It's Friday! Summer Cocktails! Citrus Sparkler Punch!

As the summer heat continues to build my cocktail dreams continue to focus on limes, lemons and oranges, I cannot seem to help myself. Here is a refreshing cocktail to take you through the weekend!  This one is perfect for large gatherings, at the pool, on the deck, on the front porch, on the lawn.....

Citrus Sparkler Punch

25 oz Gun
12 oz frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
6 oz frozen pineapple concentrate or grapefruit juice concentrate
3 oz fresh lime juice
2 litres soda water.

Pour all of the ingredients except the soda water into a punch bowl with a large block of ice. Add soda water just before serving. Garnish with lemon, lime and orange slices!

Happy Friday!

Fashionmom

Cheese Spread for Sandwiches - Guyanese Version

So many people have asked for this recipe and it is not on the web...here goes...


Guyana Cheese Spread - This is a traditional Guyanese spread used for sandwiches. We can trace it back to our British heritage and tradition of tea with sandwiches and cakes. If we need a snack we take this out of the fridge and eat it with bread, bagels or crackers.  Adults and children are also initially attracted to this sandwich because of the different colors ( food coloring). I cannot even remember when I made this for the first time, I just knew how to make it, it passes from generation to generation.

 Cheese Sandwiches ( Mom's Recipe from Guyana South America) 



Ingredients - I do not have any exact measurements. Add the ingredients and taste as you proceed. Here are some approximate measurements.
Serves 8 people and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Large ( 8 or 16 oz). Must be sharp 
1 tsp of Mustard- or add more if needed. 
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup of milk or added as needed. Milk helps the spread to become smooth and creamy. be careful if you add too much the spread becomes soft. 
A dash of Tabasco or pepper sauce. 
Parsley finely chopped ( must be very fine)
Food Coloring ( 4 to 5 colors) 

Grate the cheese ( fine ) and set aside. Put cheese, mustard, butter, parsley, pepper sauce and milk in a large bowl. Using a hand or standing mixer whip everything together until it is firm and smooth. It should be smooth enough to spread on bread. The cheese must be melted and whipped into the mixture, no chunks
( add more milk).

Place the finished spread into 4 Martha Stewart mini prep bowls.. Drizzle a different color of the Liquid Food Coloring into each bowl. Mix the coloring in and set aside. To make a "triple deck sandwich", layer one color on the bottom slice of your choice of whole wheat or white traditional bread ( I like P Farm Whole Grain . Cover with a second slice and then add a second color to the slice.Top with slice number 3. Cut all of the edges off of the bread and make a final diagonal cut. Voila! A cheese sandwich that cannot be beat!

FashionMom: Para Las Ninas- Recipes for Mothers and Daughters....

FashionMom: Para Los Ninas- Recipes for Mothers and Daughters....: Nectarine Tart with Fresh Basil and Reduced Balsamic.  I am the youngest of  a family of five girls who grew up in http://www.guyana...
Plus Guyanese Cheese Spread recipe

Para Las Ninas- Recipes for Mothers and Daughters.

Nectarine Tart with Fresh Basil and Reduced Balsamic. 


I am the youngest of  a family of five girls who grew up in http://www.guyana.org/guymap.html Georgetown, Guyana. I was a tad spoilt, I was not given the standard chores of  my sisters ( taking out the trash etc) neither was I asked to pitch in with the cooking and baking sessions for the large Sunday meals. My eldest sister Kean supervised the main meal and my other sister Beverly worked on cakes and desserts.  Instead I was always given the job of "taster". That job gave me lots of time to observe the cooking methods; something my mother did not truly appreciate until she sampled my cooking after I moved to the United States. She was pleased to discover that my observations paid off, I did well after all! :)  She gave me two of her prized cookbooks which I have already passed on my daughter. Her legacy will live on. 
I decided that I wanted to start that same family tradition with my daughter. She is five years old and she can handle herself in the kitchen without any major accidents. I see it as a great time to bond over something we love, food. Handling tools and measurements is also an excellent learning tool for children during their early learning years. It is also a good time to capitalize on her enthusiasm for helping Mommy, before it is too late :)

Here is a sampling of recipes along with some pictures of us cooking over the last few months. The recipes here are from my own recipes, books, magazines and Pinterest recipes. Pinterest has been an excellent source of  easy recipes for me since I joined a few months ago.  There are two different tart recipes below.  I like to make tarts because they are kid friendly. With tarts all parents have to do is to prep the ingredients and get the puff pastry ready and 30 minutes later everything is done.

