Clementine

The next time you wonder if it's an appropriate time of day to eat a clementine, refer to the chart above.  And if you're wondering how to pack enough clementine into your system, here are some hints:

Breakfast: Ambrosia Breakfast Bowl
Lunch: Clementine Ginger Almond Rice
Snack: Creamsicle Smoothie
Dinner: Clementine Teriyaki
Dessert: Clementine, Basil and Lime Sorbet

Freekeh

What do you get when regular old Wheat and Freekeh (a.k.a. Green Wheat) switch places for a Friday and learn a tender lesson at the end of the day?  Freaky Friday might have gone through many remakes, but none like this.

Among the crazy fish-out-of-water scenarios, Freekeh finds himself in delicious dishes, including kabocha squash stuffed with roasted green wheat and peppers, freekeh tabbouleh, freekeh with mixed vegetables, and freekeh breakfast pudding.  Happy Friday!

Okra

Happy Chanukah!  What's not to love about a holiday that involves fried food (latkes), spinning tops (dreidels), and playing with fire (lighting candles)?

Please don't light Okra on fire (although roasted okra is pretty tasty), since he lends himself to both spinning and frying (okra fritters are kind of like okra latkes).  If you are looking for something a little less fried, check out pickled okra, sweet and sour okra, or quick stir-fried okra with fresh tomatoes and turmeric.  Happy eating!

Winners

After a great deal of back and forth, a few tears, and finally a lot of hugging it out, we are proud to announce Rambutan and Ghost Pepper as the Halloween Costume Parade winners! 

When Rambutan heard the news, he could not believe that he would have to share his title with Ghost Pepper and demanded a recount. While recounting set us back a bit (we promise that's why it took us so long to announce the winners!), we hope printing T-shirts will take less time.

Lest we forget our favorite fans, both Rambutan and Ghost Pepper each selected a reader to win a free T-shirt. The winners are e (@sirrice) and drMikey!  Please email us at info@kalecrusaders.com with your mailing address and T-shirt size!

Snow Pea

Snow Pea is a little sad to see the colorful autumn leaves fade, but he's super-excited for the promise of winter fun.  Sipping hot cocoa, sledding, and building snow(pea)men are just a few of Mr. Pea's favorite cold weather activities.

For those of us who prefer to escape the cold weather and seek refuge in the kitchen, you are in good company with miso vinaigrette snow peas, snow pea salad, stir-fried snow peas, red pepper and shallots, snow peas with mustard seed paste, and snow peas, tofu & ramen stir fry.  If you're in the northern hemisphere, stay warm, and if you live anywhere, stay fed!

Black Bean

In times of gastrointestinal distress and shopping, it's good to have a constant in your life.  Black Bean Friday is a day to appreciate all of the tasty food experiences you've had this year, and then go back to your old standby, Señor Frijol Negro.

Bring on the day of beans with Caesar salad, Mexican bean & rice soup, chilli, homemade vegan refried beans, and black bean brownies!

Cranberry Bean

Happy (American) Thanksgiving Week!  It's the most wonderful time of the year: a time to give thanks for the season's bounty while being grateful for the modern and awesome food innovation of canned cranberry sauce.

It's too bad that Cranberry's not-so-blood-related-cousin, Cranberry Bean, does not take well to canning.  Luckily, Ms. Bean fits in well elsewhere, including fresh cranberry bean hummus with chervil, fresh cranberry bean pilaf, vegetable soup with cranberry beans, farro, and chard, and fresh cranberry beans and tomato stew.

P.S. We owe yet another hat tip to our friend and Kale Crusader A.J. for nominating Cranberry Bean!

Yuca

If Prune can be rebranded a Dried Plum, why can't Yuca (pronounced yuck-ah) rebrand himself as Yuma (pronounced yum-ah)?  He might look less than appealing on the outside, but at least he's trying to make a name for himself.

Whatever pet name you choose for Yuca, he's always delicious in baked yuca fries, yuca con mojo, mashed yuca with cilantro and lime, and  tapioca pudding. Yum!

