Don’t waste your time and money on a bad melon!!

If you don’t have a keen musical ear, thumping a melon to check ripeness may not be an option.  Here are some techniques for choosing the perfectly ripe summer melon of your dreams.

When choosing any melon, it should feel heavy for its size.  If the melon has a stem, it should be dry and grey-brown.  If there is simply an indentation on the stem end it should be elastic when pressed and should have a noticeable melon scent.

For watermelons- the color in between the stripes should be light green.  The  spot where the watermelon rested on the ground should be yellow-cream colored.
For cantaloupe- the melon itself should be beige with well defined, grey netting.
For honeydew- the rind should be a similar color to the flesh.  It is likely that a tan melon is still maturing.

The most important tip for enjoying a melon - BE SURE TO WASH THE OUTSIDE!!  Don’t forget that melons do rest on the ground until they are harvested…

Want to see what the future of watermelons may be?  Click here

We couldn’t let National Burger Month end without giving you a few of our favorite tips on making the best burger.

*When adding your seasoning, don’t overwork your ground meat.  This makes for a tough finished product.

*Poke a hole in the center of formed patties to keep them from shrinking and loosing moisture while cooking.

*Rest your burger patties on a wire rack.  If you stack them on top of each other, the bottom patties will continue cooking.

This is a very basic Red Wine Vinaigrette that is fantastic on salad greens, but we dare you to try it on  chilled beans or pasta for a great summer side dish!

2 tbsp. shallot, finely diced
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 c. olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper,
   to taste

Combine shallot, mustard and red wine vinegar. Whisk rapidly while slowly drizzling in olive oil.  Finish with salt and pepper to taste.

The distinct flavor of Earl Grey tea comes from a rare citrus called bergamot orange.  It is a cross of the pear lemon and the Seville orange.

Some fictional characters who are fond of Earl Grey tea are James Bond, Frasier Crane, Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek, Bruce Wayne of Batman and Piglet from Winnie the Pooh.

*One portobello mushroom has more potassium than a banana. Potassium helps the human body maintain normal heart rhythm, fluid balance, and muscle and nerve function.
(USDA)

*We clean portobellos by lightly wiping the cap with a damp towel and scraping the gills out with a spoon.  If you are using the mushrooms for a saute, removing the gills will keep your dish from looking muddy.  Learn How Here.

A few tips to make your steaks the best on the block this holiday weekend!

#1:  Pull meat out of the fridge at least 1/2 hour before it will be cooked.  This makes for more even and rapid cooking.

#2:  Season meat as far in advance as possible to get maximum flavor.

#3:  After you grill steaks DON’T SKIP THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!!  Rest your steaks on a wire rack.  This will keep the juices inside the meat where they belong.

For more grilling tips and tricks, we like http://www.weber.com/ as a reference.

Are brown eggs healthier?

The answer is no. The difference between white, brown, speckled or blue eggs has nothing to to with nutrition.  It is simply a cosmetic difference correlated to the color of the chicken’s feathers and (get this) earlobes. Chickens with white feathers and earlobes almost always lay white eggs.  To answer the question of why brown eggs sell for more in grocery stores…The breed of chicken most commonly used for brown egg production eats more than the white egg laying variety, in turn driving up the cost of their goods!

Easy (and stylish) olive oil storage

If left exposed to heat or air, olive oil will quickly turn rancid.  To combat spoilage, store your oil in a dark colored glass bottle with a pour spout. Recycle wine or water bottles for an attractive vessel

Why do so many love to hate cilantro?

Some scientists believe that genetics play a part!  The theory is that those who taste cilantro as soapy, rotten or foul produce an enzyme that changes the way they taste it.  Some detest the flavor so much they have created a safe haven called IHateCilantro.com. As far as we can tell there is no ILoveCilantro.com…yet.

Word Origin

Thirteen equals a Baker’s dozen - The most likely origin of the term comes from the 13th century when England was under Henry III’s rule. A law was put forth called the Assize of Bread and Ale which regulated bread prices to wheat prices. Without scales, it was difficult to ensure that bakers were not short-weighting customers.  So, in order to spare themselves brutal punishment, the baker would throw in an extra loaf of bread to every dozen to guarantee the order was within the guideline.