[2] 7-Up and Sprite are standard lemon-lime sodas, but we go for the best: Boylan’s. It’s all natural, and it shows (photo © Boylan Bottling).

[3] Not a lemon-lime fan? You can make any flavor float with the soda of your choice. Here, orange soda and vanilla ice cream create a “Creamsicle” ice cream soda (photo © Jarritos Mexican Soda | Unsplash).

[4] A milkshake differs from a float by substituting milk for the soda water, and blending of the ingredients together (photo © Friendship Dairies).

[5] A New England frappe. See how it’s different from a milkshake, below (photo © L.A. Burdick).

June 20th is National Ice Cream Soda Day, another word for a float. A glass is filled with soda, then scoops of ice cream are added, which have the effect of floating in the soda. Hence: ice cream float. You can add whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry (similar to photo #1), or just enjoy it au naturel* (photo #3).

When was the last time you had an ice cream soda?

Check out the recipe below, from QVC’s David Venable, which is more layered than most.

A typical strawberry float is made with strawberry soda pop and two scoops of strawberry ice cream, with an optional garnish of whipped cream and a whole strawberry.

Pre-bottled soda times, at soda fountains, soda water from the fountain tap and strawberry syrup from a pump were used to create the strawberry sodas.

But the most essential ingredient is strawberry ice cream!

While the servants of wealthy families had long hand-whipped heavy cream and crushed strawberries in a bowl of ice (the ingredients were combined in a smaller bowl that was nestled in the bowl of ice), the first printed reference to strawberry ice cream dates to 1813.

Then, First Lady Dolley Madison, who first brought ice cream to the White House, served strawberry ice cream at the second inauguration of President James Madison.

In fact, she is credited for originating the flavor, which was served during her husband, President James Madison’s, second inaugural banquet at the White House [source].

It took until 1874 for a soda jerk to invent the ice cream soda.

David Venable’s recipe follows, but first:

> The history of the ice cream soda.

> The history of ice cream.

> The history of strawberries.

> National Strawberry Ice Cream Day is January 15th. Check out the year’s 50+ ice cream holidays.

> National Strawberry Day is February 27th.

> The differences between a frappe, ice cream soda/float, milkshake, malted milk, and smoothie are below.

> So are “ice cream drink” holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM SODA (A.K.A. FLOAT)

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. STIR together the jam and water in a mixing bowl. Set aside. In another mixing bowl…

2. STIR together the soda and Jell-O. Set aside.

3. DIVIDE the strawberry ice cream between two large glasses. Top the ice cream with the soda mixture, then the whipped topping, dividing both evenly between the glasses. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top and garnish each with a whole strawberry.

> Here are more David Venable Recipes on QVC.
 
 
FOOD 101: Why are some brands of strawberry ice cream are almost white with red flecks of strawberry, while others are unquestionably pink?

Red food color is sometimes added to give the strawberry ice cream a deeper color and provide the consumer with a more “strawberry” experience. Good brands don’t add color.
 
 
ICE CREAM DRINK HOLIDAYS: FLOATS (A.K.A. ICE CREAM SODAS) & MILKSHAKES

 
Plus, while they’re not ice cream drinks, they’re cousins:

 
 

[6] A rainbow of smoothies (photo © Sun Basket).

 
________________

*In France, au naturel means cooked or served plainly. When used to refer to people, it means nude.

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In previous years we’ve celebrated National Hot Dog Day, the third Wednesday in July, with articles about regional hot dog toppings, like:

 
A word from the restaurant industry:

“Don’t be fooled,” says Restaurant Hospitality, a website that advises independent restaurateurs.

“A closer look at which toppings customers specify when they purchase hot dogs indicates that most stick with old standbys, even when more exotic options can readily be had.”

Well sure: Most people stick with what they’re used to. But NIBBLE readers may be more adventurous…or is that adventuresome†?

Our own favorite toppings used to be what Mom served in our house: sauerkraut and green pickle relish with grainy deli mustard (Dad liked French’s yellow mustard, and often topped his dogs with both).

But give us a gourmet dog with bacon and blue cheese or pimento cheese and jalapeño, and we’ll have seconds. That goes for every hot dog topping in this article.

