Chicken Soup for the...Soul?

Yes, it's true that the term "soul food" was coined in the 1960s to describe traditional Southern food, but to me, soul food describes any comfort food that brings a group of people together to eat, e.g. family-style meals.  Here's a recipe for a hearty chicken and brown rice soup that will bring your family and/or friends together, especially when on a chilly, wintry day (I know...just in time for spring in a few weeks...sorry!).  If you live alone, this is a great way to create a big batch of balanced food for the whole week.  Oh!  And this is a great post-workout dinner as well.

I won't lie, I do take the easy way out by using rotisserie chicken instead of  raw meat, but doing so adds more flavor, and honestly, makes your life way easier.  I have a tendency to add a variety of vegetables to my soups, and I make this soup differently every time.  I am currently making a pot of the stuff and happened to add carrots, parsnips, celery, spinach, and parsnips; however, I have used different types of squash (chayote, yellow, etc.), leeks, and mushrooms with equal success.  Use your best judgment on what to add, and have a little fun experimenting!  Below are just suggestions on how best to whip up a batch, with some recommendations and guidelines on how to add a little more love into this dish.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-1 whole rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped into 1-2 inch cubes.  I tend to remove about 3/4 of the skin, but leave some for flavor; I also throw in the bones to flavor the broth.
-6 carrots, chopped
-3 parsnips, chopped
-1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
-6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped
-1 shallot
-3 stalks of celery, chopped
-1 bunch parsley
-3 tbsp chicken broth base
-1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
-A few sprigs of thyme
-Salt, to taste
-1 tbsp of fresh peppercorns
-1 tbsp Bolst curry powder (nope, I don't use anything else) -- this is my not-so-secret "secret" ingredient!
-1 tablespoon ghee

Preparation (chopping: 0.5 hour; cooking: 1.5 hours)

1. Fill half a large pot with water and add chopped chicken (with bones), chopped vegetables, garlic, shallot, onions, thyme, salt, peppercorns, thyme, parsley broth base, and curry powder.
2. Cook on high heat until contents of pot begin to boil, then reduce to medium heat for about an hour.
3. In the meantime, cook 1 cup of brown rice using a pressure cooker or rice cooker.
4. After about an hour, check on the soup and adjust flavors as needed.
5. Add rice to soup, then readjust flavors again (you may have to add a tad of salt after adding the rice).
6. Just before serving, add 1 tbsp of ghee to the soup.  This adds to the richness and comfort of the soup.
7. Serve piping hot, with love.

*A tip: Never add the rice until the very end, to limit risk of your rice melting/dissolving into the soup.  Also, never cook the rice IN the soup; your rice will just absorb the flavors of the broth.  This may end up tasting delicious, but you won't end up with soup -- only flavored rice.

 A bowl of comforting chicken and brown rice soup.

At long last, another blog post

Y'all, this is the longest hiatus I've taken from this food blog since its inception.  I've thought about writing so many times, but you know, life just happens.  Other things take precedence over blog writing.  I've really missed it, though, guys.  Over the last 3 months, I've periodically planned out posts in my head dedicated to certain foods or events.  First, it was a post on my recent trip to India.  Then came the idea of compiling "Best posts of 2012 that never happened."  Well, obviously, that never materialized, either.  Several other ideas popped into my head too, but alas.  

Well, I have an announcement to make to my readers (however few they are in numbers): I'm excited to start writing again.  You see, I just turned in the first draft of my dissertation proposal so I have a lot more free time on my hands now.  That's right, guys.  I have three weeks of normalcy before I get comments back on this behemoth document, and I'm taking full advantage of this time.  With that, I would like to devote this post to sharing my amazing food experiences during my trip to India in November-December 2012.  

