| Summertime Cooking Trends | | | | fresh from the grill is a taste worth waiting for. |
| Summertime brings warm weather and blue skies. | | | | Picnics |
| The kids are out of school and Americans hit the | | | | The company picnic. The school picnic. The family |
| road for their annual family vacations. And with | | | | reunion. Summer provides many excuses to |
| summer finally here Minnesota chefs will be | | | | bundle up your favorite picnic foods and a gallon |
| creating new menus and new delights using fresh | | | | of iced tea and head out to the park. Fried |
| ingredients and cooking techniques tailor made for | | | | chicken, hot dogs, finger sandwiches, and fruit |
| a summer afternoon. | | | | make for quick packing and fun eating. |
| If you look forward to Minnesota cooking in the | | | | Eating Out/Road Trips |
| summertime then enjoy our list of summertime | | | | When the summer sun hits us, we seem to have |
| cooking trends that will keep you smiling as walk | | | | a need to hit the road. Weekend road trips, |
| barefoot in the sun. | | | | evening drives, and family vacations get us out on |
| Fresh Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables | | | | the highway and off to our favorite destinations. |
| With our local mega supermarkets providing fresh | | | | Homogenized fast food places seem to be the |
| fruits and veggies in the dead of winter, | | | | rule for eating venues, but don’t let their big |
| we’ve gotten used to have fresh produce | | | | flashy signs fool you. There are still plenty of |
| whenever we want it. But nothing compares to | | | | locally owned restaurants serving quality home |
| those first local crops of berries, melons, and | | | | cooked meals along the road side to give each |
| tomatoes. The colors are brighter. The flavor is | | | | trip a unique food experience. |
| stronger. Nothing against growers in Chile, but | | | | Cold Salads |
| we’ll take produce from our local farmers any | | | | A cup of soup and a sandwich may work well |
| day. | | | | between October and May, but summertime is |
| Grilling and Barbequing | | | | the time for your favorite cold salads. Potato and |
| True barbeque fanatics will knock the snow off | | | | macaroni salad, vegetable medleys, three-bean |
| the grill or smoker to get the foods they crave all | | | | salad, even the venerable garden salad can be a |
| year round. Most of us, however, wait until the | | | | light and flavorful side for any entrée. And |
| long days of summer to put on the aprons, grab | | | | don’t forget cold soups like gazpacho or |
| the grill tools and head out to the back deck. The | | | | melon soup. |
| smoky, sweet flavor of burgers, steaks, and ribs | | | | |