Persimmon

We interrupt this blog for a Persimmon Service Announcement.  Like Simon, Persimmon says a lot of things that you should listen to, when prefaced with "Persimmon Says."

Asked for his general advice on eating, Persimmon replied, "Eat persimmons, never too much, mostly ripe."  He also wants you to eat persimmon, pear, and clementine salad, raw persimmon fruit pudding, persimmon bars, and persimmon ice cream.

Root Vegetables

Back to our regularly scheduled cartoons! There's something magical when like-minded individuals come together to create something creative, beautiful, and tasty.  Fan favorites like The Roots have been doing this for 25 years, but nothing beats the Root Vegetables, who have been doing this for, um, a much longer time.

Let the Root Vegetables perform music in your mouth with root vegetable pancakes, root vegetable and fennel casserole, root vegetable pot pie, and lil roasted root veggies.

P.S. Don't forget to vote for your favorite Halloween Costume by this Sunday at 12:00 PM EST Vote here!!!

Vote for Your Favorite Costume / T-shirt!

(click to expand image)

If you're in America today, you know that there is a very special election going on: people everywhere are voting for their favorite contestant in the Halloween Costume Parade!

Leave a comment below and/or Tweet @KaleCrusaders to vote for your favorite contestant in the parade.  Comments and Tweets will count as separate votes!

The winning entry will become our first printed T-shirt.  We'll also randomly select two voters who voted for the winner to receive a T-shirt of the winning cartoon!  Voting is open until Sunday, November 11 at 12:00 PM EST.  (Anyone can vote, but we can only ship the free T-shirts within the United States and Canada.)

For a larger view, here's a rundown of all the contestants!
Contestant #1:   Candy Corn
Contestant #2:   Butternut Squash Bar
Contestant #3:   Jelly Belly Wanna-beans
Contestant #4:   Candy Apple
Contestant #5:   Peanut Buttercup Squash
Contestant #6:   Maple Syrup
Contestant #7:   Lime Mime
Contestant #8:   Brocco-saurus
Contestant #9:   Rainbow Carrots
Contestant #10: Cauliflower Child
Contestant #11: Rambutan
Contestant #12: Dandelion Greens
Contestant #13: Elephant Garlic
Contestant #14: Lobster Mushroom
Contestant #15: Cowpea
Contestant #16: Clark Currant
Contestant #17: Monstera the Explorer
Contestant #18: Dick Van Daikon
Contestant #19: Coolio as a Cucumber
Contestant #20: Julia Chard
Contestant #21: Vam-pear
Contestant #22: Seitan Satan
Contestant #23: Ghost Pepper

Good luck!  We are excited to finally release our first T-shirt!

Ghost Pepper

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Don't cry, Ghost Pepper.  We're also sad that today is the last day of Vegan MoFo. But look on the bright-side: today is Halloween and you managed to score a pretty rad costume.  Oh wait, what is that?  You're only tearing up because you accidentally got some of your own hot pepper juice in your eye?

In honor of today, the Kale Crusaders would like to host a last supper of sorts that is bound to make you tear up just a little bit (if not from nostalgia, at least due to spice).  Here's the menu:

Appetizer:  Hot Sriracha Roasted Chickpeas
Main:  Barbecued Garbanzo Sliders
Side:  Cajun Corn Salad
Dessert:  Apple and Poblano Pepper Pie
Beverage:  Orange Watermelon & Jalapeño Mimosa

Thanks for tuning in to our month of food cartoons!  It was a fun challenge and hopefully we will have some more cartoon ideas for Vegan MoFo 2013!

Seitan

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Our next contestant is a polarizing figure among those who are polarized by food matters.  Love him or hate him, Seitan Satan and his gluttonous brethren are ubiquitous in the world of meat-substitutes.

