“Watermelon, watermelon, how it drips, how it drips
Up and down your elbows, up and down your elbows
Spit the pits! Spit the pits! “ -sung to “Frere Jacques”

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Look the watermelon over. You're looking for a firm, symmetrical watermelon that's free from bruises, cuts or dents. Lift it up. The watermelon should be heavy for it's size. Watermelon is 92% water, most of the weight is water. Turn it over. The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

This is the second summer that Vince has planted a complete herb garden in our yard. It's so wonderful to walk out back and harvest fresh herbs for our meals every evening. This week's recipes all feature fresh herbs. If you don't have an herb garden you can usually find them at your local supermarket or better yet – at one of our many farmers' markets. Enjoy!

Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Called the “royal herb” by ancient Greeks, this annual is a member of the mint family.  Fresh basil has a pungent flavor that some describe as a cross between licorice and cloves. 

Beaufort County is blessed with an abundance of delicious produce!  There’s nothing tastier than a fresh-picked tomato from St. Helena Island or a juicy ripe South Carolina peach.  How lucky we are to have a great place to shop where we can purchase this locally-grown bounty!  I’m talking about our wonderful farmers’ markets.  The markets – open Wednesdays in downtown Beaufort, Friday afternoons at Habersham, Saturday mornings in Pork Royal, Thursday afternoons in downtown Bluffton, and Friday mornings at Honey Horn on Hilton Head – are great places to shop for the freshest fruits, vegetables, home-baked breads and plants.