A diner with the best pie -yum

I just had the pleasure of going to the Kumm Esse Diner at the corner of Rts 501 & 422 in Myerstown, Lebanon, County, Pa. They make all their own pies, and often used freshly picked fruit (not canned or frozen). I had some fresh strawberry and some deep dish apple, and both were superb!

I have no idea what Kumm Esse means, though it seemed vulgar to me at first. The diner is a 1950s style shinny sheet metal type, and I imagine the name is derived from the local PA German dialect, and might actually mean something nice. Maybe like, "rest for a while' or something, who knows. (If you happen to know, drop me a comment!)

The waitresses all wore colorful scrubs. I image because they may be nursing us with comfort foods. The coffee was spot-on diner coffee. Good joe, but not gourmet. Fine enough to go well with great pie. My BLT sandwich was good, but not amazing. The staff was friendly. Our waitress sat down to chat briefly with two different customers who were eating alone–probably two of her regular customers.

What diners do you like? And what kinds of pie?

Picking the best watermelon

Watermelon is a summertime favorite, but how can you pick the best choice?

Here are a couple of tips.

1. 1. Like other fruits, check for soft spots or obvious visible damage to the rind, like rotten areas, and bruising.

   2. For your best chance at a sweet, ripe pick give them all a solid thump, with your fist, right in the middle of the long side. If you hear a ‘thud’ sound, it’s not quite ready. If you hear a nice, hollow sound then that is the melon for you. Test a few to notice the difference. A thud is a more full sound, and a hollow is lighter, more ringing sound. You can practice thumping full and half full plastic containers to get the hang of it. 

   Happy melon munching!
   

Campfire cooking: Why, and How to...

Some reasons I'll be campfire cooking more in the next few months:

Fun for the kids. (Simple way to get the kids happily involved in a low-tech, low-cost activity.)

It keeps the house cooler in the summer.

It's cheaper than going out to eat--by a lot.

It teaches the kids a useful skill for future camping fun; or perhaps, God forbid, survival.

It's potentially healthier than many other meal choices. 

It creates more family-time opportunities.

Time spent outdoors is something we all enjoy.

Here is a link to how to make a cooking style campfire, and some easy recipes to enjoy outside, or in your fireplace. 

Enjoy the season.