In our last week of Eat (and drink) Local Month, I’m reviewing Bluet Charmat from Maine. Made entirely from Wild Maine Blueberries, Bluet Charmat is vinted in Jefferson, Maine. Thoreau called wild blueberries “bluets” and wrote of their “innocent ambrosial taste, as if made of the ether itself”. Bluet wild blueberry sparkling wine captures summer in Maine with the purity of a single ingredient: native Maine wild blueberries. Using  the Charmat Method (the same method that produces Prosecco) Bluet is brightly and bubbly with vivid fresh berry aroma. A chilled glass of Bluet makes a fine dry apéritif on its own, but also as the foundation of a sparkling cocktail, Bluet has an affinity for a variety of ingredients. Try Bluet with a splash of triple sec over crushed ice and a sprig of mint, or give it an old-fashioned treatment with rye whiskey, simple syrup and bitters. If you can get your hands on some mead, pour over ice, squash a lemon and float Bluet on top for a perfect peak-of-summer drink.This is truly a Northern New England original, now available at the Littleton Food Co-op.

Read more about Bluet Charmat here.

https://downeast.com/out-of-the-blue-bluet/

The first Thursday of August has been designated National IPA Day (we thought it was every day!). Let us help you celebrate “National IPA Day” properly today – just stop by the Co-op where you’ll have over 100 different IPA’s to choose from.

Sometimes it is hard to choose, but we are here to help. Here’s just one recommendation from our staff: Mayflower New World American IPA. After all, who could possibly know more about creating a “New World IPA” than our friends at Mayflower Brewing, descendants of the original (European) New Worlders? New World IPA is a 6% unfiltered IPA, which means plenty of Haze. This IPA is built on pale malt with wheat malt added for head retention and a smooth mouthfeel. The beer is loaded with El Dorado, Mosaic, and Citra hops creating big aromas of pineapple and mango.

Try this or one of the other 99 IPA’s in stock at the Co-op to celebrate National IPA Day right!

With some summer weather upon us more and more beer drinkers are looking for fruity sour beers. Prairie Artisan Ales from Oklahoma makes a Pink Guava Funk that definitely qualifies as a fruity summer sour. Technically an American Wild Ale, this wild-yeast fermented kettle sour pours a hazy copper with a fine white foam head. The aroma has guava, acidic tropical fruits…… and quite a lot of funk! The flavor is very sour with tart lemon and guava shining through in the finish. It has mild carbonation and a light body, but a respectable 6.3% ABV. Definitely something that every sour lover should give a try, now available at the Co-op.

Get set for great grilling with these grilling tips.

Start your grill about 30 minutes before you begin cooking. It’s a good idea to have a hot side for grilling meat and a cooler side for grilling fish, seafood and vegetables.

If you don’t have a gas grill, consider using chunk charwood, which is preferred by chefs because it burns clean and hot, sealing in the flavor and moisture of grilled foods. Since charwood is produced with nonlumber wood fired in kilns, it is also the best environmental choice.

Grilling tips

Aside from traditional grill items like beef, chicken and sausages you can add that char-grilled flavor to items such as:

Corn
Soak the corn in cold water for 30 minutes, peel back the husk, remove the silk, return the husk; then grill for 15–20 minutes, turning frequently.

Mushrooms
Wash fresh mushrooms quickly under running water; then pat dry. Skewer or place in a grill basket. Brush with oil and grill for 5–7 minutes. Whole portabello mushrooms take 10–20 minutes, depending on their size.

Onions
Slice thickly and brush with oil. Cook onions directly on the grid at mediumhigh heat until they start to turn brown. You can also roast an onion by cutting it in half, wrapping it in foil with a little butter, and cooking it for about 30–45 minutes at medium heat.

Peppers
Grill whole peppers at high heat until skin is charred black, about 15–20 minutes. Cool in a paper bag for 15 minutes to loosen blackened skin. Peel and remove seeds.

Potatoes
Wrap baking potatoes in foil. Cook at medium heat for 25–30 minutes or until tender.

Shellfish
You can cook shellfish on the grill. If they are large, such as prawns or crab you can grill them directly on the grid. Smaller shellfish, such as mussels, clams, oysters, scallops or shrimp can be skewered or cooked in a basket. Shrimp take about 8–12 minutes depending on their size.

Steak
Choose steaks that are no thicker than 1 1/2 inches, and which have some visible fat marbling for tenderness. To keep the juices intact, use tongs rather than a fork to turn your meat. At the hottest setting, sear for 1–2 minutes per side. Then move to a medium heat and cook for about 4 minutes per side for rare (it will feel fleshy to touch), 6 minutes per side for well-done steak (it will feel firm).

Spare ribs
Spare ribs are the most popular type of grilling pork ribs. Avoid using a direct heat source. Indirect cooking at a low temperature for several hours will produce very tender ribs. Season with a dry rub before you grill and add barbecue sauce at the end of grilling. Use a drip pan with water or other liquids, such as broth or juice, to keep ribs moist.

Fish
Firm fish, such as tuna, salmon or halibut can be cooked directly on the grill if handled carefully. A hinged wire grill basket is best for cooking whole fish or tender fillets. Grill fillets at medium to medium-low heat. Fish can cook quickly so turn only once to keep from crumbling.

This post originally appeared on Co+op, Stronger Together: www.strongertogether.coop/food-lifestyle/cooking/get-the-grill-started