Two weeks of our trip was spent in Kolkata with extended family.  Now, I have a basic understanding of the geography of the hustling and bustling capital of West Bengal; I feel comfortable taking the metro anywhere I need to go and know generally where in the city big landmarks are located.  But most of all, I know where all the well-renowned (even underground) fast food and sweets shops are, thanks to my favorite uncle on the face. of. the planet., my Pishemoshai.  There was a period about 5 years ago when I actually lived with my Pishi and Pishemoshai for about 6 weeks.  During that time, I commuted by metro to work at a government clinic six days a week.  Most days, I only worked about 6-7 hours, which meant that almost daily, I would return in the afternoons to some delightful culinary surprise, courtesy of my uncle.  It started out as small items -- a few sandesh from the local sweets store, some chanachur from a street shop.  After a while, Pishemoshai got a sense of which foods I preferred over others (and I was not at all shy about vocalizing my favorites).  As soon as he figured out which snacks I loved the most, they came in dozens or more...and not just during this six week period, but for every one of my visits thereafter.  Kheer khadam (dairy-based sweet -- hard on the outside, soft and spongy on the inside), nolen gurer sandesh (milk-based dessert sweetened with fresh date palm jaggery), giant shingaras (commonly known as samosas, but Bengali-style), fresh tandoori chicken, langra aam (a type of fresh mango); you name it, he got it.  

He always tells me his favorite part about bringing home these foods is seeing the look on my face while I eat.  Knowing that I will never get these tasty treats in such quality in the States, I always try to relish every bite, closing my eyes, chewing slowly, feeling the flavors tickle each taste sensation on my tongue, allowing the flavors dissolve in my mouth.  But while I always appreciate these treats, I always feel a little guilty relishing the flavors too much.  See, my uncle cannot eat many of the snacks he brings home for us when we visit because he has had type I diabetes for much of his life.  Despite not being able to share with him, he still appreciates that the sheer love for food can bring a whole family together for a cup of chai, some snacks, and good old-fashioned adda (chatting).  This is the power of food, folks.  

I must have gained at least 5 pounds on this trip, but not just from my two weeks in Kolkata.  My parents and I also spent about 8 days traveling around different parts of India.  My favorite food-related experiences were during a visit to an organic spice farm in Goa.  I know, I was skeptical too, guys.  And your suspicions may be confirmed when I tell you that the farm was overpopulated with foreign tourists and was largely commercialized (then again, so are most things in Goa, as we discovered).  BUT, I did learn a lot about spices!  And let me tell you -- commercialized organic spice farm or not, spices sold in India are far better than anything you might find at a grocery store in the States.  Here are some fun facts I learned on the tour of the Sahakari Farm:

- Often, we find mixes of black and white peppercorns.  You know the difference between the two?  Well, peppercorns are actually green in color; they are picked while still unripe and boiled for a short time, which gives black peppercorns their color (and pruny appearance).  When soaked for a long period in water, the black skin naturally peels off, revealing a white color (hence, white pepper).  

- Most people have heard of Chinese five-spice.  Well, did you know it's actually a single spice, better known as all-spice?  All-spice, or five-spice, is a bit of a misnomer.  It is, in fact, a single plant which gives the flavor of five different spices.  Don't believe me?  Well, let me tell you a little story.  We actually took a tour of this spice farm, during which the guide broke off a bit of a plant and encouraged everyone in the group to try a little.  "What do you taste?"  She asked, curiously.  "Clove!"  "Arre, no, it's peppercorn."  "No, I think I taste a little anise."  Well, we were all right and wrong.  See, all-spice contains the flavors of anise, fennel, peppercorn, cinnamon, and clove.  And while these individual spices have very distinct flavors, all-spice encompasses them all into a single dried piece of tiny fruit.  (Little known fact:  Stores often sell five-spice as these individual components ground up into a powder because all-spice cannot be grown everywhere.)