Whether you're a seitan newbie or a member of the seitan lecture circuit, sink your teeth into some basic seitan, seitan mushroom roast, candied vegan ham, and delicatessen vegan corned beef on rye.  Let us know what you think!

Pear

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Things just took a turn for the spooky here at the Costume Parade.  Our next contestant is the rotund Vampire Pear or Vam-pear for short.  Rather than focus on the dark and icky details of vampire lore, let's admire Vam-pear's fabulous vampire ensemble, including a vest and a cummerbund.

Finally, let's not overlook some other fabulous pear ensemble pieces in pear apple ginger juice, tangy tahini pear dressing, roasted pear, roasted pepper, chedda' & sauerkraut quesadillas, pear galette, and pear gelato.

Swiss Chard II

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Up next is the one and only Julia Chard.  With a permanent but always sincere smile on her face and a you-can-do-anything attitude, we are kind of speechless in the presence of this legend.  Cheers to you, Julia, and bon appétit!

In your honor we have prepared some snacks, including roasted cauliflower, garlic and swiss chard soup, Indian spiced lentils with quinoa, kale and swiss chard,  swiss chard and mushroom enchiladas, and garlicky swiss chard with white beans.

P.S. So concludes the fourth week of the costume parade, featuring celebrity costumes. Next week we'll present our final three spooky costumes as the month of October closes out. Stay tuned!

Cucumber

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

In addition to being a famous rapper in the 90's, did you know that Coolio is an accomplished cookbook author?  Honestly, we didn't know either.

Coolio, for your next cookbook, may we suggest recipes for chilled cucumber tahini soup with basil, vegan tzatziki sauce, cucumber hummus, and marinated cucumber banchan?

P.S. Check out this accidentally vegan and over-the-top Cookin' with Coolio video.

Daikon

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Today's contestant, Dick Van Daikon, decided to reprise his role as the beloved Bert from Mary Poppins.  Looking so swank in pinstripes, Mr. Van Daikon also carries the show in pickled daikon and avocado salad, vegan kimchee, daikon and mustard pickle, and Japanese Cajun gumbo.

Monstera Fruit

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

It is hard to see our little Dora the Explorer / Monstera the Explorer grow up and enter the tween rebellion stage. This year, in an effort to shed her image of a sweet goodie two shoes, Dora opted out of  a traditional monster costume in favor of a delicious monster costume.

Keep in mind that monstera fruit is potentially poisonous and requires proper ripening and preparation before eating so you don't get sick.  More details on preparation and taste on the food blog.

Currant

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our next contestant, Clark Currant (a super man indeed!).  Sweet, mysterious, and always ready to lend a helping hand, Mr. Currant swoops in to save the day in pumpkin spice oatmeal, toasted quinoa and carrot salad, acorn squash stuffed with buckwheat and currants, and even fruit digestive biscuits.

Cowpea

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

So, um, Contestant #15, we don't quite get it: where did you get your name?  [The parade pauses as Cowpea responds politely to the host.]  Apparently cowpea is another name for the black-eyed pea: the bean with the cool birthmark.

Fortunately there's no mistaking the awesomeness of the cowpea / black-eyed pea in black eyed pea fritters, black-eyed pea and collard green chili, black-eyed pea burgers, and even black-eyed pea pizza crust.

P.S. So concludes the third week of the costume parade, featuring animal costumes. Next week we'll present our favorite celebrity costumes. Stay tuned!

Lobster Mushroom

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Coming in from what appears to be another planet is our next contestant, Lobster Mushroom.  Lobster Mushroom says, "Though I am neither a lobster nor a mushroom, I am delicious and come in peace."

Speaking of out of this world, check out Lobster Mushroom in previous expeditions, including lobster mushroom bisque, lobster mushroom crispy spring rolls, lobster mushroom tostada tower, and lobster mushroom corn risotto.

Elephant Garlic

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Our next contestant is the Elephant Garlic in the room.  Mr. Garlic is an enormous garlic bulb that opted for heft over strong taste (translation: elephant garlic tastes quite a bit milder than your standard garlic).

