SUMMER COOKING TIPS FROM LOCAL CHEFS

August means different things to different people but for cooks looking to break away from mealtime ho-hums the month can mean solutions.

For example, this month is a great time to focus on seasonal vegetables and fruits, suggested John Wyman, owner of Mollie's Cafe and Bar and The Royal N'Orleans Restaurant, both in downtown Cape Girardeau. "There's so much available in August," he explained.

Wyman and several other local chefs and restaurant owners agree that, with a little ingenuity, August brings opportunity for a harmony of simple and delicious in kitchens everywhere. And it can be the cook's secret that in many cases meal preparation was a snap.

Capitalizing on the time of year can include taking a look at the methods used in food preparation, too.

"In July and August, lots of people are still wanting to cook outside," observed Tim Philipps, executive chef at Jeremiah's of Cape Girardeau's downtown riverfront. That can be a big plus, Philipps contends. Cooking over charcoal, he explained, "broadens the character of the dish."

For a delicious alternative in home-prepared meals, "Guide your whole menu out of the kitchen," suggested John Johnston, owner of H.R.H. Dumplin's in Mount Auburn Place. Provided the grill can achieve and maintain the required temperatures "if it's baked in the oven, you can bake it on the grill," he explained.

Fun tips learned as children still work wonders at the dinner table. For instance, corn-on-the-cob sprinkled with a little water, seasoned, then wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and tossed into the hot charcoals is delicious and easy. Potatoes are excellent prepared the same way, Johnston noted.

Seafood is among the many food choices that charcoal enhances, Philipps noted. "You can do some fairly elegant things with seafood," he said, explaining that any type of seafood can be prepared on a grill.

For grill preparation of seafood that would normally be steamed on the cook stove, Philipps shared this tip: "Make a pouch in aluminum foil, put in seafood with a little water. Close tightly. Close the lid on the grill and let it steam."

Entire meals can be made using the method, Philipps explained. "There's no limit to what can be prepared," he said. "Things you like and wouldn't normally pair together, with experimentation, you can develop into dishes that are unique and show your cooking personality."

The kabob is a type of dish that lends itself to such experimentation.

"You can use meat, fruit and vegetables all on the same kabob," Johnston explained. One of Johnston's favorite kabobs is a combination of chicken and seasoned apples. "Anything you like, put it together and it's going to work out," Johnston said. "That's how all new ideas get developed."

Cooks looking to enhance dishes ranging from standbys to creative, first-time recipes could do well to remember the magic of fresh herbs.

"One of the real joys of summer cooking is all of the fresh herbs," Wyman asserted. With herbs, he explained, "It doesn't take much at all to change the complexity or interest of a dish."

The Wyman restaurants supply their own herbs, with Mollies' executive chef tending an herb garden behind the restaurant.

Cooks will find the herb combinations they like best after a bit of experimentation. Wyman said fresh herbs are best used immediately after they are picked. "They can be chopped and added after a dish is completed, or cooked into a sauce and strained out," he said.

When it comes to favorite summertime entrees, fresh fish, lighter chicken dishes and pastas all get high marks, Wyman noted.

Cold salads or fruit plates served with homemade muffins or other types of breads are a few of the foods Jerry Thorne hears lots of requests for this time of year.

Thorne, with his son Dennis, are owners of the four locations of Jer's, one of those locations is in Jackson and one is in Cape Girardeau. A trip to the fresh fruit section of any good market will warrant shoppers a healthy and delicious dish, he noted. Any combination of favorite fruits served with a tasty dip is sure to bring smiles to the dinner table.

Homemade bread, such as muffins, can add a satisfying and wholesome touch. "Take a plain muffin recipe then put in bran or blueberries, just anything you want in it," Jerry Thorne explained.

Local chefs seem to agree, experimentation and the combining of foods in unexpected ways can bring tasty rewards.

Good cooks, Thorne surmised, "just go look into the refrigerator and say, 'Oh, I'm gonna do this...'"

SUMMER FOOD SAFETY TIPS

Michael Graviett, chef at Mollie's Cafe and Bar, compiled this list of summer food safety tips.

-- Store fresh chicken, tightly covered and on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator to prevent contamination of other items.

-- All fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly to remove surface bacteria, dirt and fertilizer.

-- Refrigerators should be set between 33 and 40 degrees.

-- All citric summer beverages, such as lemonade, should be stored in non-metallic, non-reactive containers.

-- Always sanitize cutting boards, knifes and other utensils between tasks.

-- Wash hands frequently and between all preparation tasks to prevent cross-contamination.

-- Minimize risk of bacterial growth by reducing time that food items stand at room temperature. Keep hot food hot, and cold food cold.