August Bounties

 August is the time when all those late Spring plantings come into harvest. There;s so much right now in back yards and on farm stands. Best of al, there's so many dishes to make that involve fresh veggies and fruit.

Tomato plants are in fiull bloom right now. There one fo the most versatile fruits - yes fruits. . Nothing beats a sliced on on bread , slathered with mayo. Yet you can also put them in a variety of different salads. of course the best dishes for them also involve other bounties. Gazpacho, that cold and delicious Spanish soup called for fresh cucumbers, bell peppers and onions. Ratatouille has tomatoes as the star but there 's also eggplant or zucchini as well as peppers and onions. Cucumbers can  be turned into tasty pickles for the barbecue oe picnic along with being sliced into an  elegant salad .Add sprigs of dill for flavor. Eggplant is good in ratatouille but it';s also excellent grilled. Slice and coat each side with olive oil sprinkle with such herbs as rosemary and oregano and then char on the grill.it usually takes six minutes on each side before they;re ready to eat. Zucchini is also in abundance right now. This is another versatile veggie that can be cut into coins or slices  to be air fired or grilled. They're great air fried too and actually make for some crispy chips. Just sliced pat dry and then coat in a mix of olive oil and garlic powder. it does take about  twenty minutes to cook in the air fryer.

Of course fruit is in an August harvest too. Watermelon is big right now. It's excellent as a chilled dessert along with being refreshing. Keep in mind that it;s also excellent grilled with honey. A watermelon granita is an easy make.It just takes seedless watermelon chunks, lime juice and sugar.Th w fruit lime juice and half the sugar are put into a food processor and pulverized until smooth and then placed into a bowl or baking dish, Place into the freezer for two to three hours then begin the scraping process.Lightly scrape the topmost layer and then put back in the freezer. Repeat until the entire bowl is shaved . Store ,covered in Sran wrap until being served. This is also the time for stone fruits like peaches, plums and nectarines., These are good fresh,eaten as a snack or a healthy dessert,.  However these are wonderful in all sorts of baked desserts. Crisps are a perfect way to highlight their  flavors.It's also an easy dessert.Cut the fruit and put into a greased baking dish. The crisp is an easy mix of oatmeal or flour mixed with butter , brown  and white sugars. Cornstarch gives her topping its' customary crispiness. Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate treat.

It's August. It;s harvest time. Take advantage and create delicious dishes with fresh fruits and veggies.

LIdl Comes To The Cold Rescue

 What to do in a heat wave? Head to your nearest Lid!! Yes the air conditioning is bliss  but there's another reason   they have the best ices and ice creams. There's so much to choose from, whether's it's ice pops or a cone.Best of all they're so delicious.

I am a huge fan of anything LIdl and ices. Of course I have their various  Gelatelli ice pops. Their fruit pops are the best

The mango pops have chunks of mango in them and they're a refreshing fruity break from these blistering days. The watermelon bars are half the size but still frosty and tasty. I love these.They have the same taste as watermelon bubblegum! So delicious.

This is another favorite. Blueberry and pomegranate are surprisingly good together and it's a different take on the classic Popsicle. There;s not many blueberry  or even pomegranate ices out there. This is unusual and not that sweet. Of course Lidl also has yummy ice creams from their Bon Gelati line of gelato in tubs. its' so creamy , reminiscent of fresh made ice cream from a creamery, Their sherbet is also on my radar along with their tubs of ice cream. I have cones and Lidl's version of the hard shell chocolate covering. It;s time to make my own treats instead of heading out in the heat for them.

It's an oven out there. Head to Lidl for tasty sweet and frozen treats. They'll cool you off in no time.

Eating Through The Heat

 It is summer and it is blisteringly hot. The heat affects the way we eat. There are days when having a meal seems a chore . Cooking is that way too. what can be done? There are several ways to beat the heat culinary wise.

If anything hydrate - hydrate - hydrate. Yes have planting of chilled or cool water yet there are also water filled foods that can  also help.watermelon  and cucumbers are two that are full of water. The first is very versatile. Watermelon makes an excellent dessert or snack, especially when it's been in the fridge for a few hours but it also makes a wonderful salad ingredient too. One of the more popular combinations is adding cucumber and feta crumbles, dressed in a simple vinaigrette. Another tasty dish that can easily be a side or a dessert is grilled watermelon. Before grilling cut the melon unto thick triangles and then baste with a  mix f honey lime juice and lime zest. Grill until grill makes appear. As for cucumbers a refreshing and old fashioned way to have them is sliced and dressed in a mix of sour cream and dill. You can sub in plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream if you want a lighter taste. Cucumbers are also good on their own dressed in a light white wine vinegar based dressing. You could also turn it into a cool green gazpacho.I't mixing pureed on es with plain Greek yogurt , olive oil and salt. A dash of white wine vinegar gives it some zing.

What about some protein? If you can stand being in front a hot grill then think of kebabs. These are easy to make and fun to eat.also it's a good way of combining meats and veggies in one bite. You can vary the proteins with having chicken one night and steak the next. As for veggies, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper slices and mushrooms also work along with onion quarters. An  easy marinade for both chicken and steak is one made with olive oil, lemon salt and pepper. Another marinade is a base of plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice and olive oil. spice it up with cumin oregano and paprika. if you want an Asian flavor then think a soy sauce based one with a dash of Worcester and  red wine vinegar to zing up beef kebabs. Keep in mind that you can already buy already prepared meats like rotisserie chicken and use it to create tasty and easy wraps. This is an ideal supper. Add romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing to shredded rotisserie chicken for a light meal that combines veggies and meat all in one bite.