Not typically one to take all the credit, you can find Elephant Garlic taking front stage elsewhere in elephant garlic cream and elephant garlic grilled vegetable skewers.

Dandelion Greens

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Our next contestant, Dandelion Greens, bears an uncanny resemblance to The Cowardly Lion.  What he lacks in the courage department, however, he more than makes up for in the nutritious-but-acquired-bitter-taste department.

Show some courage and give Dandelion Greens a chance in a dandelion green smoothie, dandelion guacamole, or an edamame carrot salad with dandelion greens and cashews.

Rambutan

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo. Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Our next contestant bouncing across the stage is not a Koosh ball.  Please don't let the name Rambutan, or the costume horns, or the tens of spikes intimidate you.

This tropical fruit contains a sweet and slightly sour grape-like flesh that is delicious as is, chopped up into a rambutan chutney, or blended into a rambutan and coconut sauce.  Just be mindful not to confuse Rambutan with his cousin, Lychee, because he just might use one of his horns.

Cauliflower

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

This breath of fresh air, peace, and serenity is none other than Cauliflower Child.

With outrageous colorful outfits that include tofu benedict with “caullandaise” sauce, tandoori cauliflower and cucumber raita wraps, and cauliflower croquettes, why would anyone accuse Cauliflower of being a dull, bland, or boring white vegetable?

P.S.  So concludes the second week of the costume parade, featuring random / awesome / theme-less costumes.  Next week we will present our favorite animal costumes.  Stay tuned!

Rainbow Carrots

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

["Macho Man" blasts on the speakers.]  Coming out next is our second team entry in the parade, donned in the Halloween group costume favorite:  The Village Peop...er...The Village Carrots!

Don't forget to Celebrate National Coming Out Day today with your favorite rainbow-friendly treats, including roasted rainbow carrots with maple-mustard glaze and rainbow carrot salad with mint.

Broccoli II

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Brocco-saurus is our first contestant to march out on four legs along with a humungous tail.  Broccoli, we salute your efforts.  This isn't the first time Broccoli has appeared in a show of course, and has had guest appearances in braised broccoli hot wings, broccoli & cheeze socca, or wandering the aisles at Ikea.

Lime

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Contestant #7 does not have much to say.  Lime may seem a bit too pedestrian for an underrepresented food blog, but we have a question for members of the audience: Have you seen a lime dressed as a mime before?

We didn't think so.  We also have a feeling that you have not seem lime in tahini lime rice with kale and cashews, lime chipotle mayo, avocado coconut lime tartlets, or pomegranate vanilla limeade.

Maple Syrup

In October, we're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Let's give a warm welcome to our sixth contestant, Maple Syrup, as he waddles across the stage.  Mr. Syrup would like to wish his friends a happy Canadian Thanksgiving, full of maple marinated stuffed tofu cubes, maple pecan roasted sweet potatoes, maple-roasted brussels sprouts with toasted hazelnuts, and maple pecan ice cream.

Buttercup Squash

We're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Halloween costumes are a mixed bag–there's the cute, the clever, and the creepy nightmare material.  It is difficult to choose which category Peanut Buttercup Squash falls into, but we guarantee that he is delicious inside and out!

Fortunately these homemade peanut butter cups look particularly cute, clever and non-creepy.

P.S.  So concludes the first week of the costume parade, featuring sweet treats.  Next week we will be mixing things up with some simply random / awesome / theme-less costumes.

Apple

We're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Contestant #4 shows that sometimes, true art leads to pain.  Beneath her candy-coating veneer, she is nursing a severe popsicle-stick induced headache.  Candy Apple, please feel better.  We applaud your commitment to your part!

Candy Apple can commiserate with caramel apples, chocolate apples, and fellow candy apples who share a similar occupational hazard.

Beans

We're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

This is our first team entry in the parade.  These guys were originally arrested for breaking into the Jelly Belly Candy Company's stash of beans with the aim of adding savory flavors to the mix. After bail, they found their true calling was spreading the word in public protest.

