tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12790893663624706182016-10-05T18:29:03.449+03:00My Kitchen AffairMiglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-42014510777560561752014-06-25T10:36:00.002+03:002014-06-25T10:36:41.584+03:00Muddiest of all<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316479750" title="Farm Feast 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast 2014" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3850/14316479750_c41bda2cb8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the calendar and <u>finally</u> the weather is calling summer, various food events begin to take place all around the country. They are like mushrooms after the rain, sprouting up everywhere: in a vibrant city center as well as in the smallest town. On a far-away farm, in middle of a park, near by a beautiful beach, in the old town hall, and even inside of a church. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14503129265" title="Farm Feast 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast 2014" height="960" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3837/14503129265_81e7e59200_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">People tend to say that if you went one of them, you've been to all of them. Same concept, same scenario, same events, same producers settled under the same tents offering same edible and non-edible goodies. Let's say it's true, but being too enamored of various images of food, or simply never too tired to make another walk around the stalls filled, stacked and loaded with the most beautiful flavors, I am still tempted to visit them all. <em>Well, at least as many as possible. </em>Cause even though very similar in nature, they all have a slightly different vibe. Something unique and exceptional could be found in each and every single one of them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like this <strong><a href="http://farmfeast.co.uk/info/">Farm Feast</a></strong>, for example, I visited... <em>oh well</em>, already a month ago. It goes into my list as being the muddies food event I've ever been to <em>(thanks to the rainy English May),</em> but just as well it was a place where I found that delicious <strong><a href="http://www.lancastersmokehouse.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=60">chili and lime smoked mackerel</a></strong>, remarkably moist <strong><a href="http://country-fare.co.uk/fruit-cakes/11-rich-fruit-cake.html">brandy fruit cake</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.thegiftofoil.co.uk/Category/Balsamic-Vinegar/24">balsamic vinegar</a></strong> I couldn't stop dipping my bread in and that terrific <strong><a href="http://www.poshpicklesandpreserves.co.uk/">Blood Mary chutney</a></strong> which, <em>let's agree</em>, doesn't need any other explanation. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316677887" title="Farm Feast 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast 2014" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3840/14316677887_ebe4782db5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14523237563" title="Farm Feast 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast 2014" height="432" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5502/14523237563_7e53afcf5b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14503172225" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/14503172225_6c8087e11a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14523279433" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="960" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3919/14523279433_42c23d5320_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316569628" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/14316569628_db58de9631_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14501841694" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="511" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14501841694_99100e5b34_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316719417" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="427" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2896/14316719417_219dda0f31_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14503171455" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="870" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3900/14503171455_a0f0b5a5b8_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316562949" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="464" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2924/14316562949_6dbfaf981e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316521020" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="883" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2903/14316521020_a273c62149_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316577970" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="483" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5506/14316577970_f17e7b2381_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14503229865" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="403" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/14503229865_9b2ba2ced6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14499835501" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="413" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14499835501_3136193f85_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14316774057" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="354" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3909/14316774057_ef48dac687_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/14523336153" title="Farm Feast, 2014 by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Farm Feast, 2014" height="378" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2916/14523336153_36b8c4e14e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-61979677308965616232014-04-17T12:18:00.001+03:002014-04-17T12:18:38.753+03:00Sugar-shocking "Cake & Bake Show" in Manchester<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885474706" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img br="" height="489" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/13885474706_bf47532880_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">E</span>ven if it means sacrificing my only day-off, waking up before dawn, getting on the bus still half-asleep while simultaneously trying to chase away any kind of signs of those weariness-determined questions <i>'<u>why</u> and </i><i><u>do</u> I really have to go there?'</i>, I would still not let myself to miss a food event. Any kind of it - a festival, a tasting, a fair or a show - that brings together those who treats this simple act of eating not only as a bare mean of survival, but as a quality of life. As pleasure and the purpose rather than something that can be taken for granted. I think, it might be called a <b>foodie disease</b>, when everywhere one goes and everything one does is being conceptualize by food. Places, people, atmosphere, even the relationship. And that is me. Incurable. Irreversible. For life. Cause I look for food before I look for anything else. I want to see it. I want to smell it. I want to know it. Read about it. Learn about it. I want to taste it and eat it. Eat it and appreciate it. All at once. All the time. Day in, day out. And most of all, the sweet side of it.</div><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885474706" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885474706" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"></a>So when I heard that <b></b><b><a href="http://thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk/manchester/">Cake & Bake Show</a></b> was going to happen in Manchester, I knew I was going.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885464021" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="464" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/13885464021_51496791f9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885463751" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="917" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/13885463751_759ec162fa_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909000654" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/13909000654_9c70b240dd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885463202" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/13885463202_2bc802eab5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd so, I went. Drooled over that enormously superb amount of sweets that was covering the place - from the <strong><a href="http://www.paulayoung.co.uk/">finest handmade chocolates</a></strong>, incredibly rich and gooey <strong><a href="https://www.devilishlygoodbrownies.co.uk/">brownies</a></strong>, heavenly silky <strong><a href="http://www.lovecheesecakes.com/">cheesecakes</a></strong> and the most sinfully sticky <strong><a href="http://littonlarder.com/">toffee puddings</a></strong>, to a whole range of giant <strong><a href="http://www.thelittleroundcakecompany.co.uk/merangz.html">meringues</a></strong>, elegant and stylish <strong><a href="http://www.heylittlecupcake.co.uk/">cupcakes</a></strong>, sophisticated pastries, the cuties <strong><a href="http://www.sponge.co.uk/">mini sponge cakes</a></strong> I have ever seen, sumptuous French classic - <strong><a href="http://lulumacaron.com/">macarons</a></strong>, the lightest and fluffiest hand-crafted <strong><a href="http://www.mallowandmarsh.com/">marshmallows</a></strong>, the creamiest <strong><a href="http://www.yumyumtreefudge.com/#">fudge pieces</a></strong>, a few lavish <strong><a href="http://www.bellissimocakes.com/gallery/" target="_blank">occasional cakes</a></strong> and a collection of gorgeous <strong><a href="http://salcombedairy.co.uk/">ice creams, sorbets and crushes</a></strong> that, <em>as they say</em>, appeal even to the most discerning palates. Next to all that, there was also an exquisite collection of various locally made <strong><a href="http://www.cherrytreepreserves.co.uk/">jams, chutneys, curds</a></strong>, spreads and butters, high quality <a href="http://www.druryandalldis.co.uk/"><strong>oils and vinegars</strong></a>, a whole range of English, <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-French-Corner-Ltd/194893417233533">French</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.swifts.bakery.co.uk/international.php">Italian</a></strong> breads bursting with absolutely amazing flavors and textures, velvety <strong><a href="http://www.cheshirecheesecompany.co.uk/index.php">cheeses</a></strong> only British know how to perfect, traditional savory <strong><a href="http://www.gourmetpie.co.uk/">pies</a></strong>, puds, and <strong><a href="http://www.ljhorners.com/">sausage rolls</a></strong> as well as a great selection of <strong><a href="http://www.teafromthemanor.co.uk/">finest teas</a></strong> and freshly roasted <strong><a href="https://www.adamsandrussell.co.uk/">coffees</a></strong>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909171274" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="893" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/13909171274_3f6e9997cf_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885635442" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="414" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/13885635442_8231ae433e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13908752565" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="960" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/13908752565_0fcb52e3eb_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885641036" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="478" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/13885641036_3aa39a68ec_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885633832" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="960" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/13885633832_b70e3ed3d0_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885639996" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="595" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/13885639996_9ec806199e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13908812723" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="397" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3708/13908812723_c47a255d50_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885865256" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="882" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2861/13885865256_6456872ace_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>y personal favorite <em>and by no means the best discovery </em>was <strong><a href="http://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/home">Joe & Seph's Gourmet Popcorns</a></strong>. An absolutely gorgeous thing! Perfectly crunchy, well coated with caramel, and fully packed with all kinds of natural flavors and flavor combinations that sometimes might seem a little bit wild and offbeat, but without a doubt, extraordinary unique and delicious. Peanut butter, double salted caramel, maple syrup & roasted pecan, caramel macchiato & whisky, goats cheese & black pepper, cheddar & smoked paprika, and Thai-style curry would be my first pick, but beyond these, there is a plenty of other choices. What about the combo of strawberries & cream, smooth caramel & Belgian chocolate, honey & hazelnut, gin & tonic, toffee apple & cinnamon, or olive oil, mozzarella & tomato? <em>If only the movie theaters were selling these...</em><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13908979175" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="378" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7135/13908979175_fc46aac5ba_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, I have to admit, no matter how badly I enjoyed being surrounded by cakes and cupcakes, there was a moment when I desperately needed to turn away from all those sugar lures otherwise my blood pressure would have jumped into the very sky highs. So, when I was not watching John Whaite making his famous <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5WhPro-vNQ">Stromboli buns</a></strong> from his latest book (<i>which is, by the way, just as amazing as the first one</i>) or enjoying fabulous Paul A. Young demonstrating his hot cross bun brownie pies and giving away a few extremely valuable tips about chocolate<em>,</em> I feasted my eyes on an absolute army of vintage crockery and various home décor attributes: from beautiful and classy <strong><a href="http://flintandflame.com/">knives</a></strong>, personalized cutting boards, artisan bread making tools, a whole range of excellent professional <a href="http://bakerybits.co.uk/bakery-equipment.html" target="_blank"><strong>baking equipment</strong></a>, a selection of different <strong><a href="http://www.foodieflavours.com/">natural food flavorings</a></strong> and various <span id="goog_1160916867"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><strong>cake decorating utensils</strong></a> to luxurious <strong><a href="http://alisonappleton.com/" target="_blank">tea pots</a></strong>, elegantly curved <strong><a href="http://alisonappleton.com/" target="_blank"></a></strong>porcelain cups, chic and graceful tea sets, delicately hand-painted mugs, unusual fabrics and tea towels, unique <strong><a href="http://messybaker.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=59">aprons</a></strong>, and all kinds of other stylish <a href="http://simply-vintage-designs.blogspot.co.uk/p/gallery.html"><strong>vintage accessories</strong></a><strong> </strong>that every kitchen enthusiast would pleasurably introduce into her kitchen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909002414" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="960" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/13909002414_39933d71b2_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885898636" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="471" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/13885898636_e77b451ba1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885898406" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5058/13885898406_819a8641c8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909073383" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="489" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3744/13909073383_06c4194896_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909072953" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="478" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/13909072953_390e933406_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> must confess, by the time I was leaving, the only thing I desperately craved for was a super salty and super juicy tomato which could just wash away every single trace of that incredible amount of sugar I consumed during the day. However, it doesn't change the fact that the show was really amazing leaving me with only good memories, a great amount of inspiration and loads of new ideas to be processed in the future. So, if you're around London on 3-4 October, you might really want to consider popping in the Earls Court, cause that's where the next stop for <strong><a href="http://thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk/london/">Cake & Bake Show</a></strong> is going to be. I promise, you will not regret it!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13886003176" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="476" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3754/13886003176_2405c849a6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909119145" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="427" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5002/13909119145_b1b7fea6fe_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909118645" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="960" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/13909118645_867a7af4c6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909178623" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="460" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/13909178623_567f6f45b5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13886001426" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="817" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3672/13886001426_b213bee4e2_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909532324" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="472" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/13909532324_4989f871bd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13886000726" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="397" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/13886000726_f7c645f0d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13909531604" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="427" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/13909531604_84618afe2d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13886000072" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="917" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7070/13886000072_2aa1ee8cd5_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/13885993481" title="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester) by Migle, on Flickr"><img alt="Cake & Bake Show (Manchester)" height="531" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2906/13885993481_e896b02aaa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> </div><br />Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-53566407025971804392014-02-18T16:45:00.000+02:002014-02-18T16:45:20.486+02:00For love and out of love: Chocolate Profiteroles<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12612971003/" title="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/12612971003_11a3e3c6b5_o.jpg" height="950" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> spent a morning in the <b><a href="http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/" target="_blank">museum</a></b>, wondering through the history of Liverpool, it's cultural background and the biggest shining moments of the past. It was a good day. Well spent day. One of those days that you notice not only by the sequel number on a calendar, but also by the impact it made for your self-being. To be honest, I'm not a museum-type of person. I need to be in a (<i>very</i>) right mood to go and truly enjoy it, otherwise I will be just one of those people who blindly scans through the paintings or exhibits (<i>however valuable they are</i>) while intensively thinking about where I should go for lunch later on. However, once I'm in a right rhythm to dance according to the music of the past, I try to make the most of it. After all, Lois Lowry is right by saying that: "<i>we have the museum to remind us of how we came, and why: to start fresh, and begin a new place from what we had learned and carried from the old</i>.” The more you know - the more you appreciate things. The more you appreciate - the more you acknowledge and notice. The more you notice - the more you are aware of life, and in turn - the more you live, the more you breathe in, and the bigger your breath is. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>o, I breathed. Historical facts. Epoch-changing moments. Odd truths (<i>did you know that the main character in forming the Scouse (aka Liverpudlian) accent, I have to admit, I still sometimes find difficult to follow, was <u>the potato</u></i>). Fundamental achievement as well as memorable quotes, one of which, as a matter of fact, clung on me for the rest of the day. It was words that <b><a href="http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/april-ashley/" target="_blank">April Ashley</a></b>, Liverpool-born Vogue model and world transsexual icon, said about love. I tried to find the original quote online, but after spending almost two hours scanning the internet all the way through, I simply gave up and put my trust on the memory. So, aside the precision, the core meaning of her words was that, when a person is in his mid-twenties, the most important thing for him is <b>to love</b>. Not to be loved, but <b>to love</b>, cause that is the time of selfishness, and only by loving one can satisfy this egocentric demand. Being loved, on the other hand, does not give anything.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12613277884/" title="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/12613277884_79b5c5cfb4_z.jpg" height="479" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>t got me thinking that the same goes not only for mutual love between people, but for the love in general. For that enchaining feeling of passion. Desire. Rage. Fury. For that unconditional determination that keeps you hungry. That makes you wild. Fierce and flaming. For that immense devotion. Fire inside. Drive to break walls. Climb mountains. Reach the sky.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>nce you have all this, world is a much easier, much pleasant, much satisfying place to live.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hat being said, let's talk about <b>profiteroles</b> which for me are the core remarks of that kind of love I have in my life. Love for food. Pastries, desserts and baked goods in particular. For the creativity that hides behind them. Artistry. Imagination. Detail. Precision. For all of those things you put inside before there is final product on a plate to please your eyes and, <i>in my case</i>, somebody else's taste buds.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>his time, it's <b>chocolate profiteroles with orange crème patisserie and chocolate sauce</b>.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12612873025/" title="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce" height="960" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7360/12612873025_70fc30f62a_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Crème Patisserie and Chocolate Sauce</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the choux pastry:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">90 g (3.17 oz) strong flour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">20 g (0.7 oz) natural cocoa powder</div><div style="text-align: justify;">175 ml (3/4 cup) water</div><div style="text-align: justify;">75 g (2.65 oz) butter</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 g (0.07 oz <i>or </i>1/2 tsp) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 g (0.07 oz <i>or</i> 1/2 tsp) salt</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2-3 eggs, <i>beaten</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the crème patisserie:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">250 ml (1 cup) milk</div><div style="text-align: justify;">finely grated zest from 1 large orange</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 egg</div><div style="text-align: justify;">50 g (1.76 oz) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">25 g (0.88 oz) soft flour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5 g (0.18 oz) cornflour</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the chocolate sauce:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">10 g (0.35 oz) cornflour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">250 ml (1 cup) milk</div><div style="text-align: justify;">10 g (0.35 oz) natural cocoa powder</div><div style="text-align: justify;">65 g (2.3 oz) castor sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5 g (0.18 oz) butter</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the profiteroles</b>, in a large bowl, sieve together the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a heavy saucepan, combine the liquid, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture the a full boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until all the flour is well incorporated. Return to a moderate heat and stir vigorously until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. <i>You can speed up the cooling process by mixing the dough either by had or with a mixer on a low speed.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the dough is still warm, but not too hot to touch, slowly add the eggs. <i>Add no more than a quarter of the beaten eggs at once, then mix well until they are completely absorbed before adding more. The paste should be of dropping consistency, so you might need to stop adding more before all the eggs are used or you might as well need an extra quarter of the egg.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F) temperature. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a lightly buttered baking sheet, pipe 2 cm (3/4 inch) bulbs of choux pastry. Bake in 220 C (425 F) oven for the first 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190 C (375 F) and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and hollow when tapped. remove from the oven and, using a skewer or a toothpick, make a small hole in the bottom of each ball, then place them back in the oven for 2-3 more minutes to dry out. Transfer on a wire rack and let cool slowly in a warm place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the </b><b>crème patisserie</b>, pour the milk into a heavy saucepan, add the orange zest and warm it up a little bit, <i>but do not boil</i>. Take out from the heat and leave for 10-15 minutes to infuse. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a meantime, a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until almost white. Sift in the flour and and cornflour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the milk is well infused with orange flavor, bring it boil and then temper the egg mixture by slowly beating in the hot milk in a thin stream. Return the mixture to the heat and once again bring to a boil, stirring constantly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from heat, pour into a clean bowl, dust lightly with sugar and cover with wax paper to prevent a crust from forming. Leave to cool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the chocolate sauce</b>, dilute the cornflour and cocoa powder with 50 ml of the warm milk.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bring the remaining milk to a boil. Pour a little bit of the boiling milk on to the cocoa mixture, then return everything to the saucepan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Take of the heat and mix in the sugar and butter. Leave to cool.<br /><b>To assemble the profiteroles</b>, when puffs are completely cool, slice in half horizontally each of them. Transfer the crème patisserie into a piping bag and pipe the cream into each profiterole, <i>though, do not do this more than 2 hours before serving cause they will get soggy</i>. Once all your profiteroles are filled with cream, place them on a plate or a serving tray and pour the chocolate sauce over.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12613276704/" title="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Profiteroles with Orange Creme Patisserie & Chocolate Sauce" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/12613276704_dca3623814_o.jpg" height="950" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-51332949777038740152014-01-23T11:25:00.001+02:002014-01-23T11:25:49.026+02:00Lemon, Dark Chocolate and Black Pepper Synthesis<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hen it comes to inspiration, very often it can be found in the most unusual places. The smell of roasted garlic and fresh herbs I saw the other day slowly dancing outside someone else's house. A few random ingredients that caught my eye in a grocery store and then unexpectedly ended up in my shopping basket (<i>like a bar of dark chocolate, a package of smoked sea salt, and a bunch of fresh rosemary, for example</i>). A spice that's been used only once and now anxiously waiting to be treated with the same respect again. <i>Yes, I'm referring to you, Mr. Star Anise!</i> Or a recipe in a daily newspaper I usually, <i>still very sleepily</i>, skim through while sitting on a morning train.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>ometimes, it can be a dish, savored in a cafe or a restaurant, so good that it simply begs to be recreated at home. Sometimes, it's a dish I imagined to be much better than it actually was, in turn challenging me to make it reach that perfection. And sometimes, it's just a flavor combination I came across in the most unexpected place. The flavor synthesis - truly amazing, but a bit intriguing and bewildering at the same time, compelling me stick to it in my further kitchen affair. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd that's exactly how I ended up transforming the flavors I had found in a <a href="http://www.kimchoc.be/cachet/pages/produits-cachet.asp?langue=3&niveau=17" target="_blank"><b><i>Cachet</i></b> <b>chocolate bar</b></a> into these sandwich cookies, building them up from pungent <b>lemon, </b>delicately sweet <b>dark chocolate </b>and cheeky<b> black pepper</b> tones.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> think, they were worth the risk.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12098922104/" title="Lemon, Dark Chocolate & Black Pepper Sandwich Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon, Dark Chocolate & Black Pepper Sandwich Cookies" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/12098922104_718e9b501f_o.jpg" height="1005" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Lemon, Dark Chocolate and Black Pepper Sandwich Cookies</u></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>200 g (7 oz) butter</div><div>160 g (5.6 oz) light brown sugar</div><div>300 g (10.6 oz) all-purpose flour</div><div>1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest</div><div>60 ml (1/4 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice</div><div>1 egg white</div><div>1/2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper +<i> a little bit more for sprinkling</i></div><div>1/4 cup (30 ml) double cream</div><div>50 g (1.8 oz) dark chocolate</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 150 C (350 F) temperature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar until creamy. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper and flour. Quickly knead the dough until it comes together and let it rest for 5 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once the dough is rested, tap it out onto the lightly floured surface and roll until 1/2 cm (1/4-inch) thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into circles and place on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beat the egg white until foamy. Brush half of the cookies with the egg wash and sprinkle some black pepper on top. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the chocolate filling</b>, in a double boiler, melt chocolate together with the cream. When the cookies are fully chilled, spread chocolate ganache on the bottom side of those that have not been brush with the egg white. Top with the ones with the egg whites.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/12098675525/" title="Lemon, Dark Chocolate & Black Pepper Sandwich Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon, Dark Chocolate & Black Pepper Sandwich Cookies" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7452/12098675525_330fdd33ed_o.jpg" height="964" width="640" /></a></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-85344764307443392052014-01-03T00:11:00.001+02:002014-01-04T21:47:36.103+02:00Lemon Meringue Tart - indulgent start of the new year<div style="text-align: right;"><i>Never allow waiting to become a habit. We are what we repeatedly do. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now!</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11716886784/" title="Lemon Meringue Tar by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Meringue Tar" height="920" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7413/11716886784_ae384e4f11_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify;">W</span><span style="text-align: justify;">hen new year has already trespassed our doorstep, let's grab the last chance to stop for a second, take a deep breath and cast the final glance at 2013: </span><i style="text-align: justify;">what did this year bring us? how did it challenge us? what did it give us and how much did it take away from us? did it make us stronger or did it crippled us? did it point towards the right direction or rather laid another obstacle in our endeavors to fulfill the dreams we carry along the way?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>t's never easy to look back, cause every now and then this even the tiniest glimpse at the past stimulates the avalanche of numerous worries and doubts. It makes me question the decisions I made, the path I decided to take, the fight I chose to fight, which in turn leads to the endless wonders <i>where I would be know if at that precise moment at the time I had made another call? Would I be better off?</i> But at the same time, without thoroughly rethinking and contemplating what have happened during the year that's already gone, there could be no appreciation for the moment right here. Right now. For the moment which actually is nothing more but a reflection of everything that has occurred before - yesterday, a day before yesterday, a few days ago, last week, last month, last year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11716524045/" title="Lemon Meringue Tar by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Meringue Tar" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3720/11716524045_63e3481cf6_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>o be honest, <b>my 2013</b> was a year of challenges. It was a year of struggle. Panic. Moments of despair. 12 months painfully etched with falsehood and letdowns. 52 weeks of constantly hammering questions and doubts. 365 days of trying to find the answers and unwrap the truth. To try to believe again.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut at the same time it was a year of growing up. Of finally catching my fate. A year of forgiving, moving on, stepping forward, making a change, accepting the presence and experiencing it just as it is. It was a time of true, when the only thing I was obliged to do was to come clean and honest, first and foremost, with myself. It was a year of big decisions and life changing moments. A year of trowing away the fear and choosing to be courageous and brave instead.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">J</span>ust as well, it was a year of friendship - the old one which I now treasure even more than ever, and the new one that, I would like to think, will manage to overcome the distance keeping us apart for a moment.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>ll, in all, 2013 is going to be a year I'll remember. The year I took off, spread my wings and flew. <i>At least for a moment</i>. The year that gave me hope with which I am eager to welcome another day. A day of 2014.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11716782793/" title="Lemon Meringue Tar by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Meringue Tar" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/11716782793_1946d34a42_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>L</b></span><b>emon meringue tart</b> has two sides: if one of them is marked with luscious sophistication and perfectly balanced texture of crispy base, indulgently creamy filling and very light meringue on top, the other one, meanwhile, shouts about the the warning bulk of sugar that hides in a single, <i>at first sight</i>, very innocent slice. 30 grams or 2 full tablespoons - that's how much one gets after dealing with the casual serving. However, I am more inclined to let this number slip away from my sight at the moment, simply because there 's no point in complicating the life that has already been complicated enough. <i>Am I right?</i></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut for the very same reason, this very same tart is the perfect one to start the New Year with, since rumour has it, the way you step into the new year reflects exactly how it's going to be. So let it be super sweet and indulgent!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11716517445/" title="Lemon Meringue Tar by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Meringue Tar" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/11716517445_94bf219c3d_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u><b>Lemon Meringue Tart</b></u></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Makes one 15 cm (6-inch) size tart</i></b></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the sweet pastry:</b></div><span style="text-align: justify;">100 g (3.5 oz) soft flour</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A pinch of salt</div><div style="text-align: justify;">70 g (2.5 oz) cold butter</div><div style="text-align: justify;">25 g (0.9 oz) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Half an egg (<i>the remaining half will work as an egg-wash)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the filling:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">140 ml water</div><div style="text-align: justify;">120 g (4.2 oz) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 large lemon</div><div style="text-align: justify;">20 g (0.7 oz) cornflour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">30 g (1.1 oz) butter</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 egg yolks</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>for the meringue:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 egg whites</div><div style="text-align: justify;">60 g (2.1 oz) castor sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the sweet pastry</b>, in a large bowl, sift together the flour and the salt.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cut the butter into small cubes and, using your fingertips, lightly rub it into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a separate bowl, beat the egg and the sugar until the latter is dissolved. Pour into the well into the flour. Using your hand, lightly mix to form a soft and smooth paste.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently just until it is smooth and well mixed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Divide the pastry into two, shape each part into a ball, lightly flatten them with your fingers and wrap in cling film. Chill for at least 30 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the pastry is rested and chilled, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).<br />Lightly flour the working surface and roll the first pastry disks into 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick circle. To make sure the pastry is large enough to fill the tart tin, take your tin, flip it over, and place on the rolled out pastry. Depending on the depth of your tin, the pastry should be about (1-2 inches) larger than the tin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the pastry is rolled out to the desired size, lift the pastry on the rolling pin and place it over your tin. Gently press into the corners and sides. Trim the edges and prick the base all over with a fork.