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Cuckoo for Cucamelon

Honey, I shrank the melon! Actually, despite its outward appearance, the cucamelon is only botanically classified as a fruit, tasting and functioning instead as a green vegetable. Though visually a dead-ringer for a watermelon at about 1/16th scale, the flavor is 100% cucumber; crisp, refreshing, and wholly invigorating.

Novel, but Not New: A Brief History of the Cucamelon

Also known as a Mexican sour gherkin, pepquino, sandita, or mouse melon, the cucamelon traces its roots back to Central America. The Aztecs were among the first to cultivate cucamelons, recognizing their unique taste and versatility in various culinary applications. In 1866, it was scientifically classified by a French botanist, but it has been a traditional crop in these regions for centuries. Despite the Americanized name that arose in the 1980s, they’re not a hybrid of watermelons and cucumbers.

What Do Cucamelons Taste Like?

No larger than the size of a common grape, these tiny green morsels pack a powerful flavor punch, combining the refreshing essence of cucumber with a tangy twist. The description of them being “sour” are largely exaggerated; rather, they have a bright yet subtle hint of citrus. Some lean more towards lime, others lemon, depending on what seeds you sprout. It’s a bit of a gardening gamble, but every outcome is a winning hand.

Grow Your Own!

While still a rarity in mainstream or even specialty markets, cucamelons are remarkably easy to grow. The plant thrives in warm climates, which is pretty much everywhere during the summer months now thanks to climate change, making it an ideal addition to your home garden or greenhouse. They’re relatively easy to grow from seeds, readily available for purchase online, and prefer well-drained soil with ample sunlight. Once established, the vines produce an abundance of cucamelons, making them a rewarding choice for any gardening enthusiast.

What To Make with Cucamelons

My uncle, who was kind enough to share his crop and inspire this post, made it clear he had three ways of enjoying them:

  1. Straight off the vine while standing in the garden.
  2. Freshly washed with cold water while standing in the kitchen.
  3. Tossed into salads, if he could wait to assemble one.

Although cucamelons are perfect for snacking just as they are, they have a multitude of culinary applications that make them a versatile ingredient in various dishes. Beyond the obvious methods of instant gratification, cucamelons can be pickled, turning them into delectable, tangy treats that pair well with charcuterie boards or as a garnish for cocktails.

Anywhere you might use a conventional cucumber, cucamelons can add a fun twist to old favorites. That means sandwiches, wraps, salsa, or even gazpacho or other chilled soups are all fair game.

Health Benefits of Cucamelons

Beyond their adorable appearance and delectable taste, cucamelons also offer a range of health benefits. Like cucumbers, they are low in calories and a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, and antioxidants. These nutrients contribute to better hydration, improved digestion, and overall immune system support.

The cucamelon is an unforgettable vegetable that should be a staple worldwide. Its diminutive size, charming appearance, and delightful taste make it a fun and versatile ingredient for both culinary enthusiasts and home gardeners. From snacking to pickling, the cucamelon brings a refreshing twist to various dishes and adds a dash of creativity to traditional recipes. If you want to start growing, or better yet, befriend an avid gardener looking to try something new, don’t miss your chance to enjoy them, a handful at a time, too.

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Come To A Boil

Boiled peanuts aren’t glamorous.

They aren’t trendy or novel or Instagrammable. Stewed in murky brown liquid to a soft yet tender, toothsome texture, they’ll inevitably leave you with dirty hands, salt water dripping down to your elbows, piles of spent shells accumulating on the floor or table in front of you. It’s impossible to look elegant while eating boiled peanuts.

Honestly, that’s a large part of their appeal.

Peanuts have been a staple food of the south since the late 1800s.

Although they were brought to the United States by slave ships from West Africa, their true roots are found in South America. They were cheap, abundant, and well-suited to the loamy soils of Virginia in particular. Though initially viewed as food for the poor, slaves, and livestock, rationing brought about by the Civil War made peanuts an invaluable crop for people of all classes.

It’s unclear why or who started boiling the goobers, but southerners certainly weren’t the first. Boiled peanuts exist in many cultures, most notably in China, Taiwan, and of course Africa. For whatever reason, I discovered boiled peanuts for the first time while in Hawaii, sold in the deli section on little styrofoam trays, chilled and shrink-wrapped for grab-and-go convenience. They were often flavored with soy sauce and star anise, subtly savory and well-salted. I was hooked from the first bite.

Cracking into the supple shells of boiled peanuts, the experience is both familiar and wholly unique.

Reminiscent of edamame, but with a more satisfying crunch, they’re a curious combination of both wet and dry, with juices exploding from the center not unlike a soup dumpling. This treatment makes them more aligned with their true nature as legumes, rather than crisp, toasted nuts, highlighting their versatility by flipping the script. You could certainly enjoy them warm, or even hot, perhaps even in soup once shelled, but I still love mine chilled as a force of habit. Something about that extra time in the fridge seems to accentuate their rich flavor too, allowing the spices to meld into a more harmonious blend.