Despite all the sweets we've seen so far this week in the Costume Parade, all these beans are making us think warm, chili-filled thoughts.  Consider some three-bean chili, a serving of five-bean chili, or a big-kid mound of chili mac 'n' cheese!

Butternut Squash

We're posting one Costume Parade cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Want to go to the beginning of the Costume Parade? Start with some candy corn!

Our second contestant, Butternut Squash, chose not to squeeze into her tight candy bar costume; rather, she let the vacuum sealer do all the hard work.  Yo go, girl!

Here's a vegan Butterfinger Bar recipe for those of you jonesing for some stick-to-your-molars-fun.

For the slightly less hedonistic in the crowd, you can get your Butternut Squash fix with butternut squash gratin with shallots and cashew cream, butternut squash jambalaya, or butternut squash and mushroom lasagna rolls.

Corn II

This month, we're posting one cartoon per weekday as part of Vegan MoFo.  Be on the lookout for four more treats during the first week of the costume parade!  See you tomorrow!

Our first contestant in the Halloween Costume Parade is Candy Corn.  Her costume shows you that you don't have to choose between your two favorite snacks to deliver an awesome Halloween costume!

[Commotion from the audience.]  Wait, what's that?  Most commercial candy corn is not vegan?  No worries, here is the most popular vegan candy corn recipe on the internet!  And here are some old corn favorites from our Say Anything-themed Corn post.

Sweet Potato

Today's cartoons was inspired by Emily, who is one part sweet potato lover, one part runner, and one part awesome.  Mr. Potato has embraced his inner Richard Simmons today by indulging in some oldies but goodies, including candied sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and sweet potato pie!

GOOD NEWS!  You can expect lots of cartoons next month because we're participating in Vegan MoFo starting Monday, October 1.  Our cartoons will have a seasonal theme: a Halloween costume parade full of silly costume ideas.

What is Vegan MoFo, you ask?  Started in 2007, Vegan Mo(nth of) Fo(od) it is an annual challenge for food bloggers to post vegan food-related content for an entire month, with the goal of posting every weekday in October.  We hope you enjoy the challenge and perhaps pick up a Halloween costume idea along the way!

Acorn Squash

With Acorn Squash's five-day strict dietary regimen, you too can prepare for hibernation.  Here's the plan:

Day 1: Stuff yourself with some quinoa stuffed acorn squash.
Day 2: Indulge in bottomless bowls of roasted acorn squash soup.
Day 3: Fill up on acorn squash whole wheat pasta with poblanos and onions.
Day 4: Stick it to your ribs with roasted acorn squash risotto.
Day 5: Live by these four words: baked acorn squash rings.

Season's Greetings and good luck, Kale Crusaders!

I'm Mr. Squirrel, and I approve of this Acorn.

Long Bean

Long Bean goes by so many quirky names (yardlong bean, bora, long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, snake bean, and Chinese long bean) that it's hard for us to choose just one for going pun-crazy.

Instead, we've decided to focus our attention on Long Bean's flexibility and athleticism.  Mr. Bean's special talents also extend to pickled vegetables with peanut, double cherry almond and long bean salad, long bean stir fry, and long bean rice.  Hot dang!

Date

Yo ho ho! Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day, lassies and lads! While the majority of Talk Like a Pirate Day festivities are fun, the day is also a somber reminder of a serious pirate issue: the scurvy.

To avoid the scurvy, take me advice today and eat yer dates! Here are 3 ways to up yer date intake:

1. Score some chickpea, carrot and date tajine—the ultimate pirate's booty,
2. While a scallywag walks the plank, take a moment to snack on some coconut-pistachio stuffed dates, and
3. Mix date syrup into yer grog. It helps the rum go down easier.

Always remember, lassies and lads,"Touch me loot, feel me boot!"

Turkey!?

