ceviche

One of my favorite appetizers during the Summer months is a bright, zippy ceviche. Turns out, I'm not the only one; LesleyKat loves serving ceviche in warm weather, too.

As much as love eyeliner, glitter and all things beauty another passion of mine includes making party food. I love the rush of getting it all done in time and seeing people enjoy food. OK, so I like to stroke my ego a bit by hearing compliments about my food... is that wrong? NO.

Anyway, last weekend I attended a party with a Mexican theme and I wanted to contribute in the food dept. The obvious choice was guacamole, which I made, but this story is not about guac. The hostess has an avocado allergy and I wanted to be sure to bring someone she could enjoy without fear of getting itchy. So what's more fresh, delicious and south of the border than ceviche?!

Keep reading to get pointers on making your own ceviche — and see Lesleykat's favorite ceviche recipe

Now that the weather is finally warming up, doesn't My Fare Foodie's tuna and watermelon ceviche look great? She shared her picture in our Healthy Recipe community group.

This ahi tuna and watermelon ceviche is the perfect refreshing treat for these hot Summer days.

Get the recipe and step-by-step photos on her blog, then be sure to upload your own food images to the FitSugar Healthy Recipe community group.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with this healthy recipe for lobster and shrimp ceviche wontons from FitSugar reader Whitney English, who posted it in our Healthy Recipe group.

These lobster and shrimp ceviche wontons are super tasty and super healthy at only 35 calories each! Serve them at your Cinco party tonight!

Check out the full recipe after the break!

• Chefs share their pantry staples. — Huffington Post Food
• Seven essential pots and pans. — Serious Eats
• Obama is signing the food safety bill today, but who is paying the bill? — The Atlantic
• The Daily Show has parodied the San Francisco happy meal ban. — Eater
• Taylor Swift is the latest celebrity to share her foodie ways. — Grub Street LA
• The best salads and breads to pair with soup. — The Kitchn
• Learn how to make classic Peruvian ceviche. — The Feast

I'm fresh off the plane from Maui, and my first visit was so fantastic that I'm already plotting my return. There, the fruits of the sea were so abundant that I had fish at virtually every single meal, in fresh preparations from spicy tuna poke to seared, sesame-encrusted steaks. One of my favorite ways to enjoy local catch like ono was in a Hawaiian-style ceviche with a tropical coconut marinade. I missed the dish so much that when my sunburned self returned to overcast San Francisco, it was the first meal I prepared for myself at home.

Incidentally, this recipe is from The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, the resort that I called home for an all-too-brief period of time. It's been the best stand-in for a beachside vacation — that is, until I find my way back to the island. For the recipe, read more.

Derived from the word tirar, which means "to throw," tiradito is the Peruvian cousin to crudo, sashimi, and ceviche. This raw seafood dish can be executed with a wide variety of fresh catch, from white-fleshed fish to shellfish and even octopus. Seafood is prepared in wafer-thin slices, and dressed cold with a light marinade that typically includes lime juice, and may also include olive oil, ginger, and various ají peppers. Unlike ceviches, tiraditos don't typically contain onions.
Lately, I've spotted tiradito on an increasing number of menus. Have you ever tried it?

If you're an adventurous home cook who enjoys recipes that think outside the box, get excited: this strawberry ceviche is perfect for you. When I came across it in a pamphlet devoted to strawberry preparations, I couldn't help but feel intrigued. How would raw fish marinated in citrus taste when paired with juicy, sweet strawberries? While I found it to be absolutely delicious, it's definitely not a combination for the faint of heart. Some of my guests loved it and others politely declined to eat it. If you're interested in experimenting with new flavors, check out the recipe after the jump.