Melon Week Wrap Up

 

Thank you to Andrew Gooi, of Gooi Films.  Andrew contacted us several weeks ago and asked if we would be interested in participating in a video series he was working on called “a day in the life”, after a few conversations we thought, can we be that interesting?  Really?  Seriously?  Then, the dreaded, we are going to look horrible on camera and UGH the sound of our voices being recorded.  UGH again!  But, with a little trepidation and a whole lot of why not, we decided to jump in.   A true professional, Andrew accommodated our crazy schedules and we shot our first video Monday morning at the larder.  We had no idea 24 hours later he would call to say the video had been edited and was on you tube.  We are just over the moon, that we got to share our story, our craft, our process and what we love to do.

A big shout out and thank you goes out to Blue Sky Organic Farms.  Sara and David were so helpful, from Sara providing us with a wonderful selection of melons to use in all our recipes and David taking the time to explain the flavor profile and textures of each of the fifteen varieties of melons he grows, so that we could make good decisions on which melons would go best in each dish we had decided to make for the week.  Thank you for making our jobs a little easier this week and reminding us why it is so important to get to know your farmer!  It makes everything you do in the kitchen easier!

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to you, our readers. We had our highest readership since we started.  Monday with the introduction, followed by Tuesday’s post on selecting, storing and preparing, we saw our page views and visitors skyrocket.  With the busy holiday weekend approaching, we thought readership would dip somewhat and we even considered not posting, but you surprised us and readership stayed strong.  Wednesday’s watermelon soup set a new record for us and then we hit it again Thursday with our melon sangria.  Friday’s reaction was great for our summer melon salad and then Saturday we received the most comments of the week for our refreshing take on granita.  So, thank you, the work is gratifying, being part of this collective and collaborating is truly rewarding and we are all richer for the experience.   We love hearing from you, so keep your comments and suggestions coming, either on the blog or on the MDF facebook page.

Modern Day Forager

Simply Sensational Melon Sangria

 Simply Sensational Melon Sangria

Savour the evenings or the summer sunshine while mastering the art of making this flavor-packed sangria.  This recipe is simple and will ramp up any outdoor fare, plus we’re sure you’ll be the talk of the town or your next bbq bash.

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed melons cubed (we used cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, and Juan Canary)

4 ounces of brandy (if you wont drink it don’t cook with it)

1 granny smith apple sliced

1 bottle of Riesling (cold)

3-4 drops ginger extract

pineapple and white cranberry juice to taste (Ocean Spray makes a white cranberry and peach that works great)

Directions:

Place melon in an airtight container or zip lock bag, add brandy and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours.

In a large serving container or pitcher stir melon, apples, wine, extract and juices together

Add ice to glasses pour in sangria and spoon extra fruit on top as garnish.

(Sangria gets better with time in the refrigerator )

Variations

Sparkly: Club soda or ginger ale

Fruity: grapes, oranges or peaches

Savory: Basil, cardamom or saffron

Boozy: Midori, fruit schnapps, more brandy

Sugary: Moscato, 1/3 cup sugar, simple syrup

Have fun with this and please share your spin on this recipe with use here in the comments or on our Facebook page.

 

Recipes by Rj of Urban Table

Photo Style & Art Direction by Traci of Urban Table

Photography & Art Direction by Heather of Heather Gill Photography

Modern Day Forager