Eating through a heat wave is not difficult. There are many light meals that can fill you up without heating you up. Try them for a cool and refreshing lunch or dinner.

Summer Food To Go

 Summer is the time to head to the beach, lake or park. What goes with those trips? Quick and tasty dishes and desserts. it doesn;t have to be fast food.It does have to be food that is a fast make though.

The Sunday new York Times added this section .It's a great mini recipe book that covers everything from salads to sweets. Another plus is that any of these are also perfect for a barbecue too. This si a keeper that can well take home chefs into tailgate season this fall.Yes there are snacks. what picnic doesn;t have them? The must try isa dill pickle tzatzki.Its the classic Greek dip married to the current dill pickle craze. There's also a caprese antipasto and watermelon chaat to name a few.every picnic needs a salad of some kind and this NYT section delivers.Of course there's macaroni and potato, The first veers off from th usual mayonnaise glopped kind. This has greens, from pickles to freshly chopped parsley and capers.Dijon mustard and lemon juice give it zing and color while a teaspoon of granulated sugar gives counteracts the vinegar Is the potato salad traditional? Yes save for the bite of lemon added. For something. different make the spicy cucumber, heated up with Fresno and Thai chilis. Instead of the usual three bean ,try a blakceyed pea one or a tomato and farro one.

There is a mouth watering hero, seen here on the cover.

It's a salute to Italian cold cuts >Try it for mortadella or prosciutto for Avery flavorful hero. There are also pickled in red wine vinegar onions along with any kind of pepper for bite. Iceberg lettuce and olive oil are added to the onions. You could add mayo or mustard but that may be a bit too much.There's also tomato and pimento cheese sandwiches for a Southern twist. Other may prefer grilled harissa shrimp on skewers or veggie kebabs.There's also salmon onigiri, a form of sushi with rice and nori or black seasweed. and chicken skewers  loaded with cumin and ginger and then butter basted.for something different.Yes there are sweets to end this fun meal. There are strawberry jam bars that can also be made with any red fruit jam like current or raspberry.Rice Krispie treats get elevated with the add of butter fried black sesame seeds and sesame oil. Blondies are a fun addition to any picnic basket and these get amped up with cardamon and white chcocolate chips. They're frosted with an untypical cream cheese frosting. saffron makes it more interesting while a scattering of chopped pistacchios give them a nice nuttiness.

It's picnic weather1! make these dishes for a fun day out. They 're tasty , delicious and different!

Healthy Harvests

 This is the time when everyone's gardens and pick your own orchards are in full harvest. Take advantage of these for healthy eating. Fresh fruit ans veggies have so many benefits. Eat them fresh for even more benefits.

This is the time for peach picking. Orchards around the area are bursting with clusters of these golden gems.As good as they are in crumbles and crisps , they're even better eaten chilled and fresh from the fridge. They're loaded with important vitamins like C and K which your body uses to heal wounds. They're also the rare fruit that has Vitamin E which keeps eyes and skin healthy too.Surprisingly peaches also contain trace amounts of zinc and copper,Zinc helps in getting the thyroid to work properly as well as helping blood to clot. Copper helps your teeth and bones to grow along with protecting cells and the immune system. Eat the whole fruit because their skin is rich in cancer preventing antioxidants.  Another fruit in full bloom right now is watermelon.Nothing beats a cold, sweet wedge after a barbecue or picnic.It's low calorie - only forty-six per slice so you can indulge in a few slices . A slice also has a big dose of lycoprene which is usually found in tomatoes.It improves heart health and even helps in preventing sunburn.Keep in mind that water melon is ninety per cent water  so it's also perfect for hydration, Dust it with a tiny bit of sea salt. This not only improves the taste but also replenishes electrolytes and carbohydrates.

Gardens are full of all sorts of tomatoes right now too. This is on e of the most versatile harvests because there are so many recipes that call for just picked from the vine tomatoes. They're also good eaten fresh with just a tiny sprinkle of salt on them too. These are high in Vitamin C which brightens skin and reduces inflammation,Cooked tomatoes release lycoprene to which helps in preventing cancer. eating them any way in any recipe will also improve your brain and prostrate health.This fruit - and it is a fruit is also rich in magnesium, which supplies the body with electrolytes.Electrolytes help cell function normally.Magnesium also helps in easing sore muscles after exercising too. Gardens are also full of zucchini too. These can be sliced into coins and sauteed with garlic and butter for a tasty side or  air fried to create a fun snack. They are high in Vitamin A and manganese, the last vital for forming connective tissue and bones.It also plays a role in calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation.Eggplant is also another garden gem that's in full harvest right now. It too is rich in Vitamins A and K. Eating it also reduces the risk of heart problems as well.

Summer harvests are like a giant vitamin and much tastier. Eat as much as you can, They will definitely boost your health and make you feel better.

Those Fun Faux July Holidays

 It;'s JUly and that means celebrating holidays - yes holidays.Of course there the Fourth of July barbecues but there's also the fun Summerween barbecues and Christmas in July trays.It means interesting spins on classic holiday treats.