What about people who frequent hot dog restaurants? JJ’s Red Hots of Charlotte, North Carolina, offers this list of toppings in order of customer preference:
 
 
TOP 10† HOT DOG TOPPINGS PER JJ’s

1. Mustard
2. Onions
3. Chili
4. Slaw
5. Pimento cheese
6. Relish/pickles
7. Bacon
8. Sauerkraut
9. Salsa
10. Caramelized onions

Wait, JJ’s: What happened to ketchup? Don’t people in North Carolina like it?
 
 
HOW TO GARNISH A HOT DOG: THE PROPER ORDER

There is a proper order to topping a hot dog, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Condiments should be applied in the following order and always on top of the dog, not between the dog and the bun:

 
 
MORE CREATIVE HOT DOG IDEAS

 
 
HOT DOG TRIVIA

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council:

 
 
MORE HOT DOG FACTS

[1] It makes you want to have one of each: chili, relish, bánh mì, and German-style hot dogs (photo © Gelson’s Markets).

San Francisco Hot Dog[/caption]
[2] This San Francisco hot dog culls the Bay Area’s abundant produce with a carrot, cucumber, and radish salad and herb mayonnaise (photos #2 and #4 © Applegate Organic and Natural Meats).

[3] Tommy Bahama tops hot dogs with (1) guacamole, diced tomato and jalapeño, (2) plum tomato, red onion and piquillo peppers, (3) bibb lettuce, red onion and mustard, and (4) plain old yellow mustard.

[4] This Atlanta dog is topped with Vidalia onion and peach relish.

> The history of hot dogs, including how the frankfurter became the hot dog.

> Why are hot dogs sold in packs of eight, while hot dog rolls are sold in 10-packs: The mystery revealed.
 
__________________

*Adventurous means someone without fear and ready to accept challenges or adventures, usually with excitement. Adventuresome is someone willing to undertake adventures.

†There are regional preferences, of course: Pimento cheese is popular spread in the South; and of course, ketchup, which many Americans prefer to mustard on their dogs, is not on JJ’s Top 10 list.

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[1] Zilla Dog, an international fusion dish that combines kimchi, chicharrones, and an Indonesian-based sauce (photos #1 and #2 © 4505 Meats).

[2] 44505 Meats chicharrones come in a variety of flavors—all delicious.

[3] Sambal olek, an Indonesian chili paste or sauce (photo © McCormick).

[4] You can purchase kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables, at Asian markets and better supermarkets (photo © The Nibble).

We’re coming up on National Hot Dog Day, the third Wednesday in July. The holiday was established in 1991 by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, to coincide with a hot dog lunch on Capitol Hill.

While we’ve seen plenty of different hot dog toppings, this recipe by 4505 Meats, makers of artisan chicharrones (fried pork rinds), is done fusion-style, topped with:

 
4505 Meats Chicharrones, available on Amazon, are delicious in Classic Chili & Salt, but are also enhanced with different flavors:

 
Beyond the Zilla Dogs recipe below, you can expand your hot dog horizons with these 30 more hot dog recipes. Mac & Cheese Dog, anyone?

> The history of hot dogs.
 
 
RECIPE: ZILLA DOGS

This recipe uses 4505 Meats Chicharrones, in your favorite flavor. You can substitute other brands. You also can buy a larger bag than the single-serve one-ounce bags specified in the ingredients.
 
Ingredients For 6 Dogs

 
For the Money Sauce

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the money sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. GRIDDLE or grill the hot dogs until golden brown. Toast the buns and place the hot dogs in the buns.

3. GARNISH with kimchi, scallions, cilantro, money sauce, and chicharrones.
 
 
________________

*Sambal olek is an Indonesian substitutes include any basic chili paste, gochujang, harissa, and sriracha.

†The best kecap manis substitute is regular soy sauce cooked down with sugar. Other options are hoisin sauce or oyster sauce. Food trivia: Kecap is the origin word for Western ketchup. The history of ketchup.

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We recently discovered a new breakfast treat: Crepini Cheddar Omelets.

Six-inch-long whole-egg omelets are filled with real Cheddar cheese, which melts nicely after 15 seconds in the microwave.

Crepini Cheddar Omelets are three times thicker than a standard crêpe. You can eat them cold from the fridge, too, which may sound strange, but they taste great.

The omelets, which have 135 calories apiece (suggested serving size two omelets), have many call-outs of interest to consumers:

 
Why we like them for a variety of the reasons above, but also, we add:

 
We’ve written about Crepini before: egg-based crepês that can be turned into just about anything, with almost negligible calories (8 calories for the six-inch petite size, 30 calories for the eight-inch grande size).