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Line your pastry case with baking parchment paper or, <i>preferably</i>, a decent cling film, fill it with baking or plain dried beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and the parchment (cling film), brush the pastry base with egg-wash and return to the oven for a further 5-7 minutes until the pastry base is dry and the edges are just golden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the lemon filling</b>, put the water, sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest in a pan and start bringing to boil.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime, dilute the cornflour with a little warm (<i><u>but not boiling!</u>) </i>water. Mix into the lemon<i>-y</i> water and heat gently, stirring often, until the mixture thickens. Take off the boil and whisk in the egg yolks. Stir in the butter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pass the filling into the baked pastry case, let it cool, then place in the fridge to set.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the meringue</b>, in a clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Slowly beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar is incorporated, carry on beating for 3-4 minutes, until the meringue is nice and glossy. Place it in a piping bag and pipe on top of the cooled lemon filling. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">To finish the top, either use a blow torch or put the whole lemon meringue pie under a very hot grill until the meringue has become nicely golden brown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11716888024/" title="Lemon Meringue Tar by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Meringue Tar" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2829/11716888024_8fc1f39934_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-87299721499044571432013-12-25T10:56:00.001+02:002013-12-25T10:57:38.109+02:00Merry Christmas!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="428" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516013414/player/f20ba00f17" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>erry Christmas, Ladies and Gentlemen!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ish you all the happiness one can possess inside: long hours of laughter, warmth that's hiding inside a beautiful friendship, comfort on rough days, the armful of fortune and luck, confidence to clear all your doubts, faith to hold on to, and finally, the maximum courage to be adventurous and to dream big.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let the joy haunt you, let the tears run away from you, let the sorrow be washed in a stormy rain, and let the sunshine paint your days in the most beautiful colors!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>e happy, be merry, love and be loved!</div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-20467683889535038582013-12-23T19:36:00.000+02:002013-12-23T19:36:48.138+02:00Manchester Christmas Market - the best I've ever been so far<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="960" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11514842004/player/15f1bd0f80" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>here could be no pre-Christmas madness without Christmas markets raving all around the world. From Sapporo to New York, from Sydney to Mexico City, from Cape Town to St. Petersburg - the twinkling lights and jolly bustle is sparkling everywhere. I haven't had a chance to visit many of them, but the one in Manchester is so far the best I have ever been to. The array of more than 300 stalls weaving all over the city center is quite stunning on its own while the endless choice of some truly amazing handcrafted goodies and mouthwatering delicacies makes you hold your breath and get ready to harm your wallet quite badly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="427" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11515181755/player/a143962d9c" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="481" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516639875/player/a5310d2333" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="427" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11515262536/player/2ab1f70d05" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="479" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516104293/player/b12e457779" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>izzling German sausages for the sake of traditions grilled over a charcoal fire; fresh pretzels ruthlessly dipped in nutella; a wide range of German, Hungarian, Belgium and Czech beers; spicy mulled wine enriched with some truly unique flavor combinations; sweet hot rum punch; coffee and hot chocolate upon a wish accompanied by a twist of alcohol; warm waffles and paper-thin crepes; mouthwatering Dutch mini-pancakes; cinnamon roasted peanuts, chocolate covered almonds and honey caramelized hazelnuts; a vast bounty of various chocolates, truffles, biscuits and cookies; indulgently creamy fudge with over 20 different flavor proposals raging from simple vanilla or caramel to Jaffa Cake, rum & raisin, cappuccino, Jack Daniels and </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Christmas pudding; </span><span style="text-align: justify;">fresh fruits thoroughly dipped in melted chocolate; sophisticated and uniformly perfect French macarons and slightly clumsy macaroons; an ample range of assorted cheeses from France, Switzerland, Spain and Italy; cured meats (<i>hazelnut salami?</i>); freshly baked bread and a wide selection of various pastries ranging from Middle Eastern baklava and Spanish churros to German stollen, French Bûche de Noël, Italian panettone, Dutch fruit tarts, English fruitcake - that's just a tiny bit of that edible abundance you can find while strolling and making the rounds in the Market.</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="968" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11515997965/player/a7930ff329" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="489" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516438566/player/0d08c662c4" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516436186/player/efbbaba4b8" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">D</span>espite of several small nibbles of this and that, at the end of the day I still wasn't able to taste everything - just a crumb of a gingerbread cookie, a few roasted chestnuts, half of a traditional Italian cannoli and quarter of torrone, a few brushes of Christmas spice infused chutney along with a orange and chocolate curd and one and a half white chocolate and cinnamon truffle. But just when my sugar intake seemed to have reached the limit, I decided to dug the fork (<i>spoon, to be more precise</i>) into the traditional Austrian plum and marzipan strudel served warm with a generous scoop of creamy custard. Though the latter could have been a little bit sweeter, in general that beautifully layered pastry (flaky on top, but soft in the middle) and a fair amount of fruit filling trapped inside of it was just what I needed to keep myself going. And when the time came to warm up a little bit, mulled wine with Cointreau and passion-fruit was another pick of the moment, though the combination of wine, rum & mint or wine, apricot & brandy were just as tempting.<br /><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="427" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516358985/player/72bbdbf26f" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="484" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516377394/player/34b107b7b1" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> also picked a freshly baked dutch caramel waffle for my drive back home while my bag was entrusted with a package of mint & chocolate chip flavored coffee, a couple of very decent aged French cheeses and a jar of <i>confiture de lait</i> (aka<i> dulce de leche</i>) improved by a few delicate notes of Calvados.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="479" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516746003/player/b5717c12d7" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="433" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516654584/player/ddd293d087" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="454" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11516745173/player/9e1741c74e" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>o, now, all tucked up in sweets and a few other delicious goodies, I could firmly say that full of lights, flavors, smells, quality products and one-of-the-kind things – Manchester Christmas Market is a place where everyone should wish to end up during the Christmas season (<i>keep that in mind for the next year, folks!</i>). And though this year Christmas for me is not going to be as celebratory as it usually is, by no means it's going to be one of the most delicious ones I have ever had. Cheers to that!</div><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="669" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11514925853/player/02d12fd80f" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-91573742683012959452013-11-26T16:05:00.000+02:002013-11-26T16:07:27.501+02:00Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i>I loved to see the professionals at work. I was intrigued by the way a baker would take a few simple raw materials and create a beautiful and delicious finished product from them. To me, watching the kneading of dough was almost hypnotic.</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Paul Hollywood</b></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067183436/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/11067183436_3e17c0bbab_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> have to admit, I didn't know anything about Paul Hollywood before I moved to England. I hadn't watched <a href="http://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Great British Bake Off</a> and I was poorly aware of traditional British teas encompassing that boundless variety of novel and classical, but in both cases beautiful and delicious, pies, cakes, and puddings this island has to offer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, once you get here, it's quite impossible to shut yourself from this infectious baking virus spreading all over the country. Nowadays, everyone seems to know what a horror a <i>soggy bottom</i> is and what a splendor a golden and crispy crust happens to be. A few months ago, while waiting for the bus, I happened to overhear a conversation between two men that put a smile on my face. Apparently one of them was so disappointed in a football match he had been following the previous day that, according to him, he was simply obliged to switch the channel and ended up watching the "bake-off". <i>As if there was no other option among those few hundreds TV programs UK cable can offer these days.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>o, as we can see, it's either football or baking. And <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Berry_(food_writer)" target="_blank">Mary Berry</a></b> along with <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hollywood" target="_blank">Paul Hollywood</a></b> have become national celebrities. If you go to bookshop, their books are among the top bestsellers, whereas strolling around the supermarket you can easily fill your shopping basket with everything from spatula, a box of cupcake cases, a bar of baking chocolate, a piping bag, an apron or even a diary with a vivid emblem of <i>Great British Bake Off </i>on it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067185746/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/11067185746_da068a845c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> am not a huge fan of Miss Berry, though Mr Hollywood really fascinates me. This has nothing to do with him as a man or a person in general (<i>though, it was really interesting to know that originally, at some point, he is from Liverpool</i>), but rather him as a baker. I always get hypnotized by the professionalism you can see in a work of a true craftsman, especially when it comes to food, whether it's a marvelous four-tier wedding cake, a seven-course meal based on molecular gastronomy, or just a batch of perfectly shaped and textured bread. In this case, Paul Hollywood seems just like a person who knows his craft, and knows it very well. That's why, I dare to say, he is someone who's deserved to be marveled at, looked up to and learnt from.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>ost of his knowledge can be easily found in TV shows he's been doing recently: <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/b01rhdgt" target="_blank">Paul Hollywood's Breads</a></i> or the most up-to-date <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/b03hcv64" target="_blank">Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds</a></i> where he does not only celebrate the greatest pies and puddings in his kitchen, but also travels around the country in search for the best local ingredients and the stories behind them.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067186286/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="479" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2817/11067186286_0b2a5d5a1f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd there are books as well. <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Bake-Paul-Hollywood/dp/140881949X/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1385069083&sr=8-17&keywords=great+british+bake+off" target="_blank">How To Bake</a></i> - at this particular moment, is one of my favorites. Bought a while ago, it still tempts me to flip through the pages once in a while just before going to sleep or when I feel totally distracted from the daily routine and my mind as usual starts ruling and twisting around baking. Photographed by an amazing London-based food photographer <b><a href="http://www.petecassidy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Peter Cassidy</a></b>, this book will guide you through basic breads, then moves on to the flavored ones, welcomes you to the sourdough world, explains the main techniques behind the rich dough and, finally, invites you to the world of sweets where you could find everything from the very basic shortbread cookies and clusters to quite spectacular cakes, tarts and souffles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span> word of advice from Paul: <i>choose your ingredients carefully, opting for the best you can find. It will make all the difference.</i></div><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067093055/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="478" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/11067093055_a9b8c94317_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></i><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hough, I already had a successful recipe for <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/wholemeal-soda-bread.html" target="_blank">soda bread</a></b> in my recipe archive and Paul's ingredients quite resemble the ones <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Exceptional-Breads-Baker-Dan-Lepard/dp/1844004511/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1343066165&sr=8-9&keywords=exceptional+breads" target="_blank"><b>Dan Lepard</b></a> offered, but I was more intrigued by the suggestion to incorporate some Cheddar and raw onion or chopped pitted olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the mix for a flavored soda bread. I had the Cheddar, I had the onion, and I had half a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, but at the end I decided to jazz a little bit more and flavor my loaf with fresh rosemary and raisins that were also holidaying in my kitchen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">N</span>o regrets - the combination was just perfect. The pungent pine-like fragrance flavor of rosemary went very well along sweet raisins. The second time I made it, I added a few tablespoons of wheat germ into the flour mix that deepen the flavor and gave a very nice earthiness to the bread.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd so, while one quarter of it went down just on its own and the second one was paired with a generous dollop of hummus, the leftover nicely accompanied fresh pointed cabbage salad and cauliflower stew. Anyways, I wouldn't have minded if I had to eat it just on its own. Good bread is worth being enjoyed that way, <i>isn't it?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067202214/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="427" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/11067202214_8d0c272e39_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><u><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Soda Bread with Rosemary and Raisins</span></b></u><br /><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">inspired by <b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Bake-Paul-Hollywood/dp/140881949X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385055168&sr=8-1&keywords=paul+hollywood+how+to+bake" target="_blank">Paul Hollywood's "How To Bake"</a></b></span></i><br /><i><b><br /></b></i><b><i>makes 1 medium size loaf:</i></b><br />250 g plain white (<i>all-purpose</i>) flour, <i>plus extra for dusting</i><br />1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />2-3 fresh rosemary stalks<br />200 ml (4/5 cup) buttermilk<br />50 g (1.8 oz) raisins<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F) temperature and line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone mat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix in the finely chopped rosemary, raisins and stir in the buttermilk to form a slightly sticky dough. <i>I warn you, the dough will be quite sticky, but try to restrain from adding more flour; work it just as much as needed to shape into the ball, so that in the end you will get very soft bread that will rather melt in your mouth than be impossible to bite into and chew.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it quickly into a ball.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Carefully transfer the ball on the baking tray, flatten a little bit with your hand and, using a sharp lightly floured knife, mark into quarters, cutting deeply through the bread, almost but not quite through to the base. Dust with a little bit of flour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf is cooked through - it should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Leave it to cool on a wire rack.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This bread is best used withing a day, cause later on it will lose its tenderness; though it might be retrieved if you sliced the bread and toasted lightly.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Once baked, soda bread is also very susceptible to freezing. Just keep in mind that in order to freeze the freshness, is is best to do that as soon as the bread is cool enough to be wrapped in a cling film or freezer bag and placed in a freezer. After removing from the freezer, you can either leave the bread to thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours and then warm it up in the oven for a few minutes, or you can simply shortcut everything by profitting from the microwave defrost program.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">\</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/11067091605/" title="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Soda Bread with Rosemary & Raisins" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/11067091605_e2bbc6b437_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-51994344238661314142013-11-15T11:12:00.000+02:002013-11-15T11:12:38.565+02:00I take my applesauce seriously<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> don't know how about you guys, but I was raised with the applesauce that is rustic and chunky, never too sweet and with loads of cinnamon evaporating from the jar. It's like the dessert on its own you can just spoon right from the jar not being bothered to incorporate it into something else. <i>Well</i>, the only thing it might need is a little bit of fresh curd cheese to land on, or a nice slice of toasted bread. <i>I like mine rye, for example.