How often have you had a cocktail with an orange wheel—a horizontal slice of orange?

How would you feel about another shape?

An unnamed Japanese bartender cut hexagonal orange garnishes for an Aperol Spritz. They look great, don’t they?

The problem is, the oranges were shaped in a hexagonal mold while growing (like the Japanese square watermelons).

So, we can’t cut hexagons that include the orange peel, as in the photograph. But we can cut hexagons without the peel—or triangles, or squares.

We found it easier to first slice the orange in half, then in slices; and then we trimmed each slice into the hexagon. Use a very sharp knife!

Other round citrus, like Meyer lemons and Key limes, work as well.

Nothing is wasted: Save the scraps of orange and peel and make ice cubes with them.

Just plop them into each cube section, fill with water and freeze.

Hexagon cocktail garnish (photo courtesy Aperol Spritz | Facebook).

[2] Fine & Raw Chocolate Bars are portioned for daily enjoyment.

[3] Say good-by to environmentally harmful straws with these look-alike alternatives from Repurpose Compostables.

Our favorite products of the week, in alphabetical order:

1. A. VOGEL SPICY SEA SALT

A. Vogel makes a popular herbed sea salt. Joining it is new Spicy Sea Salt, with a touch of hot chiles. It is the recipient of a 2018 Food Essential Award.

Add extra heat and spice to your your recipes: Pep up grilled food, Mexican, Italian and other recipes. Or simply shake some heat onto grains, fruits and vegetables.

A. Vogel advises: Add seasoned salts after cooking for enhanced taste (i.e., so the flavor doesn’t “cook out”).

A. Vogel products are available nationwide at health food stores and online retailers. They are certified kosher by KSA, Non-GMO, Eco Cert, and Biologique Canada.

Discover more at AVogelUSA.com

2. FINE & RAW CHOCOLATE BARS

Fine & Raw is a line of hip, small-batch, artisan chocolate bars that are a delectable alternative to processed chocolate.

The raw food movement does not process food at temperatures higher than 118°F, in order to preserve the nutrients.

The cacao beans are barely heated, ripening some of the flavors but leaving the taste of raw (unroasted) cacao beans. No dairy is used; the bars are vegan.

Coconut sugar was chosen as the sweetener, because it enhances the rich, deep flavors of cacao—and has much more nutritional value than cane sugar. (It does not taste like coconut.)

The creamy one-ounce bars—some two ounces—are available in fab flavors:

 
Check out the individual bars, collections and gift sets at
FineAndRaw.com.

Repurpose is a line of eco-friendly, sustainable tableware that keeps plastic waste out of the landfill. They are 100% compostable, so they break down in months, not millennia.

The products are made exclusively from plants, and are durable, BPA-free and guilt-free renewable alternatives.

The material used is ingeo, made from carbon stored in plants during photosynthesis, in the form of dextrose sugar.

The latest addition to the line is drinking straws—and yes, they are flexible (they bend towards the top), and won’t crack or break. They have the same look and feel as plastic straws.

With recent press about the plastic straws, we know that Americans use 500 million drinking straws every day, enough to fill 46,400 school buses every year (source)!

While major restaurant chains and other foodservice outlets are putting plans in place to end the practice, you can start immediately. They’re available on Amazon.

See the rest of the line at RepurposeCompostables.com.

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*Lúcuma is a fruit native to Andes Mountain valleys.
  

This year, we’ve combined the two into one fun recipe: Banana Split Waffles. The waffle becomes the split banana.

It’s timely, too August 24th is National Waffle Day and August 25th is National Banana Split Day.

Prep time is 10 minutes, total time 25 minutes. A round waffle maker is required. Thanks to Krusteaz for the recipe.

But first:

 
 
RECIPE: BANANA SPLIT WAFFLES

Ingredients For 4 Servings

For The Waffles

 
For The Fillings

[2] In addition to the “banana split,” a round waffle maker enables you to fold the waffles, taco style, to hold the fillings (photo courtesy All-Clad).

1. PREHEAT the waffle iron. To toast the nuts, preheat a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat, add the nuts and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and give off a rich, toasty fragrance. Stir constantly for even toasting. Remove from the pan to cool.

2. WHISK all the waffle ingredients together in a medium bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

3. POUR the batter onto the prepared waffle iron. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the waffles are golden brown, or according to the waffle iron directions.

4. FOLD the waffle into a small bowl and add the fillings.
 
 
MORE BANANA SPLIT FUN