wharton, a food writer and editor at  The New York Daily News took a break from her newspaper to write this piece for today's New York Times Food section. Newark cider was a great favorite of colonial New Jersey.It was also the treasured choice of George Washington who called it "the champagne of ciders". For decades cideries graced the Newark ,New Jersey area, thanks in part to the vast amount of apple orchards located the various hillsides bordering the town. They were perfect for growing fruit. The slopes have cool nights and warm days which protect the fruit from frost along with helping to accumulate flavor and sugar. The apples, themselves, are descended from the four varieties that make up the brew. Campfield, Povoshon, Granniwinkle and Harrison, the most celebrated of the quartet are the ones used. Together they create a crisp clean cider with notes of caramel and brown sugar, thanks to the Poveshon.Yet it is the Harrison apple that makes the cider sing.They have both the astringent tannins and high acidity that give the drink its' very rich, sugary flavor.

The entire Jersey cider industry was ready to be consigned to history  however it was revived to Charles Rosen.This former chief executive of a Manhattan advertising agency that dealt with other liquors, Svedka Vodka and Mike's Hard Lemonade, wanted to reintroduce this staple of Revolutionary New Jersey. He invested all his money in the business , long gone thanks to first urbanization  and then Prohibition.In 2011 he was looking to effect change in the state. It was then he was handed the magazine Edible New Jersey which had an article about the history of Newark Cider.The article's author, Fran McManus offered a suggestion at its' end - the apples were being grown in other states - why not bring  them back home? Mr. Rosen decided to give it a try. In 2015 he planted several thousand hard to find vintage cider apple saplings. While waiting for these to grow , he produced mainstream ciders such as cherry -cranberry with apple juice bought from other orchards. There is a new Champagne style cider made entirely of Harrison apples, found when his lawyer, Thomas Villardi, came upon a deserted cider mill in Maplewood NJ and with it , the trees. There is also the Ironbound Cider Company that has a tap room and tasting room where New Jersey sourced ingredients are turned into delicious dishes that go perfect with the cider. It's located in Asbury ,New Jersey, just a skip away from the Bridgewater Commons Mall.

New Jersey is known for many things. Cider will once again be one of them. New Jerseyians will enjoy this heady brew  the same way George Washington did.

Warm Weather Prep

The temps are going to hit the 80's  and that means one thing - outdoor eating! It's time to gear up for barbecues and picnics. Before you say goodbye to indoor cooking and eating, there's a few things to consider

It is time to set out the grill. Before you roast anything, take a long look at your old one. Try it out. Does it still work?If anything seems off or faulty then start looking at new ones. Lowe's and Home Depot have pre-season sales so now is the time to buy a name brand. Also, if you feel you need a bigger one, then switch out before they become more popular and your choices become limited. If you're happy with your old one, then it's time for cleaning. You should have grill cleaning tools to help along with soap. If you want to go all natural, baking soda and/or distilled vinegar should do the trick. Buy grill cleaning wipes too.They will help in cleaning those hard to reach nooks and crannies. Also buy an ash shovel, a stainless steel scooper and scraper which removes any of last year's residual ashes.Check all energy sources too. Buy a new tank of butane or check cords and wires if you have an electric grill.This is also the time to add on to the grill. Think about a condiment basket where you can store sauces , ketchup and mustard along with grill pans and heating tents.

That other outdoor activity - picnics are on people''s minds too as the temps heat up. As with the grill, look at your cooler and decide if you need a new one or will keep the one you have. If you were unhappy with a smaller one, then upgrade to a larger , rolling one. This is perfect for the park or the beach and is excellent for camping. It not only keeps drinks and water cool, but also salad containers too. There are also insulated picnic baskets too. These fit comfortably in any trunk or back seat. Again this is perfect for sandwiches, snacks and drinks.There are also picnic tote bag which packs a smaller meal for two or three people. Another aspect to think about is what kind of containers to buy. You could go with Tupperware which is pricey but durable.  - think a life span of over ten years but you can go with cheaper ones from Target,,Wal-Mart and even grocery stores such as Acme and Stop & Shop. For a more environmentally friendly basket , also consider melanine plates and utensils instead of styrofoam and paper plates and cups.These can be bought at Target in fun colors and patterns.Have plastic utensils too and reuse these, instead of throwing them out.

It's the season for eating out . Fire up the grill and get the picnic basket ready.It's time  to food al fresco again.