As I write this post on July 30th, 2016, I am celebrating Food Day Canada with a picnic featuring local Prince Edward Island food products. Food Day Canada is a day set aside to celebrate all the wonderful foods that we, as Canadians, enjoy. Continue reading Locovore’s Picnic – Food Day Canada 2016
One of the quintessential summertime treats would have to be popsicles! They’re cool and refreshing and there are so many flavor combinations.
The one thing I find about homemade popsicles is that it is difficult to get them to freeze rock hard like the commercial varieties. One method I use is to add unflavored gelatin to the mix. While it won’t freeze as hard as store-bought ones which probably have all kinds of stabilizers added to them, adding gelatin does extend the life of the popsicles a wee bit before they melt. It also helps to hold the ingredients together.
One of my favorite flavor combos is strawberry and rhubarb. I use rhubarb juice (made from cooking the rhubarb and extracting its juice) in a lot of recipes, including this one.
To make this an adult treat, try serving the popsicle in a wine glass and adding a sparkling or rosé wine such as pinot noir rosé.
Combining two great summer flavors, these are the perfect treat to cool off with this season.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Strawberry Rhubarb Popsicles
Ingredients:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
4½ cups rhubarb, chopped into ½” pieces (apx. 1 lb. 2 oz)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup water
4½ oz strawberries
2 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tbsp strawberry balsamic vinegar
Dash salt
½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Epicure Summer Berry Dip Mix (optional)
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice
¼ cup boiling water
1/3-cup popsicle molds (enough for 9-10 popsicles)
Method:
In small saucepan, combine the first amount of sugar and water to make a simple syrup. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and boil gently for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
After simple syrup has cooled, cook the rhubarb and second amount of sugar in 1 cup water for about 7-10 minutes or until rhubarb is soft and mushy. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp. This should yield approximately 1½ cups rhubarb juice.
Purée the strawberries and stir in 2 tbsp sugar.
Dissolve the gelatin in 3 tbsp of the rhubarb juice. Add ¼ cup boiling water. Stir 1-2 minutes until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
In large measuring cup, combine the simple syrup, rhubarb juice, puréed strawberries, strawberry balsamic vinegar, salt, lemon juice, Summer Berry Dip Mix (optional), and gelatin. Stir well. Distribute mixture evenly between 9-10 popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks and covers that came with the popsicle molds and place in freezer to freeze completely. If using wooden popsicle sticks, freeze the mixture for approximately 1 hours until thick and slushy, then insert the wooden sticks and return popsicles to freezer to freeze completely.
Yield: Apx. 9-10 popsicles
Blend of strawberries and rhubarb combine to make flavorful and refreshing popsicles, the perfect summertime treat for hot summer days.
Ingredients
Instructions
Harvesting my small lavender crop is one of my most favorite parts of summer. Working among the colorful and beautifully-scented flowers is a rite of summer for me.
I picked the crop this weekend and, since it was such a lovely evening, I used it for the inspiration for my al fresco dining. And, of course, my menu drew its inspiration from these edible flowers as well.
I wanted to keep the tablesetting simple since the table is a small square. So, I simply gathered together a lot of the flowers into a single stuke shape and tied it with a complimentary shade of wired burlap ribbon.
A simple trim on the ends of the stems formed an even base for the bouquet to stand upright in the center of the table.
I carried the floral and color theme through by tying small bunches of the colorful stems with an airy ribbon. These gave a pop of color and definition to the white napkins.
I like the clean, crisp backdrop of a white tablecloth. I often tend to use plain white dishes because food really shows well on them. However, an all white table can be a challenge because it can sometimes look flat and lack definition. I acquired these white dishes with a double dark rim this summer. They work well in these kinds of situations because they lend some depth and definition to a table.
I used my antique stemmed water glasses to add a bit of height and nostalgia to the setting.
This was my summery Saturday evening dining table.
Four years ago, I wrote a story on the Five Sisters of Lavender Lane in Kelly’s Cross, PEI. These ladies had a small farm and sold edible lavender. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business but, by following this link, you can get my recipe for Lavender Honey Ice Cream which was the finale for my dinner last evening.
Is al fresco dining part of your summer?
Strawberry Slush is my newest summer drink creation and it has quickly become a favorite! Strawberries take center stage in this beverage but there is also a mix of other fruit juices that include rhubarb, pineapple, lemon and orange juices, and some pink lemonade. The addition of Epicure’s “Summer Berry” sweet dip mix deepens the flavor and adds some interesting speckles throughout the slush. Because I know Epicure products may not be available everywhere, I have included this as an optional addition as the slush will still taste quite fine without it. My recipe calls for gin and any brand may be used. Continue reading Strawberry Slush
Seafood chowder is a very popular dish in Prince Edward Island and many Island restaurants include it on their menus. I just completed reviews of five (5) fabulous seafood chowders from restaurants in the Green Gables Resort Region (Cavendish, Prince Edward Island). Head on over to the Cavendish Beach website to read my guest post about these mouth-watering chowders from North Rustico, Stanley Bridge, Cavendish, and New Glasgow.
To whet your appetite, here are photos of each chowder:
From the Blue Mussel Café in North Rustico, PEI
From Chez Yvonne Restaurant in Cavendish, PEI
From Carr’s Oyster Bar in Stanley Bridge, PEI
From the PEI Preserve Company in New Glasgow, PEI
From the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers in New Glasgow, PEI
Are you drooling yet?
