When you are in your favorite produce department buying ginger, first look for ginger roots that are heavy for their size (I know you hear this on just about everything I talk about, from melons to oranges, but heaviness means more moisture content and that equates to better produce). It should be firm and have a nice smooth skin and a spicy fragrance when you break it open or cut into it. If your store has nice big tubers to choose from don’t be afraid to just break off what you need. It’s always better to buy what you will use within a week or two to insure the best flavor and most nutritional benefit.
Once you get it home the best way to store your fresh ginger is to wrap it unpeeled in a paper towel, put it into a plastic produce bag, and store it in the refrigerator. Ginger stored this way can be kept fresh for up to three weeks.
If you don’t have access to fresh ginger, are given a large amount, or just want to keep it around longer, you can freeze ginger for to up to two months – just cut it into small nubs and put into an airtight plastic container.
When you are ready to use it in a dish you can use a knife or vegetable peeler to peel your ginger or you can even use a spoon. Yes, an ordinary tea spoon or tablespoon from your kitchen drawer can do the trick.
You’ll be surprised by how easy this is, simply hold the piece of ginger in one hand and with the tip of a spoon, scrape away the ginger’s outer peel.
Because the spoon tip is dull, it easily removes the soft peel leaving most of the wonderful ginger intact for using.
To get the just the right flavor from your ginger when cooking, use this simple tip. If you add fresh ginger at the beginning of your cooking you will get a nice subtle flavor. For a stronger more robust flavor add your fresh ginger near the end of cooking.
Enjoy your ginger and don’t be afraid to try it in some ways you may not have considered. I’m off to grate some into my fried apples.

Sprinkle candied ginger over sorbet or fresh fruit salad. Try it with our recipe for White Peach Sorbet for a spicy seasonal spin.

Make homemade ginger ale by combining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of ginger syrup, ice, and sparkling water in a 12 oz glass. Stir vigorously and enjoy.

Create your own soothing feel-better tonic with freshly juiced ginger, freshly squeezed lemon, honey and hot water or create your own ginger immune booster by juicing together 6 large carrots, 1 bunch of celery, and as many knobs of fresh ginger as desired.

- Take a Look
Look your fruit over closely. Make sure it is free of blemishes and bruises and has a deep, brightly colored skin – dull looking tomatoes will have less flavor.

- Not by Color Alone
During certain times of the year, supermarket tomatoes are often picked while they’re still green, which makes them more durable for shipping at the cost of flavor. They ripen in transit, which isn’t uncommon once a tomato has been picked, but some tomatoes are sprayed with ethylene gas to speed up ripening – which, again, will get you a full colored tomato but it won’t give you the satisfying flavor your taste buds are waiting for. It’s best to buy them from a market that has a direct relationship with grower or with the label “vine-ripened.”

- Give a Little Bit
When cupped in the palm of your hand, a good tomato is firm enough to resist pressure, but not so hard that it doesn’t react to your touch. It should be heavy for its size as juicier tomatoes are denser, while unripe tomatoes will feel lighter. Check it out next time you are shopping – you’ll be surprised at the difference.

- Give Them a Whiff
The old saying that “the nose knows” is true with tomatoes. For the best fruit, smell the tomato at the stem end – it should have a strong, sweet, earthy odor. The more fragrant the smell, the more flavor waiting for you inside.
- Grilling Tip
With all of the wonderful heirlooms, slicers, and cherry tomatoes around right now it is easy to overlook the oval-shaped Roma. But if you want to throw some tomatoes on the grill, Romas may be your best bet as their firm texture and rich flavor make them perfect for grilling.

Why Organic?
Conventionally grown tomatoes use methyl bromide (MB) in agricultural production. MB is a toxic Class 1 pesticide used to kill all life in the soil by sterilization. This dangerous greenhouse gas destroys the ozone when released in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Organic growers practice crop rotation to prevent disease cycles from continuing year to year. They also strive to build rich, biologically active soils that help plants fight off disease.

Let creativity inspire you! This delicious summer salad can be made with just about anything, so choose ingredients you’re in the mood for or use whatever is on hand.

Ingredients:
2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups day-old bread, cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 large basil leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces

Procedure:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes and sea salt. Add the cubed bread, and mix well.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, and let the bread absorb the juice from the salted tomatoes and olive oil. When softened, serve room temperature and enjoy with a crisp white wine or sparkling lemon-basil water.

Make It Your Own!
Any of the following ingredients would be exceptional in this dish: capers, olives, artichokes, thyme, parsley, tarragon, oregano, red onion, red pepper, cucumbers. Have fun with it!

This Gratin is a Bauman College favorite. The Culinary Department makes it every
chance they get. Our Winter version was adapted to include seasonal favorites like
summer squash, tomatoes, and basil. It’s so decadent, you friends will never believe how
good it is for them.

