Side Dishes

The curious scent of cooked rhubarb and strawberries This isn’t your regular applesauce. The aroma hits you first—tart rhubarb melting into sweet strawberries, with hints of vanilla and a slight zing of lemon. It smells like a backyard garden in bloom—and I don’t mean the floral side, but that sharp, lively scent of something just under control. Makes you stop what you’re doing. I made this because I overslept and needed something vivid, something that screams spring but also feels like comfort food for those tricky in-between days. It’s weird how balancing the tartness of rhubarb and the blood-red richness … Read more

Breaking the Rules of Fruit Preservation This isn’t your grandma’s watermelon jelly. I’m talking about skin-the-seeds, gut-wrenchingly sweet, slightly charred-smelling chunks cooked down until they turn into this sticky, glossy spread. I never thought watermelon could hold onto anything other than a spoonful of pitiful juice until I threw a handful into my pot, saw the bubbles turn a deep pink, and realized it smelled like summer’s last bonfire, smoky and sweet. Why bother making jam from something so watered down? Because during these odd spring-to-summer transitions, it’s about reclaiming what’s fleeting. About finding moments of richness in the most … Read more

Why am I making jam out of watermelon? It’s not about preserving summer – I didn’t even think I liked watermelon enough to turn it into jam. Then I noticed how that smell hits you—bright, almost floral, with a weird tang that’s not just sugar and fruit but something sharper. This isn’t the typical canned stuff that’s sweet and thick. It’s the juice you get when you slice a melon fresh and all those tiny crystals of sugar you sprinkle on as you eat it. That’s what makes it fascinating. It matters right now because watermelon’s at its peak, bulk … Read more

Why make jam out of something you just cut up? Because sometimes, the way watermelon smells when it’s baking down into this sticky sweet goo is like discovering a secret. It’s not just the crunch of how perfectly ripe it is, but the way the aroma shifts—like fresh grass, tropical fruit, and something faintly spicy. I was even surprised by the texture—so jelly-like yet somehow with bits of pulp still holding their shape. It’s raw and forgiving as a spread, like summer in a jar that you can open in winter and pretend there’s sunlight streaming through. I’m not obsessed … Read more

Why mix fruit with salsa? Because sometimes, your brain just can’t decide if it wants refreshment or heat. Watermelon gets a bad rap as basic summertime snack, but pair it with chopped jalapeano, a squeeze of lime, and fresh cilantro? It’s a little story about contrast. Juicy chunks with a crisp, almost crunchy bite. The heat sneaks in, but it’s tempered by that icy sweetness. This isn’t the kind of salsa you dip chips into—though you can. It’s something to put on grilled chicken or scooped onto a tostada when you want that wild, refreshing zing. No fancy ingredients, no … Read more

I never thought it’d be the watermelon that made me rethink jam. Usually, it’s about berries or stone fruits, right? But one scorching afternoon, I sliced open a watermelon and noticed how the juice smears across my hands—bright, wet, almost like a splash of pink neon. That smell, sweet and watery, hit me hard—nothing like the canned stuff you find in the grocery aisles. Some mornings, I crave a lip-smacking bite that’s cool and subtle, not heavily sweetened, and this jam is that. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best flavors peek out when you don’t expect them. Plus, it’s … Read more

I never thought a salsa could catch me off guard the way watermelon does. It’s not just the sweet, almost honey-like scent that drifts up when you cut into it — it’s the way the juice trickles down your arms, sticky and bright. This isn’t a salsa I planned. A friend handed me a slice last week, and I was like, wait, what? Mango, cilantro, a splash of lime? No. I chopped up some watermelon, let its crisp, watery crunch mingle with a handful of chopped onion and a squeeze of lime. That burst of saltiness from a sprinkle of … Read more

Chopping watermelon feels like an act of rebellion sometimes. No, I’m not talking about the juice dribbling down my chin or the sticky mess left on the cutting board. It’s the way the scent hits my nostrils—something green, something sweet, but oddly fresh, almost like a garden tucked inside a fruit. Nobody talks about how playful this salsa is. Like, it’s summer in your mouth, but also a tiny quiet riot. I’ve made this in moments of needing to surprise, to shake things up—not just for guests but for myself. It’s colorful, yes, but it’s also a reminder that sometimes, … Read more

I’ve been thinking about how the best ideas come when you’re not really trying. Like I was tossing watermelon chunks into a bowl after a long day, and suddenly, the fresh smell hit me — sweet, a little grassy from the mint, and that tiny flash of tang from a squeeze of lime. It’s unexpected to pair this juicy melon with onion and a splash of chili, but it works. This salsa isn’t just about looking pretty on a plate, it’s about catching that moment when the heat makes cold watermelon taste even more vivid and sharp. Right now, summer’s … Read more