The other day I cut up a cantaloupe with the idea of having it ready-to-go for my yogurt granola breakfasts throughout the week. But then I proceeded to eat nearly the entire thing in one sitting. Oops. I couldn’t help it. It was one of those perfect, fragrant, sweet, firm, juicy specimens, perfectly chilled.

I love melon. I think it’s my favorite of the summer fruits. Obviously I am perfectly happy just eating it, but it’s also pretty versatile in the kitchen – particularly when combined with savory ingredients.

Here are three recipes to make this week with whatever perfect summer melons you find.

Avocados are probably my desert island food. Here’s a salad that seems so unusual at first glance, but if you just take a minute to imagine the tastes and textures together, it makes perfect sense. Creamy, smooth avocado, tart berries, sweet, luscious melon, yum. This recipe from Delish.com has got to be amazing.

Melon aguas frescas are always a taqueria favorite. And then, any melon drink is even better with rum. Here’s a melon mojito recipe from Martha Stewart Living that’s sure to be a hit at your next garden party.

Here’s another recipe from The Kitchn that seems unusual at first glance but makes complete sense. Cool melon salad with hot bacon is really a play on the classic prosciutto-melon pairing with the added benefit of a hot-cold contrast on the tongue.

Image: maesejose

The post 3 Recipes for Summer Melons: Unexpected Salads and a Delightful Cocktail appeared first on EcoSalon.

Recently when I was in Portland for the IACP conference, every menu seemed to have rhubarb on it. I ordered rhubarb crisp, rhubarb compote, rhubarb this and rhubarb that. Rhubarb is one of the shortest season produce items I know, which makes it all the more special. I’ve been hankering to make something with it myself and Mother’s Day weekend seems like the perfect time. I’m going to pick up some rhubarb at the farmers market this weekend and make this Spring Rhubarb Crisp, from fellow Oaklander, Romney Steele, out of her wonderful book My Nepenthe.

And while we’re on the subject of Mother’s Day, if your mom is a pancake fan, check out these genuine buttermilk pancakes from Culinate. You can mix the dry ingredients up the night before to save time. Why not make rhubarb compote to go with?

If your Mother’s Day brunch plans are savory, as are mine, this springy golden beet salad from The Kitchn is healthy, easy and super green. No waste here since you mix the beet tops in with the roasted beets and serve them all together. I’m serving this with my leek tart.

Image: garyknight

The post Three Recipes to Try This Week: Spring Rhubarb Crisp, Buttermilk Pancakes and Golden Beet Salad appeared first on EcoSalon.