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hese days, my well beloved combination consists of homemade applesauce and (<i>preferable homemade</i>) peanut butter where indulgently rich and creamy butter is beautifully counterbalanced by the light and fruity mash. However, back when I was <i>young and inexperienced</i>, this kind of pairing was never a part of the plan. To be honest, my taste buds started accepting the peanut butter only when I was residing in United States (<i>which was not too long ago</i>), so before that, in those <i>peanut-butter-less</i> days, I had to take an advantage of anything I could find on hand if I thought that my applesauce moment needed an extra guest. That could be a few dollops of cream cheese, yogurt, fresh curd, a bowl of oatmeal or a generous scoop of ice cream. And I already told you about the toast: one spoonful on a still warm bread, two spoonfuls into a mouth - that's how the story went.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10866798153/" title="Newsham Park, Liverpool, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Newsham Park, Liverpool, United Kingdom" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/10866798153_69369187e6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>ill this day, I take my applesauce very seriously. Simply because there could be nothing more pleasant than that silky chunk of an apple melting in a mouth. It's like eating the apple pie and not missing the crust. However, supermarkets these days tend to sell only that sloppy mash that, if it was up to me, would never qualify as a decent applesauce. It also means that, once the autumn steps in, it usually is not allowed to slip through my fingers without leaving behind at least a small batch of perfectly textured and flavored apple dainty.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10866461165/" title="Newsham Park, Liverpool, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Newsham Park, Liverpool, United Kingdom" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/10866461165_0150403885_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, this year, being all on a move, I didn't have time to put my hands on <i>any kind of canning and preserving activities</i>. In that case, it's always good to have mum who makes sure you are well equipped with your most beloved foods, even though it means shipping them a few thousand kilometers. But there is still something peculiar about that warm fruity <i>slop</i> you spoon right from the hot jar just before twisting the lid.<br /><i><br /></i><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>herefore, <b>roasted applesauce</b> is good when there is no time to get into an affair with the stove-top and heavy saucepan. The only thing you need to do here is just pop your fruits and spices into the oven, wait until they are tender enough to mash, blend until the <u>right</u> consistency, ladle into the jar, seal it up and wait until it's cool enough to take place in a fridge. In the meantime, eat what did not fit (<i>or you simply did not want it to fit</i>) into a jar. And that's pretty much it. As simple as that, <i>especially if you have someone who could give you a hand to peal, core and dice those apples</i>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd when it comes to taste, roasted applesauce is slightly more exceptional than the regular one as the heat of the oven concentrates the overall flavor and gives that nice caramel<i>-y</i> tone. You can add a splash of apple cider or apple cider vinegar to sharpen the flavors just like you do when you are caramelizing the onions. Herbs - feel free to use any of them, but personally to me, sage or thyme works the best. On top of that, don't be afraid to play around with some additional ingredients, such as crystallized ginger, candied orange or fresh orange zest, raisins, dates, dried apricots, pears, mashed bananas - the choice is well beyond boundless.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10866409113/" title="Roasted Applesauce with Sage by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Roasted Applesauce with Sage" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/10866409113_1eb619187b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Roasted Applesauce with Sage</u></b></span><br /><br /><i><b>makes approximately 500 ml (17 oz)</b>:</i><br />5 medium apples<br />1 Tbsp lemon juice<br />2 Tbsp brown sugar<br />1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />1/4 tsp ground nutmeg<br />handful of fresh sage, <i>depends on how intense you want the sage flavor</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Peal, core and dice the apples. Mix with lemon juice, sugar, spices, and sage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spread the mixture evenly on the baking dish, and bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, until apples are mushy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For a chunky applesauce, reach for a fork or potato masher, and mash to the desired consistency. For smooth applesauce, using the blender purée the apples until you reach that smooth mash.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pour the applesauce into the jar, seal it and let it cool. Then store in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can also freeze your applesauce. In that case, let it defrost at room temperature before using. Once opened, store in a fridge.</div><ul></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10866408963/" title="Roasted Applesauce with Sage by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Roasted Applesauce with Sage" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7456/10866408963_a83e9e3e2b_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Another apple and sage combination:</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/on-way-back-apple-pie-with-sage-and.html" target="_blank">Apple Pie with Sage and Honey</a></i></div></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-23882310730639399912013-11-07T09:50:00.001+02:002013-11-07T09:50:59.383+02:00Very Autumnal Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10704888475/" title="Autumnal glitter by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumnal glitter" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2827/10704888475_869193322f_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> don't come here very often lately, <i>do I</i>? And once I come, I feel like I have a fair responsibility to explain why all of a sudden I became such an infrequent guest at <b style="font-style: italic;">My Kitchen Affair</b>. Why this once so treasured and caressed place got so covered up in thick murky dust. Why from lively and frisky it became shabby and literally abandoned? Cause how else could you name the fact that there is only a single post being produced during the month? <i>Monthly issue</i>, I would say... very poor issue...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">...whereas my real life is so generously dusted with flour, rubbed in butter, sprinkled with sugar, filled with cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce that I can barely see from the other side of this this sweet puffy batter-<i>y</i> mess. My freezer is seriously suffering from <i>choux</i> and shortcrust pastry overload, my lunchbox for the last couple of weeks has been consisting only of quiche, while my hands are more notably than ever marked with variously-shaped cuts, wounds and those (<i>damn</i>) never-healing blisters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ell, that's how life it is right now and that's how I'm living it. More with happiness than with dissatisfaction, even though it means a few additional cuts on my already packed <i>wound and scar</i> map and just an occasional visit at <i style="font-weight: bold;">My Kitchen Affair</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10704980606/" title="Autumn leaves by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn leaves" height="427" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/10704980606_1fd7247f68_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">E</span>ven though it means the autumn slipping through my fingers and leaving just a few leftover leaves mournfully laying on the ground. Eliminating the wind that each day gets more rigorous than you wished it would be, the rain that seems to enjoy seeing you all soaked up with every single one of those hundreds unexpected showers descending from above, the darkness that little by little is mischievously stealing more of the day than any respectful creature should, despite all that, it can still be a lovely season. Full of glitter, remarkable glam and such a strikingly beautiful colors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10705148763/" title="Autumn leaves by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn leaves" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/10705148763_29208527d2_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">V</span>arious shades of red, green, yellow, purple and brown. It's a shame not to notice them. Or to taste them, cause the colors of seasonal fruits and vegetables are just as glamorous as the surrounding their are being enclosed by.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">L</span>et's take the squash, for example. From light to dark bottle-green, from ivory to pale yellow, from light brown to strikingly orange. Such a marvelous color palette and such an abundance of flavors. One would be in a a terrible loss not having a chance to enjoy this autumnal garden queen before its season is over.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10714733634/" title="Pumpkin galore by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin galore" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3702/10714733634_a3421f9f5d_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>f you opened the autumnal issue of <b><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">Clouds</a></b> magazine, you would find the whole subsection dedicated to pumpkin. Pumpkin granola, pumpkin coffee, sourdough pumpkin and raisin bread, pumpkin doughnuts, peanut butter, red bell-pepper and pumpkin soup, and even the rabbit laid on a creamy pumpkin puree - the choice is well beyond reasonable. However, this season, one of my most beloved favorites are sweet <b>Pumpkin Muffins with <i>Garam Masala</i></b> <span style="color: #444444;">(<b><i>page 181</i></b>)</span>. It might sound as a bit unusual flavor combination, but, <i>I am telling you</i>, it's just brilliant. Once the aromatic oriental spice blend is nicely absorbed by the denseness of the pumpkin, you are guaranteed with a lovely unique experience of an unforgettable muffin.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10705092084/" title="Pumpkin muffins with Garam Masala by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin muffins with Garam Masala" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7358/10705092084_b9e6456225_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>n the meantime, the second in line on my favorites' list is this <b>Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread </b>- beautifully moist and delicately packed with flavors.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> love baking with honey, especially sweet breads or muffins since they usually do not require granulated sugar to be creamed with butter to hold the air. Cause in the end, despite its marvelous delicate flavor of pollen and wild flowers, honey also gives a beautiful tenderness, nice and crispy golden crust and sustained moisture. If you wish, you can substitute it with maple syrup (<i>for sharper maple flavor and tone</i>) or agave. Staying faithful to sugar (<i>light muscovado or demerara would be the best option in here</i>) you might need to add 25 ml more buttermilk or yogurt so that the bread is still moist and tender.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>his time I used all-purpose flour, but any soft flour would work as well. Whereas, for a bit healthier version, you might substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour at the same time slightly increasing the amount of the liquids (<i>by 2-3 tsp</i>) and adding the additional 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10714789815/" title="Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread" height="941" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/10714789815_9a9800bdf3_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread</span></u></b><br /><br />300 g (10.6 oz) all-purpose flour<br />1/2 tsp baking soda<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1 tsp salt<br />2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />1 egg<br />240 ml (1 cup) pumpkin puree<br />60 ml (1/4 cup) flavorless vegetable oil<br />100 g (3.5 oz) honey<br />120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk or plain natural yogurt<br />2 Tbsp fresh finely chopped basil<br />1 Tbsp light brown sugar<br />1 tsp ground cinnamon<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 165 C (325 F) temperature. Line regular size (<i>23x13 cm / 9x5 inch</i>) loaf pan with parchment paper.<br />In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.<br />In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, honey, and buttermilk. Add finely chopped basil.<br />Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Transfer into the prepared loaf pan and, with the help of the spatula, spread evenly.<br />In a small bowl, mix together the light brown sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the batter.<br />Place the tin in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the middle of the sweet bread, comes out clean.<br />Cool on a wire rack.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10714860744/" title="Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Pumpkin, Honey & Basil Bread" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/10714860744_577a0330e7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Still have some pumpkin left? Then try one of these:</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/fall-promise.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Muffins</a></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/whole-wheat-pumpkin-and-sour-cream.html" target="_blank">Whole-wheat Pumpkin and Sour Cream Coffee Cake</a></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/whole-wheat-pumpkin-waffles-with-kiss.html" target="_blank">Whole-wheat Pumpkin Waffles with Rosemary</a></i></div></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-78096221712267966862013-10-12T23:51:00.001+03:002013-10-12T23:51:03.185+03:00light, sunny, sweet, and refreshing gluten-free day<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10232052416/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/10232052416_f40af5fd45_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>'ve heard there was some snow in Colorado last week. If you told me this a few days ago, I would have probably said,<i> isn't that crazy?</i> Especially when drawing the curtain, taking a short look outside and seeing that marvelously sunny October sky glittering with all its beauty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>h yes, not that very long ago we were still getting a relatively good weather in here. A bagful of nice warming rays of sun. A few rather summer-y showers. A gentle breeze, little by little painting the nature in colors, just like a lazy painter procrastinating that single brushstroke he has to make to finish up the picture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10231782525/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7300/10231782525_da3736db04_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>t was already the beginning of October, but I could still treat myself with a generous scoop of ice cream while doing my Saturday shopping in a city center. Or, if the midday was favorable enough, I could even get involved into an affair with my book in the park.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10231687624/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/10231687624_b777d50452_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>h<b> parks</b>! Lovely English parks! (and gardens!) These are the things that astonish me probably the most in this country. One more beautiful than the other. More luxuriant. More glamorous. More extravagant and flourishing. The endless pathways, always a pond (<i>or two</i>), a few fountains, fishing lakes, perfectly cut law, and the uncountable number of play areas...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><i>When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park? </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Ralph Marston</b></i> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10231862593/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5524/10231862593_e5bf832e0e_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> took these picture in Sefton Park a few weeks ago, before visiting the Farmer's Market in Lark Lane. When the morning was still breathing its last breaths, and the day was about to be born out of the magical mist, bringing along the promise of a truly marvelous day. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10231773505/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/10231773505_fca1e85fe9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he air was crispy and so overwhelmingly fresh that my lungs, more used to deal with the grubby city air than with a fresh morning purity, were feeling a little bit strange.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10232055016/" title="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7307/10232055016_98d29e2b68_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd once decided to spent the afternoon in the park, there comes a need for something that could appease the whimsical <i>tummy</i> when it starts getting anxious. Granola bars, wholemeal chocolate chip or nut and seed enriched oatmeal cookies might do the job as usual, but since we are talking about a day enhanced with the beauty of natural colors and fresh air, we might as well be eager <u>to taste</u> that kind of experience. I don't know how about you, but a few gluten-free <b>lemon, honey, and poppy seed cookies</b> are exactly what's needed. Light, sunny, delicately sweet, and nicely refreshing - just like that day itself.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10232465063/" title="Gluten-free Lemon, Honey & Poppy Seed Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Gluten-free Lemon, Honey & Poppy Seed Cookies" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8116/10232465063_6c7fab5c57_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Lemon, Honey and Poppy Seed Cookies</u></b></span><br /><br />150 g (5.3 oz) butter, <i>softened</i><br />50 g (1.8 oz) light brown sugar<br />150 g (5.3 oz) honey<br />2 Tbsp poppy seeds<br />2 Tbsp grated lemon zest<br />4-5 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice<br />100 g (3.5 oz) corn starch<br />200 g (7 oz) rice flour<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the honey and mix well. Stir in poppy seeds, lemons zest and lemon juice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sift the flour and the starch into the butter mixture and mix until the dough comes together. <i>The dough should be</i> <i>very soft and slightly sticky.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To make the job easier, wet your hands, and then form small, approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) diameter balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet pressing each cookie with a fork. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake the cookies for about 20-25 minutes, or until nicely golden brown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When cookies are done, cool on the wire rack. Once cooled, keep in an air-tight container.<br /><br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/10232279634/" title="Gluten-free Lemon, Honey & Poppy Seed Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Gluten-free Lemon, Honey & Poppy Seed Cookies" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5472/10232279634_fda5e2045b_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b><i>More gluten-free sweet snacks:</i></b><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/coconut-macaroons-with-honey-and-lemon.html" target="_blank">Coconut Macaroons with Honey and Lemon-Balm</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/peanut-butter-and-banana-granola-bars.html" target="_blank">Peanut Butter Banana Granola Bars</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/as-long-as-there-are-berries-im-not.