Summer Mocktails (p 20) - Healthful Elements

CATEREDOutdoor EatingMichael reminds us that with the hot, humid Julyweather finally upon us, there are plenty of waysto cool off outside.watermelon can best be appreciated.Watermelons go very well withjicama, mint, olive oil, or arugula.A splash of acid like lemon juice orbalsamic vinegar will go a long way inhighlighting the flavors of the salad.Pair a watermelon salad with seafoodlike grilled shrimp, seared scallops, ora mixed seafood salad.Finally, for desserts, nothing beatsa fresh fruit at its peak ripeness.Watermelons and cucumbers reallydo not grill well or go well in bakeditems, but they can be made intosome stellar ice creams. Pair yourfruits with sauces like a coconut limecrème fraiche or a rum-caramel sauce.A mint or lavender honey would begood, too.As with any event, the mostimportant thing is to have fun.Experiment with different flavorpairings, and move forward withthe ones you think are best. If youdon’t think you can do it, don’t do it!Either choose something simpler, orhire a caterer to help you out. Butregardless, HAVE FUN!Michael Kricsfeld is an event planner anddesigner with Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions,a full-service custom caterer located inthe Brookside neighborhood. He can bereached at 816-444-8372 or by email atMichael@inspiredoccasionskc.comCold, refreshing foods like icecream or an ice cold beveragetaste so much better after along afternoon in the sun. Personally,I think cucumbers and watermelonsare the perfect summer food! Becauseof their high water content, they arecrisp, refreshing, and the best thing toadd to your favorite dish.A couple years ago I first heard ofcucumber-infused vodka. Initially,I was intrigued, but after tasting it,I became its biggest fan! It is easyto make – just peel and slice someseedless cucumbers and let them sitin the vodka for a couple of days.The result is a refreshing vodka thatwill produce the best martini orbloody mary you have ever tasted.It’s so mild it can be enjoyed just onthe rocks. If you do not have thepatience to wait a couple of daysto enjoy an infused flavor in yourdrinks, try muddling your favoritefruit or herb into your drink.When mojitos how became populara couple years ago, the cocktail worldrealized the benefit of muddling foodsinto drinks. Adding cucumber orwatermelon to your mojito or freshbasil to your lemonade will make aworld of difference. Pair your favorite10 July, 2008herb with your favorite fruit andexperiment. Mint goes great withwatermelon, lemon, and blueberries.The added benefit of the fresh flavorand texture to the cocktail will makeit one of your instant favorites.Beyond cocktails, cucumbers andwatermelons make great bases forrefreshing summer salads. One of theeasiest to make is a marinated cucumbersalad. Fill a pint glass 1/3 full of sugar,add vinegar to cover the sugar (I preferrice wine vinegar), and fill the rest ofthe glass with water. Pour over slicedcucumbers with bell peppers, redonion, cilantro, and a few red pepperflakes, and you have an incredibly easy,delicious salad. This can be served asa first course or as garnish to an entréelike grilled fish.Instead of slicing cucumbers intraditional rounds, try slicing themlength-wise and then cutting theminto “cucumber noodles.” This makesan incredible side dish. Sautee the“noodles” in butter with some mint,salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemonzest for 1 minute, until just heatedthrough. You will be shocked thatcucumbers are so versatile.Watermelon salads are best servedwhen very cold and the crispness of the