Nathalie Dupree

We all want easy, with few ingredients, and dazzling, too. Who doesn’t love the “what is this” question when people are oohing and ahhing?

Recently I’ve stumbled on a few foods I never met before, like “Southern hummus” – made with butter beans or English peas – that make interesting dips, as well as some “new “ meats.

In fact, the “new” meat, a beef tri-tip roast, has been around in California since the 1950’s. But it was introduced to me this last year by the National Beef Council. It is referred to as a “new” meat by me because the method of cutting the whole beef has changed, with more tender cuts being carved out, and making many of the roasts smaller. The tri-tip, for instance, is the bottom of the sirloin roast. It is much more flavorful than, say, tenderloin, but it is nearly as tender.

Watermelon salad is a new twist as well, saving the bother of dealing with seeds in the yard sprouting mid-august. And strawberry or peach shortbread is as American as it can get, particularly made with biscuits.

The trick to this meal is also that everything may be made in advance --- the watermelon “sticks” cut and refrigerated in a plastic bag, to be tossed with the other ingredients at the last minute, the tri-tip cooked and refrigerated, the shortbread resting in the freezer or on the table in a plastic bag. It’s easy on the cook as well as the eyes and taste buds of the guests! But be prepared to tell the guests what everything is.