Enjoy the dog days of summer with a few new ideas for beverages and snacking.
Serving a flight of iced coffees is a fun way to spend a hot afternoon on the deck. Use your imagination or research ideas. The trick is to use very little sweetener and a fat reduced milk. The other option is not to use milk and instead make a flavoured Americano coffee poured over ice. Another tip is to make coffee ice cubes to further keep a strong coffee flavour.
French press espresso
Read Also
National farm group joins forces with Indigenous circle
The National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture have agreed to work together to promote Indigenous-led agriculture.
Add coarse ground coffee to the glass jar. Use two tablespoons (30 mL) per cup of water.
Boil water and pour approximately half into the French press jar. Let steep for one minute. Pour in remaining water and stir. Insert the plunger. Steep for three minutes or longer if you want a stronger brew.
When you are done steeping, press down the plunger slowly and steadily halfway, then pull it back up and plunge all the way down to finish up. This will create a layer of foam on top, replicating the crema that is present in a traditional espresso shot.
Iced tiramisu latte
- 1-2 shots espresso or 1/2 c. strong coffee 125 mL
- 1 tbsp. mascarpone cheese 15 mL
- 1 tbsp. heavy cream 15 mL
- 1/3 c. milk of choice 2%, oat milk or almond 75 mL
- 1/2 tsp. sugar orvmaple syrup 2 mL
- cocoa powder for dusting
- ladyfinger biscuits to serve, optional
Add the mascarpone cheese, cream and sugar to a small bowl. Use an electric frother or whisk to beat until thick and smooth.
Make the coffee.
Add ice and espresso or strong coffee to a tall glass. Add your choice of milk and top with the mascarpone mixture.
Dust with cocoa powder and serve with ladyfinger biscuits, if desired.
Fresh tomato salsa
- 4 large tomatoes, coarsely grated, skins discarded
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or crushed
- 1/4 c. olive oil60 mL
- 1 tsp. dried oregano 5 mL
- flaked sea salt
- black pepper
Place the grated tomatoes into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl to let drain for a few minutes. Save the liquid. It makes a very refreshing drink when poured over ice.
Then, in a separate bowl, mix the drained tomato pulp with the garlic, olive oil, sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the dried oregano and serve.
Homemade fruit popsicles
Choose your liquid. Use homemade lemonade, any fruit juice, milk or yogurt.
Prepare the fruit. Slice it into small slices and pieces so they are small enough to fit into the mould. Roasted fruit, such as strawberries and pineapple, add a nice flavour, or simply puree the mixture in a blender.
Assemble the popsicles. Add the fruit and juice in layers. Partially freeze each layer before adding the next. Another option is to fill the moulds with the pureed mixture if that is what you are using.
Freeze. When the last layer has been added, leave in the freezer for four to eight hours or longer. If using a pureed mixture, fill the popsicle moulds and freeze. When completely frozen, run the popsicle mould under warm water for approximately 10 seconds. The popsicles should slide right out.
Lemon yogurt popsicles
Puree two cups of fresh or frozen blueberries, one cup (250 mL) of plain yogurt, half a cup (125 mL) of water or juice, a tablespoon (15 mL) of honey and some lemon zest. Pour into mould and freeze.
Strawberry lemonade slush
- 4 c. ice 1 L
- 2 c. fresh strawberries hulled & washed 500 mL
- 1 1/2 c. water 375 mL
- 3/4 c. fresh lemon juice, about 4 lemons 175 mL
- 1/2 c. sugar, more to taste if needed depending on the sweetness of berries 125 mL
Place the ice, hulled berries, water, lemon juice and sugar in a blender.
Blend for one to two minutes or until well blended and slushy.
Serve immediately.
Turkey lettuce wraps
- 3-5 tbsp. hoisin sauce or oyster sauce 45-75 mL
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce 30 mL
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar 30 mL
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil 5 mL
- 1 tsp. cornstarch, optional 5 mL
- 1 lb. ground turkey 500 g
- 2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided 10 mL
- 8 oz. white button or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- optional vegetables: finely diced onions, finely diced bell peppers, finely diced or grated carrots 225 g
- 1-8 fl.oz. can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped 250 mL
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger 15 mL
- 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions, divided 125 mL
- 2 small heads Bibb or butter lettuce
- red pepper flakes or sriracha hot sauce, for serving, optional
Place the hoisin or oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil in a lidded jar. Tightly place the lid and shake. For a more thickened, glossy sauce, add the cornstarch and shake again. Set aside.
Heat one teaspoon (5 mL) of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up into small pieces until cooked through and no longer pink and the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the remaining teaspoon (5 mL) of oil to the same pan. Add finely chopped mushrooms and any optional vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, four to five minutes.
Stir in finely chopped water chestnuts, minced garlic and fresh ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add half of the green onions.
Add the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and the sauce is warmed through, 30 to 60 seconds.
Taste and add more hoisin or oyster sauce, if desired.
Break off all the lettuce leaves and pile them on a plate in the centre of the table, along with small dishes with sriracha hot sauce, red pepper flakes and the remaining green onions. Transfer the hot turkey mixture to a serving dish, or serve straight from the skillet. Let everyone make their own wraps. Place a generous spoonful of turkey mixture in the middle of a lettuce leaf, top with green onions and sriracha hot sauce or red pepper flakes, and eat right away.
The turkey mixture can be kept refrigerated for four or five days. Add water when reheating if it is too thick. It can be frozen up to three months.
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and avid supporter of local food producers. She has been a market vendor, grew up on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan and is a member of TEAM Resources.