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Coconut Macaroons</a></i><br /><br />Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-35626858290107183922013-09-27T10:29:00.000+03:002013-09-27T10:29:03.691+03:00Tea at Alice's<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hen the <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/when-coffee-meets-dessert.html" target="_blank">coffee</a></b> was drank and the desserts were eaten, we turned off our cameras, packed our bags and left that my beloved <b><a href="http://www.tastemap.lt/" target="_blank">Roastery</a> </b>with a strong scent of freshly ground beans accompanying us. The next stop was <b>Tea at Alice's</b>. Lewis Carol's Alice. The same Alice that fell down a rabbit hole and found herself in a magical world populated by peculiar creatures. The same Alice that was having a mad tea party with the March Hare and the Hatter. Just this time, instead of those two characters, it was me, <b><a href="http://villa-alps.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Asta</a></b>, <b><a href="http://duonosirzaidimu.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jurgita</a></b>, <b><a href="http://receptumedis.lt/" target="_blank">Viktorija</a></b>, and her cheerful baby boy guiding through the party.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9929781265/" title="Making a photo-shoot by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Making a photo-shoot" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/9929781265_337ae3ce06_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>rying to recreate the same mad tea-time setting, the firs thing we did we got ourselves into one of the most exclusive themed apartments in Lithuania (<i><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">pages 143-152</a></i>). Pure whiteness and a lot of fragile decorations in every corner - the whole place reminded more of a little museum than a cozy spot to live and relax. And it also meant that we needed to be extremely careful while organizing our<i> Mad Tea Party.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9930010263/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="427" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/9930010263_498f72f06b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9929910364/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/9929910364_de736fe9a4_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946897986/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="435" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3803/9946897986_82459de288_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>rying not break anything, we covered the table with all kinds of teapots, teacups, saucers, and chandeliers we could possibly find in hand. Keys, watches, ceramic mushrooms, and chessmen were scattered all over the place, and our cameras were heating up trying to capture every single detail of it. There was even a real rabbit shivering somewhere in a corner. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9930008943/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="479" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5549/9930008943_2df6030257_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9929882606/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="422" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/9929882606_068319c664_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i style="text-align: justify;">Oh</i><span style="text-align: justify;">, and the sweet side of the party was not forgotten either. Cakes, cookies, scones were crumbling everywhere while the tea was elegantly spilling over the edges and into the cups.</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9947009143/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="784" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/9947009143_1516392f72_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946578245/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5327/9946578245_b0105e51ec_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946697933/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="483" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5448/9946697933_7f86e84e84_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946604534/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/9946604534_cba11b99cf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946686786/" title="Tea at Alice's. Sandwich Heart Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's. Sandwich Heart Cookies" height="474" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/9946686786_515c2a4e75_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Sandwich Heart Cookies with Rooibos Tea Filling</span></u></b><br /><br /><b><i>for the heart-shaped cookies:</i></b><br />125 g (4.4 oz) softened butter<br />105 g (3.7 oz) powdered sugar<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />1 large egg<br />300 g (10.6 oz) all-purpose flour<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />A pinch of salt<br /><br /><b><i>for the filling:</i></b><br />40 ml (1/6 cup) milk<br />4 Tbsp loose Rooibos tea<br />100 g (3.5 oz) softened butter<br />240 g (8.5 oz) powdered sugar<br /><br />In a medium bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract, beat in the egg, and mix for another minute.<br />In a separate bowl, sift flour, add baking powder and salt. Slowly incorporate this mixture into the butter and knead the dough. The dough should be soft, smooth, but not sticky. Shape into a ball and place it into the fridge for 10-15 minutes.<br />When the dough is chilled enough but not too hard to roll, preheat the oven to 180°C.<br />Generously flour the working surface and roll the dough out to approximately 3 mm thick sheet, adding more flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Using a cookie cutter, cut out the heart-shaped cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cookies are barely golden brown.<br />While the cookies are baking, prepare the filing. In a small saucepan, whisk together milk and tea leaves. Bring almost to a boil, then remove from the heat, cover and let it steep for 10-15 minutes.<br />Return to heat and simmer until liquid reduces by half. Leave to cool, then strain.<br />In another bowl, beat the butter for a few minutes. Pour in tea-infused milk and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat for another couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Spread some filling on one cookie and sandwich it together with another one. Repeat with the remaining cookies.<br />Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Do not keep them in the fridge – cookies might get soggy and lose their crispiness. </div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946672055/" title="Tea at Alice's. Sandwich Heart Cookies by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's. Sandwich Heart Cookies" height="917" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/9946672055_fdb052c736_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946685636/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="477" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7351/9946685636_ec9f0f6204_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946914474/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="479" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/9946914474_194038fb76_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">R</span>ecipes for </span><b style="text-align: justify;">jam drop cookies</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> and </span><b style="text-align: justify;">scones with pears and chocolate </b><span style="text-align: justify;">as well as more lovely pictures from the photo-shoot could be found at </span><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://duonosirzaidimu.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/isgerk-mane-ir-suvalgyk-saldi-arbatele-pas-alisa/" target="_blank">Bread and Games</a></b><span style="text-align: justify;">. The rest is laying on and between the pages of the </span><b style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">magazine</a></b><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946897646/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="471" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/9946897646_a75eaa1731_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946929185/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2850/9946929185_b3d1f0ae1e_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9946939036/" title="Tea at Alice's by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tea at Alice's" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3682/9946939036_7f51df30b4_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-43224350449424360252013-09-25T00:19:00.000+03:002013-09-25T00:19:59.411+03:00when coffee meets the dessert<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hile <i>baking </i>the new autumnal issue of <b><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">Clouds magazine</a></b> we had a a few very pleasant, delicious, and greatly entertaining photo-shoots to handle. It was a good time, one of those <i>gather-together, bring the food and have some fun</i> type of thing, all till the very top filled with marvelous tastes and aromas, tables brimming with food, and the air, thick and creamy, deliberately dusted with sugar.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9882281593/" title="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/9882281593_ae8ec52319_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>omewhere in between, there was coffee. A lot of it. Coffee from Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala. Coffee on the table and under it. Coffee in a glass, or in a cup, or in a teaspoon. Coffee beans and coffee tea. Coffee coffee coffee! Good coffee, <i>by the way</i>, roasted to perfection by lovely <b><a href="http://www.tastemap.lt/" target="_blank">Taste Map</a></b> coffee roasters I had already <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/when-good-coffee-inspired-me.html" target="_blank">talked about</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9882178304/" title="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/9882178304_b839cd021f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd just right next to the coffee, there were a few desserts to match it. Though, not just any kind of desserts; desserts very carefully thought-out so that when paired with a sip of that deeply luscious muddy drink, they wouldn't overshadowed it but rather complemented in a best possible way. That's way sweet and full-flavored Colombia was paired with nutty and fruity chocolate brownie...</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9882180354/" title="Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts" height="479" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3734/9882180354_8ab306c2f3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><u><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, serif; font-size: x-large;">Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts </span></b></u><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">1/3 cup hazelnuts</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2/3 cup dried fruits (cranberries, raisins, prunes, apricots)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">70 g (2.5 oz) dark chocolate</div><div style="text-align: justify;">80 g (2.8 oz) butter</div><div style="text-align: justify;">70 g (2.5 oz) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: justify;">90 g (3.2 oz) flour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">¼ tsp salt</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a dry pan on a medium heat, toast hazelnuts until their skin starts to come off. Take off from the heat, leave to cool, then rub in your hands, or in a dish towel, until skins flake away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rinse the dried fruits with water. Transfer on a paper towel and leave to dry. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a double boiler, melt together the dark chocolate and butter. Take out from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Stir in the sugar and whisk in the the eggs, one at a time. Finally, add the flour and mix everything thoroughly. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180°C (350 F). </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spread the batter in a 18x18 cm (7x7 inch) size square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Evenly arrange dried fruits and hazelnuts on top. If fruits or nuts seem too big, chop them coarsely. Bake for 18-20 minutes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the brownie is done, leave it to cool in a baking dish for a few minutes. Then transfer on a wire rack to cool completely. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Store in a dry airtight container.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9882174356/" title="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Brownie with Dried Fruits and Hazelnuts" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5525/9882174356_e8bc1e6cb9_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />....expressive and solid Guatemala was accompanied by <b>savory muffins</b>....</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884015915/" title="Coffee & Savory Muffins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Savory Muffins" height="479" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2855/9884015915_b844a9214e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Muffins with Pears, Caramelized Onions and Smoked Pork Neck </span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 medium onions </div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 tbsp olive oil </div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 tsp balsamic vinegar </div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 tsp brown sugar </div><div style="text-align: justify;">300 g (10.5 oz) flour </div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 tsp baking powder </div><div style="text-align: justify;">½ tsp salt </div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 large egg </div><div style="text-align: justify;">340 ml (11.5 oz) plain natural yogurt </div><div style="text-align: justify;">40 ml (1.4 oz) olive oil </div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 medium or 2 small pears </div><div style="text-align: justify;">10-12 thin slices of smoked pork neck </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thinly slice the onions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, add the sliced onions and cook on medium heat until soft and translucent. Pour in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for a few minutes. Set aside. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Pour in the yogurt and oil, and mix well. Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and carefully combine them, making sure not to over-mix the batter: mix just until the flour is moistened. In a few quick stirs incorporate the caramelized onions and pears. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat oven to 180°C (350 F). </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Divide the batter between muffin tins, topping each of them with the smoked pork neck slices. Bake for 45-50 minutes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">When the muffins are done, let them cool on a wire rack. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Store in a dry air-tight container. Eat within 4-5 days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884020576/" title="Coffee & Savory Muffins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Savory Muffins" height="479" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/9884020576_a45a281e40_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />...amazingly blueberry-noted Ethiopia was paired with refreshing <b>vanilla panna cotta</b>....<br /><div><br /></div></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884127133/" title="Espresso & Vanilla Panna Cotta by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Espresso & Vanilla Panna Cotta" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7315/9884127133_1f62a451f6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884017525/" title="Espresso & Vanilla Panna Cotta by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Espresso & Vanilla Panna Cotta" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/9884017525_47e43ee82f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">....while beautifully citrus-<i>y</i> Kenya - with heavenly moist <b>lemon cake</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884289336/" title="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake" height="479" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3698/9884289336_34475810b6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884287145/" title="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/9884287145_f6af8b00a3_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884287466/" title="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Coffee & Moist Lemon Cake" height="476" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5461/9884287466_7922072d4f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he whole story on food and coffee pairing together with all the remaining recipes for the <b>Lemon Cake</b>, <b>Vanilla Panna Cotta</b> as well as unique <b>Cascara Chai Latte</b> can be found right inside <b><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">the magazine</a>. </b>So, if you want to know more about those coffees, their origins and what is the best way to brew each of them, page 12-24 is the place for you to be!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884293004/" title="Cascara Tea by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cascara Tea" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/9884293004_8961683e41_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884282505/" title="Cascara Chai Latte by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cascara Chai Latte" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3776/9884282505_1eab62fd09_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9884386133/" title="Cascara Chai Latte by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cascara Chai Latte" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/9884386133_80a810c50e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-16242434209436182512013-09-15T00:41:00.000+03:002013-09-15T00:41:15.959+03:00the summer is over, and now I prefer to live the autumn<div style="text-align: right;"><i>Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you're signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through. </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Jim Rohn</b></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i></i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9700370350/" title="Lonely poppy by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lonely poppy" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/9700370350_1d5762f9c1_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he summer is over. You can see it from the dark foggy morning a day reluctantly begins with, from that anxious wind more wildly than ever chasing the clouds, or from those way too short afternoons day by day getting moistened with at least a few generous drops of rain.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span>ou can see it from my messy wardrobe where nice and airy shirts are being pushed away to give some space for a cozy sweater, windproof jacket, a thicker scarf and a pair of woolen socks. You can even see it from my kitchen cabinets where all the tea bags, hot chocolate and warming spices start finding their way back to the lower shelf, exactly where they are within a reach. <i>Though a bucket of ice cream always has its privileged place in the freezer.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9700370770/" title="Warrington centre by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Warrington centre" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/9700370770_6a247abc05_b.jpg" width="660" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span>es, the summer is over. It's gone. Irreversibly. Rigidly. Completely. For good. And, <i>I think</i>, I am not going to miss it. It was lived, felt, experienced, but when over it's over. And no matter how badly I don't like seeing this stormy wind taking up the stage, at this point of my life I honestly prefer to live the autumn.