TIP OF THE DAY: Summer Cheeses

[1] Yellow tomato Caprese Salad (photo courtesy Elegant Affairs Caterers | FB. [2] Artistic Caprese Salad (photo courtesy Great Performances | FB). [3] Watermelon Caprese Salad. You can also use mango and other stone fruits (photo courtesy Watermelon.org).   On the hot days of summer, lighten up on your cheeses. Switch the heavier blues, cheddars…
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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…
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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.…
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TIP OF THE DAY : International Spins On Potato Salad

Homemade potato salad is one of our favorite summer sides. Mom’s recipe combined sliced boiled red jacket potatoes, small dices of red onion and green bell peppers, chopped parsley and dill and sometimes, chopped hard boiled egg, bits of carrot or sweet pickle relish. It was bound with mayonnaise blended with a bit of Dijon…
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RECIPE: Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

June 13th is National Cucumber Day. How about a refreshing cucumber salad? It’s a perfect accompaniment to almost everything: a great sandwich side, hot dog topping, cookout and picnic fare, and a complement to grilled foods and Asian dishes. This recipe is from Sunset Growers, which used their One Sweet mini cucumbers. The mini cukes…
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