There's always been some sort of Christmas in July. Mostly people may set up a mini fake fir tree and decorate it with seashells and lights. As for Summerween this is brand new yet growing in popularity. There are some really fun ideas for a ghost and pumpkin themed barbecue. I think the pumpkin cheeseburger will be making an appearance at my upcoming outdoor party. This is taking a slice of cheddar and cur out a jack o' lantern face .It;s then laying the slice on the burger and eating it open faced. You can do the same thing with a slice of MUenster to create a ghost on a burger. Then there's the mini pizzas with the mozzarella ghosts which can be made on a grill.The piece de resistance is the watermelon carved like a pumpkin. It could filled with fruit as the centerpiece or lit with votive candles for light. The flesh itself can be turned into balls and added to fruit salad or pureed for tasty mocktails and cocktails. Try mixing it with lime juice and water and sweeten with agave syrup for a refreshing drink.End the night with bloody s'mores You can dip the marshmallows in red food coloring to get that sanguine look.Also serve black and red fruit like blackberries and cherries for a dessert treat.

What about Christmas in July? Look to Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Whiles it's winter up here ,it;s summer down there. Many have barbecues that feature chicken and London broil. You could serve this with Stovetop stuffing or Yorkshire pudding which surprisingly can be made on the grill. You will need some kind of pan to collect the drippings for the gravy. An easier plate would be a Christmas tree charcuterie board. This will have all the components of a regular board but the lines of food are arranged so it forms a giant triangle with a small trunk.. Make the trunk out of crackers or slices of French or Italian bread. Decorate with green olives and cherry tomatoes to represent balls. You also use strands of string cheese for tinsel. This idea can be carried out in veggies along with seafood too.Of course a picnic salad is de rigeur. Have a macaroni salad heavy with broccoli florets and sliced grape tomatoes. What would be the perfect dessert? It's too hot to make a slew of cookies but you could buy chocolate wafers and make the famed chocolate log . Dust some cocoa powder on it for a true Buches de Noel feel. Another idea is chocolate peppermint sundaes. Have chocolate ice cream with syrup and crushed Starlight mints for a fun ending. Top with  mounds of whipped cream and more crushed peppermint.

Yes the JUly 4th barbecue can be tasty and fun?Yet what could be better than Halloween and Christmas in a month that's also full of beach fun.Celebrate with gusto and tasty food.

Cool Ades

 Nothing beats a cool glass of some kind of ade.These are refreshing on a hot day and perfect for any barbecue or lazy day at the beach. You can easily buy these but they're more fun to make at home.

One of the easiest is lemonade. This anceint drink  ist still popular as it was in ancient India, China and Myanmar.The best homemade one requires  simple syrup which can be used in other drinks and even cocktails and mocktails.It's boiling one cup of sugar in one cup of water. Combine this with one cup of  fresh or concentrated lemon juice. Two to three cups of warer along with ice cubes are added. A popular variation is adding mango to it. Use two large mango chop into big chunks and add with water to a blender. This will make a kind fo mango puree that will be diluted when it's added to the lemonade. Others go wild for  large frosty glass of raspberry lemonade. It'st the same basic recipe but with the addition of a strained raspberry puree added. One of my favorites and I've been drinking this a lot is an Arnold Palmer. This is a hybrid half and half of lemonade and iced tea. I usually make it  on a tall glass with any fruit tea and a splash of lemon juice. I add a small packet of Stevia In The Raw to sweeten it,  and a  good splash (about half a cup) of cold water to dilute it's strength. The last step is  adding four or five ice cubes for a cold sip.

Another ade you can easily make is limeade. This can be made with granulated sugar as well as a simple syrup.It's using the juice of two or three limes along with the zest for more flavor. Some home chefs will recommend using simple syrup which gives the entire drink a lovely sweet flavor. Add the juice and two to three cups of water along with ice. You could add a sprig of mint to it to make it a mocktail mojito. Watermelon is  popular right now but instead of cubing or slcing it , turn it into a refreshing ade. This is taking four cups of cubed watermelon  and pureeing it.I;'s then strained and blended with simple syrup, three cups of cold water and a half cup of lemon juice (this can be freshly squeezed or bottled) Mix well and then add ice. You could add the raspeberry puree to it and copy Dunkin Donuts new drink it's raspberry watermelon cooler. Raspberry juice and orage juice also makes a yummy blended ade.

A cooling ade is what you need during this hot weather. Create a homemade one , sit back and enjoy.It's refreshing and soothing

The Sparkle Of Waterloo Seltzer

 There are so many flavored seltzers out there.Yet they don't have the fizz and flavor of Waterloo. It's a refreshing change up from the usual fare.

I discovered it during a recent trip to Target. It looked intriguing and different. The flavors are not like the typical flavored seltzers. The company offers such neat flavors as blackberry lemonade and passionfruit along with a plain or unflavored one, perfect for mocktails and egg creams. The company was started in 2017 by a group of people who are dedicated to creating a crisp  and exciting bubbly water.

It's $3.99 for a case of eight at the store. it was a hard toss up between choosing the peach, watermelon , black cherry or grape. I love grape so I chose it. I was not disappointed.

It was refreshing with a very grape without that cloying sweetness flavor. It;s a better and micer alternative to all those diet colas I've been sipping on. I had two cans right away, enjoying the taste.I am definitely getting the peach and watermelon flavors for the holiday weekend ahead. I love that their site also has mocktail recipes which I'lkl also try too.

Waterloo Seltzer is the seltzer to have during these last hot days of summer. It's refreshing and flavorful, perfect for cooling off. Enjoy this sparkling treat !!!

A Summer Taco Spread

 Everyone loves a good taco. Imagine a taco party then instead of a barbecue. Guests can have fun creating their own. It just starts with a few basics nd goes from there.