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut be that as it may, there was summer. There was one, fully loaded with endings, new beginnings, tough decisions, naive expectations, never ending changes, new hopes, several disappointments, and something in between. A summer gracefully marked with a bouquet of new flavors. New challenges. New longings. A few severe falls and subsequent efforts to rise up again. But, after all, it was worth it, cause it was a time of growing up. A time of finding the right pieces to fill a few voids in a puzzle that is supposed to be called <i>life</i>.<br /><br />As <b>Emilie Autumn</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>once said, <i>falling's just another way to fly</i>. Let's just stick to those words for now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9703672818/" title="Warrington, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Warrington, United Kingdom" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/9703672818_47a369ca48_b.jpg" width="632" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9700438009/" title="Warrington, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Warrington, United Kingdom" height="485" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/9700438009_67461c4a27_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9700437425/" title="Warrington, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Warrington, United Kingdom" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/9700437425_230220a127_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9700566737/" title="Warrington, United Kingdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Warrington, United Kingdom" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/9700566737_5cc7459d5c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut although the summer is over, I still want to share with you a few discoveries I made when it was still here. First of all, it was British farms. Colorful, authentic, distinctive, and, <i>well</i>, simply British. Like <a href="http://www.kenyonhall.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b>Kenyon Hall Farm</b></a>, for example, situated within over 500 acres of a beautiful <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire" target="_blank">Cheshire</a></b> countryside and having been farmed by the same family for more than half a century now. As they say, in 1978 the first two acres of strawberries were planted, and since then Kenyon Hall has become the region's agricultural pride. However, despite this great variety of local and artisan produce the farm offers, the most amazing thing, to my mind, is that upon arrival you can simply go, get lost in the fields, cruise through the orchards and pick your own goodies. As a matter of fact, <b>Kenyon Hall </b>is one of the few remaining <i>Pick-Your-Own</i> farms in North England. In summer, there are salad plants and berries waiting around to be plucked, whereas in autumn you can get your hands on sweetcorn, squashes, pumpkins, beans, peas as well as apples, pears and even peaches. It's really worth the effort, <i>even though not having a car might cost you a good walk from the nearest bus stop whereas not having an umbrella might leave you all soaked up while you are desperately trying to fit that last handful of gorgeous raspberries into your basket.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486015/" title="Cheshire countryside, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cheshire countryside, United KIngdom" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/9741486015_613af96384_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486053/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/9741486053_7d3acc4dbf_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486059/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/9741486059_fcf448e86d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486133/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/9741486133_8f63abdc5d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486061/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/9741486061_221b70c2f6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741486137/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United KIngdom" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7337/9741486137_d9a9434c3b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523377/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United Kingdon by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United Kingdon" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7355/9741523377_b978e4e6ec_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523383/" title="Red Currants by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Red Currants" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/9741523383_0f88740670_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523505/" title="Red Currants by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Red Currants" height="479" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/9741523505_d6dcf63264_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523599/" title="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United Kingdon by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kenyon Hall Farm, Cheshire, United Kingdon" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/9741523599_9d7ac0b340_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741576177/" title="Raspberries by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Raspberries" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/9741576177_2d62a40021_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523507/" title="Rasberries by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Rasberries" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7285/9741523507_53f35dafa5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9741523595/" title="Raspberries by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Raspberries" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7347/9741523595_3ac19361cf_b.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-40119042303318462152013-08-17T10:52:00.000+03:002013-10-12T22:52:57.297+03:00Potato & Blue Cheese Tart<div style="text-align: right;"><i>Sitting round a table is so important. It's where we teach our children the manners they need to get along in society. We teach them how to share. To take turns. To argue without fighting and insulting other people. They learn the art of adult conversation. The family meal is the nursery of democracy.</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Michael Pollan</b></i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9526720487/" title="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/9526720487_52b55e7846_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">F</span>amily meal</b>. I am not the one who should give an advice on that, because family meal I used to have as a child could be described in three following words: rare, in a way clumsy, and with a strong sense of individuality.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> haven't ever liked meat. My dad hasn't ever liked greens and other <i>super-healthy stuff</i>. Whereas my mom was desperately trying to adjust to both of our taste extremities. So here we were, sitting behind a communal table but feeling so very much on our own - me with a plate full of fresh vegetables, crunchy grains and a few generous crumbles of cheese on top, my dad smiling at his fat stake or a pile of meatballs alongside a lonely couple of cucumber slices, and my mom bonding our nearly incompatible worlds together by having a single meatball (<i>from his side of the table</i>)<i> </i> and a generous scoop of veggies (<i>from mine</i>).<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd probably due to those <i>severe</i> differences in our eating habits as well as in our approach towards food, we did not do a lot family cooking together. We cooked on our own, and ate on our own. Well, unless there was a cake that could be enjoyed collectively. Yes, cake! It was probably that one thing that could immediately unite us letting all three of us unanimously dive into the very same taste experience. Chocolate, caramel or fruity. Creamy and sinfully rich or light and perfectly refreshing - no matter how it was, it was always something that could bond those three individual eaters together. At least for that short moment, until our plates were empty and the craving for sweetness perfectly satisfied.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9526719371/" title="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5549/9526719371_95b13d0fc7_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ell, at least there was a cake. But I wish there was more than that. I wish there were more Saturday dinners and Sunday brunches, filled with great food and a feeling of sharing. I wish there were simply more family meals. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut the truth is, there are not many families out there that would maintain the same philosophy of food and eating inside. We all have our own <i>likes</i> and <i>dislikes</i>, our own preferences and things that we simply reject<i> </i>that come from the weirdest parts of our life stories. And the only thing that one can do about it is just to find a dish that would suit everyone. A dish that would incorporate all those different identities and in that way represent the whole family.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ta</span>ke this cheesy potato tart, for example. I could surely make it my family meal, since potatoes, as part of a vegetable family, are not only suitable for veggie-eaters, but they are just as good when accompanied with a few bits of meat. Besides, the wholegrain crust, that might not be even noticed by a <i>hearty</i> eater, gives a great value of nutrients for a health-obsessed <i>mouth.</i> To make it gluten free, you might just need to change wheat flour into oat or buckwheat flour.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he only thing I would have to keep in mind when preparing this dish for my parents is that my Dad simply dislikes any kind of moldy cheese. <i>"No problem"</i>, said she, and substituted it with delicious Gouda or sharp cheddar!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span>es, this dish is very adaptable!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9526717099/" title="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3728/9526717099_8e16d65675_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><u><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Baby New Potato and Blue Cheese Tart</span></b></u><br /><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">adapted from <b><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/06/blue-cheese-and-red-potato-tart/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a></b></span></i><br /><br /><b>for tart shell:</b><br />120 g (1 cup) whole-wheat flour<br />1 Tbsp potato starch<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />85 g (3 oz) butter, <i>diced</i><br />1 egg<br />2-3 Tbsp water<br /><br /><b>for filling</b>:<br />500 g (1 lb) baby new potatoes, <i>washed thoroughly and cut into 1/2 cm (1/4-inch) slices</i><br />240 ml (1 cup) cream (<i>I used 10 % fat, but 36 % whipping cream would work as well</i>)<br />1 large egg yolk<br />120 g (4 oz) blue cheese, <i>crumbled</i><br />1 Tbsp fresh oregano<br />salt<br />pepper<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the tart shell</b>, in a medium bowl combine flour, starch, and salt. Transfer the mixture onto a clean and dry counter and using large knife cut in the butter until you get only very small bites of it (<i>you can also use a food processor for that</i>). Crack in the egg and start kneading the dough with your hands. Add water, 1 Tbsp at a time just until the dough comes together and gets wet enough for you to roll it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Roll the dough on a counter and place it in one big 9-inch side tart pan, or 3 smaller ones 3-inch size pans. Press it to the sides to remove any air bubbles, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the tart</b>, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Put potato slices into the medium saucepan, cover with water by 5 cm (2 inches), and simmer uncovered until vegetables become lightly tender (<i>but not too tender; they should not break when you take them out</i>), about 10 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When potatoes are done, drain them and arrange on the refrigerated pastry shell. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Whisk cream and egg yolk together. Season with salt and pepper, and pour into the tart shell all over the arranged potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh oregano. Bake for about 45-50 minutes.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9526716349/" title="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baby New Potato & Blue Cheese tart" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2876/9526716349_31f2c4d644_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><i>Pumpkin season is coming, so if you liked this idea, you might also want to try </i><i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/lets-colour-whiteness-with-pumpkin-and.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin and Feta Tart</a></i>.Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-42255592443969132632013-08-04T12:56:00.000+03:002013-08-05T09:46:33.344+03:00It gets perfect only after being a total disaster<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>'ve been so reluctant to write a new post, cause I wanted it to be cheerful. Sunny. Bright. Full of excitement. Packed with a marvelous taste of a dozen amazing <i>once-in-a-lifetime</i> experiences. The kind of ones that you just want to grab and hug and squeeze so tightly that after a while you could barely breathe. The kind of ones that you just want to hold on to, rigidly and tightly, while at the same time, with all the strength one could possibly possess inside, trying to stop the time. To make it freeze in order to forget about everything else in the world, and, for that tiny fraction of a second, live this moment of happiness as long as you can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>nstead, my days, right here, right now, are full of misunderstandings. Every day brings a new challenge. A challenge I haven't ever had to deal with. A challenge I haven't ever had a chance to face before, or to handle all by myself. I know, in that way, I'm growing up. Sometimes even far too quickly, I guess. I'm getting stronger, firmer, more self-supporting, after all, this whole process of becoming mature still evokes the panic along the way. And, so here I am, standing, lingering, and desperately trying to find the courage that could assist me in overcoming another one out of those dozen other problems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9434668496/" title=""No-one comes knocking at your door. If you really want to do it, you've got to persist and have confidence in yourself." ~Heath Ledger by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""No-one comes knocking at your door. If you really want to do it, you've got to persist and have confidence in yourself." ~Heath Ledger" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3817/9434668496_6af639cc55_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, I'm not that kind of person who likes to complain or to be felt sorry for. But since I don't keep a diary where I could insert my <i>blues-infused</i> feelings on paper, it seems a good idea to bring them here. Just to let them lie down for some time, where later on, after everything finally settles down and falls into <i>more-or-less</i> right places, I could return to, take another look, and <u><i>hopefully</i></u> feel proud of myself for having been able to conquer this misery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9434668104/" title=""I live completely in the now, not in the past, not in the future" ~Heath Ledger by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""I live completely in the now, not in the past, not in the future" ~Heath Ledger" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3738/9434668104_29e418e9da_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heath-Familys-Tale-Janet-Fife-yeomans/dp/1741963885/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375435116&sr=1-3&keywords=heath+ledger" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he book</a></b> I've been reading lately was quite an inspiration for me. I think, I don't have to explain who <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005132/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">Heath Ledger</a> was. <i>Supposedly</i>, we all know this charismatic Australian who, <i>for way too short time</i>, had been sparkling and enchanting everyone with that adorable smile he used to wear along his way. He could be everything you wanted him to be. A <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/" target="_blank">super charming</a> guy. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183790/" target="_blank">Funny</a> or <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402894/" target="_blank">mischievous</a>. Slightly <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285742/" target="_blank">edgy</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424880/" target="_blank">deeply dramatic</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/" target="_blank">unconventionally honest</a>, or just <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277941/" target="_blank">heroic</a>. And it was him not only in the movies; it as well was him in a real life.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, his life was wantonly tragic and way(!) too short. But at the same time it was <b>full</b>. Lived from the beginning till the ending. Thoroughly experienced. Completely felt. Entirely performed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>I live completely in the <b>now</b>, not in the past, not in the future.</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut even for him, for this charisma-sparkling, energetic, super talented, and simply very lovable guy, everything wasn't easy at the beginning. Doors where not wide opened <i>as we might want to think</i>, and it took a while until he made into his <i>movie-star</i> life. It's been a tough journey, full of winding roads, dead-ends, and wearing disappointments.</div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><i>I was hungry at times, it was my last hope. If I didn't get the part I was going to go back home. I had nothing. No money. No nothing. At one point I didn't even want to read the script and go in and meet with them. I had come close to so many great projects that I just had the rub taken out of me.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>But the one thing I'd [say to other actors] is that no-one comes knocking at your door. If you really want to do it, you've got to persist and have confidence in yourself.</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd <b>that's</b> what we all have to remember. Dreams don't come easily. They ask for pain firstly, and only then, when you have drowned enough, when you have suffered enough, when you have ached enough, when you were wounded enough, only then it might reward you with something great.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9432552389/" title="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/9432552389_b6bd404f57_b.jpg" width="635" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>ctually, I have a very similar story with <i>panna cotta. </i> In truth, there is not much going on in the recipe, cause it's only a dairy, some kind of a sweetener and a gelatin bounding everything together, in that way making one doubt, <i>how hard it can get to put everything together in a perfect harmony?. </i>But the truth is, it's far from being simple. As a proof, the very first attempts to make it at home ended up in a totally disaster. It all started with my <i>panna cotta</i> refusing to set. Then, after solving this problem, there came another texture issue when this deceptively simple dessert became too stiff and far from being light and clean as it's supposed to be. Okay, I slightly reduced the amount of gelatin as well as dairy fat content, but when the failure season seemed to be over, it still took me three sets to successfully get the <i>panna cotta </i>out of the molds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut setting the original recipe aside for a while, there is one that might be perfect from the very beginning. I borrowed the idea from <b><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a></b>, and then modified a little bit by omitting lemon juice, which might result in curdling, and substituting sugar with sweetened condensed milk. It turned out just the way I wanted - not too rich, not too sweet, and perfectly balanced with a generous drizzle of blueberry jam on top.