- When was the last time you used a bay leaf in your chicken stew?  Well, did you know that your bay leaf could come from a number of different plants?  In South Asia, the bay leaf has an appearance and flavor similar to a cinnamon leaf, but is primarily grown in Sri Lanka.  Because bay leaves are popularly used in South Asian cuisine, dried cinnamon leaves are often used as cheaper, more plentiful substitutes.  

- Cashews -- ah, what delicious, creamy, sweet nuts you are.  Little did I know, until a few months ago, that cashew nuts come from a unique, yellow, heart-shaped fruit.  Interestingly enough, cashews are not native to Asia.  They were actually brought to India from Brazil during the 1500s when the Portuguese settled in Goa; through trade, access to cashews spread throughout South and Southeast Asia.  The cashew nut is actually the seed within this juicy fruit.  Apparently, a very strong alcoholic drink commonly sold in Goa (but apparently nowhere else in the country, as it is illegal), called feni, is produced from the cashew fruit.  It's quite strong, actually -- very similar to taking a shot of vodka (so, yeah -- also unpleasant).  

Well, I have so many more food-related experiences to share from my trip, but I'm beat.  Until next time, eat, be merry, and love.

A comforting fall brunch

Yesterday was a perfect "early" fall day.  It was the kind of day that started off cool and crisp -- with a slight breeze rustling the changing leaves still clinging on to the giant oaks and maples -- and slowly warmed up to a comfortable temperature.  Days like that make me long for afternoons spent basking in sunlight with a good book in hand.  My sweet partner and I decided to spend the day together relaxing, since the last few weeks have been busy for us both.  After browsing through the Morningside Farmer's Market (more on that later, perhaps in my next post) in the Virginia Highlands, we decided to grab some lunch nearby.  Our options included Doc Chey's (your generic, Americanized noodle house), Alon's (a gourmet shop that sells fancy cheeses and meats, sandwiches, and ready-made foods), and Rosebud.  Now, we walk through this area of town a lot, since Joe lives very close by.  But every time we even think about going to Rosebud, the thought is dismissed by an assumption that we've always made -- that it's far too expensive and our money would probably be spent elsewhere.  See, we make these assumptions about most fancy restaurants (or what we label as 'fancy' restaurants).  In our minds, most upscale foodie restaurants serve small morsels of food for exorbitantly high prices.  And we know we can likely get food just as good, if not better, from small hole-in-the-wall dive bars or "Mom and Pop" shops around town.  And besides, it's more fun to search for these hidden treasures.  Anyway, I digress.

We decided that this time, we'd take a look at the Rosebud menu to see what they offered, and assess whether their food was available at reasonable prices.  We were shocked to find that, indeed, it was.  Even better, we were given outdoor seating on their fabulous patio.  Did I mention it was a beautiful fall day yesterday?  Ain't nothing more relaxing than basking in the sun while eating delicious food with good company.  

I have to say, it was difficult for both of us to choose what to order for our entrees.  After much contemplation, I went with the housecured salmon frittata, while Joe decided to go for the fried oysters and grits.  We also ordered a side of brunch potatoes (as if we weren't getting enough food).  Very rarely do we order entrees that we both genuinely love.  We generally share a small portion of our entrees with each other so we both get to try everything, but it's usually only a bite or two.  This time, the two of us not only delightfully devoured our own entrees, but we were openly taking spoonfuls of each other's dishes without asking!

I'll start with my entree.  The housecured salmon frittata was heavy with egg and rich salmon, but balanced with sweet peas, asparagus, and bits of fennel.  The heaviness was further cut by the green salad that topped the frittata -- it was flavored with bits of goat cheese and a simple vinegarette.  My favorite part?  The warm goat cheese melted into the frittata, adding a creamy texture to the dish.  When our waitress first served me the dish, I was sure I'd have leftovers.  Truthfully, though, I kept telling myself, "maybe just one more bite" after every bite, and before I knew it, the entire frittata was gone.  In conclusion, this dish was rich, decadent, flavorful, albeit balanced small bits of vegetables and a simple green salad.  I'd order it again in a heartbeat.  