The beauty of boiled peanuts is manifold, outward aesthetics notwithstanding. Whole peanuts are still a mercifully cheap source of quality plant protein, with plenty of fiber and nutrients to boot. Seasoning possibilities are endless, so you’ll never get bored. The only drawback may be their long cooking time, but that’s nothing a little pressure can’t solve. By cooking boiled peanuts in the pressure cooker, you can slash a full day of simmering down to just over an hour, with zero active work involved.

Conventional recipes suggest that “green” peanuts are the only acceptable option, but in truth, any peanut still in its shell is fair game. If you can find them raw, so much the better, but I’ve had excellent results with roasted peanuts, too.

Don’t worry about making a mess when you dig in; that’s half the fun. All you need to enjoy this healthy, savory treat is a stack of napkins and a robust appetite.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

There Goes My Gyro

Equal parts spectacle and street food, gyros are impossible to ignore. Spinning on a spit like a wind-up ballerina, glistening from the heat of an open flame, you may smell it before you see it, but the sight is positively mesmerizing.

The name itself comes from the Greek word meaning “turn” or “circle,” referring to this unique cooking method of continuous motion. Around and around it goes, edges caramelizing and crisping with each revolution. Periodically, as orders flow in, the pit master skillfully shaves paper-thin slices from the kebab, exposing the more tender meat within, beginning the process anew.

Make It Meatless

Before my fellow vegan and vegetarian friends recoil in horror, fear not: You can enjoy those same rich, highly seasoned prime cuts at home, without the meat, rotating spit, or perilous open flame.

Mushrooms Over Meat

Traditionally made from lamb, beef, chicken, or even pork, it’s a clear case where the actual protein in question is far less important than the herbs and spices involved. Especially when you layer in fresh vegetables and creamy tzaziki for serving, the entree could be made of pretty much anything. Enter: Sugimoto koshin shiitake mushrooms.

Renowned for their intense umami flavor, these mushrooms add a depth of taste to the gyro that’s hard to beat. Drying the shiitake mushrooms concentrates their flavor, resulting in a rich, savory, and remarkably meaty taste and texture. Koshin in particular are ideal for this application since they’re broad and flat, just like the delicate shavings of fresh gyro meat.

Serving Suggestions: Be Your Own Gyro

The beauty of the gyro lies in its versatility. Keep it simple or go all out; you won’t be disappointed even if you just go to town as is, no garnishes or accompaniments required.

  • Classic Greek Style: Layer the seasoned, air fried shiitake mushrooms in warm pita bread, accompanied by crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sliced onions, and a generous drizzle of tangy tzatziki sauce. It’s a classic for a reason!
  • Gyro Bowl: Create a wholesome gyro bowl by arranging a bed of fluffy quinoa, rice, or couscous, topped with the shiitake mushrooms, cucumber ribbons, pickled red onions, and a dollop of hummus. A squeeze of lemon adds the perfect finishing touch.
  • Mediterranean Wrap: Swap the pita for a whole wheat tortilla or lavash and fill it with your favorite gyro ingredients, along with some roasted red peppers and olives for contrast.
  • Gryo Hummus: Layer tender shiitake gyro on top of creamy hummus and serve with pita chips or cut veggie crudites for an instant party starter.

Hella Halal

With its roots firmly planted in the Middle East, the protein in question has historically been halal, but that’s not always the case anymore. For the concerned eater, swapping the mystery meat for shiitake mushrooms is a foolproof approach to ensure you’re avoiding a meal that’s accidentally haram.

What’s more, Sugimoto shiitake in particular are certified kosher AND organic on top of that. When serving a diverse range of discerning eaters, it’s the ace up your sleeve for an incredible meal that everyone can enjoy.

Indulge your senses with plant-based gyros, made effortless in an air fryer for your busiest weeknights or more elaborate celebrations. They are, quite frankly, a vegan masterpiece, celebrating the rich history of the Greek gyros while showcasing the incredible flavor of shiitake mushrooms.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Boldly Austin At Bouldin Creek Cafe

If there’s one establishment that embodies the Austin ethos of “keeping it weird” while uniting a diversifying community that would otherwise pull in opposite directions, it’s Bouldin Creek Cafe. Since its inception in 2000, this quirky artist’s enclave has captured the hearts of locals, cementing its place in the city’s sociopolitical map. For travelers, it shines as a welcoming beacon, from early morning to late night. Given top billing in any credible guidebook, it’s a worthy pilgrimage for vegans and food enthusiasts from around the world.