Genevieve Ko wrote about this along with giving  the basics in yesterday's New York Times Food section, Her inspiration was Alejandra Graf who threw a taco party for her son's soccer team. Thye loved it thanks to the variety and the joy of customizing their tacos. This also gives the host time to mingle while guests are creating their own meals. There should be big flavors, spicy , fresh and savory . Chef Ko also looks to Esteban Castillo author of the cookbook Chicano Eats  and the upcoming Chicano Bakes  aand his family's experiences. The family would throw carne asada on the grill but to also vary the taco fillings there would be Cornish game hens, chicken, chorizos , cebollitas or scallions and white onions. Theere would be tables groaning with guacamole, arroz rojo, red rice, pico de gallo and salsa molacito  along with frijoles charros and tortillas that his aunt made. It also pays to get everyone involved too. There should be extra handsin the kitchen to help witht eh chopping and prep.Prepare before time.Some dishes like chicken tinga, chicken with adobo sauce  and lamb birria, a kind of spicy lamb braise takes days to creare as do frijoles de olla.

Another important aspect is the tortilla.Make sure they're warmed before serving You could do what Ms Graf did, heating them on a comal or griddle (even a crepe plate works), They 're then wrapped in a warm towel to retain their tenderness.For a really big party CHef Ko suggests buying a tortiellero a large basket that retains their warmth. (you can buy this on Amazon or at a Mexican grocery).  Lightly char them as Mr. Castillo does or make your own,  She includes a carne asada recipe that has a spicy steak sauce and red rice.  The steak seasoning is a fiery one  full of  dried chilis and  spices such as cumin and  coriander. Black pepper gives it extra kick. There is also a marinade that features  orange and limes juices along with Worcester sauce. The red rice has tomato sauce and a host of spices too.Make sure there are plenty of drinks. You could have buckets of iced Corona  but agua fresca is  also good. Have large pitchers of this refreshing Mexican drink on the table. You can create them in a variety of such flavors as cucumber and watermelon. Make sure there's good music too for a relaxing time too.

A fun summer party involves tacos with fresh ingredients. Throw one that's full of delicious fillings followed by tasty drinks. There's nothing like a night full of good Mexican party food.

The Many Sides of Juneteenth

 Junettenth is an important African-American holiday, much in the same way as Fourth Of July. It celebrates freedom but also the different recipes and customs of Black-Americans and their ancestors. There are so many different  recipes , each tasty , each traditional.

Nicole Taylor , chef and author of the definitive Juneteenth cookbook  Watermelon And Red Birds :A Cookbook For Juneteenth and Other Black Celebrations (Simon and Schuster 2022) just out now, wrote this in the cookbook.Today's issue of the New York Times Food section excerpted it along with  some of her recipes.Some background is needed here. Juneteenth celebrates and acknowledges  when Major General Gordon arrived in  the port city of Galveston Texas and issued General Order 3. This meant,that, two years after Abe Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation that all enslaved people were free,. This happened on June 19th, hence the name Juneteenth  although some plantation owners waited to tell the enslaved in the fall after harvest season.  A year later festivities commenced. Like the Great  Black Migration, it moved from the South to the north , east and west. with it not only came recipes for barbecue but a place at the table for watermelon. June  in Texas was prime season for the fruit.in 1883 The Galveston Daily News has reported that there were celebrations across the state but one in San Antonio had "twenty-three wagons loaded with watermelons. They're now an integral part of the celebrations.

Chef Taylor's recipes are amazing with different spins on traditional dishes. yet they represent her deep roots in Georgia where her family has lived for generations. Her recipe for peach and molasses chicken is a spin on the traditional barbecue soaked one of years past. The sauce is a tangy mix of peach jam and apple cider vinegar mixed with tomato paste, soy sauce ,mustard and coriander seeds. The chicken is basted twice in it and served with more coriander. She takes the traditional cole slaw and zings it up with poblanos  and scallions and dresses it in a coating of virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and garlic cloves. Celery seeds are also added and a dash of hot sauce can also be thrown in. What to finish it off with? A strawberry sumac (!) cake. The berries are macerated with a mix of ground sumac, granulated sugar and almond extract. They're dotted on the homemade cake that's also spiced with the ground sumac. The perfect drink for this is Chef Taylor's watermelon ginger beer. This is a fiery mix of  red watermelon and ginger beer with the pureed fruit. Ice cubes , full of fennel fronds are put in to cool it.

Juneteenth is a day of thought but also f celebration and honoring all those who were enslaved. They should be celebrated with good food and good drink. It's their recipes and their legacies that should be honored.

A Garden Unusual

 Plant something instead of the usual tomatoes, lettuce and pepper, There are all sorts of different veggies you can have fun planting harvesting and then cooking. Be bold with what you plant. It'll lead to some new and exciting recipes.

This is the plan I'm taking for my garden this year. I saw kohlrabi and broccoli plants in my local nursery. These sparked an idea to plant something different. This means new recipes to try out. I wasn't that surprised to find out that kohlrabi is a German based vegetable (kohl being the German word for cabbage).I had eaten it in my childhood  thanks to it being part of our Swabian German heritage.For some reason I never thought about making any dish with it until I saw the plants. it opened up a wealth of ideas. It's also called a German turnip but can be cooked as any cabbage or broccoli dish. One recipe intrigued me. where'it's cooked German style in a buttery cream sauce and lightly spiced with nutmeg. The other plant that tweaked my interest is Brussels sprouts. I've made all sorts of Brussels sprouts recipes. They are the best steamed and served with melted butter and cheese however sliced ones can make for a great sheet pan side that can be cooked with the main dish. There's also a Brussels sprout salad that will be tasty to make, especially with freshly picked sprouts.