Joe's entree was equally tasty, but even more decadent.  The fried oyster and grits were more like a hearty soup, the base being a generous helping of chicken gravy peppered with pieces of smoked bacon.  Is that not rich enough for you?  Well, it was topped off with a poached egg, the yolk still runny and creamy.  The gravy had a hint of sweetness, which I couldn't quite put my finger on.  I thought maybe the chef had put a splash of Marsala wine in the gravy.  After asking the waitress whether she could disclose the chef's secret ingredient, she revealed to us that it was not, in fact, Marsala wine, but a dash of maple syrup.  Eureka!  It all made sense; nothing pairs better with smoky bacon than a hint of maple syrup.  

The brunch potatoes were served in a tiny iron skillet.  The size of the dish was deceiving, though -- we had plenty for the both of us!  Generously seasoned with white onions and paprika, and topped with bits of smoky bacon, these potatoes were a perfect side to our main dishes.  

What gluttons we were yesterday!  Needless to say, we both needed naps to recover from our extended brunch.  Pictures to come!

Spicy tomatillo and Gouda scrambled eggs

Today was a very rushed day, I'll be honest.  I had a lot of meetings and a lot of things to check off on my to-do list.  Nevertheless, I went for a nice swim with some friends in the late afternoon, and came home from my workout with insatiable hunger pangs.  Despite having more than my fair share of pasta and salad, I was still hungry and, in fact, craving something else salty and wholesome.  Also feeling a bit tired from the day, I wanted something that was relatively quick to make, so I decided to quickly rustle up some scrambled eggs.

Initially, I thought I would just throw a diced tomato and some cheese into my eggs, but then I realized that I only have one more tomato left for the whole week.  Yikes!  What to do?  Then I remembered that I had a few tomatillos in my crisper.  Jackpot!  

My love for tomatillos grows as I get older.  I used to strongly dislike them, actually.  I only recently realized how well a cool, tangy tomatillo salsa pairs with heavy Southwestern dishes, as it cuts through the grease and cools the mouth after a spicy bite.  I usually don't branch out much with tomatillos, and that has got to change.  I really believe that tomatillos are incredibly under-utilized, considering how packed with flavor they are.  Well, today was the day to make that happen!  

I ended up improvising a little and threw together some other ingredients that I would have thought were a random mish-mash of things -- a shallot, tomatillo, fresh chili pepper, and some grated apple-smoked Gouda cheese.  Surprisingly, the eggs turned out great!  The slightly crunchy, tartness of the tomatillo complemented the creamy, smokiness of the Gouda cheese pretty well.  Throw in some thinly chopped shallots (or garlic would work in this case) and a sliced chili pepper, and you've got yourself some spicy scrambled eggs with a twist! An important note, though -- be sure to dice the tomatillo into very small pieces or this "Mexican tomato" may overwhelm your eggs.  

Enjoy this simple, yet flavorful dish.  And if it's as nice where you are as it is in good 'ole Atlanta, then please, eat it outside on a lawn chair and enjoy the weather -- or at the very least, crack some windows open (or better yet, a bottle of wine).  Happy fall!

Ingredients:

-1 shallot

-1 tomatillo

-1 small fresh chili

-2 eggs

-Salt to taste

-A small bunch of cilantro

-Small amount of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Finely dice/slice the tomatillo, shallot, and chili.

2. Roughly grate some smoked Gouda cheese (amount will depend on your personal taste :)...I threw in a small handful).

3.  Fry the diced/sliced shallot, chili, and tomatillo with a bit of olive oil on medium-high heat for a few minutes.  When they are about halfway cooked (the tomatillos should be 'sweating' a little and losing a little bit of color), throw in the eggs, Gouda, and salt (to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients).  

3. Cook the egg mixture for a few minutes until it's done.

4. Top with a few sprigs of cilantro, and enjoy!

(Sorry, no picture today!  I was so hungry at the time that I gobbled up the eggs as soon as I took them off the stove!)

