vietnamese coffee ice cream in a cardamom, almond, and orange tuile

Posted on by

10

Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

I guess I picked the wrong week to give up ice cream (see my last post).  My intentions were good, having recently acquired chef and cookbook author, David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop, I told myself I would explore the somewhat lighter offerings from his granitas and sorbets sections. Blood Orange Granita…Champagne-Cassis Granita…Nectarine Granita…Tangerine Sorbet…Cherry Sorbet.  So many choices!  I settled on Pink Grapefruit Granita (again, see my last post).  It was light, zingy and refreshing.  I loved it and felt very satisfied with myself for avoiding most of the fat and some of the calories of full blown ice cream.  I was off to a good start.

Continue reading →

pink grapefruit granita

Posted on by

12

Pink Grapefruit Granita

Do you have a routine that became a routine before you even realized it?  Well, over the past few months, I have developed a habit of eating a bowl of ice cream while watching television. You and I both know this is a hard habit to break, but I think at least I found a healthier substitute.

The French call it granité. In Italy, it is known as granita siciliana, where it is eaten any time of day, even for breakfast with a brioche. The rest of us  know it simply as granita, a frozen dessert made with fruit juice or purée, coffee, or wine that is sweetened with simple syrup. It has a grainy, yet delicate texture, similar to shaved ice, and bursts with intense flavor and melts as soon as it hits the tongue.  It is often served as a light dessert, especially nice after a heavy meal, or as a palate cleanser between courses.

Continue reading →

sumo citrus slices with crème fraîche, pistachios, and mint

Posted on by

7

Sumo Citrus

Sumo Citrus.  Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until I walked into Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago and was greeted with a beautiful display of these uniquely-shaped and brightly-colored fruit with a thick, dimpled peel and distinctive “top knot”. These large mandarin oranges are seedless, easy to peel, and very sweet. They’re juicy, but not so much that the juice drips down your arm when you peel them like some oranges can do.

Continue reading →

blood orange hazelnut muffins

Posted on by

16

Blood Orange Hazelnut Muffins

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Well, if I had these muffins, I’d eat breakfast every day. Heck, I’d eat two breakfasts a day. Unfortunately, this type of logic doesn’t follow healthy dietary guidelines, so I go without breakfast on some mornings and relish the days that I can indulge.

Continue reading →

cocktail hour: harvey wallbanger

Posted on by

22

Harvey Wallbanger

In the ’70s, disco music ruled the airwaves and, on television, Charlie’s Angels solved crimes without messing up their perfectly feathered bangs. Leisure suits, platform shoes, and bell bottoms were in fashion. Fondue, salad molds, and pigs-in-a-blanket were staples at parties. Cocktails like the Tequila Sunrise, Rusty Nail, and Piña Colada were all rage in the ’70s, but none were as popular as the ubiquitous Harvey Wallbanger, known as the decade’s signature drink. A Harvey Wallbanger is essentially a Screwdriver (orange juice and vodka) with a float of Galliano®, an Italian herbal liqueur made with 30 different spices.

Continue reading →

strawberries and cream muffins

Posted on by

21

Strawberries and Cream Muffins

Strawberries and cream. They make a great pair, don’t they? In their simplest forms, they are spectacular, but they’re even better when baked together, like in these muffins. As soon as I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew I had to make it. Fortunately for me, strawberries are available year-round in Southern California.

Continue reading →

raw: italian yellowtail crudo with basil-orange vinaigrette

Posted on by

3

Italian Yellowtail Crudo

Over the last couple of posts, I’ve taken you to Hawaii for salmon poke and to Tahiti for poisson cru.  Today, I’m taking you halfway around the world to Italy for pesce crudo, which literally translates to “raw fish.” It is similar to the Japanese sashimi, but instead of wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled ginger, Italians traditionally dress the fish with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, and sea salt. As with the other raw fish dishes I’ve shared with you, the key to crudo is to use the freshest quality ingredients and let their flavors shine.

Continue reading →

raw: tahitian poisson cru

Posted on by

6

Tahitian Poisson Cru

I was first introduced to today’s raw fish dish, poisson cru, or e’ia ota, many years ago, on a trip to Moorea, one of the islands in French Polynesia, more commonly known as Tahiti. Poisson cru, Tahiti’s national dish, literally means “raw fish” in French. It consists of fresh fish, usually tuna or mahi mahi, and vegetables marinated in lime juice and coconut milk. It is found just about anywhere in Tahiti – from roadside stands to fine restaurants.