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9432552089/" title="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/9432552089_30d15e5926_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta</u></b></span><br /><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">adapted from <b><a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/04/yogurt-panna-cotta-with-walnuts-and-honey/" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen</a></b></span></i><br /><br /><b><i>for 3 servings:</i></b><br />30 ml (1/8 cup) water<br />1 Tbsp gelatin<br />240 ml (1 cup) Greek yogurt<br />240 ml (1 cup) milk<br />4-5 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk<br />blueberry jam <i>or </i>compote, <i>for serving</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Place water in a small bowl. Stir in gelatin and set aside until it softens, for about 10 minutes.</div><span style="text-align: justify;">In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, 1/2 cup of milk and sweetened condensed milk, </span><i style="text-align: justify;">adding more of the latter if you feel like needing more sweetness.</i><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In a small saucepan, bring the remaining milk to a simmer. Stir in water-gelatin mixture, and wait until it dissolves; then remove from heat. Whisk it into the yogurt mixture. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Set the bowl in the ice bath and whisk until the mixture is lukewarm, making sure there are no grits from undissolved gelatin (<i>if there are some, just run the whole mixture through sieve</i>).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ladle the mixture into three cups, ramekins or glasses and chill in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours, <i>best overnight. </i>If you're going to keep them longer than overnight, cover them with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Take your <i>panna cotta</i> out of the refrigerator approximately 10 minutes before serving. If you want to serve it unmolded, dip the ramekin briefly in a bowl of hot water, and then carefully invert onto a serving plate. Serve drizzled with blueberry jam <i>or</i> blueberry compote. </div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9435325594/" title="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Greek Yogurt & Sweetened Condensed Milk Panna Cotta" height="960" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3677/9435325594_f6efde8f92_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-3671971385748270482013-07-27T10:35:00.001+03:002013-07-27T10:35:30.731+03:00Very Cherry Brownie<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>e have a cherry tree right in front of our studio apartment. Lovely cherry tree leaned on a blue fence and furtively overlooking the playground where once in a while boys, all tied up in their perfectly toning uniforms, gather to play some football. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>ndeed, it is lovely cherry tree with a generous bunch of berries desperately begging to be picked. Each time we are going out (<i>or coming in</i>), we nip off some of those rubies just to get lost into this beautifully sourish pleasure. Into that strikingly enchanting indulgence. Into that vibrant luscious buzz. <i>Besides, nobody else seems to care about these goodies but us!</i> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9373431189/" title="Cherry Tree by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cherry Tree" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/9373431189_bf4ea6f7da_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever cliched it might sound, those berries truly make me feel like home; <i>even though, it very far from being home</i>. Those delicately juicy fruits, those strikingly bloody-red gorgeous, those mid-summer ladies creates such a mass of eminently fond memories about our days back when, when our feet where drowning into the morning dew beautifully settled on grandma’s garden lawn, that it simply dazzles. One cherry at a time and out of the sudden I am facing a dark kitchen corner sunken into the marvelous aroma of boiling jam. Oh, and those mischievously painted red fingers that she used to wear all summer long as a perfect reminder of that season's glory, so flavorsome and tasty that it couldn't be forgotten.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9373574983/" title="Cherries by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cherries" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9373574983_0b26d8ddaf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hen you think about cherries, simultaneously you think about something just as powerful to out-weight that, at times, slightly fazing sourness those berries might carry along. And when it comes to power, there is nothing stronger and food-wise <i>masculine</i> than a touch of deep dark chocolate. It has such a strong flavor palette that, just like a sponge, it soaks up all the unnecessary sourness while at the same time creating a nice and perfectly balanced flavor experience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9373499081/" title="Cherry Brownie by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cherry Brownie" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5327/9373499081_a2abde6b1b_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">F</span>or this recipe, I used a simply brownie base that I apply almost every time when I don't want things to go wrong way. The only alteration was made by incorporating cherries into the batter. If you wish for something more interesting, just toss in a generous handful of chopped almonds, walnuts, marzipan drops, white chocolate chips or anything else that might enhance the overall <i>kick</i>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hereas, for more delicate and molasses-like flavor, you might want to substitute light brown sugar with Muscovado. However, I would not recommend you to pass towards white sugar, cause it will sharpen the sweetness, and, <i>to my mind</i>, it might ruin the perfect equilibrium between sour, sweet, and bitter in here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9376276202/" title="Cherry Brownie by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cherry Brownie" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/9376276202_fe44439790_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Cherry <span style="background-color: white;">Brownie</span></u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">100 g (3,5 oz) dark chocolate</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">90 g (3,2 oz) butter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">120 g (4,2 oz) brown sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">2 eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">90 g (3,2 oz) flour</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1/4 tsp salt</div><div style="text-align: justify;">280 g (10 oz) cherries, <i>pitted</i></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature.</div><span style="text-align: justify;">In a small saucepan on a low heat melt butter and chocolate. Set aside to cool.</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Add salt, chilled melted chocolate and flour. Mix just until incorporated, then add cherries and for the last time once again mix everything carefully.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spread the 23 cm (9-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and spread evenly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bake for 30-35 minutes.<br />When brownie is done, chill it in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer on a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.<br />Keep leftover refrigerated, and use within 3-4 days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9373496485/" title="Cherry Brownie by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Cherry Brownie" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/9373496485_5d5c317406_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b><i>Something else with cherries you might want to try:</i></b><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/life-is-just-bowl-of-cherries.html" target="_blank">Cherry Tart</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/cherry-jam-with-honey-and-walnuts.html" target="_blank">Cherry Jam with Walnuts and Honey</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/one-for-paris-two-for-dessert.html" target="_blank">Layered Dark Bread, Whipped Cream and Cherry Jam Dessert</a></i>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-70977335310114522692013-07-20T12:04:00.001+03:002013-07-20T12:04:40.014+03:00Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt<br /><div style="text-align: right;"><i>We all grow up somewhere. It isn't so much the place where we‘re born as it is a place where we come of age. A place where our strengths and weaknesses are first exposed, our interests and prejudices get discovered and developed. The series of small worlds we used to live in that brought us to where and who we are today. Worlds for the most part we couldn't wait to be done with and move on from. </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Anthony Bourdain </b></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9326724906/" title="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2850/9326724906_1ef22b4a2a_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>ometimes you need to challenge yourself: to cross a few boundaries, get out from your comfort zone and feel the life bleeding from your skin. Painfully but so <i>damn</i> real.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>ometimes you need a few thorough changes; maybe even mistakes to make. To touch that deep and hollow surface of despair just to make sure you are alive. You are human. With your ups and downs. Your fortunes and misfortunes. Cause life is not a fairy tale. It has some pretty great moments, but it also carries a few bad ones too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">S</span>ometimes you need a few essential life lessons to learn, and that is exactly the moment when you turn the corner, get lost in that pitch-black darkness and do not look back until there is a light in front of you. Cause there is always one. It’s just a matter of time when you are able to see it. And if you don't, that means you're not looking hard enough.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9323930437/" title="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5517/9323930437_2b0d0616ff_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>y life has changed. Substantially. More than a little bit. Close to <b>a lot</b>. New country. New lifestyle. New daily routine. New people. New way of getting around. <i>Were these the changes the ones I've been looking for?</i> I’m not sure. <i>Maybe</i>. The only thing I am truly positive about is that I’m moving forward. <b>I’m growing up</b>. Faster than ever before. Every day, every minute, every second of my life I am piling up my experiences, one after another, stack by stack, and in that way I'm getting way tougher, more patient, more tolerant, more appreciating, more understanding. Simply more mature. And that is a good thing. It’s always a good thing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9326724478/" title="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/9326724478_d782541931_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut before hitting the road and jumping into a new section of my life (<i>which was a few weeks ago, but due to the lack of internet I was not able to get in touch with my blog until recently</i>), I made some snacks that would help me to survive those annoying and everlasting airport checking, boarding, waiting, transferring, once again boarding and just then, only then (!), finally reaching the destination moments. Once again I was proven that there is nothing else that can heal these wounds of desperation better than a bag of sinfully sticky honey roasted nuts with a generous splash of vanilla, a delicate touch of rosemary and a few sprinkles of sea salt. That was a savior. I’m telling you!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9323930509/" title="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2890/9323930509_af56ccafcc_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>Honey and Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla, and Sea Salt</u></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 Tbsp honey</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 Tbsp olive oil</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 tsp sea salt<br /><div>1 tsp vanilla extract</div><div>1 small rosemary stalk</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">400 g (14 oz) mixture of various nuts (<i>I used a blend of hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds and cashews, but you can choose any other type of your preferable nuts</i>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>It's up to you whether you want to remove skins from your nuts or not. Even though most of the good stuff, such as fiber and various antioxidants, is in the skin, I usually take it away. I know, it might take a while and sometimes it can be a very boring and patience-demanding job, but I really like that lovely appearance of cleanness. However, feel absolutely free to leave all the skins on. This might even help to get your nuts crispier and nicer caramelized.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i>When you have your nuts (<i>with or without skins</i>), combine honey, olive oil, vanilla, and finely chopped rosemary in a large bowl.<br />Add nuts to the mixture and toss about until they all get coated with honey.<br />Transfer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spread evenly, and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in a 180 C (350 C) oven for 15-20 minutes.<br />When nuts are done (<i>don't wait for them to darken</i>), remove from the oven and let them cool completely.<br />Store in an air-tight container.<br /><i><br /></i></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9323930111/" title="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Honey & Olive Oil Roasted Nuts with Rosemary, Vanilla and Sea Salt" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/9323930111_17c0d3e85b_o.jpg" width="640" /></a>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-55429734673563123982013-06-21T11:09:00.000+03:002013-06-21T11:09:02.924+03:00Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Rhubarb Curd Filling<div style="text-align: right;"><i>If you can’t get what you love </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>You learn to love the things you've got</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>If you can’t be what you want </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>You learn to be the things you’re not </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>If you can’t get what you need </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>You learn to need the things that stop you dreaming</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ItrO33Hg48" target="_blank">Passenger - Things That Stop You Dreaming</a></b></i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9052036456/" title="Kaunas by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaunas" height="447" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5517/9052036456_234f84d78f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>here is a saying <i style="font-weight: bold;">"to have a life"</i>. People are joking about this as if it was something very funny or comic. But it isn't. Because to have a life seems like a really hard thing to do these days. Not everyone can make it, and only a few are proud enough to say they are experiencing life at its full potential. Whereas the others are simply forgetting the core meaning of those words. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>o have a life is to breathe. In your own rhythm. In your own pace. In your own swing of happiness, pleasure, fulfillment. To have a life is simply to be happy and to enjoy the time you are having. Right now. Right here. To appreciate the day, to value the minute, to feel the moment. Each and every single one. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hat's what <i>having a life</i> is. And it has nothing to do with waking up in a morning and starting your stringent daily routine. Once again. Over and over again. Without a clear reason. Without the answer <i>why?</i> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9052035624/" title="Kaunas by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaunas" height="456" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5508/9052035624_7e89dfd815_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">P</span>robably it is going to be a while before I eventually stop talking and rejoicing of getting done with university. But as I just figured, it was something so mentally <i>painful</i> that getting rid of it makes me wanna jump around and glorify the life. <b>Life</b> that I am finally about to start living and enjoying.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">F</span>or the first time in quite some time I have time to visit places that almost forgot about. To see friends I've been reluctantly abandoning. To let new people in and get to know their life stories and dreams they have been dreaming while I was floating around totally unnoticed.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">N</span>ow, I have time be a part of some<b><a href="http://instagram.com/p/aqpuB8DdyG/" target="_blank"> really great projects</a></b>. To participate in <b><a href="http://instagram.com/p/ayaOh9jd9m/" target="_blank">pleasantly delicious events</a></b>. And, finally, I have time for changes, for opportunities, ventures, a little bit of risk and frivolity. All in all, I have time to make my own decisions, <i>however wrong they might turned out to be.</i></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9052034656/" title="Kaunas by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaunas" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/9052034656_56a0931127_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9052033452/" title="Kaunas, Old Town by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaunas, Old Town" height="426" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3786/9052033452_6f86dba315_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9049803359/" title="Kaunas, Old Town by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaunas, Old Town" height="427" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2820/9049803359_ef0df1d22f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: justify;">A</span><span style="text-align: justify;">nd, of course, I have all the time in the world to have an affair in my kitchen, </span><i style="text-align: justify;">though</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> <i>it might not look like I have been using it when one takes a glace at this </i></span><i style="text-align: justify;">sound asleep blog</i><span style="text-align: justify;">. But, I'm telling you, I've been really cooking, baking, tossing, grilling, freezing, and frosting like crazy lately. I swear! Sooner or later you'll see the result, but for now, let's just stick to a late spring and early summer repertoire. That is, <b>rhubarbs</b>.</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>e all know <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/cream-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">lemon curd</a></b>, and we know it too well, I guess. But we should also be aware that the same technique could be easily used to make a curd out of any other fruits or berries. <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2013/02/very-chocolate-cake-with-orange-curd.html" target="_blank">Oranges</a></b>, <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/08/meringue-cake-with-red-currant-curd.html" target="_blank">currants</a></b>, or, <i>yes, you are right, </i>rhubarbs! Their delicately sourish notes goes perfectly well with silky egg custard and a few drops of butter leaving you with a smooth and very pleasant cream which can be used to <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/cream-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">flavor the ice cream</a></b>, <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2013/04/figuring-out-muffins-lemon-curd-marble.html" target="_blank">fill a few muffins</a></b>, <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2013/02/very-chocolate-cake-with-orange-curd.html" target="_blank"><b>layer the cake</b></a> or sandwich some cookies. Like chocolate whoopies, for example.