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CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE…Quite the Ultimate Combination!
“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.”William Butler CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY CAKE…A combination almost too good to be true!This cake is now a firm favourite…a stunning dessert ! It was my sis-in-laws birthday a couple of days ago…& it was time to bake a cake again! I was really waiting for this cake baking opportunity because strawberries had begun appearing in the market. The idea had been germinating in my mind for long, & I was actually restless to give it a go! I planned to make 2 sponges; 1 chocolate & the other a strawberry flavoured one; sandwich them with whipped cream & strawberries;…
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SOUP FOR THE SOUL…Roasted vegetable soup with toasted croutons.
“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” Louis P. De Gouy, The Soup Book (1949) SOUP FOR THE SOUL…Roasted Veggie Soup! Its been a chilly winter so far, with winds threatening to sweep you off your feet. I read about a roasted vegetable soup eons ago, & its always been at the back of my mind to make it someday. A trip to the market tempted me to buy an array of fresh veggies…& then I trotted back home to set to work. Roasting these vegetables enhances flavours…
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TO QUICHE OR NOT TO QUICHE…A mushroom quiche & wholesome lunchboxes!
” I asked the barmaid for a quickie. The man next to me said, ‘It’s pronounced ‘quiche’ “… …(on occasional perils of speaking a foreign language)Luigi Amaduzzi, Italian Ambassador in Britain. A MUSHROOM QUICHE… At home, the lines are firmly drawn as far as the quiche story goes…or more suitably, the ‘quiche’ war. On one side, stand the son & me, who are not great egg fans at all; me far worse than him! The rest on the other side. It’s the quintessential question…to quiche or not to quiche? One wonder’s why I make it anyway. Well, firstly the die-hard baker in me overtakes the egg-disliker; & then, I actually…
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COLOURFUL FRUIT KABOBS…Cape gooseberry, Cheddar & Basil
“A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.” P. J. O’Rourke CAPE GOOSEBERRY APPETIZERS Its winter here in North India & many seasonal fruits are making a welcome appearance. One of them is my favourite, the cape gooseberry, or the ‘rasbharis‘ (meaning filled with juice). These little berries are sweet yet slightly tart, & are sold in bunches. In peak season, you will find cartloads of these lining the roads while driving…a sweet sight indeed. When we were kids, they would come each wrapped in its natural husky brown cover, which we would patiently…
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THE BUZZ ABOUT NATURE…of butterflies & bees!!
“There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.” Linda Hogan CHRYSANTHEMUMS… Nature continues to amaze…In the first week of December ’07, I posted a picture essay about ‘Chrysanthemums’…from bud to flower. I tracked another set of plants over the next few days, the ones pictured above. Most of the chrysanthemums are sadly on their last few days now, having given us endless pleasure day after day. With just a few flowers remaining, they continue to provide a platform for butterflies & bees to land on…& proudly showcase the colours of…
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CHOCOLATE TARTLETS…Mini pastry shells filled with chocolate ganache.
“If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you’re eating it too slowly.” Author Unknown CHOCOLATE TARTLETS… …Mini pastry tarts filled with a ganache, topped with marzipan. Ever since I’ve seen these mini bites, I’ve been fascinated by the little things & was looking for an opportunity to make them. There’s something very attractive about single sweet morsels because each piece has a ‘complete‘ look . Eventually made them for the daughter’s birthday, & coordinated them to match the colours & look of her ‘YIN YANG Chocolate Cake‘, pictured below. The recipe for the pastry cases / pie shells is from a quaint little book of contemporary recipes called…
