Cheese producer Sargento has declared August National Panini Month. It’s National Sandwich Month, so why shouldn’t panini, Italian sandwiches, share the glory?
To celebrate, we’re bringing you eight delicious recipes, courtesy of Sargento and Chef Jason Denton. If you don’t have a panini maker, you can use an electric countertop grill or a gas grill. There’s everything from tuna to mozzarella, tomato and pesto (a Caprese salad on a sandwich!) to ham and Swiss with fig jam. Dig in!
It’s National Lemonade Day, so whip up a pitcher. The ratio is 1 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup of water and 2/3 cup of sugar for a tart lemonade—you can add more sugar to taste. However, we prefer not to sweeten the lemonade at all since quite a few people prefer calorie-free sweeteners or even honey. We provide a bowl of superfine sugar (it dissolves more easily than regular table sugar) plus Equal or Splenda, some fine artisan honey and a bottle of agave. If you’re using a glass pitcher, slice a small orange, a large lime and a lemon as décor. Add a sprig of mint to each glass, plus a notched strawberry to the rim. We also make ice cubes from lemonade so it doesn’t dilute the drink, and keep them in a color-coded iSi Orka ice cube tray.
It’s Lemon Meringue Pie Day. You can celebrate with pie, or try a delicious Lemon Meringue Pie Cocktail, also known as a Lemon Meringue Martini. Our recipe comes from the Dylan Prime steakhouse in New York City. With a graham cracker rim on the glass and a top layer of cream, it looks just like a lemon meringue pie in a glass (and tastes like lemon meringue with a kick).
The doctor is in… with some new flavors! We’ve been curing what ailed our snacking taste buds since 2005, when we first discovered Dr. Kracker’s organic crackers and flatbreads. The company has recently launched Culinary Crisps: crunchy squares of Apple Crisps, Cherry Semolina Crisps, Fire Roasted Crisps and Hummus Maximus Crisps. Diagnosis? Delicious!
Dr. Kracker starts with organic whole wheat or spelt; then adds organic flax, sunflower, sesame and/or pumpkin seeds. But because it was asked for more “foodie” flavors, the company added additional ingredients to create the new Culinary Crisps line. Each serving of bite-size crisps delivers the delectable flavors of toasted seeds, plus 21g or more whole grains per serving (of your daily 48g requirement).
The Hummus Maximus Crisps are inspired by a classic hummus recipe. They have a light chickpea flavor and just enough coriander to give our taste buds a swift, yet delicious, kick.
The Fire Roasted Crisps aren’t as spicy as their name may sound because they’re infused with just a hint of chile and black sesame seeds. The prevailing flavor is tomato with a light kick of spice.
Snack idea: Hummus Maximus Crisps with red pepper hummus. Photo by Emily Chang | THE NIBBLE.
For a sweet tooth, Apple Crisps are made with dried apples, brown sugar and a touch of vanilla. They were a favorite among some tasters.
But although we like all of the flavors, the winner is Dr. Kracker’s Cherry Semolina Crisps, with dried sour cherries that give a sweet-tart bite to balance out the golden semolina and touch of fennel.
Though the crackers add a zing to any soups, dips, or cheeses they’re paired with, they’re just as satisfying when eaten by themselves. Keep a box at work for a healthy snack. But even with all the good prognoses, there’s still a major downside to these cartons of square treasures: Something like this would never last in our desk for very long!
A classic with roast beef, this mayo pairs well with seafood, burgers, turkey, cheese and veggies and is a zippy general sandwich spread and dip. Plus, it’s so easy to make—including a diet version with lowfat mayo. Stir together 1 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish (more if you like) and 1/4 cup minced chives or scallions. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or some grated lemon zest, and you have a winner.
For a ready-made zesty mayo, check out our review of the Top Pick Of The Week mayonnaise from The Ojai Cook.
