Taste of Summer

While iced tea is probably the drink most synonymous with summer, I find that most could use a little something extra. A little more flavor, a little pizzaz so to speak. Enter the watermelon. Summer is the perfect time for fruity drinks and watermelon is the perfect fruit for summer drinks. Add fresh watermelon juice to freshly brewed tea and you have an exciting and refreshing summer drink.

Watermelon Peppermint Iced Tea

Serves 3 to 4

2 cups boiling water

2 bags of peppermint tea

4 lbs seedless water melon, cubed (about 6 cups)

honey (optional)

1. Pour hot water over the tea bags, cover and allow to brew for at least five minutes.

2. Meanwhile, puree the watermelon in a blender, strain and discard the pulp. In a large pitcher, add watermelon juice and tea. Sweeten with honey if desired and stir well. Chill before serving or serve immediately over ice cubes.

Zucchini Flatbread and Tag: a game of getting to know more about our favorite bloggers.

A while back, I received the following fun exercise from Gera at Sweet Foods. The purpose: getting to know more about our favorite food bloggers. Now, it's my turn. Following Gera's example, I have attached some photos, some random ones chosen from a few of my trips.

First, though, here is my newest flatbread recipe: zucchini, almonds and mozzarella. Initially, I intended to make a simple zucchini flatbread but realized that I had a handful of slivered almonds left and not wanting them to go to waste ( nuts in general last a a good two or three months in the pantry, even longer in the freezer, before turning rancid) I added them to the mix. And not a bad idea either.

Zucchini Almond Flatbread

Serves four

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup warm water

1/4 tsp salt

2 zucchini, sliced

2 cloved garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds

1. To make the dough: In a mixing bowl, add the water to the yeast and sugar, set aside until foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flours and salt and mix into a ball. Remove to a flat, floured working surface and knead until soft and elastic about four to five minutes. Set in the mixing bowl that has been oiled. Cover and let rise for about an hour.

2. In a skillet set over medium heat, add the zucchini, garlic and oil. Cook until zucchini softens about three to four minutes. (It is not necessary to thoroughly cook the zucchini here because it will finish cooking in the oven.)

3. Roll the dough unto a well greased baking sheet to about one eighth of an inch thick. Evenly layer the zucchini and mozzarella. Finally, sprinkle the almonds. Bake at 450 degrees for ten to twelve minutes. Serve while still warm.

Now, on to the questionnaire.

Diamonds or pearls?

Not crazy about either.

What is the last film you saw?
Dark Knight

Your favorite series?
I'm a LOST junkie! It's the first series I actually followed from season one and I'm still hooked. Also watch Law and Order, CSI and anything interesting on Discovery and National Geographic.

What kind of breakfast do you have usually?
It depends on whether I'm eating alone or with my husband. Alone: some sort of cereal. With my husband: pancakes and omelette, or a traditional Trinidadian breakfast.

Lighthouse, Kauai.

Second given name?

Pearl. Yes, Pearl. When I was born, being her first granddaughter, my grandmother thought I was her little gem, hence "Pearl. " I'm just grateful Diamond or Gold didn't come to her mind.

Which kind of food can't you stand?
Processed food

Favorite name (at the moment)?
Don't have one.

Which car do you drive?
Acura.

Which trait or character don't you like?
Arrogance.

Star fish at Aquarium in Minneapolis.

Favorite clothes?
Badgley Mischka, Cache, Banana Republic, BCBG, Adidas.

If you could take the aeroplane to go somewhere, where would you go?
Tough one...Hawaii or Tahiti.

Sea horse at Aquarium.

Where would you want to live when you are retired?
Hawaii. I could seriously spend my days snorkeling, hiking the Na Pali cliffs, and eating fresh seafood.

Which birthday do you remember the most?
My last: my father and youngest sister had visited; I hadn't seen them in more than three years.

Your birthday?
October 10.

Shamu! San Diego.

If you were a color, which one would you be?
Red

Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee! I started drinking coffee in college to stay up to study. Now, it seems I cannot start my day without a cup. Nothing fancy, just regular coffee; I grind my own beans though. I do have tea on most evenings.

Feeding the animals, Wild Animal Park, San Diego.

The last person you had on the phone?
My sister Nancy in Toronto. We speak to each other almost everyday.

Sweet or savory?
Sweet! My sweet tooth is going to be the end of me.

The day of the week you prefer?
Wednesday night because LOST is on!