Cake Shake: The Ultimate Compromise Between Ice Cream and Cake

Do you frequently have a hankering for both ice cream AND cake at the same time?  Do you often top your cake with a dollop of ice cream and let the creaminess melt into the tiny crevices of your cake?  Do you crave a spongy cake saturated with sweet milk that seeps out into your mouth with each bite?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, I have the perfect dessert for you -- the cake shake.

The cake shakes at Delia's Chicken Sausage Stand perfectly marry the moist, spongy texture of a cupcake with the thick, creamy richness of ice cream to create a true masterpiece.  The cake shake creatively combines Madagascar vanilla ice cream (not sure entirely what that means, except that it is delicious) with one of three varieties of cupcakes -- chocolate (on chocolate chip), red velvet (my personal favorite!), or a seasonal flavor (yesterday it was key lime) -- to make a thick shake that always hits the spot.  However, to be able to truly appreciate the beauty of the cake shake, you really have to see the process in making it.

Delia's makes cupcakes from scratch.  Each cupcake is baked with love and immaculately decorated with homemade icing.**  To make the cake shake, an employee removes the wrapper before throwing the cupcake into a blender with vanilla ice cream, and mixes everything together.  I won't lie -- it does pain me a little to see a perfectly baked red velvet cupcake being destroyed in a blender full of ice cream.  The first time I ordered one, I almost saw this happen in slow motion, as I was screaming in my head, "NOOOOOOOOOO!  SAVE THE CUPCAKE!!!"  But then I tasted the final product and the heavens parted and angels sang.  Why had it taken so long for someone to come up with this brilliant idea?

I'm not sure how many tries it took to get the perfect balance in textures, but it truly is amazing.  Tiny bits pieces of cake are homogeneously mixed in, so that every bite of ice cream contains a sweet, spongy morsel.  As you continue to sip/scoop out your cake shake (yes, it is a tad viscous at first...what did you expect?), the ice cream melts and soaks into the little bits of cake.  The longer you wait to finish the shake, the more the cake absorbs the ice cream around it -- so beware of the soggy cake shake!  If you must, you can store an unfinished shake in the freezer for a late night snack or, better yet, a breakfast of champions.

So, the next time you are itching for some cake and ice cream, head over to Delia's Chicken Sausage Stand for a truly innovative and satisfying treat -- the cake shake.

Oh!  I forgot to mention that Delia's also has delicious chicken sausage "slingers," as the name might imply.  You can't really go wrong with what you order there.  However, if you need something to contrast the sweetness of your cake shake, ask for a side of potato wedges, perfectly seasoned with a blend of savory spices.  These "fries" really hit the spot after a long day!

**Note: They sell the cupcakes by themselves, but to be honest, they're not the best cupcakes in town.  They're okay, but they're not the best.  They're a little drier than I would like, but this actually makes them pair well with vanilla ice cream!

An elaborate description of Costa Rican food, from my perspective

Today's post is a tribute to the simplicity and elegance of Costa Rican food.  Costa Rica is a country with an incredible breadth of natural resources and beauty; from beaches to mountains, rainforests to volcanoes, hot springs to miles and miles of banana and pineapple plantations, this land of paradise appeals to people of all walks of life.  I had the pleasure of visiting Costa Rica for seven days and had an amazing time.  Given the gorgeous backdrop of cordilleras of this tiny Central American country, it would be difficult to dislike any food put in front of me.  But to be able to enjoy juicy cuts of papaya, watermelon, and pineapple, slowly sip on fresh fruit milkshakes and juices (made in a blender, not poured from a carton!), and savor deliciously flavored rice and black beans WHILE enjoying the views...well, it was indescribable.

I wish I had taken a few more pictures of the food and drinks we had, but I was just so distracted by the unbelievable beauty surrounding me. :)  Nevertheless, I've included pictures of some platters we had below.  