Guyana Cheese Spread - This is a traditional Guyanese spread used for sandwiches. We can trace it back to our British heritage and tradition of tea with sandwiches and cakes. If we need a snack we take this out of the fridge and eat it with bread, bagels or crackers.  Adults and children are also initially attracted to this sandwich because of the different colors ( food coloring). I cannot even remember when I made this for the first time, I just knew how to make it, it passes from generation to generation.

 Cheese Sandwiches ( Mom's Recipe from Guyana South America) 



Ingredients - I do not have any exact measurements. Add the ingredients and taste as you proceed. Here are some approximate measurements.
Serves 8 people and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Large ( 8 or 16 oz). Must be sharp 
1 tsp of Mustard- or add more if needed. 
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup of milk or added as needed. Milk helps the spread to become smooth and creamy. be careful if you add too much the spread becomes soft. 
A dash of Tabasco or pepper sauce. 
Parsley finely chopped ( must be very fine)
Food Coloring ( 4 to 5 colors) 

Grate the cheese ( fine ) and set aside. Put cheese, mustard, butter, parsley, pepper sauce and milk in a large bowl. Using a hand or standing mixer whip everything together until it is firm and smooth. It should be smooth enough to spread on bread. The cheese must be melted and whipped into the mixture, no chunks
( add more milk).

Place the finished spread into 4 Martha Stewart mini prep bowls.. Drizzle a different color of the Liquid Food Coloring into each bowl. Mix the coloring in and set aside. To make a "triple deck sandwich", layer one color on the bottom slice of your choice of whole wheat or white traditional bread ( I like P Farm Whole Grain . Cover with a second slice and then add a second color to the slice.Top with slice number 3. Cut all of the edges off of the bread and make a final diagonal cut. Voila! A cheese sandwich that cannot be beat!

Nectarine Tart with Fresh Basil and Reduced Balsamic (Pinterest) 


Ingredients
Cheese - Ricotta/Mozzarella/Goat or Mascapone your choice. 
1 nectarine - thinly sliced or enough to fit your tart. 
Shavings of Fresh Parmigianno Reggiano
Fresh Basil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Olive Oil
Argula 


Place the balsamic in a small saute pan. Turn the heat to medium high. Caution- Do not allow balsamic to burn, if it burns it is done. You must watch and cook until done. 
Let the balsamic simmer until reduced and noticeably thick ( does not have to be boiling then it is too late). Set aside to cool.

Puff Pastry (store bought)
Caution- You have to begin rolling while the pastry is still chilled, anytime after that the pastry is too warm and will stick to every surface in your kitchen. 
Pre Heat the Oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface roll out the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 rectangle. I have had some rocky experiences with puff pastry. I have tried different brands with mixed results. The best one is the one I get from a local farmer's market for 2 dollars!. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on the back baking sheet or a thin backing sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2 inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven and cover the dough with a layer of cheese, then only layer of sliced nectarines on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the fruit layer with the Parmigiano Reggiano. Drizzle with olive oil.  Place the tart back in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is slightly brown. Remove from oven.  Sprinkle with arugula,basil and then drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Serve warm. Voila!

Asparagus Gruyere Tart ( Martha Stewart) 

Ingredients

2 Cups of Gruyere cheese, shredded ( at your local grocer )
11/2 pounds medium or think asparagus
1 tablespoon lemon flavored or regular olive oil
Salt and Pepper


Puff Pastry ( store bought)
Caution- You have to begin rolling while the pastry is still chilled, anytime after that the pastry is too warm and will stick to every surface in your kitchen. 
Pre Heat the Oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface roll out the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 rectangle. I have had some rocky experiences with puff pastry. I have tried different brands with mixed results. The best one is the one I get from a local farmer's market for 2 dollars!. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on the back baking sheet or a thin backing sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2 inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

remove the pastry from the oven and sprinkle with the Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with the olive oil , season with sale and pepper. Bake until spears are tender 20 to 25 minutes.

As you can see this was not one of our best Puff Pastry experiments. The tart was delicious though! :)

Happy Fourth!

