How to pick a Watermelon:

Everyday I see people banging on watermelons trying to pick the best one. Here's the real deal on picking the sweetest Watermelon: 1. Make sure it has a prominent yellow spot. This is where it sat on the ground ripening. No spot = premature pick = not ripe. 2. Look for "webbing". This is the brown, course web looking materiel. This is caused when bees pollinate the flower and scar the membranes that later forms the fruit. The more pollination = more webbing = sweeter fruit. 3. Look for black hard globs seeping out. This is sugar not insects or rotting.

fried cinnamon apple rings
for the apple rings 4 large apples (I used gala)
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for frying

for the cinnamon sugar topping
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the egg and buttermilk. In a third dish, make your cinnamon-sugar topping by combining the ⅓ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Set that aside too. Next, slice the apples into ¼-inch thick slices, and use circle biscuit cutters in graduated sizes to make rings out of each slice. Discard the center circles containing the apple core. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat to 350°F. Combine the contents of the first and second dishes as the oil warms up. This will be your batter. Dip the apple rings in and out of the batter one at a time, removing any dripping excess by tapping the rings against the side of the bowl. Fry the rings in small batches, turning them to ensure browning on both sides. Once the rings are golden and crispy, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel for a few seconds. Quickly transfer the apple rings, one by one, into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat evenly. Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm. Notes Apples can go a long way in the recipe, so if you don't get to all 4 apples, don't worry. Make as much or as little as you like.

3 dozen large fresh strawberries
2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Grated chocolate



Directions
Remove stems from strawberries; cut a deep "X" in the tip of each berry. Gently spread berries open.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and extract until light and fluffy. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons into each berry; sprinkle with chocolate. Chill until serving. Yield: 3 dozen.

Watermelonade

By KAY ROBERTSON
SERVES
6-8


11⁄2 lb watermelon, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Thin lime wedges, fresh mint sprigs, or small slices of watermelon, for garnish
DIRECTIONS

Puree the watermelon, mint, sugar, and lime juice in a blender until the mint is very finely chopped, about 1 minute.

Refrigerate until chilled. Before serving, garnish with lime and mint or watermelon slices.

Watermelonade


Serves: 2 generous servings, 4 small servings
Ingredients
5-6 cups cubed watermelon, black seeds removed
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup honey
Pinch of salt (optional, but I wouldn't consider watermelon without it!)
Instructions
Place all ingredients into a blender and cover. Blend on high speed until completely liquified.
Serve over crushed ice.

White Peach Jam

Ingredients
About 3 lbs of fresh white peaches
1 package powdered fruit pectin (I used Sure-Jel)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
5 1/2 cups of white sugar
7 -1/2 pint (jelly jars) with lids and rings
Instructions
1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat to boiling
2. Wash peaches and blanch in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a ice water bath
3. Place the 1/2 pint jars in clean boiling water with lids and rings to sterilize
4. Remove the peaches from the ice bath and slip off the skin of the peach with a paring knife
4. Pit the peaches and chop.
5. Working in batches, place peaches in food processor and process until just chunky
6. Measure 4 cups chunky peaches into a large pot or dutch oven, add pectin and lemon juice, bring to a rolling boil (a boil that can not be stirred down)
7. Add sugar and stir to combine. Continue to stir until mixture returns to a rolling boil. Boil and stir for 1 minute.
8. Remove from heat and carefully skim off foam
9. Ladle in the sterilized 1/2 pint jars (jelly jars) leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
10. Carefully clean the rims and place lids and rings on top.
11. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes, remove carefully and place on clean tea towel until cool, Lids should "pop" and indent down as they cool to seal