Before you go for some wild planting, make sure you have the space and the soil for it.Watermelon is a wonderful plant but it is a vine and that requires a lot of space. these also need full sun as do corn. A backyard cornfield is fun. I've had a few relatives do this and there's something neat about pickling your own corn. Homegrown corn also seems somewhat sweeter tasting too. It's also versatile. You can make a delicious corn chowder rich with the kernels and bacon or Mexican street corn. Imagine turning those ears into elote,  dripping with cotija cheese, sour cream and lime. A really neat and unusual planting would be popcorn. yes , You can grow your own.It's really the same as planting and harvesting sweet corn. You will nitrogen rich fertilizer because any type of corn needs a lot of nutrition.Another fun grow  are potatoes. There are many breeds to experiment with in your yard. You can try your hand in Fingerling or heartier Idahos.  yet these too , like a cornfield take up a lot of yard, You may just want to grow them as with corn.

Think about different plants and veggies to plant this season. It will create a fun gardening experience. It will also make for exciting and fun new recipes.

Flag Day - Start Of The Barbecue Season

 Today is Flag Day and it's really the start of the barbecue season. What will work this season of getting back together. Everything and anything goes.

Barbecue is coming back in a big way. We can now have family get togethers and pool parties again. You can go huge with bison burgers and rib eye steaks, For a smaller get together think of grilled lamb chops. These are over the top but affordable. Keep in mind to let them warm up to room temp before putting them on the barbecue.Another over the top meat to grill is lobster. The tail is the best for this so you can easily buy the tails at your local fish market. Preparing it is not as hard as some home chefs think.Use the same cooking shears you use for butterflying chicken to cut away the shell. It's then using a knife to split the tail meat. THis will curl up when cooking so put it on wood skewer to prevent this from happening. You could also use the skewers for shrimp kebobs too. Intersperse grape tomatoes and pepper chunks for more flavor.This works for scallops too along with London Broil.

 It's also time for fancy  summer drinks since we are celebrating again.Many would just prefer beer  but what  about some of the fancier IPA(or India pale ales). Get the best like the San Diego brewed Ballast Point Sculpin. This has a tropical fruit flavor, a great thirst quencher for a hot night. The company has gone out on a limb with such diverse flavors as habenero, grapefruit and coffee.Another IPA is the popular Dogfish Head Flesh and Blood. Try this with good old fashioned burgers and dogs.It's brewed with lemon flesh and blood orange juice. Lemon and orange peels are also added in to give this a grown up lemonade vibe. Another grown up lemonade is the actual stuff with a shot of vodka. Just make the lemonade fresh and add what you feel is a good and heady amount. Want something tamer? Try mocktails. You can create a refreshing one using pureed watermelon, lime juice and seltzer. Garnish with mint leaves.A non'alcoholic punch made up of cranberry and orange juices and spicy ginger beers. Float orange slices in it for a more festive look.

Flag Day begins the barbecue season. Celebrate with a good old fashioned barbecue and a fun drink. It's time to enjoy the grill again.

Happy Birthday ,Poppy.

The Pantry Is Open Again!!!!!!

 Yes, it's wide open and its' been a frustrating month thanks to a fractured (And Now fixed humerus) I'm still not 100 per cent healed that will take physical  therapy.By the time that happens I'll be needing cooking therapy.

It's funny when you're injured how friends and family come with food. Friends cooked my favorite recipes, ordered from goo restaurants and ordered food baskets. All this helped tremendously especially in those early days when i couldn't even was let alone cook. I miss cooking and food shopping. There's something soothing about cooking a curry rich choley or a flavorful spinach and mushroom sauce for pasta. I was even going to plant a garden which brings me to an interesting article in today's New York Times Food section today. It's an article about old fashioned watermelon breeds, written by regular contributor Nicole Taylor. Ms Taylor interviewed  film maker and fourth generation farmer, Gabrielle E. W. Carter. Ms. Carter grows heirloom watermelon in her family's farm in Apex ,  The delicious fruit was indigenous of Africa and is kind of related to cucumbers, pumpkins and loofah Yes, that loofah that gives us those scrub sponges. Ms. Carter is reviving an original breed. with ebony seeds and sweet candy pink flash.

Why is it important that original strains like  Sugar Baby thrive? One  , because it connects the past to the present. This was emphasized in the Netflix "High On The Hog" series on African cooking. Both Ms. Carter and her uncle Andrew were featured in it. The heirloom varieties were a connection to ancestral lands. The second reason is that the melons are more flavorful than the hybrids we have now. What our stores have is just a pale imitation. Ms. Carter also includes her country panzanella with watermelon dressing. This is  a sweet and savory salad perfect for the upcoming Juneteenth  celebrating the end of slavery in Texas/ It also is good at every summer barbecue or elegant backyard supper. Ms. Clark takes cut watermelon and mixes it with red onion, cucumbers and feta cheese.Toasted and oiled cubed ciabatta bread is the base , absorbing the blend of juices and herbs. The dressing has the watermelon along with garlic and red pepper flakes to give it zing.

The pantry is wide open again There will still be recipes like the watermelon panzanella and soon cooking too. The how tos will be back as well. 

Special thanks to Lou who ordered us food and took me food shopping at WalMart < Lili and Polly for cooking my favorite stuffed tomatoes and rice, and Debbie who sent one of the yummiest food baskets.  You are my salt and pepper , olive oil and vinegar.

