I have several watermelons growing which I supported with netted onion or oranges bags. The net broke on one of them and I went to put it back it and it separated from the vine (Stem still green). I did not think it was ripe so I brought it in and put in in a mug with the stem down in sugar water and let it sit for 5 days. I cut into it last night and found that it was pink and ripe, although a it was a small melon with a lot of seeds. We all enjoyed it and no one got sick.
This makes me wonder if the problem I had in the past involved watermelon grown on sludge or with some sort of contaminated water. Anyway, I saved the seeds and will grow Sugar Baby again! (Sugar Baby seeds are heirloom and grow true to variety provided they are isolated from other watermelons, which these were.)
A good start to August!
Thanks, Pete!
Time to make this Glazed Fruit Tart in Shortbread Shell.
ING---VANILLA PASTRY CREAM: 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 vanilla bean seeds 6 tb sugar 4 egg yolks 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons unsalted butter SHORTBREAD TART SHELL: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/2 c flour 1/4 cup sugar 2 large egg yolks 1/4 teaspoon fine salt FRUIT FILLING: 3 sliced kiwi 1 mango, peeled and sliced 1 pint blueberries 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 2 tbl apple or apricot jelly (for glaze)
COOK--PASTRY CREAM: on med, combine milk, split vanilla bean, and seeds. Set offheat as soon as small bubbles start to form at perimeter. Whisk sugar/egg yolks smooth. Sift in cornstarch; whisk smooth. Add 1-2 ladles hot milk mixture; whisk immediately. Pour egg mixture into milk mixture and return to heat, whisking constantly 1-2 min to thicken. Offheat whisk in butter. Sieve hot mixture into shallow bowl. Saran touching surface. Chill thoroughly.
SHORTBREAD TART SHELL in stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade attachment; mix all ing on low to evenly combine; mixture looks crumbly. Press crumbs evenly in bottom/up sides of 10-inch removable bottom tart pan. Freeze 20-30 min while the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 350F (lower temp by 25F w/ dark tart pan). Place tart shell on rimmed sheet pan; bake about 15 min, til edges turn golden. Cool completely (about an hour) before assembling.
ASSEMBLE: Spread pastry cream into cooled tart shell. Arrange fruit on top.
Heat jelly w/ bit water to melt; makes a glaze; brush on fruit. Chill til service.
ZUCCHINI BREAD / 2 loaves
3 eggs 1 c veg oil 2 c coarse-grated zucchini (loosely packed) 2 c ea sugar flour 1 tsp ea vanilla cinnamon baking soda, salt 1/4 tsp b/powder
Method w/ elec/mixer, beat 3 eggs frothy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar. Stir in 1 cup oil, vanilla. Beat thick and lemon colored. Stir in zucchini. Whisk/ combine 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and salt. Stir dry mixture into wet, stir/combine. Pour into 2 sprayed loaf pans. Bake 350°F an hour...til done. Cool in pans 10 min, then loosen sides w/ knife and remove. Cool on wire rack. Brush tops of loaf with melted butter while still warm.
For sweet touch, glaze w/ Lemon Icing.
CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE
Makes a lot of batter.....use a large Bundt cake pan.....or halve the recipe.
ING 3 sticks butter 8 oz cr/cheese 3 c sugar 6 eggs 2 tsp b/pwder 3 c flour pinch salt 1-2 tsp vanilla
Method---Cream butter. Add cream cheese and sugar. Continue to cream mixture. Add eggs, one at a time. Sift baking powder,flour, salt. Add to creamed mixture. Add vanilla. Flour and grease large Bundt pan. Bake at 300 deg 1 hour and 15 min........maybe longer depending on your oven. Cool. Garnish and serve.