It's Friday! Summer Cocktail Series, Grapefruit -Gin Cocktail Shake

It is 103 degrees in Atlanta today, we are locked indoors with the air on blast.  I would settle for this icy cocktail on any today but today is just perfect. Grapefruit adds an extra refreshing bite, perfect for a hot summer day. 

Grapefruit Gin Cocktail Shakes

1 pint raspberry sorbet
1/2 to 2/3 cup pink grapefruit juice chilled.
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup gin
Lemon Slices

In blender combine sorbet and 1/2 cup grapefruit juice: cover and blend until smooth. Blend in ice cream and gin. If necessary, blend in additional juice. Divide among four tall glasses. Garnish with lemon slices.
makes four servings!

Refreshing!

New "Things to Treasure" Laduree comes to New York, Essence, Town and Country, Real Simple Family and Golf reading for children.

Laduree has arrived!  

Momofuku cookies are divine, Crumbs bakery has scrumptous cupcakes,  but we have to stop for a minute and consider what Laduree will unleash in New York City this fall.

If you have not eaten a macaron before, wait, have one from Laudree on August 22nd and let the obbession begin.

Laduree is a Parisian patisserie founded in 1862  and it is most famous for it's double decker macarons. The bakery is credited with inventing the double decker macarons. There are Laduree shops all over the world in addition to four in Paris, there are bakeries in  London, Milan, and Istanbul among other places but never one in New York City. They will open a store this month, on August 22nd  at 864 Madison Ave, NY ( between 70th and 71st). The location will have two areas one for enjoying macarons on site and the other for orders ( mine included) .

It is said that in the 16th century Catherine de" Medici brought the macaron from Italy to France. Louis Ernest Laduree was a miller, who opened a bakery on the Rue Royale in Paris. In the 1930's his second cousin Pierre Desfontaines, invented the double decker macaron, a flavored ganache between two macaron shells. If you have had a macaron, if not well made, the ganache can be too sweet, too crumbly or too pasty, it has to be just right, the shells and the ganache, Laduree always seems to get it right.

They come in fantastic variations by season Mint and Strawberry, Lily of The Valley, Almond Morello Cherry, Granny Smith Apple and other delicious flavors.

Find yourself at Laduree this month or get on the phone and place your order!

Town and Country and Essence have new editors and this is change I can definitely believe in.

Town and Country's editor is Jay Fielden of Men's Vogue fame, Pamela Fiori left months ago and the void was filled briefly by Stephen Drucker but this is my second Fielden Issue and it is excellent. The articles are insightful and colorful, I read the magazine from cover to cover.  There is some interesting insight from Ashraf Kahlil  about the changes in Cairo, from both a colonial and present day view. There is a profile of the three homes owned by the late reclusive heiress Hugette Clark, a wonderful story about the relationship between a woman and her favorite scents by Gully Wells then last but not least two stories about Ernest Hemingway and his family. The magazine has zoomed to the top of my to read list, the stories have great depth, grab a copy or download it now! The fashion is still there but the magazine now has so much more.

Constance White has had a significant career in fashion from her role as the NY Times Fashion contributor, to EBAY fashion director and now to editor in chief at Essence magazine. Her second issue is stunning, Essence has gone global, the stories, beauty and fashion reads have a global perspective and that is truly refreshing. There is a story about Women from the Diaspora which covers black Brits, another profiles women from countries all over the world and what they are wearing,  and under Work and Wealth excellent tips for Storage Ssolutions at home and do not miss the Reader's Choice awards!  Another one for you to read cover to cover.

Real Simple is one of my favorite magazines, I love the stories about family and cooking among other topics and  now we have the same fantastic formula with Real Simple Family, it is a single issue magazine and you need to grab it before it is gone. They cover great issues from how to tackle homework battles, to fixing boo boos to schedule streamlining. Fall 2011, is on newstands or downloads now.

I was at the PGA Championship today and met wonderful author Susan Greene who was promoting Count on Golf and my daughter loved it for her read before bed tonight and we loved it because it exposed her to something new and she was counting and spelling at the same time with Jimmy the bear, it was fun.

The books are

Count on Golf- counting from 1 to 10 using golf accessories and rhymes .

The ABC's of Golf - Learn the alphabet and the game from A to Z.

Consider it Golf- Rhymes and Etiquette and golf safety.

