The Most Refreshing Lemonade

As summer around here begins to turn the corner into fall, I share with you perhaps one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had. Concocted when it was 92 degrees outside (which for us Seattleites translates into approximately the surface of the sun... seriously, we start complaining about heat when it hits about 83 or so) and when I desperately needed something cold and refreshing, this hit the spot. It's Strawberry-Mint-Watermelon-Lemonade, and boy does it hit the spot when it's hot outside.

Measurements are approximate — this is lemonade, after all — so feel free to change ratios however you see fit. And yes, I'm using store-bought lemonade, because hey, when it's hot outside, muddling the watermelons and strawberries is hard enough. Also, I really like Newman's Own Lemonade.

Crispy Potatoes and Peppers

The humblest vegetables can turn into amazing meals when prepared with fresh ingredients and a little attention to detail. In this case, it was very humble ingredients—potatoes, peppers, and onions—that turned into a truly delicious and simple meal with a few key additions and a little care in the prep. The key additions in this case are indulgent, true, but a little goes a long way: duck fat and creme agria. The duck fat came from some roasted duck legs that I'd made a while back, and the crema agria is Mexican style sour cream, I get mine from Darigold because it's what's commonly available (and delicious). It's extra smooth, extra tangy, and extra delicious, and while I'm basically required to love sour cream because I'm half Hungarian, this stuff is my absolute favorite, and can stand in equally for both regular sour cream and creme fraiche, for significantly less money than creme fraiche, I might add.