A simple summer grilling recipe for cocoa-rubbed pork tenderloin with a spicy cherry salsa.
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Tagged: fruit
A Pie In The Hand
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
As soon as the apples come into season, I get a hankering for pie. There are a lot of pies – Shaker Lemon, Peach Melba, and Banoconut – that I count among my favorites, but I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and there’s really nothing more American than, well, apple pie. And with so many apples currently at the farmer’s markets, I feel the need to taste test them all. And, logic would have it that most apples are best taste tested in pie — right?
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Happy Hour: Berry Crush
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Have you ever had a Bramble? No, I’m not talking about the thorny bush, but about a cocktail. If you haven’t tried it, consider this an intervention — you must have at least one before the summer is through.
I can’t remember where or when I first tried the Bramble, but I do recall that I fell for it instantly. That’s saying a lot because it’s gin-based and I’ve never been big on the often overpowering flavors of gin. But, the Bramble’s a different story. It’s a balanced mix of sweet, sour, fruity, and botanical (from the gin), so no one element overwhelms the other.
There’s something about the drink — perhaps the name or the traditional method — that has an air of an old school cocktail, but, by cocktail standards, it’s a spring chicken. The London-based bartender, Dick Bradsell, came up with the Bramble in 1984 when he added berry liqueur to a Gin Sour. Since then it has since become so popular in England some have coined it the Cosmopolitan of the UK. (Though, it must be said, that I think the Cosmo pales in comparison to the Bramble.)
And, as you can see above, this drink has as much going for it in looks as it does taste thanks to the berry liqueur that stains it an intense purple hue. But, my favorite part? The whole thing gets strained over crushed ice and looks like a snow cone, be it a very adult, boozy take on a snow cone.
Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
We’re in full swing season: that few weeks a year when flavors of both this and last season are in the market.
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Snack Down!
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
There were little green carcasses littering the ground when I first set foot in the Lebanese market. They were shells of something I didn’t recognize until I looked down to realize my friend was handing me a baby almond.
Happy Hour: Toasting the Times
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
It’s time to celebrate! As if the holiday weren’t enough of an excuse, today is also the the unofficial start of summer and, as I’ve made you well aware, the launch of the new Cooking Channel. That’s reason enough for me to concoct not one but two seasonal cocktails. So, whether your bbq-ing with your buds, partying poolside, or chilaxing indoors, toast the good times with these fruit cocktails.
Ginormo Avo Sighting
by Aida Mollenkamp — Share
Just came across this infant-sized avocado this morning and it stopped me in my tracks. Our friend’s prolific avocado tree produced this sucker that’s over one foot in length and easily over one pound in weight — proof not only that nearly anything grows in Hawaii but also that it grows well. To put it…
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