Also thanks to Dr V, for giving me the OK to write again, This is the nutrition I need to survive.

Refreshing Ades

The temps are up. The humidity is crushing. It's time to make refreshing thirst quenching ades that cool you down. They're easy to recreate and wonderful to sip, especially on a hot night.

One of the most refreshing and popular is agua fresca. This can be made with any fresh fruit and even veggies such as cucumber. It goes back to Aztec times when it was made to appease the gods' thirst. Now it can satisfy ours.It's simply fresh chopped fruit, water, and sugar. They can be made in a blender or using an immersion blender. A fun one is the watermelon  flavored, made with about four cups of watermelon chunks  , muddled with three cups of water, two tablespoons of sugar and the juice of one lime. It's a quick blitz and then serve over ice. Another fun and tropical twist is using pineapple. You may not need as much sugar for this one. For a truly refreshing agua fresca, think cucumbers.  You will need more sugar - about half a cup for two cucumbers and one half cup of lime juice.Mint leaves can be added for more refreshment.Another great cooler from Mexico is horchata. Again, this is another easy mix. It's taking long grained white rice that's been cooked, along with almonds and cinnamon sticks and blitzing them in a blender or with an immersion blender.It;'s then adding water and vanilla. Milk is added when it's ready to be chilled for a few hours.

Ades are an old fashioned way to quench your thirst when the temps go high. One of the most popular is lemonade. Keep in mind that the recipe starts with simple syrup and not sugar tossed in. Sugar will sink to the pitcher's bottom and you'll be left with a sour drink. Simple syrup is just that, a cooked syrup made with only a cup of sugar and  a cup of water boiled together. It;s then stirring them together over a low flame until a syrup is created.  You can add fresh lemon juice if you want a more lemony flavor. It's then adding one cup of fresh or bottled lemon juice and two to three cups of ice cold water. Mix and chill. You can add a few to a 1/3 cup crushed fresh mint leaves if you want.Limeade is another refreshing summer cooler. It takes seven large limes and five cups of water. Add simple syrup to sweeten it and served, iced with sliced limes. You can also do the same with oranges for a refreshing hot afternoon treat.  You'll need seven to eight medium sized oranges along with  a third of a cup of lemon juice to balance the flavor. Again use about a  half cup of the simple syrup to sweeten the drink.

This is the time of year for thirst quenching drinks. Make up an icy pitcher of any of them to cool off.They're the perfect sip for a hot , steamy day.

The All Inclusive Backyard Party

The warm weather is the best time to get to know your neighbors. No one is cooped up. Everyone is out and about. Why not take it a step further and have an all inclusive backyard party. Friendships can be forged. recipes can be changed. Best of all lessons about inclusiveness can be learned.

Of course the most important part is the planning. Unlike a block party which requires a permit three months in advance, a backyard party can be put together even in a week.Put aside time on a Friday or Saturday for a meeting of where it will be held.It doesn't necessarily have to be in the biggest yard. You could set up tables  and folding chairs in the driveway and leave the backyard for contests and games.  Secondly, write down a list  of who's bringing what.The menu should be an all inclusive one, with neighbors and yourself cooking up family or ethnic dishes. Remember that neighborhoods are international these days and there are going to be a lot of delicious dishes from around the world. Encourage people to bring their family's best recipes. Also consider dietary restrictions and allergies for both adults and kids. It's up to the planning committee if alcohol will be served. Serve it if everyone is OK with it. Usually barbecues or outdoor meals usually call for just beer for the grown ups and soda and juice for the kids.The same goes for meat which certain religions forbid. You may want to go for an all vegan bash.

Apart from neighbors bringing in their family dishes there should be typical summer foods too. Have plenty of hot dogs and burgers for the kids and diehard barbecue lovers. Different sausages such as brats and Italian sausages can be cooked for something different. If you're making the last make sure you have sauteed peppers and onions too for a good hoagie sandwich. Your neighbors may bring over unusual  with non traditional meats like mutton or goat. Embrace the difference. You and your family will expand their culinary tastes as well as you picking up a new recipe.Also have some classic American sides like macaroni salad which is easy to make. If that's one dish to make too many consider picking up a tub of it from your local supermarket or deli.  Throw in potato salad and coleslaw too, if no one is making those. A fun dish that's universal is roasted corn. Have differently flavored butters, such as lemon and tarragon on hand for easy slathering. As for  desserts, you can't go wrong with watermelon wedges. They're refreshing and a favorite. You could buy a Sno Cone machine and make frozen treats for everyone. They're only $44 on Amazon and will probably used many more times. Homemade ice cream cake is another treat as are homemade ice cream cupcakes.

A neighborhood backyard party is a fun way to meet the neighbors and try new dishes. Barriers can be torn down and new friendships forged. It's also a great way of celebrate the summer.

Barbecue Leftovers Now What

All those Memorial Day barbecues  lead to one thing - leftovers. if you're lucky the guests ate everything or brought home containers of salads and sides. They even may have taken home dessert for a late night snack. Yet what happens when none of that happens? What do you do with the barbecue leftovers?