Opposites with Golf- learn the game using the concepts of opposites.

Junior golf Journal - Track progress and enjoy memories.

Worth every penny!

Enjoy your new treasures and please send us your feedback about those delicious macarons.

FashionMom

Eggs- The French Way - Simply Perfect

One of my favorite recipes is from an excellent book on French culture, “Entre Nous, A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl” by Debra Olliver.


MS Olliver includes a recipe for "Simply Perfect Eggs" and it has become my go to recipe for eggs at home. MS Olliver noted that eggs are more likely to be served for dinner than for breakfast hence the need to ensure that they are “perfect”. Making perfect eggs has been a French obsession for centuries.

The final results are International House of Pancake caliber fluffy eggs; you cannot lose with this recipe.

Try it for the family this weekend. Please note please allocate enough time to make your perfect eggs, no rushing, patience please.


Simply Perfect Eggs




8 fresh eggs


11/2 cups rich cream (more and less)


Salt, fresh ground pepper


4 tablespoons grated cheese or finely minced herbs if desired.


Break eggs into a cold heavy skillet, add cream and stir gently until fairly well blended. Never beat! Add seasoning (and or cheese and herbs) just before serving. This takes about half an hour- poky, but worth it.





My cheese of choice is goat which adds to the fluffy factor or Gorgonzola, but goat keeps the recipe pure and simple. I always put butter in the cold skillet to start and the heat is medium or low never high.



Enjoy for lunch or dinner!

Books by Debra Olliver
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Graeter's Ice Cream- Now at your local grocery store!

Courtesy of Istockphotos.com (not Graeter's)



Graeter's French Pot Ice Cream dates back to the 1800's when the Louis Charles Graeter began making ice cream in a market at the base of  Sycamore Hill in Cincinnati, Ohio. Today the Graeter family still operates a dozen ice cream stores in Cincinnati along with parlors in other parts of the Midwest http://www.graeters.com/default.aspx.








The ice cream is made by the famous French Pot(freezer) process which allows them to only process the ice cream just two gallons at a time. That gives the ice cream it's famous creaminess, so creamy that they have to be packed by hand!






Graeter's for many years was only available on line. I remember hearing about the famous Black Raspberry Chip from a friend and ordered for a taste for Thanksgiving around 2001. In 2002 Oprah profiled the ice cream on her show and named it one of the best.

The ice cream was delicious, amazing, it is not Haagen Dazs sweet, but incredibly creamy and satisfying.  but it was just not that convenient, I wished that I could go to my local grocery and pick up a pint!







Well,  now we can do just that! Everyone can have a  taste their wonderful ice cream by purchasing your favorite flavor at your local grocery stores http://www.graeters.com/locations.aspx. My local one is Kroger here in Atlanta and they carry a wide range of flavors.  My favorite continues to be the Black Raspberry Chip, the chocolate chip chunks are huge and chewy. The Elena's Blueberry Pie is very tasty and the Vanilla is one of the best on the market.





Check out the links I have attached and head to your local stockists for some of the best ice cream in the world!






















Graeter's History.



Enjoy!

Donna Hay - Fresh, Simple Food. Her amazing Trifle recipes

"Fast, Fresh Simple" is her motto and that is something  women strive for every day.

My obsession with chefs and cookbooks continues unabated, the recipes may take more than a year to try but right now, my friend AL and Donna Hay Donna Link     are my favorites.  AL is vegetarian and has been creating these great recipes that look so delicious, I am pressing for a cookbook. 

Donna Hay is an Australian food editor, stylist and best selling cookbook author. I love Nigella Lawson and Donna Hay reminds me of Nigella, the food seems simple, fresh and utterly delicious.  

Her presentation aesthetic is where I would like to be, no ...dream to be, the clean, white slightly rustic aesthetic always dream of mine but never a reality. I can dream through Donna. Her color scheme is brown and blue with white,  a color combination I love. I became a true fan when I read her  Holiday magazine edition and there was a section dedicated to Trifles. Anyone who devotes a section to Trifles, one of my favorite desserts is a best friend in my head, for life. Her recipes are global and  I love her mix of ingredients from all over the world with a dash of her Australian culture thrown in for good measure.

Donna Hay magazines (seasonal)  are available in fine book stockists everywhere and there is a page on Amazon.com devoted to her.   Donna Hay Page on Amazon.

Her website has her easy to make recipes, lifestyle and entertaining tips and much more.

Her television show is available for viewing only in Australia, on Lifestyle channel and this past Tuesday she did a recipe for Thai Fish Cakes, yummy.  There are several episodes on YouTube.
Donna Hay
She was recently featured on the Oprah Show, The Australia  Edition.

Please find below a few of my trifle favorites that should be yours too... from Donna Hay.

Strawberry and Vanilla Macaroon Trifle.


300  store bought vanilla macarons
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups cream , whipped
250 g strawberries, halved
strawberry jelly
21/2 teaspoons gelatine powder
3 cups cranberry juice
1/2 caster ( superfine ) sugar
500 g of strawberries, halved.


To make the strawberry jelly place the gelatine and and 1/2 cup cranberry juice in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatine is absorbed. Place the remaining cranberry juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the gelatine and stir to combine. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes. Arrange the strawberries in the base of a 4 litre capacity bowl and put over the jelly mixture. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until set.
To assenblem arrange the macarons on the jelly. Fold the vanilla extract through the cream and layer over the macarons.
Top with strawberries to serve. Serves 6-8.


Carmelised Peaches and cream trifle.

1 cup(250 ml) single (pouring) cream.
1 tablespoon finely grated oragne rind.
1 tablespoon icing(confectioner's sugar)
20 g butter
4 peaches halved
1 tablespoon caster( superfine ) sugar.
4 slices panettone( supermarkets and fine stores World Market etc)
1/4 cup ( 60 ml) orange flavored liqueur
orange syrup recipe
1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice
1/4 cup 9 60 ml) water
1/4 cup ( 55g) caster sutperfine sugar, extra
2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur

To make the orange syrup, place the orange juice, water, sugar and liqeur in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool completely.
Place the cream, rind and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Melt the butter in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Press the peach halves into the caster sugar and cook, sugar side down, for 2 -3 minutes or until carmelised. Cut the panettone slices to fit in the base of the 4 glasses. Pour over the orange liqueur and top with the cream mixture and peach halves. Drizzle with the orange syrup to serve. Serves 4.

I love Mascarpone....yummy

Raspberry and Mascarpone Trifle
1 cup ( 250ml) each lemon flavored liqueur and water.
2 tablespoons caster ( superfine ) sugar
250 g mascarpone
600 g sour cream
1/2 cup ( 80g) icing (confectioner's sugar), sifted, plus extra for dusting
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
34 sponge finger biscuits
500 g raspberries.

Place the liqueur, water and caster sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool. Place the mascarpone in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the sour cream, icing sugar and lemon rind and whisk until smooth. Dip the spong fingers into the liqueur mixture and use to line the sides and base of a 3 litre capacity glas bowl. Top the spong fingers with half the raspberries and spoon over the mascarpone mixture. Top with remaining raspberries and dust with the extra icing sugar to serve. Serves 12.



Tiramisu Trifle

450 g store bought sponge, halved lengthways
11/2 cups (376 ml) espresso coffee
11/2 cups( 375 ml) singel ( pouring) cream, whipped coffee panna cotta
1 tablespoon gelatine powder
1/2 cup ( 125 ml) coffee flavored liqueur
 2 cups ( 500 ml) each single ( pouring) cream and milk
2/3 cup ( 110 g) icing ( confectioner's) sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
chocolate ganache recipe
250 g chocolate( dark, chopped)
3/4 cup ( 180 ml) single pouring cream

To make the coffee panna cotta, place the gelatine and liqueur in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatine is absorbed. Place the cream, milk, icing sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the gelatine mixture and stir until dissolved. Divide half the panna cotta between 4x4 cup capacity ( 1 ltire glasses) and refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. To make the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to cool. Cut the sponge to fit the glasses and place on top of the panna cotta. Spoon the cofee over the sponges and spoon over the ganache. Refrigerate until set.
Top ganache with the remaining panna cotta mixtures and refrigerate for a  further 1 hour or until set. Top with the whittped cream to serve.
Serves 4.


Enjoy!

Photos courtesy of istockphotos.