Kale Crusaders Headquarters is shutting down for 2.5 weeks to take a late summer vacation in Turkey!  We look forward to returning in full force starting September 18th.  We'll miss you! xoxoxo

In the meantime, here's a sneak peak of some of the Turkish (Veggie) Delights we plan to eat!  Kisir, çiğ köfte, imam bayildi, Turkish crepes (gozleme), and cezerye (Turkish Delight with carrot).

Celery Root

Are you craving a versatile veggie with a mild celery flavor, no tooth-catching strings attached?  Let us introduce you to the Cyrano de Bergerac of the produce world, Celeriac or Celery Root.

A magician in the kitchen, Celery Root has a firm grip on preparing cool salads and comforting soups. From time to time, you can find him whipping up something a bit naughtier, including schnitzel with a side of oven fries.

*Swoon*  What a catch!  Check Celery Root's full profile on:  CeleryHarmony.com

Red Lentil

If a Red Letter Day is a special day, does that make a Red Lentil Day even more special? Yes: especially on a Friday! Mr. Lentil has been saving up for his big day out, and today is the day he's going to make it rain pulses.

And what, you might ask, does one eat on such a special day?  We've got you covered. We suggest Egyptian Red Lentil Soup, Turkish Red Lentil Koftas, Ethiopian Lentils, and All-American(?) Red Lentil Burgers. That's quite the fancy Friday feast! Enjoy!

Mangosteen

Go, Mangosteen, go!  One thing that Mangosteen and Trampolining have in common is that people have heard of them, but few have seen them in full action.

While we don't recommend eating and trampolining, we most certainly think that members of the audience are entitled to a snack for all their hard work.  Consider sipping some mangosteen sorbet or nibbling on a few mini mangosteen "toffee apples."  You can also go the simpler route by indulging in the luscious tropical fruit that's hidden just beneath Mangosteen's thick outer skin.

Fennel

Fencing is a serious sport and Fennel is a serious Foeniculum vulgare. In addition to his lethal defensive stance, Fennel is known for pestering the competition with his frond-covered foil. We anticipate that the Olympic Fencing Finals will be no different.

When asked what victory tastes like, Fennel responded, "It tastes like licorice." Personally, we think that victory also tastes like roasted fennel garlic white bean crostini, fennel orange salad, and fennel soup with fennel pesto.

Golden Melon

You train for years.  You wake up every day before the sun rises and fight through the pain just to have a chance to participate.  You try, fail, and fail again.  Every once in a while you have a good day.  Finally, you kick off the 2012 Summer Olympics!  The Kale Crusaders are inspired by the talent, the athleticism, and the potential to generate 2.5 weeks of Olympics-themed puns.

And that's why we hope every athlete goes for the Golden Melon.

Mr. Melon, through his many fans, has picked up monickers like Golden Honey Melon, Yellow Melon, Korean Melon, and Cham Way.  He is kind of an all-star athlete. Refreshing and thirst-quenching in popsicles and fruit salads, and simply delicious au naturale, Golden Melon is ready to take on the world.  Good luck to all of our athletes!

Stone Fruits

The Rolling Stone Fruits band members Peach, Nectarine, Plum, Apricot, and Cherry team up for yet another reunion tour this summer. Brace yourself for sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, stone fruit popsicles, stone fruit antipasto, and stone fruit empanadas with stone fruit salsa!

Apricot

Apricot is not as much underrepresented as he is misunderstood. Small in stature and often found in dried form, Apricot has a tendency to get lost in a sea of stone fruits. Frequently, you will find him having to share the limelight with Peach, Nectarine, and Plum.

But who are we kidding, really? Obviously we are suckers for rosemary apricot tahini bites, apricot snack bars, raspberry apricot crumble, and apricot jam.

P.S. Hattip to our biggest Google+ fan, Joe, for nominating Hot Shot Apricot.

P.P.S. In his nomination, Joe also mentioned "I think he could wear an ascot." Not ones to pass up an opportunity to feature our favorite piece of neck apparel, today we have included a special bonus cartoon!