Luckily extra burgers and dogs can be stored in the freezer or fridge and turned into a quick lunch or dinner. To jazz them up a bit, add bacon and cheddar to the hamburgers for a flavorful meal. As for the hot dogs.think chili or even salsa. Cheese dogs are a nice change up from plain ones and the kids won't complain about another hot dog meal.Split the dogs, add shredded cheddar and wrap with bacon for a totally decadent meal. You could also slice them and add them into a veggie or potato soup. Leftover steak? If it's cooked then slice and cut into bite size bits for salad. Add in ripe red Roma tomatoes and onions  dressed in a simple red wine vinaigrette. Barbecued chicken is good cold and can be repurposed as a no cook dinner with any left over salads and sides. The next question is what to do with the sides? Surprisingly potato salad can be roasted to produce crispy already seasoned chunks, Just rinse off any extra mayo - they'll need some for roasting and then pop them into a cast iron pan and roast at 425 degrees Farenheit. If you have any leftover veggies then , think tempura. Green beans and tomatoes dipped in batter and air fried  is a nice snack for movie night.

Sometimes there's extra dessert. Hard to believe but true.Barbecues always have fruit as the last course. Sometimes you overbuy , or guests bring fruit platters. If you have a lot of watermelon in the fridge , then think healthy slushie. It's a simple mix of crushing ice cubes in a blender, then adding watermelon cubes and just a drop of honey. It's a refreshing repurposing  and perfect on a hot day. You can do the same with any leftover cantaloupe too. Add a tablespoon or two of almond milk to make it creamy. Add a shot of vodka or gin for some zing.If there are any grapes left over, freeze them. They're great  as frozen bonbons and a nice icy hit when the temps rise. Sometimes you buy a lot as I did with the coconut milk based ice creams.I went out and bought waffle bowls along with Smucker's hot fudge sauce for sundaes. Add the coconut milk Reddi-Whip and all those scoops make for a fun treat.As for those famed chocolate wafers , they're just good on their own as a nice lunchtime dessert or afternoon snack. Of course they can be crushed and used as a sundae or cone topping.

Don't freak out at those Memorial Day leftovers. They can be recooked and repurposed into tasty new dishes and treats. They'll even be better a second time around.

Lessons From Lent

With today being Ash Wednesday  it's time to think of what most Christians can give up.Most Catholics have a long list of foods that they'll give up. This is the start of a good healthy diet. Another idea is to give up ones' time to cook or  serve others.It's a great way of teaching kids how to behave towards those less fortunate.

Yes, you can give up meats and sweets for Lent. Doing such will help you lose weight and possibly go off your favorite foods. The Greek Orthodox have a much stricter rule. Not only do they have to give up meat, dairy, eggs and cheese are also off the table. Wine and olive oil are also nixed. What is left is fruits and veggies.A diet like this may seem severe but it is the healthiest..The Orthodox are allowed rice and pasta which is a plus. No matter what faith you follow, this is a great fast. Unhealthy fats and sugars are eliminated replaced with a boost of  nutrients and fiber. The Orthodox are allowed to have olive oil and wine on weekends.Veggies could easily be made into a ratatouille but veggies such as tomatoes and peppers can be roasted and served over any kind of pasta or rice. They can also be turned into a salsa crudo or raw sauce for spaghetti or angel hair. Finishing with fruit slices is always a better idea. Get yourself and the kids hooked on fruit slices as a great dessert.

Another idea for Lent is giving up your time. Many churches have food drives during the Lenten season. You can easily go around to friends and neighbors and collect cans and boxes from them for an Easter food drive. Have your local supermarket donate small hams along with canned or fresh asparagus along with other Spring veggies to make a filling  holiday meal. If the stores don't want to donate, then have fund raisers or make a plea when the donation plate is passed around. Late winter and early Spring is a time for planning gardens. If you belong to any church group or teach Sunday school, bring up the idea of a  church garden to supplement the food pantry. Think rows of tomatoes, peppers  and carrots to start off with and then get adventurous with potatoes and even watermelon. The last can be started indoors and planted outside when the temperatures rise past seventy degrees. Just remember too that a church garden can supply some of the food for carnivals and picnics. It can also be used in the parish's soup kitchen as well

It's Lent. If you don't want to give up food , then think about giving up your time to help your local church. Both will be  a learning experience that you'll benefit from.

Summer's Best Part One.

What are the best foods of summer? Is it crispy fries eaten at the beach? Watermelon at a family picnic? Or the stuff bought at a rest  stop on that all important road trip. If you don;t have an answer, then go to the New York Times Food section. The section weighed in on what's the best nosh during the summer months.

The Food sections heavy hitters, Pete Wells, Sam Sifton, Julia Moskin KimSeverson , Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan weighed in on several summer staples from fruit to fries, veggies, along with picnic staples such as hot dogs and icy treats along with gas station goodies. There may be some disagreement out there from readers and foodies.Everyone has his or her warm weather favorites that they swear by or have always been a part of their lives. Yet some curious eaters many try their suggestions and discover something tasty along the way, Pete Wells covered  fruit  His picks are raspberries,peaches blueberries,  cherries, and at number one watermelon. They are all good and good for you.Peaches are my summer go to, although the others are also perfect  - not just for their nutritional value but also for their versatility.I agree with Mr Wells that the berries and the peaches are great in crumbles, betties and buckles.However we differ on watermelon, He wants to turn that luscious pink flesh into a salad with feta and tomatoes. My favorite way of eating it - cut into  wedges , straight from the fridge. There's something about sinking one's teeth into cool, refreshing sweet pulp - especially on a hot day

Julia Moskin covered the fries. They are a big part of our summer eating,particularly beach eating. There's something about  crispy fries, with a fine layer of sand and salt on them - or better yet, eating them with sea salted lips.  She  lists shoestring ones last, comparing them to hot hay  not enough meat and too much crunch. There are  disparaging words about their opposite - steak or plank fries, These are too much potato and not enough crunch. Of course, there is criticism about the curly ones too,,usually bought at state fairs and some food courts.Ms. Moskin feels that French fries should be eaten in bites and not lowered into the mouth like a drone payload, She also does not like the dusts or flavored salts that people douse on these ringlets.Surprisngly she likes waffle fries, (she uses them as an interesting base for sunny side up eggs) They're good for holding pulled pork and melted cheese, As much as I love crinkle cut fries, she does not. She does  give my favorite, Nathan's a pass, These are the best, crunchy on the outside, meaty inside. Her number one? McDonald's - simply because they are the perfect shape and color. I would have gone with the boardwalk ones or the Euro , truly french frites, served in a spiral cone holder . The last is a must at almost every SoHo cafe in New Yorkn usually accompanying  moules, Belgian style mussels steamed in garlic and white wine.

