Here’s a new take on fruit cake: a “layer cake” that’s made 100% from fresh fruit!

It’s the creation of Jessica from Pen N’ Paperflowers Studio & Design.

She made it as a birthday cake for a gluten-free friend. But we think it’s a dazzler for any occasion.

Want to make one of your own?

Here’s how Jessica made the “cake,” with step-by-step photos.

Melon balls with tarragon. Photo courtesy
American Diabetes Association.

MELON & HERBS

Tossing any variety of sweet melon with chopped herbs adds a flavor twist to the ordinary, say the folks at Good Eggs. Their suggestions:

 
We’d also suggest mint or tarragon with any melon.

If you like heat, try a sprinkle of red chile flakes.

WHAT TO DO IF THE MELON ISN’T SWEET OR SOFT

Here are two NIBBLE tricks:

If you get a melon that isn’t sweet, simply toss it with a light sprinkle of plus sugar or non-caloric sweetener.

If the melon is too hard, cut it into cubes and store it in an airtight container. In a day or two, you may find that the texture has gotten a bit softer.

 
HOW TO TELL IF A CANTALOUPE IS RIPE

1. PRESS the stem end; it should give slightly to the touch. But don’t let the stem end get soft; the melon will be over-ripe.

2. SNIFF the stem end for slight aroma. An unripe melon has no aroma.

3. CHECK the natural netting on the rind. It should have a yellow-orange hue, not green.

HOW TO TELL IF A HONEYDEW IS RIPE

The rind of a honeydew is much thicker than a cantaloupe, so the “press” trick doesn’t work.

1. SNIFF for a sweet aroma.

2. CHECK the rind for a golden color. Brown freckling on the rind is also an indication of a ripe honeydew. It actually can become sticky from the seepage of the natural sugars.
 
HOW TO TELL IF A WATERMELON IS RIPE

Watermelon doesn’t ripen further once it has been picked. Instead, when buying a whole watermelon:

1. TURN it over. The underside should have a creamy yellowish spot, not a greenish-white one. This is where it had contact with the ground as it ripened in the sun.

2. COMPARE melons of the same size. Choose the heavier melon.

Like salsa? Make a “salsa salad.” Photo
courtesy Melissas.com.

Sweet and savory, this delicious salad is perfect for grilling season. It is from Melissa’s wonderful new The Great Pepper Cookbook, The Ultimate Guide To Choosing And Cooking With Peppers.

Prep time is 15 minutes, total time 35 minutes.

RECIPE: GRILLED SALSA SALAD

Ingredients For 8 Servings

1. PREHEAT grill to medium heat.

2. BRUSH tomato and the next 5 ingredients (limes through onion) with oil.

3. PLACE fruits and vegetables on grill rack. Grill, rotating halfway through grilling to achieve even grill marks, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set limes aside.

4. PEEL and finely dice remaining grilled fruits and vegetables.

5. TOSS fruits, vegetables, cilantro and chile in a bowl. Squeeze in lime juice. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

6. SERVE with butter lettuce leaves.

ABOUT TEPIN CHILES

The tepin (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) is a hot chile that is native to southern North America and northern South America. It is also called chiltepe, chiltepin/chiltpin, chiltecpinas and chile tepin, variations of the Aztec name. In English, they are called turkey, bird’s eye, or bird peppers, due to their consumption and spread by birds.

Sold fresh or sun-dried, tepin is a small, searingly hot chile. It has a dry, musty flavor that produces a quick burn.

Small (approximately 1/2 inch in diameter) and round or oval in shape, looking a bit like large dried cranberries, the name means “flea” in Nahuatl, the Aztec language. The tepin is easily crushed and sprinkled on beans, salsas and other Mexican dishes, and to add a red-hot note to soups, sauces and vinegars. Its thin flesh makes it perfect for pickling.

Substitutes: cascabel, cayenne or pequin chiles.
 
MORE ABOUT CHILES

Check out the different types of chiles in our Chile Glossary.

Editor’s note: THE NIBBLE uses the word “chile” instead of “pepper.” When chiles were first encountered by Columbus’s crew in the Caribbean, they related the spicy heat to the black peppercorn and long pepper which were known in Europe.

Peppers and chiles are not related, but the misnomer, pepper or chile pepper, has endured in the English language.