Now, let's find out more about:

Sarah at Broken Yolks

Zerrin at Give Recipe

Ricardo at Rico Cafe Bistro
Deb at Kahakai Kitchen

Balsamic Syrup for Fresh Fruit

Strawberries with balsamic syrup

When I was seventeen, I lived and worked in Toronto for five months. It was a period of time right after high school when I hadn't yet decided if I wanted to remain in Trinidad or move abroad for college. So, I went to Canada. ( Supposedly the next best logical step considering I had many relatives there who would keep me in line, or so my parents hoped .) 

After a month of sightseeing and catching up with relatives, it was time to get a part time job. That way, if I  decided to go to college there, I would already have an idea of how the city works.  My job: quasi sales girl for a small company that sold Indian spices, sauces, and chutneys. The owner travelled around the country to trade shows promoting and selling her products; I started working with her at the Convention Center in downtown Toronto. 

So, there I was, in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, with the best options for food and the one thing that I gravitated towards was...chocolate covered bananas. A few yards  down the aisle from our booth was another booth that sold all sorts of chocolate covered fruit, from bananas to pineapple to peaches. Every day after lunch I would buy some sort of chocolate covered confection. Small wonder I gained close to twenty pounds during those five months. 

Now, whenever I feel for a chocolate banana, I make this balsamic syrup that substitutes well for the chocolate and also goes great with almost any fresh fruit. That is not to say I  don't have the real stuff once in a while. :o)

Bananas with balsamic syrup and toasted  almonds

Balsamic Syrup

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, peaches, etc)

Add the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup to a heavy sauce pan set over medium heat. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until thick and bubbly.  Stir in the vanilla and serve immediately over fresh fruit or ice cream. 

Sauteed Spinach with Whole Garlic and Raisins

I'm excited to be staying in tonight. You see, for the past two weeks we had been eating out every night. As much I enjoy the Minneapolis restaurant scene and eating out in general- especially now that it's almost summer and outdoor dining is the rave- the comfort of my apartment and my little kitchen is more appealing right now. On the menu tonight: sauteed spinach with whole garlic and raisins. Not very alluring, I know, but very simple and delicious. Just what I want after a slew of large and involved meals. 

Sauteed Spinach with Whole Garlic and Raisins

Serves two to three

5 cups fresh spinach, washed and drained 

6 garlic cloves

1/4 cup dark raisins

salt to taste

grated parmesan 

1. In a skillet set over medium high heat, add two tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook for three to four minutes, until they turn lightly brown.

2.  Add the raisins, cook for another minute or so until they plump up. Now,  add the spinach. Cook until they wilt, season with enough salt to taste, and serve with grated parmesan on top. 

Asparagus Salad with Gorgonzola Basil Pesto

I am back from five beautiful days in Florida. We were there for a wedding but decided to stay a couple extra days to soak up some sun and beach time. Unfortunately, the ocean temperature was a bit too cold to go in, at least it was for me. Luckily I had brought my kindle, and was  just as content sitting on the beach and catching up on my reading.

One of the great things about returning to Minnesota at this time is that you really get to see the seasons change. When we left, everything was still brown and grey but in a matter of five days, trees are filled with small green leaves, lawns are already in all their glory, and Minnesotans are coming out of the winter rut. 

There are also seasonal changes  in the groceries. At the moment, asparagus are at their peak so I took the opportunity to snatch a fresh bunch. I do not remember where but I read that, when choosing them, you should look for thicker spears because they have a juicier interior and are sweeter. Previously, there was only one way in which I prepared asparagus: steamed for two to three minutes, then seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil. To be honest, I am a little tired of that. So, today, I'm sharing my newest asparagus recipe. It does start by steaming but by adding a few extra ingredients a lowly side dish is transformed into a filling lunch or dinner salad.

Asparagus Salad with Gorgonzola Basil Pesto

Serves 2

1 lb asparagus

2 eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

2 oz gorgonzola

5 or 6 large basil leaves 

1 small avocado

candied pecans

salt pepper

french bread, optional

1. To prepare pesto, puree gorgonzola, olive oil and basil leaves in food processor until relatively smooth. Set aside until ready to use.

2. Steam your asparagus for two minutes, or if you prefer, get four cups of water boiling, add asparagus and boil for a minute or two. Remove the steamed or boiled spears to an ice bath. 

3. Meanwhile, fry eggs in hot skillet. Season with salt. Alternatively boiled eggs can be substituted here. 

4. Plate the salad by layering half of the asparagus spears, an egg, drizzle on pesto and garnish with half of the sliced avocado and candied or plain pecans. Repeat for the next salad. Serve with a slice of french bread. 

*Remember, this recipe serves two but it can be easily doubled or tripled.