Light Summer Fare! Impromptu Entertaining in the Hot Summer Months( nothing from the grill)

We love to have friends at our home for impromptu visits,  we are an "open house"  type of couple, something I attribute to our South American background. No formal invitations needed,  if you are in the neighborhood, please stop by, and if the kids ready for  a playdate on the weekend?  We welcome you!

But what do we serve ? Not always something off of the grill...  the temperature is hitting 90 degrees, you want to stick to the family grocery budget, no last minute dash to the supermarket, so what do you do?  use what you have at home first!

These are the things I keep in the fridge and pantry, these are items that will help get us through the summer months on budget.  These are the items we had in the house this past Sunday and this is how I used them.
I listed some other essentials for the pantry and the fridge.

I utilize a local company  http://www.naturesgardendelivered.com/ and  they deliver a box of vegetables and fruit to our door for one price (depending on size) every two weeks. That keeps my fruit bowl on the table filled for all occasions, for the family or entertaining. We have guests I use whatever is in the bowl on the table, the oranges are sliced and added to the beverage dispenser with lemons, limes, mint leaves(muddled), cucumber slices, ice and  Bitter Lemon( I like Canada Dry Bitter Lemon)  and water ( regular and sparkling to refill all day).  You can add some vodka or even rum to make that something even more special.
The delivered apples will go into a salad.  To the apples I would add lettuce, tomatoes, chick peas( canned from Goya they are the best brand), snap peas and broccoli. Add Goat Cheese or whatever you have the fridge for options.  I have not spent an extra cent yet!
In the past, I spent too much money at the supermarket buying fruit and other items which were never used, the impulse buying had to be curbed. These are things that the kids will enjoy too. They will not eat much since they will be running around playing or  in the pool, you will just need snacks to keep them happy. If they get really hungry ? then order pizza.

 If you have people visiting almost every weekend then this my Summer Staples " must have at home" ( at all times) list !

Carrots along with a carrot dip
Celery
Olives (jar)
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Cucumber
Tomatoes (tinned and fresh)
Lettuce
Snap Peas
Chick Peas
Snap Peas
Broccoli
Red or Orange peppers
Whole Corn
Fresh Mint
Havarti Cheese
Goat Cheese
Salad Dressing
Pita Bread
Drink Dispensers( 2)
White Wine always cold and sparkling
Clear white rum( 10 Cane, Goslings of XM Rum)
Vodka
Naan Bread for dips
Ice Cream
Ice Pops
Gogurt or yogurt for the kids
Terra Root Chips( delicious) or Doritos and salsa for kids.

For fast grill options

I always have a bag of seasoned frozen chicken pieces in Ziploc bags. Remove skins, wash and season pre freezing. Just take them out a few hours before and put them on the grill.
The same option would work for fish. I like whole small red snapper or trout. Clean, season and freeze.
Corn and peppers grilled of course.

 Olives, Hummus and Pita bread- Always have hummus, regular hummus

Mint leaves- Muddle and add to your beverage dispenser.  Add ice cubes or a mega block of ice.

Lemons, limes and oranges for the beverage dispenser.  Put a huge block of ice in the dispenser which adds enough water to the mix. Do not add any sugar. This is the best drink for a hot summer day. Make a second set for another dispenser and add vodka or rum for a grown up alcoholic option.





http://www.potterybarn.com/. I love their drink dispensers, you can also find nice ones at Target but PB has the best options! They are simply georgeous.

Pottery Barn Decanters and Dispensers


Crate and Barrell has some nice options for Dispensers and Jars too along with...




Crate and Barrell Ice Pop Molds

and ....




and so elegant from Z Gallerie.....











These are very "hot" options for presenting your summer beverages this year!

http://www.zgallerie.com/p-8753-duo-glass-beverage-dispenser.aspx

Cucumbers for the beverages and salad. Carrots for the hummus dip, tomatoes and lettuce for the salad.

Cheeses- Havarti with Dill is always a good option, an excellent semi hard cheese, one of my best friends EB in New Jersey introduced it to me years ago. It has a great flavor and  is loved by all.

Ice Cream and Ice Pops for the kids to keep them cool.  The kids also love my special mix drink from the beverage dispenser, it keeps them hydrated and tastes delicious and not sweet!

Summer is here, let's enjoy it and it does not always have to be in front of the grill.

We would love to hear from you.  Do you have a must have summer list? Plesae send us your tips!
All images courtesy istockphotos.