You’d be surprised how quickly the 52-ounce bottle disappeared.

As good as it was, we felt the need to try it with fresh mint and fresh lemon juice. (The Bolthouse ingredients include water, watermelon juice concentrate, natural flavor, dragonfruit purée*, mint extract and beta carotene for color.)

While we hurried out to buy more Bolthouse, we also purchased unminted watermelon lemonade from Whole Foods Market (365 Brand, organic and kosher certified) and infused it with fresh mint.

Then, we created the more arduous from-scratch recipe below. (It’s arduous getting all the seeds out of the watermelon, even the “seedless” variety.)

Learn more at Bolthouse.com.
 
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*The label says that the dragonfruit is for color. Most dragonfruit flesh is white with tiny black seeds, but there is a version with pink flesh. Here’s a photo.
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Perhaps the best thing we did with the two “replacement” bottles of watermelon lemonade was play with different ways to use them.

 
What would you do with watermelon lemonade?

Ingredients For 16 Servings

 
†If the watermelon is very sweet, reduce the sugar. You can always add more.
 
Preparation

Our method of preparation is a departure from the original Whole Foods recipe. To get more mint flavor, we infuse the mint in the water before making the beverage.

1. INFUSE mint in water. Reserve 20 sprigs for garnish, then crush the remaining mint and place in a pitcher with the water. Allow to infuse for a few hours or overnight.

2. PURÉE watermelon and lemon juice in blender until smooth, working in batches as necessary.

3. TRANSFER to a large container. Add water and sugar; stir until dissolved.

4. SERVE: Pour over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with mint and thin slices of watermelon and/or lemon, as desired.
  

Owe someone a gift? We saw this burger collection on sale at Omaha Steaks, and knew it was the solution to some of our own gift-giving challenges, to thank everyone who has invited us to spend a summer weekend outside the city.

The “Burger Mania Combo” includes four each of:

 
THE SALE

The burger patties arrive frozen. BYO buns and garnishes.

For starters, here are 12 burger recipes from Omaha Steaks.

That’s part of the fun. Make a party out of mix-and-match burgers, buns, sauces and garnishes. And beer, of course.

Bay scallops or sea scallops, nigiri (on a pad of rice) or gunkan-maki (in a cup made of toasted seaweed), once you taste their sweet, raw flesh, you may never want cooked scallops again!

Raw scallops are a Spanish tradition as well; but instead of with rice, sushi-style, they’re marinated in citrus juice: ceviche.

And modern chefs are putting their own spin on them, serving scallops cru (that’s French for raw).

Anita Lo, executive chef/owner of Annisa in New York City, makes a preparation we adore: raw scallops, salmon caviar/roe (ikura) and seasonal garnish: spring pea puree.

At Local 121 in Providence, Rhode Island, chef Tyler Demora gives scallops cru a garish of herbes de Provence and a seasonal spin with rhubarb, English peas and shoots (photo below).

In the hot weather, there’s nothing more refreshing than a dish of raw scallops. No “recipe” is required—and no cooking, either. Serve them whole or sliced with your choice of garnishes.

 
Serve with an optional lemon or lime wedge.

Delicious!

It’s easy to make tartlets (individual portions) or mini tarts (bite size) for dessert. The minis are a festive idea to cap an evening of July 4th celebrating.

You can make preparation even easier by purchasing the shells (we use these from Clearbook Farms) and jars of lemon curd or raspberry curd. Otherwise, make the pastry cream recipe below.

You can make this recipe with only blueberries and raspberries, or use blackberries and strawberries as well.

RECIPE: RED, WHITE & BLUE TARTLETS OR MINI TARTS

Ingredients

1. CLEAN berries and pat dry. If using blackberries or strawberries, cut them into pieces that will fit onto the small mini tart surface.

2. FILL shells with pastry cream or other filling. Top with berries and optional confectioner’s sugar.
 
RECIPE: PASTRY CREAM (CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE)

Pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well with plastic wrap on surface, up to three days. Extra cream can be used as a topping for fruit or other desserts.

Ingredients For 3 Cups

 
Preparation

1. WHISK together 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

2. ADD the remaining 1-3/4 cups milk to a medium saucepan. Scrape in the seeds from vanilla bean; then add the pod. Sprinkle in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar over. Place the pan over moderate heat and bring to a simmer without stirring. When the mixture boils…

3. WHISK it and remove from heat as you gradually whisk it into the egg yolk mixture. Return the pan to moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute.

4. REMOVE from the heat, discard the vanilla pod and whisk the cream until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Chill until cold, about 4 hours.
  

Way back in 2009, we discovered the excellent cake in a jar from Yummy Cupcakes in Los Angeles. It became a Top Pick Of The Week, and one of those products that, years later, we still pine for, remembering every spoonful.

The trend was slow in starting. After five years, in the past week we’ve received notice of two more cake in a jar products.

DUFF’S CAKEMIX

The Food Network’s Ace of Cakes, Duff Goldman, has a custom bakery in Baltimore, a line of cake mixes and cake decorating accoutrements sold nationwide, and most recently, a bakery café, Duff’s Cakemix, also in L.A., which includes a studio where Duff wannabes can decorate their own cakes.

The bakery offers an array of freshly baked sweets, including Dinkies (Duff’s version of Twinkies) and Cake in a Jar.

The latter presents an opportunity to send a special occasion “slice” of cake in a Mason jar, which keeps it moist and fresh for five days (not that there will be any left by then).

So gift challenges are solved: You can send cake in a jar as a birthday gift, or to celebrate any occasion. There’s currently a seasonal red, white and blue Star Spangled Cake In A Jar.

Confetti Cake is sweet and celebratory. Photo courtesy Duff’s Cakemix.

Flavors include Chocolate With Chocolate Buttercream and Chocolate Chips, Confetti With Vanilla Buttercream, Marble With Chocolate And Vanilla Buttercream and Vanilla With Vanilla Buttercream.

We received a sample of the Confetti With Vanilla Buttercream. The confetti says “celebrate”; the recipe was a bit on the sweet side for us, but should be just the thing most American palates are looking for.

Order them online at DuffsCakemix.com.

CAKE CHICAGO

We then received news that one of our favorite artisan bakers, Cake Chicago, is selling cake in a jar.

Cake Chicago began life as a wedding cake specialist, subsequently branching out into daily treats like cookies, bars and chocolate truffles.

So it’s no surprise that their cake in a jar achieves a higher standard. Just look at the elegant layers in the jar, perfectly fitted.

We’d give these as wedding favors and serve a dessert that most guests will prefer to wedding cake. As you can see in the photos, the perfectly-fitted layers and make an excellent presentation.

Like Duff’s, the jars can be wrapped in grosgrain ribbon, and tags can be added for quantity orders.

 
The price is the same as Duff’s: $7.00, with a two jar minimum (8 ounce size only). Order online at Cake-Chicago.com.

And if anyone out there wants to send us a gift: More cake in a jar, please! It’s a happy way to enjoy a nice piece of cake.