PINEAPPLE GRILL GLORY.

If you really want to spice up your regular summer barbeque fare, grilled pineapple is the way to go.  It's as simple as slicing up a fresh pineapple and placing the slices directly on the grill for a couple minutes each side.  No additions or ingredients necessary.  The result is a winner every time.  

The natural sugars heated on the grill, gives the fruit a wonderful caramelized flavour, intensely tropical and sweetly satisfying.  Every bite is a surprisingly full and complex taste, sweet and fresh at the same time.

Grilled pineapple is more than enough served on it's own, but if you still want to kick it up a notch, serve with honey greek yogurt, or top with a scoop of real vanilla ice cream.   Summer, please don't ever end.

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER.

This weekend marked the beginning of summer on the calendar, and the weather responded accordingly by finally giving us a bit of heat!  Although it came with a few downpours, I was happy to stroll out into bright sunshine this morning, soak up the rays and even the humidity.

Besides the sunshine, one of the best things about summer time is the berries.  In the winter, berries are hard to come by, expensive, and they lack in flavour and colour.  And then suddenly in June, there is a strawberry explosion.  Ripe, juicy, bright red, pieces of heaven are being picked daily by farmers and eaters alike.  The best part is, it's all happening right here in Ontario.

After having a few containers of packaged and shipped strawberries from the grocery store, I was happy to be switching out my frozen for fresh, but I was also craving the kind of fresh strawberries that smell like earth and sunshine, and taste of juicy sweetness.  I needed fresh picked Ontario strawberries.

So when I strolled by the Leslievillle Pumps Kitchen and noticed a new fruit stand out front, my heart skipped a beat.  If you haven't heard of the Pump's before, it's one of Toronto's unique little eateries, hidden inside one of the least likely places for good food - a gas station.  But it is good food, offering up breakfast and lunch sandwiches with ingredients like maple glazed smoked peameal bacon and farmer's sprouts with sides of corn fritters or poutine, to name just a few.  Tack on an outdoor patio equipped with picnic tables and greenery and you've got a winner.  Add in a strawberry stand, and well, you've got a bonus cash prize!

A basket of the delicious red fruit goes for $5 which competes with the usual St. Lawrence market prices, and the stand will be there every Saturday (and possibly Sunday if it continues to go well) all summer long, offering whatever fruit they have picked from the farm that morning.  Strawberry fields forever!

WATERMELON WATER. HELLO REFRESHING.

Fruit waters are popular in warm climates like Mexico, but recently they have started to pop up more and more in our North American summer season as well.  Refreshing, light, and versatile, these waters are a new take on the standard lemonade.

At it's most basic, fruit water is really just that - a sweet summer fruit blended with water.  However, depending on preferences and tastes, it can get sweet or sophisticated with just a few additions.

Watermelon really epitomizes summer for me.  It's virtually unavailable and forgotten during our chilly winters, and then it leaps back into the scene come spring, ready to be the star of the party at barbeques, soccer games, street festivals, and basically anytime the sun is shining.

So when the weather suddenly jumped into the humid 30's here, I started thinking about watermelons!  Unfortunately, watermelons are heavy, and it took a few weeks for the giant green fruit to actually make its way into my grocery cart.  Now, it's back to being a bit "fresher" outside again, but I'm still determined to have my watermelon water!

Traditionally, these waters are made by simply mashing the fruit with a fork and mixing it with water, but if you have a blender available, it's much easier that way.  For the most basic version, blend half of a large watermelon with 6-8 cups of water, squeeze in the juice of 2 limes, and serve cold!

For a little more excitement, add some sprigs of mint or basil, and a splash of Perrier (maybe even a splash of vodka if it's an adult event :).  If you prefer a sweeter beverage, just add in some agave syrup when blending.

If you plan on drinking through a straw, you'll need to strain the liquid through a sieve first.  However, if you don't mind a thicker drink, it's just as good as is.

Hello summer!