Bouldin Creek Cafe left a lasting impression on me from the first time I visited Austin, many years ago. I’ll never forget that meal shared with friends following Vida Vegan Con, watching everyone pull out their cameras as the orders arrived, feeling like I finally found my tribe. It was the first place I came back to after moving in, with pots and pans still packed away, cupboards yawning open with not a single can of beans to share. It’s where I’ve had countless dates, business meetings, solo meals, celebrations, and somber evenings. If you’re part of my life in a physical sense, we have or will inevitably spend time here together.

Always vegetarian with equivalent vegan options whenever a dish isn’t already plant-based to begin with, it’s one of the last surviving “old school” kitchens that makes veggie burgers from scratch- and actual veggies. There’s no Impossible or Beyond, no shortcuts or cheap tricks. Personally, I can’t leave without ordering something with tofu scramble, a classic take on crumbled and sauteed curds, thickly encrusted with cheesy, umami nutritional yeast. Making a truly exceptional tofu scramble is a dying art, but it’s alive and well here, executed at the highest level.

The beauty of the iconic tofu scramble is that it’s wonderful as a standalone entree, and even greater as part of larger plate. Zucchini migas folds fresh veggies and tortilla chips in with a spicy salsa, while Joe’s smokin’ “omelet” incorporates sauteed spinach with chipotle-pecan pesto. Sides aren’t a side thought, especially when it comes to the blueberry cornbread, served up in sizeable slabs so sweet and tender, you could easily satisfy cake cravings for breakfast.

More than once, I’ve witnessed rigid eaters soften their stance toward vegan food, embracing a meal without meat as a welcome change of pace, rather than a sacrifice. I’ve seen strangers connect over cashew queso, pups on the patio begging for hash browns, toddlers gleefully stuffing fistfuls of pasta into their mouths while somehow managing to wear the majority of it. Students hunch over coffees in tables next to couples dressed to the nines, kicking off a night on the town. It’s truly the crossroads of humanity, the universal answer to: Where should we eat today?

Bouldin Creek Cafe. It’s always the right choice.

Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

The Inside Scoop On Umami Ice Cream

Have we reached peak summer yet? Living inside of a proverbial oven, it’s hard to tell where summer ends and all other seasons begin. Temperatures have hit record highs starting in May, carelessly bulldozing right over spring, with no sign of stopping for fall. Most of the US experiences the hottest day of the year in July, but I have a feeling we’ll still be sweating it out for months to come. Want my advice? Dip into a creamy frozen treat to fight fire with ice.

I’m still not done churning after two ice cream cookbooks and scores of bonus recipes. Before you think I’ve run out of ideas and gone back to bland basics, take a closer look. Those aren’t just flecks of vanilla beans you see right below the surface, but tiny particles of finely ground shiitake powder as well.

Mushroom Ice Cream?!

Though typically touted for their uniquely meaty flavor that enhances savory entrees and snacks, there’s so much more shiitake mushrooms are capable of. Using Sugimoto shiitake powder eliminates the more earthy flavors and textures that turn some people off, leaving only pure, natural umami essence at your disposal. When used with a deft hand, it serves to amplify the existing flavors already at play, just like salt or sugar.

Instead of drowning out the delicate floral, buttery, inherent richness of whole vanilla beans, a pinch of shiitake powder brings them to the fore, brighter and bolder than ever. Suddenly, more nuanced notes of marshmallow, whipped cream, light caramel, pound cake, buttercream frosting, and custard can emerge, uplifted by the strength of free glutamate.

Ideas and Adaptations

Like any good vanilla ice cream, you can enjoy every last lick as is, or use it as your jumping-off point for bolder taste sensations. Classic mix-ins include but are not limited to:

  • Cookie dough
  • Toasted or candied nuts
  • Chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or fudge sauce
  • Fruit preserves, jam, or pie filling
  • Sprinkles

Change the whole character of your scoops by adding to the base instead:

  • Cocoa powder
  • Peanut butter
  • Peppermint extract
  • Lemon or orange zest
  • Fresh ginger

Plus, there’s no limit to the possibilities for dressing it up in:

  • Sundaes
  • Floats
  • Sandwiches
  • Cakes
  • Baked Alaska
  • Pies

Umami Flavor Hack

Don’t have time, energy, or equipment to start from scratch? You’re still invited to this ice cream social! Take any store-bought pint and sprinkle a tiny pinch of shiitake powder on top. A little bit goes a long way; you’ll instantly taste the difference.

I’m not making this up! It’s been proven time and again that everything, including desserts, can benefit from the addition of guanylate, the compound responsible for creating umami taste. The drying and rehydrating process of shiitake produces guanylate, so you get a pure, potent source that doesn’t disrupt the overall flavor, preserving the subtle nuances of the vanilla bean.

Don’t just take my word for it. This is an edible experiment that anyone can try with no risks, only sweet rewards.

Continue reading “The Inside Scoop On Umami Ice Cream” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments