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FIREWORKS

from page 112

frosting and top with fresh berries.
There's nothing more patriotic looking
than strawberries and blueberries. You
can even slice up a few carambola (star
fruit) for a final touch.

Condiments To The Chef.

271 West Maple
Downtown Birmingham
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AV

....WAV IV A= M AV A., VidivkAem

What condiments are better than
mustard and ketchup? An assortment
of jarred and bottled mustards,
ketchups, hot.sauces, barbecue sauces,
pestos and spreads all on one table are
effortless yet impressive. They let your
guests really personalize their foods and
add interest to your buffet table. Leave
the condiments in their own jars and
bottles (it lets guests know what's avail-
able). The trick is to keep them all
together in an inter-
esting basket, tray or
just on the table en
masse.
Pickles, relish,
olives, cut vegetables,
grilled peppers and
caramelized onions,
arranged either in
small individual
bowls or grouped
together on a platter,
are another way to
allow guests to deco-
rate their food to
taste. An added plus
is that since there's
really little or no work involved in
preparing these, they're simple extras.
Don't worry about the flavors "touch-
ing" one another or mixing. As long as
you drain wet ingredients well (don't
rinse), the flavors tend to be pretty sim-
ilar. See recipe for caramelized onions,
below.
. Most people have favorite barbecue
sauces. Some like 'ern sweet, others
spicy and still others tart and tangy.
Buy one you like and "doctor" it up
with extra honey, vinegar, cayenne pep-
per, lemon juice, apple cider, garlic,
grated orange zest...whatever. That little
extra something you add will make
your sauce special.

Little Extras Really Count.

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1998

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114

Lemonade and iced tea, two of our
favorite summertime drinks, can be
made special in a snap. Add a little
cranberry juice to your lemonade for
color and tang. Float fresh fruits, sliced
citrus and berries in the pitcher. They'll
fall into glasses and garnish them too.
Fresh mint and lemon slices add to
iced tea's allure. For an no sugar version
of lemonade that actually tastes home-
made, start with frozen lemon juice
(Minute Maid makes an excellent one),

Above: Dress your store-bought
cake in Old Glory colors.

Left: A new twist on potatoes.

Bottom: Caramelized onions: An easy-
to-make garnish.

filled cooler and you have instant
dessert kids and adults will enjoy. Or 69
make a Michigan favorite all too often
forgotten: a Vernor's Float.
Fresh fruits, especially strawberries,
are perfect for dipping and decorating.
You don't have to
have an elaborate
fondue to make dip-
ping exceptional.
Chocolate ice-crearri.i
toppings or syrups MI
bowls can do the
trick. Another old-
fashioned dipping
favorite is sour cream
and brown sugar,
mixed or in separate
containers. Just put
them out and see
how fast they go.

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add water, artificial sweetener to taste,
and lots of ice. Float some berries in
the juice to complete the look.
Flavored ice cubes are super easy yet
add detail to your meal. Since cubes
take just a few hours to freeze, you can
make them in the morning for the
afternoon. Just pour lemonade, orange
juice, cranberry juice or tea into an ice
cube tray. Drop in a berry or two,
sliced lemons or an edible flower into
each cube and freeze. Add one or two
to a glass of beverage or more to pitch-
ers of your favorite cold beverages. Mix
and match ice cube flavors with drinks.
Buy boxes of your favorite fun
frozen desserts. Place them in an ice

As Long As Its Easy Make It
Yourself.

No Fourth of July meal is complete
without corn on the cob. This time,
though, instead of boiling or steaming
your corn, serve it grilled, either in or
out of the husk. See Grilled Corn on
the Cob recipe below.
411 1
Foil wrapped and baked Idaho, rus-
set, sweet or even small new potatoes
add sparkle to any table. Throw in a
quick-to-put-together condiments bar
and you've made baked potatoes a pro-
ject. Arrange several small bowls brim-
ming with minced broccoli, chopped
FIREWORKS on page 116