Continue reading →

raw: hawaiian-style salmon poke

Posted on by

21

Hawaiian-style Salmon Poke

Sushi is arguably the most popular raw fish dish (and my absolute favorite), but there are many other raw fish dishes from around the world.  Over the next few posts, I would like to share my interpretation of some other raw fish dishes I’ve enjoyed. First up is poke, a staple of “pupu” platters across Hawaii, traditionally made with cubed raw fish marinated in Hawaiian sea salt, soy sauce, roasted crushed candlenut, sesame oil, ogo or other types of seaweed, and chopped chili pepper.

Continue reading →

learning how to photograph food, part 1

Posted on by

25

photos of Orange Ricotta Pancakes, Chocolate Almond Bark Toffee, and Persimmon Ice Cream

Most of you would surely agree that a key element to a successful food blog is beautiful photography. A gorgeous photo of a mouth-watering stack of pancakes, a plate of chocolate toffee artfully arranged, or generous scoops of ice cream is a sure-fire way to grab a reader’s attention, most likely even before seeing the recipe’s title. Many times it is the photo that propels the reader to click to see the rest of the post.

Continue reading →

cocktail hour: cherry-lime rickey

Posted on by

21

Cherry-Lime Rickey, cocktail

Yaaay, thank goodness the weekend’s almost here! We’re near the end of a long week and we’ll definitely need a couple of drinks later this evening. Well, don’t head to a noisy, crowded bar for watered down happy hour cocktails after work. Instead, make yourself this cool, crisp lime rickey and unwind in the comfort of your home. This gin cocktail, flavored with cherries, is light and tart, with just a hint of sweetness, which is a nice change of pace from beer, wine, or the typical sweet mixed drink. So, when you get home tonight, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, and relax with a cherry-lime rickey. For you teetotalers out there, simply omit the gin, and add more club soda.

Continue reading →

endive stuffed with goat cheese, blood orange, and walnuts

Posted on by

30

Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Blood Orange, and Walnuts

I was first introduced to this light and refreshing appetizer about ten years ago (thanks, Auntie R), and I have been making it ever since. The stuffed endives look elegant, and they are a breeze to make. They’re perfect to serve at dinner parties since all the components may be prepped ahead of time and then quickly assembled right before guests arrive.

Continue reading →

orange ricotta pancakes with kumquat and candied ginger compote

Posted on by

12

Orange Ricotta Pancakes with Kumquat and Candied Ginger Compote

Growing up, part of our weekend routine included my mom’s pancakes.  My brothers and I loved the way she made them, stacked up high with a pat of butter on top and clear syrup dripping down to the plate. We would watch her cook them, eagerly awaiting the bubbles to form on top, signaling that it was time to flip. We would tease my brother, and laugh about how the dimple on one side of his cheek resembled a bubble on the pancake. Then, we would eat our breakfast, all together as a family, before we were all off in different directions – my parents shuttling my brothers to their Little League games and me to my organ lesson or to the library.
Continue reading →

spicy clementine beef stir-fry

Posted on by

21

Spicy Clementine Beef Stir Fry

While citrus are available year round, many varieties are at their peak of flavor in winter.  Among them is one of my favorites, clementine oranges. These little “cuties”, at their best right now, are super sweet, juicy, naturally seedless, and easy to peel.  Clementines are delicious on their own or in desserts, but I think they are even more sensational in savory dishes. Their sugary, tart flavor compliments the salty and spicy notes of this delicious stir-fry.

Continue reading →

persimmon cardamom honey ice cream

Posted on by

17

Persimmon Cardamom Honey Ice CreamSince I’ve discovered persimmons, I have been scouring Pinterest and other food sites for recipes featuring them. I’ve learned that the persimmon is an under-appreciated fruit, which is understandable, given my own history with them. I found a few interesting recipes, mostly for cookies and breads, which I am sure will make their way into future posts since I plan to purchase more persimmons to purée and freeze for use during the next couple of months.

Continue reading →