The first shot is not a good one -- apologies.  This is a picture of the cheese platter a group of us shared on a tour of the Monteverde Cheese Factory.  Monteverde is a cloud forest that has a diverse abundance of wildlife and plant life.  A group of Quakers from Alabama settled there in the 1950s after being completely disgruntled by the United States government over the war draft.  As you may very well know, Quakers are pacifists, so they refused to sign up for the mandatory war draft.  Subsequently, many Quakers were jailed.  After being released from prison, 13 Quaker families from Alabama decided that enough was enough and that they wanted to take their families and move elsewhere -- in this case, south to Costa Rica by horse and buggy.  After months and months of painstaking travel and planning, this group of Quakers decided to build a cheese factory in the Monteverde area and have remained there ever since.  The workers at the factory still collect liters upon liters of fresh milk from local dairy farms every morning, which they use to manufacture and distribute cheese, ice cream, and other milk products all over Costa Rica and surrounding countries in Central America.  The whey, which is the primary waste product when making cheese (see this website for a simple 101 on the cheese-making process), is trucked over to a large, nearby pig farm to fatten up the animals.  This factory is extremely meticulous about quality control, particularly when it comes to responsibly disposing of waste (and preserving the environment, in the process).  They do make several different types of cheese, such as gouda, parmesan, mozarella, and cheddar.  However, they are most famous for their original recipe for the Monte Rico cheese, a soft, creamy, mild cheese that melts in your mouth (most Costa Ricans hate aged, sharp cheeses -- our tour guide described how earlier in the week another tour group from a Costa Rican high school had visited the factory and were completely grossed out by the taste of parmesan and cheddar!).

Agua dulce, which means "sweet water" in English, is typically served hot as a breakfast drink (although also served other times of the day).  It is made with sugar cane juice.  I know...it looks different than sugar cane juice, which is almost clearish-green.  However, from what little Spanish I know, I gathered from a local that for this particular drink, the cane juice is solidified into this brown powder (it looked a lot like brown sugar), which is then boiled in water and served as a "hot tea."  Ahh, what a comforting drink to enjoy on a cool morning while enjoying the mountain air!

Ahh, the casado.  Casados are the most commonly served platters (comida tipica) at tiny restaurants/hangout spots (called "sodas") in Costa Rica.  Each casado comes with at least four different sides; there are always at least three servings of fruits and vegetables in each platter.  Typically, casados come with rice and beans, fried sweet plantains, and a simple salad.  Casados are also served with some type of meat, most commonly chuletas, or pork chops, served with grilled onions (yum!).  Very simple, colorful, healthy, and delicious.  What a meal!

Here is another typical meal served in Costa Rica -- arroz con pollo.  Every arroz con pollo platter I ordered included a large amount of rice, but never failed to include a sizable salad alongside it.  This particular platter was ordered at a restaurant which literally looked like my grandmother's kitchen.  I'm not kidding -- I think the family who owned the restaurant lived in the next room.  This delectable rice was perfectly flavored with tender pieces of chicken, garlic, green onion, lemon, and tomatoes.  This meal absolutely hit the spot after a long day of ziplining, hiking, and exploring Monteverde!

Ahh, a typical breakfast.  We woke up every morning to a platter of rice and black beans and three types of fresh fruit -- papaya, pineapple, and watermelon.  Often, fried sweet plantains were also served with breakfast.  The rice and beans were unique in that they were always cooked together for breakfast, but separately for other meals.  When cooked together, however, the beans brought out a hearty, creamy texture to the rice.  This dish was not only filling and delicious, but also very healthy when paired with such colorful tropical fruits.

And now for a grand finale (simply because I cannot resist), a few more shots of Costa Rican scenery.  I hope you all enjoy.  

Ah, summer salads, how I crave you...