In addition to the Cheddar Omelets, the line currently includes:

 
 
GET YOUR CREPINI

Here’s a store locator.

Check out the entire product line, including recipes, at Crepini.com.

[1] Crepini Cheddar Omelets (photo © Crepini).

[2] The omelets are made with real Cheddar (photo © Darryl Brooks | Dreamstime).

[3] Garnish your Cheddar omelets with fresh herbs, hot sauce, salsa, our cream—whatever you like (photo © Vidalion Onion).

*Eggs are not dairy food. This is a common misconception. Eggs are produced by birds and fish (caviar!), animals that do not produce dairy products. The USDA categorizes eggs as an animal by-product and puts them in the Protein Foods Group, which includes eggs, meat, nuts, poultry, seafood, seeds, and soy products. All of these products provide nutrients that are vital for one’s health. Eggs are a vegetarian product, but not vegan.

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[1] Crostini with whipped ricotta and a sweet topping of honey, or savory marinated cherry tomatoes (photo © Belfiore Cheese Company).

[2] Fresh ricotta before it’s whipped (photo © DeLaurenti Food & Wine).

[3] When ricotta is whipped, it looks like this. Here, it’s garnished with maple syrup and Calabrian chiles and served with grilled sourdough bread. Here’s the recipe(photo © Pure Maple From Canada)

[4] As a first course, whipped ricotta is topped with dried cherries, raisins, and chopped pistachios. It can be served as an appetizer with wine, or as a first course (photo © Union Square Cafe).

[5] Instead of semihard cheeses, whipped ricotta is a natural on crackers and toasts with wine. Here, seasoned whipped ricotta is served with honeycomb (photo © Davanti Enoteca | Chicago).

[6] For dessert: grilled peaches, whipped ricotta, and a drizzle of honey. Here’s the recipe (photo © Good Eggs).

Give the toast or the bagel a rest, and try these savory or sweet whipped ricotta crostini recipe. Top crostini (which are, actually, toasted bread) with creamy, spreadable ricotta and your choice of marinated tomatoes or honey—or one of each.

Crostini is the Italian name for croutons. These are not the small cubes served on American salads. Rather, they are pieces of toast like a sliced, toasted baguette or a similar Italian loaf.They don’t have to be from a round or oval loaf like a baguette.

Many Americans confuse crostini with bruschetta. Bruschetta is the same slice of bread that is grilled rather than toasted.

If you have a grill and want to grill the bread instead of toasting it, that’s A-OK.

Tip: Make a double batch and use the marinated cherry tomatoes as:

 
> Also Check Out Mix & Match Crostini For Breakfast & Lunch
 
 
RECIPE #1: WHIPPED RICOTTA
 
Ingredients For The Ricotta

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the ricotta in a small mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer with beaters or the whisk attachment, blend for 2 minutes until the ricotta is creamy smooth and creamy (tiny lumps are O.K.).
 
 
RECIPE #2: MARINATED CHERRY TOMATOES

If you want the honey topping, simply spoon or drizzle honey from the jar atop the ricotta and crostini.
 
For the marinated cherry tomatoes:

 
Preparation

1. ADD the first five ingredients to a bowl; stir gently to combine.

2. ADD the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix to coat the tomatoes and allow the flavors to meld at room temperature for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. STORE leftovers in the fridge for a few days.
 
 
RECIPE #3: CROSTINI

You can use any type of bread. Baguette is popular for the size of the slices, but we often use quartered rounds of pita and halved or quartered slices of crusty French country bread.

 
Preparation

For optional infused olive oil:

Before brushing the crostini with olive oil, you can first infuse the olive oil with garlic or chiles if you desire.

 
Cook in a small saucepan over very low heat for 5 minutes (a thermometer should register 180°F. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely at room temperature.

For crostini:

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Place the baguette or other bread slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush or drizzle with olive oil (you don’t have to coat the entire surface). Flip them and brush the other side.

2. SPRINKLE with salt and pepper and toast for 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through. Bake until golden; be sure that they don’t burn.

3. REMOVE from the oven and rest.

For the bruschetta:

1. BRUSH the olive oil on each side of the baguette slices. Place on a grill pan and grill over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, until toasted.

2. SEASON with salt and pepper and rest.
 
 
4. ASSEMBLE

1. SPREAD the toasted bread with the whipped ricotta. Top with either honey or drained, marinated tomatoes. Drizzle balsamic glaze over crostini with tomatoes.

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