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We tried this TikTok trend where watermelon takes flight so you don't have to
Watermelon with a squirt of mustard? Or slathered with PB&J? These are some of the suggestions on TikTok for so-called watermelon flights.
Like a flight of wine or whiskey, watermelon flights are meant to offer variations on a theme. Artfully cut slabs of watermelon are garnished with ingredients sweet and savory to offer interesting contrasts...Read more

Make these savory corn pancakes the side dish of the season
Corn, sweet and tender, is in joyful high season. There’s lots of it, and it’s easy to find, easy to love!
The best way to eat corn is straight off the cob, dripping with butter and showered with coarse salt … or grilled to roasty, caramelized perfection and slathered with spicy lime mayo. But hurry, the season for corn is now. Enjoy it ...Read more

EatingWell: Put a Greek spin on your morning sandwich
Traditional spanakopita gets a morning twist in these tasty breakfast sandwiches. Wilted spinach and arugula add color, while a fried egg adds a boost of protein. If you prefer a runnier egg yolk, you can keep it intact (just be careful when you flip it!).
Spanakopita Breakfast Sandwiches
Serves 4
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 ...Read more

Seriously Simple: A Jewish New Year favorite: chicken soup with herbed matzo balls
This is my go-to quick chicken soup recipe for colds or holidays when I am in a hurry. For Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, I like to make this soup three days ahead to let the flavors mingle. This recipe begins with a good-quality, store-bought broth, which immediately gives the chicken flavoring a head start. (Make ...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: Alcohol in the summer
Q: What is the relationship between alcohol intake and hydration in the summer?
A: Summer brings outdoor gatherings with refreshing drinks — but it’s important to under- stand how alcohol affects your body in hot weather. Alcohol can increase risks of dehydration and heat-related issues.
Alcohol is a diuretic — it causes your body to ...Read more

The Kitchn: This is the easiest way to cook eggplant
Cooking eggplant is quite easy and works in a million different ways: grilled eggplant, roasted eggplant cubes, homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-3832614">Read more

The Kitchn: The no-bake Argentinian dessert that’s way better than tiramisu
If you’re a fan of tiramisu, the layered Italian dessert that became popular back in the 1980s, you will absolutely love chocotorta. This Argentinian recipe features rich chocolate biscuits layered with a fluffy, mousse-like filling of homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-3832613">Read more
JeanMarie Brownson: No column
JeanMarie Brownson is on vacation this week.
©2025 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The big restaurant that failed veganism
To atone before god, the book of Leviticus prescribes choosing two goats, one of which is slain as sacrifice and the other set loose to bear the sins of the people of Israel into the wilderness. That did not mean the animal was home free. Tradition states that the “scapegoat” was pursued and dashed to pieces as it was driven off a cliff. ...Read more

Pumpkin spice season is here: Coffee shops embrace fall with seasonal drinks
Starting Aug. 26, Starbucks has returned to its menus the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte. The drinks — made with real pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg, according to the company — provide a sign that autumn has unofficially arrived.
More than two decades ago, Starbucks launched the PSL, kicking off a worldwide seasonal craze and quickly becoming ...Read more

In latest mashup of Chicago flavors, Garrett launches new pizza-flavored popcorn in collab with Home Run Inn
CHICAGO — Following a flurry of Chicago-flavored collaborations, a new twist on Garrett Popcorn combines the crunchy kernels with pizza in a partnership with Home Run Inn Pizza.
Garrett’s “Chicago Pizza” popcorn uses its signature butterfly and mushroom kernel, tossed in Home Run Inn’s “Everything But the Pizza” seasoning, with ...Read more

EatingWell: This sweet treat packs a healthy punch
This simple chocolate zucchini bread recipe is rich and chocolaty with pools of molten chocolate chips on top. The subtle sweetness makes it perfect for breakfast or a snack served with vanilla Greek-style yogurt and raspberries.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Serves 12
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: Are raw vegetables healthier than cooked?
How do you eat your vegetables? Raw? Cooked? Both? No matter what your answer, odds are good that you’ve heard that it’s “healthier” to eat your veggies raw. Maybe you’re even sold on the idea. But is it the truth?
It is true that cooking vegetables can reduce levels of some nutrients — but it also enhances levels of other nutrients...Read more

Seriously Simple: A Mexican steak bowl is an easy dish for a weeknight dinner
All-in-one bowl entrees are a boon for the busy cook. I had lots of fun making this recipe with crowd-pleasing results.
This Mediterranean farro wheat grain is a happy surprise added to the traditional corn and black bean Mexican ingredients. Farro now can be found at Trader Joe’s and other markets, partially cooked so it only takes 10 ...Read more

JeanMarie Brownson: This risotto is the perfect way to cap off summer
Tomatoes and basil forever. Especially vine-ripened, locally grown heirloom tomatoes and homegrown basil. Paired in a salad, layered on crusty bread, scrambled with eggs, or just eaten out of hand over the sink, I never have enough.
Just when I thought I’d tried every possible combination, my uncle’s husband, a French chef, whips up a ...Read more

The Kitchn: I make batch after batch of this ‘magical’ secret sauce
If you’re in a dinner slump, I have a solution that is 100% guaranteed to excite your taste buds. The secret to turning bland chicken breast and boring baked fish into something that you actually look forward to eating is adding a sauce. Restaurants add flavor-...Read more
How you can pack a lunch that a child will actually eat
LOS ANGELES -- For Rebecca Zeitlin, packing her 5-year-old son's school lunch is always full of surprises. Offer him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at home and he won't touch it. But pack it in his lunch with fruits, vegetables and a small treat and he'll dive in.
He will "chow down" on applesauce at preschool parties. But if she served him...Read more

Budget dinners: Grilled summer chicken, bruschetta and peach crisp
As we inch into a new school year, and look forward to fall colors and football, it's not a bad idea to squeeze in a few last meals cooked on the grill and served al fresco.
The nights are finally cooling, if only slightly, and in my backyard at least, fireflies are still calling out to each other at twilight with their fleeting, magical ...Read more

Gretchen's table: Steamed mussels get bite from 'nduja, a soft and spicy sausage from Southern Italy
If you like eating and cooking foods from across the globe, you'll probably agree that sometimes the one ingredient that makes a certain dish sing is one you can't easily pronounce if you don't speak that country's language.
For me, that includes anything that gets a savory heat with 'nduja (pronounced en-DOO-ya), a soft and spicy sausage made ...Read more

If you're cooking burgers directly on the grill, you're doing it wrong
Every once in a while, I just need a burger. Nothing complicated, just a plump meat patty with a thick char that gives in to be tender and juicy.
Debate all you want about the type of the bun, whether to top with cheese and what condiments to use. But experts agree there are some non-negotiable rules:
Choose good meat from a trusted source. ...Read more