If a cocktail uses a fruit garnish, grill the fruit first (photos courtesy Kenyon International).

When your business is making grills, as it is at Kenyon grills, you’re always thinking of what to grill next.

From the company’s test kitchen, here’s a way to add a subtle smoky flavor to summer cocktails. Grill the fruit!

Here are two favorite cocktails, given the grilled fruit treatment.
For both recipes, prep time is 5 minutes; total time is 15 minutes.

RECIPE #1: PINA COLADA WITH GRILLED FRUIT GARNISH

A long-time favorite tastes even better with fresh, grilled pineapple and a squeeze of grilled lime.

July 10th is National Piña Colada Day. Here’s the history of the Piña Colada.

Ingredients For 2 Drinks

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the grill to medium-high heat. Place the sliced pineapple and lime on the grill for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until golden.

2. REMOVE the limes off the grill first. Set the grilled fruit aside on a plate. Allow the pineapple and lime to completely cool.

3. ADD the grilled pineapple, cream of coconut, rum and ice to the blender. Squeeze in the juice from the grilled lime. Blend on high until smooth.

4. POUR into tall glasses and garnish with a slice of grilled pineapple and an optional cherry.

Enhance a classic Margarita with the flavors of grilled strawberries and a squeeze of grilled lime. Here’s the history of the Margarita.

Ingredients For 2 Drinks

 
Plus

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the grill to medium-high heat.

2. PLACE the strawberries on the skewers. Lightly coat with sugar and set aside.

3. CUT the lime into 1/4-inch thick slices. Once the grill has preheated, place the strawberry skewers and limes on the grate and close the lid. Grill for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, removing the limes first. Set the fruit aside and let it cool; then remove the strawberries from the skewers.

4. RIM the glasses with a piece of lime; then dip in either Tajin seasoning, salt, sugar or a mix of salt or sugar and cayenne or other chile powder.

5. ADD the Margarita mix, tequila, ice and grilled strawberries. Blend until frothy. Pour into glasses and add a squeeze of grilled lime. Garnish with a grilled lime wheel.

Now that you have the hang of it, consider “grilling up” your other favorite summer cocktails.
 
  

[2] A trio of ceviches with different mixes of seafood and vegetables, from Chef Ingrid Hoffmann.

[3] Sea bass ceviche with traditional ingredients from Coya | London.

[4] Tiradito: a fusion preparation with sashimi-cut fish and a non-traditional garnish (fried capers), at Raymi | NYC.

Ceviche is delicious “health food.”

 
And perhaps most important to some:

 
 
DECONSTRUCTED CEVICHE

Seviche Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky serves a different ceviche any day. While there are traditional presentations, they’ve also served it deconstructed (photo #1).

Instead of serving it traditionally—in a bowl or other container, resting in its marinade/curing liquid and topped with garnishes—the deconstruction in Photo #1 comprises:

 
 
THE DIFFERENCES AMONG RAW FISH DISHES

 
Don’t worry if you can’t keep these straight: We saw a dish called carpaccio at New York City’s top seafood restaurant, that was clearly tiradito (with sauce and chile garnishes).
 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF CEVICHE & TIRADITO

In South America, marinated raw fish dishes date to pre-Colombian times, when seafood was “cooked” (acid-cured) with a fruit called tumbo (Passiflora tarminina, a relative of passionfruit). The Incas cured fish in salt and fermented corn.

In the 16th century, the Spaniards arrived with limes, onions and bell peppers, three essential ingredients in basic modern ceviche. Lime juice cured the fish, and marinating the sliced/diced onions and bell peppers mixed in with the seafood. Large kernels of roasted Inca corn are a common garnish.

Ceviche is found in almost all restaurants on the coast of Peru, typically served with camote (sweet potato, which originated in Peru). It has been called “the flagship dish of coastal cuisine,” and is one of the most popular dishes in Peru [source].

Over time, fruits were incorporated; most popularly, tomatoes (native to Peru) and mango.

The influx of Japanese immigrants to Peru in the 1970s brought with it chefs who cut and treated the fish in the manner of sashimi. A fusion dish developed called tiradito, with seafood cut sashimi-style (but thinner and longer), a spicy dressing incorporating Peruvian chiles, and more elaborate garnishes.
 
 
CEVICHE, CEBICHE, SEBICHE, SEVICHE

Ceviche is variously spelled with a c or an s, with a v or a b.

In Peru, cebiche is the spelling in Lima; although ceviche is used elsewhere in the country, and is the most common internationally.

However, seviche was actually declared the proper spelling in 2004, by Peru’s National Institute of Culture.

Additionally, historical texts refer to the dish as seviche, including those by the Academia Peruana de la Lengua (Peruvian Language Academy), founded in 1887 [source].

Since even in its homeland, the national dish has multiple spellings, don’t argue with anyone over which one is “correct.”

Lobster Ceviche recipe
Make Your Signature Ceviche Recipe
More History Of Ceviche
Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
Trout Ceviche Recipe
Wasabi Ceviche Recipe

[6] A modern update garnished with fresh tarragon, fried Chinese noodles and a grilled lime wheel.

[2] Canapes or snacks: Granny Smith apple slices with smoked trout. Here’s the recipe from Cooking Light.

[3] Here’s the recipe from Dang That’s Delicious.

We opened our cupboard and found a few tins that came in a gift basket two years ago. They were still there because when we need smoked fish, we buy it fresh-smoked at the smoked fish counter (we’re fortunate to live a few blocks from a store with a large supply of smoked fish, hand-sliced to order).

While canned anchovies, tuna and sardines don’t sit for long on our shelves, canned smoked fish requires some thought. So we thought:

Rather than come across the same cans in another two years, we’ll make lunch with them until we use them up. The list of options we drew up is below, along with a recipe for avocado toast with smoked trout.
 
 
SMOKED FISH TRIVIA

 
 
15 USES FOR CANNED SMOKED FISH

Breakfast

 
Lunch

 
Appetizers & Snacks

 
Dinner

Here’s a variation for lovers of avocado toast: avocado butter.

The mashed avocado is mixed with soft butter for a richer spread, that pairs perfectly with smoked or grilled fish.

We received this recipe from the California Avocado Commission, developed by Jessica Koslow. “Smoky trout and creamy avocado butter combine perfectly for a delicious breakfast,” she says.

For lunch, we adapted it with a layer of marinated onions—delicious with both the fish and the avocado.

Ingredients Per Serving

 
For The Fried Capers

 
For The Marinated Onions

[4] Avocado butter on toast with smoked trout. Photo courtesy California Avocado Commission.

[5] A ripe, creamy California avocado. Photo courtesy California Avocado Commission.

 
Preparation

1. MARINATE the onion an hour in advance or overnight. Place the slices in a container and top with the oil, vinegar, parsley and salt to taste. Cover and shake to combine; then let sit at room temperature until ready to use (or refrigerate overnight).

2. MAKE the fried capers. Place the capers on a paper towel and set aside to dry for 30 minutes. Then, add an inch of canola oil to a pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the capers and fry until no bubbles appear around them. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

3. PLACE the shallots on a paper towel to drain, and set aside. (You can do this while waiting for the capers to dry.)

4. MAKE the avocado butter by thoroughly mashing the avocado, butter, 1/4 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth.

5. DRAIN the liquid from trout and set aside.

6. BRUSH the bread with the melted butter and lightly toast each side.

7. SPREAD the avocado mixture onto the toast. Place the trout on top of the avocado; layer the shallots and parsley on top. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon juice and garnish with the fried capers and lemon zest.
  

Sometimes the sweetened condensed milk is layered on top (photo © Hella Good).

[3] Want to make your own sweetened condensed milk? Here’s the recipe (photo © Gluten Free On A Shoestring).

June is National Tea Month, time for an article on a type of iced tea not yet as broadly served in the U.S. as we think it should be. The easy recipe follows.

For those who already know and love Thai iced tea or coffee but not the overload of sugar, we have a solution below. But first, some history about the drinks.
 
 
WHAT IS THAI ICED TEA?

Thai iced tea, known as cha-yen in Thailand (cha is the word for tea), is served in Thailand, Vietnam, elsewhere around the Pacific Rim, and in Thai restaurants around the world. It is made from strong-brewed black tea—typically Ceylon tea—and sweetened condensed milk, which adds creaminess, body and mouthfeel.

For visual appeal, the deep amber tea and white sweetened condensed milk (and often, evaporated milk) are swirled together or layered. The drink can be topped off with evaporated milk, coconut milk, half and half, or whole milk. It is sweetened with lots of sugar (local to the the South Pacific), and often served over crushed ice.

The brewed tea can be enhanced with spices, such as cardamom, clove, nutmeg, orange blossom water, star anise, and tamarind. If you like chai tea with milk and sweetener, you are likely to enjoy Thai iced tea.

The countries where it’s most popular are known for hot, steamy summers. Thai iced tea is a welcome refreshment—and a complement to spicy food. If your neck of the woods is as hot and steamy as ours is, it’s time to try the recipe.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THAI ICED TEA

In hot countries before refrigeration, where fresh milk was hard to come by, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk were used in coffee, desserts, and other recipes requiring milk (including Key lime pie).

The precise birth date of what is now known today as Thai tea is uncertain. Americans and Europeans living in Asia brought evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk—first available in 1856—for their tea and coffee [source].

One source suggests that “It was probably introduced during the time of Field Marshall Pibul Songkram [1938 to 1944] who seemed to favor Western habits as being civilized” [source]—hence the ice and milk in tea, previously only a hot drink.

Tea is a relatively new crop in Thailand, brought in by the Chinese in the 1880s to supplant opium as a cash crop to [hopefully] curb drug trafficking. The tea became a street food staple [source]. The British and other foreigners in Thailand had their own supply of tea.

Why is the tea often very orange in color? After the tea was brewed for the master, the domestic workers took used leaves that would have been discarded, to brew tea for themselves. The flavor and color of this second infusion were faded, so orange color and flavoring were added to make a more appealing brew.

The tradition of orange color became a tradition of Thai brewed tea [source]. (See photo #4, below.)

Thai iced coffee followed much later, in the postwar 20th century.

Both products were invented by Gail Borden, who subsequently formed the dairy company that bears his name.

In 1852, Borden was traveling transatlantic when the cows aboard the ship became too seasick to provide milk (there was no refrigeration in those days to keep milk fresh). He began to experiment, and two years later produced a canned milk that did not go sour at room temperature for three days after the can was opened.

Borden received a patent for sweetened condensed milk in 1856 and began commercial production the following year. Unsweetened condensed milk, now called evaporated milk, took more time to perfect since it didn’t have the sugar to inhibit bacteria growth. It was finally canned successfully in 1885.

In the days before refrigeration, both evaporated and sweetened condensed milk were used more than fresh milk in households, because they were less likely to spoil and harbor harmful bacteria.
 
 
 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EVAPORATED MILK AND SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

The quickest explanation is in the names: sweetened condensed milk has added sugar and evaporated milk doesn’t. It is also much thicker: Evaporated milk pours like regular milk, but sweetened condensed milk pours like molasses. They are not interchangeable in recipes, but both can be used in coffee.

You can chill the drink in the fridge, for enjoyment without the dilution of ice cubes.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. STEEP the tea leaves (and any optional spices) in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves. Using an infuser (tea ball) makes this step easier.

2. STIR in sugar while the tea is still hot, until dissolved; then stir in condensed milk.

3. COOL to room temperature or ideally, chill in the fridge.

4. ADD ice to tall iced tea glasses and pour in tea mixture until glasses are roughly 3/4 full. Slowly top off glasses with evaporated milk.
 
VARIATIONS

If you find yourself in the Pacific Rim, you can have what Americans think of as iced tea.
 

[4] Thai iced tea with boba (tapioca balls), which were invented in China. The orange color is a Thai tradition. Here’s the recipe for the iced tea with boba, plus the ice pops below (photos #4 and #5 © Pineapple And Coconut).

[5] Iced tea ice pops.

If you’re looking for unsweetened iced tea in the Pacific Rim, you may be out of luck. It’s the birthplace of sugar.

But use the low-calorie or low-glycemic sweetener of your choice (Splenda, agave), and use evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk.

You’ve created a low-calorie Thai iced tea.
 
 
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SUGAR

Sugar is native to Southeast Asia. Three species seeming to have originated in two locations: Saccharum barberi in India and Saccharum edule and Saccharum officinarum in New Guinea.

Originally, people chewed on the raw sugar cane stalks to enjoy the sweetness. Refined sugar appears around 500 B.C.E., when residents of what is now India began to make sugar syrup from the cane juice. They cooled it to make crystals that were easier to store and transport. These crystals were called khanda, which is the source of the word candy.

Indian sailors carried sugar along various trade routes. In 326 B.C.E., Alexander the Great and his troops saw farmers on the Indian subcontinent growing sugar cane and making the crystals, which were called sharkara, pronounced as saccharum.

The Macedonian soldiers carried “honey bearing reeds” home with them. But sugar cane remained a little-known crop to most Europeans for the next thousand years, a rare and costly product that made sugar traders wealthy.

In the 12th century, Crusaders brought sugar back to Europe from the Holy Land, where they encountered caravans carrying the “sweet salt.” Venice began to produce sugar in Lebanon to supply Europe, where honey had been the only available sweetener (beet sugar was not isolated until 1747). By the 15th century, Venice was the chief sugar refining and distribution center in Europe.
 
HOW MANY TYPES OF SUGAR HAVE YOU HAD?

Check out the different types of sugar in our Sugar Glossary.
  

[2] Marinated red onions. These are so tasty, you may want to quadruple the recipe (below).

[3] Making the dressing.

[4] The base of the dressing (photo © Icelandic Provisions).

[5] Salmagundi #2: steak salad.

[6] Salmagundi #3: Lobster Niçoise salad..

[7] We quadrupled the recipe for marinated red onions, and used the extras on burgers and sandwiches (photo © Burpee).

[8] This recipe calls for dried oregano, but you can’t substitute it in equal proportions for fresh oregano. For 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried oregano (photo © Savory Spice Shop).

THE HISTORY OF SALAD

A little salad history: Since man first gathered wild greens, before the invention of fire*, mankind’s hominim ancestors ate what we call salad greens.

Fast forward to ancient Greece and Rome: Salads—defined as mixed greens with dressing—were a common dish on the table.

The Romans had many salad varieties, quite a few of which differed little from present-day ones: a selection of raw vegetables with a dressing of some sort.

That dressing was oil, vinegar, and often brine. The brine actually gives salad its name:

The key ingredient of salad, as opposed to raw vegetables (crudités), is the dressing. Our name for the dish derives from Vulgar Latin herba salata, literally, salted herb.

Dinner salads, as they are called today—a salad with proteins (cheese, chicken, eggs, fish, steak) as the entrée—were popular during the Renaissance, and continued to be refined.

By the early 17th century in England, composed salads (not tossed but laid out in a pleasing way) comprised of cooked meats, seafood, vegetables, fruit, leaves, nuts, and flowers and dressed with oil, vinegar, and spices [source].

They were called salmagundi, from the French word salmagondis, meaning a hodgepodge of widely disparate items. In English, the word came to mean a mixture or assortment. Here’s more on salmagundi.

The salmagundi recipe begins below, but first, here’s some salad history beyond salmagundi.

 
 
MAKE YOUR OWN SALMAGUNDI

When we received the following recipe from Icelandic Provisions Skyr, developed by No Crumbs Left, we looked at it and thought: dinner salad ingredients look so nice served family-style on a platter. Salmagundi, anyone?

Thus today’s tip: Get out your platters and serve family-style when appropriate—and not just salads. Food looks so much more festive on a platter than passing around bowls of sides, or serving everything pre-plated (known as Russian-style serving). With a platter, people can take exactly what they want.

There are four recipes here, so keep scrolling for Tangy Skyr Dressing, Marinated Red Onions, Roasted Chicken Breasts, and Potato Crisps.
 
 
RECIPE #1: SALMAGUNDI PLATTER

Since this is salmagundi, you can use whatever ingredients you like. The recipe is just one of endless combinations: Any “hodgepodge” works.

Pick vegetables and fruits as they come into season, vary the dressings, and take inspiration from global cuisines. You’ll eat healthfully and never be bored.

The ingredients and instructions that follow start with the final assembly. Recipes for the components should be made before cooking the chicken. (We saved time with pre-cooked, boneless chicken breasts from Trader Joe’s—well seasoned, ready to slice, and our favorite time-saver).

Ingredients For 2 Servings

 
Preparation

1. ASSEMBLE the salad, arranging the greens and herb(s) on a platter. Add the sliced vegetables and fruits. Add the marinated onions (don’t worry if the marinade comes along with them) and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Serve the dressing on the side, or drizzle it over the platter.
 
 
RECIPE #2: TANGY SKYR DRESSING

Skyr (pronounced skeer) is similar to yogurt, but has a slightly different recipe and more protein. Here’s more about skyr.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE all ingredients except the mint in a bowl; whisk to combine.

2, ADD the the mint and stir. For a thinner consistency, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. Thinly slice the red onion. Place the slices in a container and top with the oil and vinegar. Add the dried oregano. Cover and let sit at room temperature to marinate for at least an hour.
 
 
RECIPE #4: ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Rub every crevice generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with plenty of kosher salt and black pepper. Bake for about 35 minutes, then brush the top of the chicken with the juices. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to brown the tops. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 10 minutes, then slice.
 
 
RECIPE #5: POTATO CRISPS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch circles and place them in a bowl with the oil, salt, pepper and cayenne. Coat each potato slice evenly.

2. PLACE the slices evenly on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, remove, flip, and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. Repeat this step until the edges are brown and crisp and the inside of the potato is soft.

________________

*The oldest unequivocal evidence of man-made fire, dated to 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, was found at Qesem Cave in Israel. It was used at different times by both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. However, archaeologists have discovered what appear to be traces of campfires that are 1 million years old, with charred animal bones and ashed plant remains. These fires were found in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave, a site of early hominin, and later human (Homo sapiens) habitation dating back two million years [source].