Ingredients:
For Squash
6 large summer squash, such as crookneck or goldbar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium leek, sliced into half moons
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 medium tomatoes, heirloom if available, peeled and sliced into rounds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
5 slices millet bread, thawed if frozen and sliced into cubes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Basil-Cashew Alfredo
1 bunch basil
1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350.

For Squash
Place the sliced squash on a sheet pan and season with sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.

In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and sweat the leeks until
tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Set aside.

For Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
Toast the cubed millet bread in the oven until crispy, about 20-30 minutes. Place the
toasted bread in a food processor with the garlic powder and thyme and process until

finely ground. Set aside.

For Basil-Cashew Alfredo
In a blender, combine the basil, cashews, nutritional yeast, water, lemon, and salt. Blend
until smooth and creamy. Season with additional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste.

To Assemble:
In a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish, place 1/3 of the roasted squash in one layer on the
bottom of the dish, followed by half of the leek and garlic mixture, and half of the sliced
tomatoes. Spread half of alfredo overtop, then repeat layers in the same order – 1/3 of
the roasted squash, remainder of the leek and garlic mixture, and remainder of tomatoes.
Top with the last 1/3 of the roasted squash and then spread the other half of the alfredo
overtop. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over the alfredo and place in the oven. Heat
through for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!

This gorgeously green dish makes for a satisfying accompaniment to any simple meal. Check your Farmers’ Market for a local, seasonal selection of potatoes such as fingerling or wax potatoes.

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs potatoes
½ cup tarragon
1 ½ cups parsley
¼ cup walnuts
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
6 spring onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (optional)
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan filled with well-salted water. Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. This will depend on the size of potatoes, anywhere from 10 to 35 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the parsley, tarragon, walnuts, and Dijon mustard in a food processor. Pulse a few times to incorporate. Then, with the food processor running, stream in ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil and process until smooth. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

When the potatoes are finished cooking, remove from boiling water and place in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sliced garlic.

Place the sliced spring onions in the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to bowl with potatoes and garlic. Toss ingredients with tarragon-parsley pesto.

Squeeze ½ a lemon overtop potatoes just before serving. Garnished with a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Gazpacho is a summertime favorite, and this recipe makes use of two seasonal
ingredients: cucumbers and grapes. I recommend red grapes to provide a lovely green-
purple contrast in your chilled soup. Don’t be afraid to spice it up with more Serrano
pepper. It’s an old trick for beating the heat!

Ingredients:
6 cups cucumber, peeled (if bitter), and small diced
2 cups seedless grapes
3 tablespoons lime juice
½ Serrano pepper, seeded and minced, more if desired
2 heaping tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 large mint leaves, chiffonade
½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 cups of diced cucumber with grapes and pulse
to chop up. Process until pureed but still with some bits of each ingredient to provide
texture. This is the base of the soup.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber-grape base with the remaining chopped
cucumber, lime juice, Serrano, cilantro, mint, and sea salt. Stir to combine well. Allow to
sit for 20 minutes for flavors to marry.

Grind some fresh black pepper overtop before serving, and chill out!

Serves 4-6

Enjoy the flavors of Wine Country wherever you are in the world! This recipe is great as a side salad or as a main dish with the addition of goat cheese or fresh ricotta.

Ingredients:
16 cups baby spinach
8 large basil leaves, torn
1 cup halved red seedless grapes
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup sliced roasted red pepper
8 oz chevre or fresh ricotta (optional)

For Balsamic Dressing
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon 20 year aged balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Serves four

To make the vinaigrette, combine the mustard and balsamic vinegars. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the spinach and torn basil with the vinaigrette and a generous pinch of sea salt. Divide evenly between 4 plates.

Top each plate with ¼ cup of grapes, 1 tablespoon each of toasted pine nuts and roasted red pepper. Finish with a 2 oz medallion of chevre or fresh ricotta, if desired.

The combination of honeydew, coconut water, and natural sea salt make this a replenishing as well as refreshing summer drink. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lime, peeled
3 cups diced honeydew melon
1 cup coconut water
¼ teaspoon good quality sea salt, such as pink Himalayan crystal salt
½ cup ice

Makes about 4 cups

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined and frothy. Pour into chilled wine glasses and enjoy.

By: Chef Sita Brian

White Peach Sorbet
makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh white peach, peeled, diced, and frozen
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
Pinch sea salt

Combine the agave nectar, lemon juice, Grand Marnier, and sea salt in a small liquid measuring cup. Place the frozen peaches in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to break up the peaches slightly before pouring liquid mixture overtop. Process all ingredients until smooth.

Transfer mixture to the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Enjoy immediately or transfer to an airtight container and place in freezer.