Tomorrow , we 'll go through the best hot dogs, ice cream, gas station goodies and that summer staple, veggies. Will what's chosen be your favorite. Come back and see.

The Sips Of Summer

With warm weather comes thirst. We need a cool glass of something, whether we're on the beach or in the backyard. Luckily, there's some new brands out there offering a cool drunk of something new and different.

One sip of summer is appropriately called Sipp. These are sodas that have a trifecta of flavor.made with organically grown flavors Beth Parentis created these refreshing bubblers. The ginger soda has hints of vanilla and lime, taking it a notch up from the usual ginger ale. I love their lemon married to elderflower and tarragon. The last gives the drink a refreshing bite at the end. Other flavors include ruby red grapefruit paired with honey and rosemary.,Another favorite is  the pear mixed with green tea and honey. Pear soda is rare but delicious.Blood orange soda has lime and jalapeno - not what you'd expect yet a perfect sip for any barbecue. Poland Spring , long known for their refreshing spring water, is now offering carbonated waters. These are not sweet yet have the invigorating flavors of various fruits. They run the gamut from black cherry to the citrus flavors, of orange, lemon, and lime. There's also strawberry and strawberry lemonade as well as a lemon-lime mix. They come in cans and bottles , perfect for long road trips or picnics.

BAI  which has given us tasty and zero calorie fruit ades over the past few years have also expanded in the sparkling water department. As with any BAI product, the ingredients are all organically grown and Fair Trade sourced.There is almost every flavor, from Bolivia Black Cherry to Lambari Watermelon Lime and Waikiki Coconut Lime. The flavors are intense like that of any fruit soda but without all the artificial flavors and colors. They're the perfect go to with sandwiches or just as a refreshing sip on a hot day,Pepsi has jumped on this bandwagon too, creating the artesanal Bubbl'r. It's also chock full of Vitamin A too for extra oomph.  It comes in the usual trendy flavors like pomegranate acai and blood orange but then it veers off into the unusual - like Mango Mingl'r and Cranberry Grapefruit Sparklr. along with Passion Fruit Wond'r. Pepsi has also bought Starbucks which explains the proliferation of bottles of their cold brew coffee.Chilled , these are great pick me ups that can be mixed with milk and chocolate syrup for a  boost. I like them iced with just a few grains of brown sugar. It's also a nice alternative to iced tea.

Summer is coming and with it the need for a cool drink. There are so many new ones out there that would go perfect as a thirst quencher. Try them in a tall glass ,full of ice.

The Three Fruit Rule

Is there such a thing as having too little or to much fruit?We need it year round however buy too much and it's forgotten, left to spoil in the fridge. What's the best bet? Three fruits in the house, no matter if it's summer or winter, spring or fall.

It's easier to garner fruit in the warmer months. There's so much to choose from and there's the added bonus of picking them fresh. Still having too many can  clutter up the  fridge or  kitchen table. Try to buy fruits that you know will be eaten almost right away. Strawberries and blueberries are good summer fruits. They can be cut up in salads, along with being pureed into a salad dressing. They're also good mixed together with sliced bananas in a breakfast or brunch fruit salad.Summer fruits go well with summer cakes.Always have berries on the ready for angel food cakes and trifles.If you want to vary your intake, think melons. They're always refreshing, and can be used in a variety of different drinks such as agua fresca to chilled chunks after a barbecue. Since this is the time for other melons to be sold, vary choices from week to week.The family may not appreciate your melon kick. Think about buying cantaloupes one week, and casabas the next. Since August is peach season, have a few on the table.They'll be a nice change up from the berries and also can be used in a variety of dishes too.

The fall is also a good time for varying fruit in your diet. Many people are in awe of the different  types of apples offered and want to try every one. Again the family could get sick of eating them all the time, even though they're candied on a stick  or turned into tarts. It's also pear season and they're a refreshing switch from those Fujis and Winesaps. Pears  such  as the Asian and Bosc are perfect for dipping into caramel. and excellent for poaching. Grapes are harvested at this time too. Nothing beats them  as a snack , especially when hiking on a balmy September or October day, Winter and early Spring is citrus season and this is when everyone goes nut for those extra doses of Vitamin. C. The problem with eating too much of them can cause hives. Have oranges and tangerines around but also think of pineapple too. Pommelos, those bowling ball sized grapefruit, are great because they are the highest in Vitamin C and can feed an entire family. The dilemma is they may be too much. Vary them with he new fruit cups from Dole.These are mixed  combos, such as peach and mango in slightly sweetened coconut water. They make a great dessert or even breakfast when mixed with cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.

Three is your magic number when having fruit in the house. Any three types will do the trick, in providing nutrition and flavor. It's the perfect amount for any kitchen.