Howdy y'all!  I know it's been a while since I've last posted.  I have no excuses for not writing, except that life just got busier and time got away from me.  Working long hours on my dissertation leaves me exhausted and brain dead at the end of the day -- but that doesn't mean I don't ache to write!  The three people that actually read my food blog have all commented on the dearth of posts as of late; it made me both sad and happy -- sad that I don't have as much time to write and happy that people actually read this blog. :)

All I can think about these days, aside from my dissertation and how I'm going to finish it in a reasonable amount of time, is how I can stay cool in this summer heat.  Atlanta recently experienced one of the worst heat waves in its history -- temperatures soared to nearly 110 for a whole week straight.  As miserable as that was, the heat lately has been somewhat manageable, thanks to nearly daily thunderstorms that have cooled the air.  Despite this <perhaps temporary> relief from the heat, I still crave juicy, fresh fruit, cool, crisp salads, and sweet, refreshing homemade smoothies.

As such, I dedicate this post to the celebration of the salad.  Salads are incredibly versatile -- they can be prepared for virtually any meal, as a side or an entree, and come in sorts of varieties.  They cut through the summer heat, making those long, hot months bearable, and even enjoyable.  They can be enjoyed at weekend barbeques, during an afternoon at the pool, or as an appetizer for an fancy meal indoors.  Whatever the occasion or event, salads are refreshing -- they allow us to enjoy and appreciate the flavor of each component of the dish.

Here are a few simple salads that I make routinely in the summer time:

1. Corn and black bean salad: Folks, it makes ALL the difference in the world to use fresh ingredients.*  The combination of the hearty, smoky black beans with the sweetness of summer corn is both refreshing and filling.  I usually add some salt, lime, and fresh cilantro to add more flavor and bring out the flavors of the corn and black beans.  You can also add tomatoes and avocados to make a fresh, chunky 'salsa,' or a heartier summer salad.

2. Garbanzo, tomato, and cucumber salad: This is a salad I sort of grew up eating -- it has garbanzo beans (you can used canned or fresh, as long as they are cooked), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro.  I usually season generously with salt, pepper, and fresh lime.  This refreshing salad is always a hit at barbeques!

3. Berry salad: You can never go wrong with this one; it's quick and easy, cheap in the summer time, and always refreshing and delicious.  You can add virtually any type of berry to this salad, as well as grapes, fresh pineapples (!!), peaches, or kiwis (or really, any other fresh fruit).  Add some fresh, chopped mint to accentuate the sweetness of the fruit, and chopped pecans or walnuts to bring some texture to the salad.

4. Peaches and basil salad: It's just what it sounds like.  Georgia peaches are incredibly juicy and rich in flavor.  I crave them so much in the peak of summer.  Adding fresh basil adds an aromatic punch to the sweet, floral scent of the peaches.  This combination also works great as a popsicle, as I discovered at the local King of Pops stand!


*In case you are wondering (I was asked this just the other day), there is a trick to making fresh black beans in a minimal amount of time (i.e. about 30-45 minutes) without the hassle of remembering to soak them the night before.  That's RIGHT!  You CAN still make fresh beans if you forget to soak them -- you read correctly.  All you do is put the dry beans in a large, oven-safe pot with a dash of salt and some water (add enough to cover the beans by an inch or two) and bake with the lid on at 350 for about 30-45 minutes.  I imagine you'd have to try pretty hard to burn them, so you can always leave them in a little longer if you're worried about interior crunchiness.  Oh!  And don't throw away the residual liquid in the pot!  It's chock-full of flavor, trust me.  


In case you're wondering about the fresh corn, making it off the cob is also relatively simple, and takes even less time.  All you do is remove the ears of the corn and the silky 'stuff' on the inside, rinse the cob, and remove the corn kernels using a knife (I generally do this into a wide-necked bowl in the sink).  Sautee the corn for about 2-3 minutes with a pinch of salt and a sliver of butter, and voila!  Sweet corn off the cob.