TIP OF THE DAY: Watermelon Salad

Watermelon is one of the edible geniuses in the Cucurbitaceae family, also called the gourd family. The most important family members comprise five genuses: Citrullus: watermelon and some other melons. Cucurbita: squash (including pumpkin), summer squash (yellow squash, zucchini), some gourds. Cucumis: cucumber, some melons.   Non-edible members include: Lagenaria: inedible (decorative) gourds Luffa/loofah: a…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Watermelon Salad”

TIP OF THE DAY: Combine Summer Fruits & Vegetables

[1] Mix summer fruits and vegetables into a salad or a grain bowl (recipe below; photo courtesy Elegant Affairs Caterers). [2] Use the “bundt technique” to neatly remove the corn kernels (photo courtesy SimplyRecipes.com).   Mix it up this summer. Beyond fruit salads and mixed grilled vegetables, combine the two produce groups into new concepts.…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Combine Summer Fruits & Vegetables”

FOOD FUN: Rubik’s Cube Fruit & Cheese

For a fun dessert, salad course or snack, make an edible Rubik’s Cube. Erno Rubik, born July 13, 1944, is a Hungarian architect and inventor. His immortality lies in his 1974 invention, the Rubik’s Cube, just one of the mechanical puzzles he’s created. Crafty cooks have reinterpreted the Rubik’s Cube with cubes of cake, cheese,…
Continue reading “FOOD FUN: Rubik’s Cube Fruit & Cheese”

TIP OF THE DAY: Make Fancy Lemonade

[1] A lemon grove (photo courtesy Condé Nast Traveler.[2] Ornamental lemon trees can be grown indoors (photo courtesy BrighterBlooms.com. [3] Meyer lemons, less tart than the conventional supermarket lemon (photo courtesy GoodEggs.com).   It took a while for man to turn lemons into lemonade, the quintessential American summer drink.     THE HISTORY OF LEMONADE…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Make Fancy Lemonade”

TIP OF THE DAY: Grilled Watermelon Steaks

[1] Grilled watermelon steaks with walnut gremolata (photo courtesy McCormick). [2] Use seedless watermelon (photo courtesy Bridges Produce).   We’ve previously recommended cauliflower steaks and grilled cabbage steaks. Today’s “field meat” steaks are made with watermelon. The sweet fruit is grilled with savory seasonings to create a special first course. Seedless watermelon is cut into…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Grilled Watermelon Steaks”