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9097283143/" title="Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Rhubarb Curd Filling by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Rhubarb Curd Filling" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7326/9097283143_7b32413ccb_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Chocolate Whoopie Pies with </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Rhubarb Curd Filling</span></u></b></div><i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">chocolate whoopies recipe from <b>Country Living</b> (December, January 2012)</span></i><br /><br /><i><b>Makes about 24 whoopie pies</b></i><br /><i><b><br /></b></i><b style="font-style: italic;">for chocolate whoopies</b>:<br />250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour<br />60 g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder<br />3/4 tsp baking soda<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />100 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar<br />100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar<br />120 ml (1/2 cup) plain natural whole-milk yogurt<br />80 ml (1/3 cup) oil (<i>sunflower, grape-seed or any other with a very mild flavor)</i><br />3 large eggs<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br /><br /><i><b>for the rhubarb curd</b>:</i><br /><i><b>(makes about 2 cups)</b></i><br />340 g (12 oz) rhubarbs, <i>cut into small cubes</i><br />70 g (1/3 cup) + 110 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar<br />3 Tbsp lemon juice<br />1 Tbsp water<br />6 egg yolks<br />pinch of salt<br />26 g (2 Tbsp <i>or</i> 1/4 stick) butter<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the rhubarb curd, </b>place rhubarbs in a saucepan with 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and water. Stew over medium heat stirring occasionally until rhubarbs start falling apart, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool, then puree until smooth. <i>There should be about 1 cup rhubarb puree.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, 110 g (1/2 cup) sugar and salt. Place over the double boiler on medium heat whisking constantly. Gradually add the rhubarb puree and continue to whisk for about 10-15 minutes, until it slightly thickens (<i>it doesn't have to be very thick, it will thicken more while cooling</i>).</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the butter.<br />Ladle into the clean jar and leave to cool. When not using, store in a fridge; it will last for up to a week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To make the whoopies, </b>in a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In another bowl, using the mixer beat together both sugars, yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture. Mix for another 30-40 seconds. Cover and refrigerate the batter for about 30 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Transfer the chilled batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (<i>about 1 cm (1/2 inch) wide</i>). Pipe 5 cm (2 inch) circles onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing whoopies 2 cm (1 inch) apart. <i>Keep the batter refrigerated between batches</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bake until whoopies spring back when touched, about 10-12 minutes. <span style="background-color: white;">Cool completely.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">Using the pastry bag or butter knife, add a dollop (<i>~2 tsp</i>) of rhubarb curd onto half of whoopies' bottoms. Top with the remaining whoopies.</span></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/9097283043/" title="Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Rhubarb Curd Filling by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Rhubarb Curd Filling" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/9097283043_139255a520_o.jpg" width="640" /></a>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-31125107897407280002013-06-10T10:48:00.000+03:002013-06-10T10:48:20.037+03:00When I've been drinking wine and eating in the sky<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">F</span>inished. Done. For good.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>t's such an amazing feeling to finally close one chapter of your life and open the new one. The one that's been written on a sheet of promise for something bigger. Better. More pleasant. The one you've been desperately dreaming of, where freedom is resting on your shoulder and for the first time in a quite a while your day looks like the day is supposed to look like. Felt. Experienced. Lived to the fullest.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span>ou can now sit in the sun, recklessly and still, and let it kiss you wholly without worrying that right now, <i>at this moment</i>, you are wasting your time on something that's not important. You can count the raindrops heavily smashing into the ground while the mid-summer shower takes the stage for a dramatic symphony. Or you can take a nap while listening to the melody of a sun striding through the valley of horizon. Simply because suddenly, everything that used to be important remains only a poky sign of yesterday, while all those things <i>once forbidden</i> becomes your life. Your everyday.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>t's like saying goodbye to the agonizing diet that you've been on for quite a while just because you thought it's gonna do good for you. The truth is, you were wrong, and now all you can do is to be brave, accept your mistake and move on. After all, that very first bite of a super creamy and rich chocolate cake that you've been forbidding yourself from feels like an absolute bite of paradise. And that's a feeling worth all the efforts.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8982760945/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7419/8982760945_2946846ecb_b.jpg" width="607" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> know I've been gone for some time. Unintentionally. Out of must. But I hope I'll get back on track very soon and somehow revive this sleepy blog.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>fter all, it hasn't been everything only about those busy days, sleepless nights and endless cups of coffee. Sometimes there was wine. A lot of it. Or breathtaking rise into the sky. Literally. Rise into the sky with (<i>once again</i>) a few glasses of wine and three enjoyable dishes in front of.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8982760959/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/8982760959_c2997a82bc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut firstly, it was wine. Or, to be more precise, <b><a href="http://www.vynodienos.lt/en.php/news" target="_blank">"Vilnius Wine Days"</a>, </b>where wine was pouring endlessly with every single sip transferring you to one of those marvelous vineyards of Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Georgia, Hungary, Macedonia, Armenia and elsewhere. From red to white, from sweet to super sweet, from dry to sparkling <i>as hell</i> - it all was here, you just needed to ask for. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>ow to pair wine with music? How to understand Chardonnay? What connects Cherry with Champagne? How to match beer with desserts? All the answers to those questions could be found here too.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd even if you were not a heavy wine drinker, if your wine perception was somewhere at a very low level, or you simply did not find a lot of fun in wine tasting, you might had still be enjoying a chat with a few cheese producers, chocolate manufacturers, bakers or coffee roasters. Not interested in discovering a new wine? No problem! Just go - taste some incredibly fresh olive oil, exclusive vinegar or just ask a very pleasant woman how they make blue cheese. You'll be pleasantly rewarded with a very informative story.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983954624/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="539" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5340/8983954624_17aefdaa51_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983954598/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="492" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/8983954598_9235b86b75_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983954504/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="483" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2888/8983954504_f05a9d09b3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8982840787/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="479" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3729/8982840787_cdf5db728a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8984035676/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="474" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7290/8984035676_dd78947a42_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8982759959/" title=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt=""Wine Days 2013" Vilnius" height="427" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/8982759959_15240a02e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut <b>"Wine Days</b>" was just the beginning of those great and delicious experiences that appeared to happen this late spring. In between those <b><i>boozy</i></b> days and my annual birthday (<i>when two amazing people gave me </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://instagram.com/p/aFP3a3jd7E/" target="_blank">an incredible present</a> </b><span style="font-style: italic;">that is still cheering me up every single morning I'm getting ready to make myself a cup of coffee</span>), something even more fun, more exciting and more splendid was about to happen.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983039157/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8404/8983039157_77ae91af4e_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">5</span>0 meter height, cheeky red rooftops beneath, 22 guests, 1 table and 1 chef. <b><a href="http://www.dinnerinthesky.lt/index.php?id=79" target="_blank">Dinner in the Sky</a></b> is definitely something more than just an unforgettable gastronomic experience. It's the taste of freedom, intoxicating flight over the city with the wind mischievously rumpling your hair and the sun delicately caressing and flushing your cheeks. It's the emotion seasoned with a few palatable dishes.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span> little bit eccentric and challenging. That's the appropriate description for the menu chef <b><a href="http://www.starchefs.com/cook/chefs/bio/alexandre-gauthier" target="_blank">Alexandre Gouthier</a></b> of French Michelin starred restaurant <b><i><a href="http://lagrenouillere.fr/GrenouillereUK.html" target="_blank">La Grenouillere</a> </i></b>offered this year for those who decided to grab their lunch or dinner <i>in the sky</i>. While enjoying an unparalleled view of Vilnius Old Town and its surroundings guests (<i>among whom there was me too</i>) were served a toast with foie gras and rhubarb, avocado and monkfish duet, pigeon with basil and wheatgrass sauce, and "Vacherin" cheese meringue with "Garuguette" strawberries and balsamic reduction for dessert. All the dishes were washed down with lovely MUMM Cordon Rouge Champagne and medium bodied Jacob's Creek Grenache Shiraz.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983039023/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/8983039023_a0b8372746_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">D</span>o I even have to tell you that this magnificent gastronomic play set on a beautifully decorated stage of city horizon and a good company was something that just couldn't leave anyone indifferent and emotionless? You go up and forget about all the troubles bothering you in a course of your ordinary day, and that is the other ingredient on your plate. That moment of not having a solid ground under your feet. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">C</span>ause we all need these kind of moments in our life, simply to remind us that we are not constrained only to walking. </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8984234320/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="490" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3726/8984234320_213fb01e9c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983038905/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="470" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3737/8983038905_d31fc2d446_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983038687/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="427" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/8983038687_e314f87597_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8984234204/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="267" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3754/8984234204_2536fa52c2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8983038795/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7281/8983038795_dabfb768ff_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8984233666/" title="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner in the Sky 2013, Vilnius" height="443" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5340/8984233666_62c41efd46_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd finally, there is a new summer issue of <b><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">Clouds magazine</a></b>. We were trying to infuse it with as much warmth, sun and freshness as we coulde, and we hope you'll enjoy it. One might find some great recipes with seasonal fruits, fragrant vegetables, luscious berries, fresh fish or herbs as well as a fairly amount of inspiration for a summer grilling, interpreting Thai cuisine or throwing a Mediterranean party.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>alking about the latter, I would sincerely offer you not to let your summer pass without making a batch of <b>baklava ice cream</b>. For those who feel nostalgic about the Mediterranean desserts (<i>that incredible oasis of sweetness</i>) this creamy, nutty and delicately herb-infused ice cream will be something to indulge during these late but pleasantly warm summer evenings. Sinful cream, pistachios, honey, oregano and crispy phyllo cup - that's a balanced friendship, very successful both <i>flavor-wise</i> and <i>texture-wise</i>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8998804106/" title="Baklava Ice Cream by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baklava Ice Cream" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7315/8998804106_a3c03ce6b1_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Baklava Ice Cream</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>for ~9 servings:</b></span><br /><span lang="EN-US">250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream (30% fat)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">1/3 cup pistachios</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">3 Tbsp honey</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">2 Tbsp oregano</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">2 sheets Phyllo dough (25x25 cm / 10x10 inch)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">4-5 Tbsp melted butter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">3 Tbsp honey, <i>for serving</i></span><br /><span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Prepare the caramelized pistachios: finely chop them and put into a small pot. Add honey and cook on a medium heat, until nuts are nicely caramelized. Remove from heat and stir in finely chopped oregano. Leave to cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">While pistachios are cooling, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Carefully stir in caramelized nuts. Pour all the mixture into a small dish (preferably metal) and place it in a freezer, for at least a couple of hours, until ice cream is set.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">In the meantime, prepare phyllo baskets. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a cleen surface. Using a pastry brush, brush it with melted butter. Put the second sheet on top of it and brush it with remaining butter. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, divide the dough into nine equal-sized squares. Place each square into a separate muffin tin and bake in the 180<sup>o</sup>C (350 F) oven for 10 minutes, until all the cups are crispy and nicely golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let cool completely. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">When ice cream is set, take it out from refrigerator and scoop into baked phyllo cups. Drizzle with honey. You might also decorate each serving with a sprig of fresh oregano.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>If you are left with some extra phyllo cups, keep them in a sealed dry container. Ice cream can easily rest in a freezer for a few months.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8998803598/" title="Baklava Ice Cream by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Baklava Ice Cream" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/8998803598_1ec5b68ef8_o.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i><b>More ice cream ideas:</b></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/01/frozen-yogurt-with-coffee-meringues-and.html" target="_blank">Frozen Yogurt with Coffee Meringues and Toffees</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/04/happy-easter-or-maybe-you-want-some.html" target="_blank">Honey Vanilla Frozen Yogurt</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/10/coffee-frozen-yogurt-and-what-comes.html" target="_blank">Coffee Frozen Yogurt</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/08/leche-merengada.html" target="_blank">Leche Merengada</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/cream-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">Cream Ice Cream with Lemon Curd</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-honor-for-ice-cream-month.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Swirl Custard Ice Cream</a></i></span></div></div>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-53381355990379480242013-05-30T21:16:00.000+03:002013-05-30T21:16:25.587+03:00Pizza to cheat<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>usy. Busy. Busy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>h, yes. I've been quite busy lately. With almost no time to sleep, no time to feel tired and only a few scattered moments to eat in order to function as efficiently as one could function in those kind of circumstances. Early mornings, late evening and a lot of coffee in between. But at the end of the day there was only a senseless mind no longer able to operate or withstand a single dream.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd that was close to a nightmare.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">F</span>or the last couple of months my whole world was defined by a computer space while I was desperately trying to find the right words and the way to connect them to each other. Searching for meaning and a bagful of blurred answers. Eliminating the questions, but at the end still asking them again and seeing a blank page in front of me. Empty. Demanding for more words. Giving more questions. Looking for more answers.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he blog was dead for almost a month (sorry for that guys!), <i>though I've been pretty alive on </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://instagram.com/mykitchenaffair" target="_blank">instagram</a></b><i> or </i><b><i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Kitchen-Affair/201520906643858" target="_blank">facebook</a></i>. </b>My email was packed with nearly a thousand unread messages, while I was trying to pretend being concentrated on what's important at the given moment. <i>Was I?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd I've <i>only </i>been writing a thesis! Though, it seems as if I've been fighting a war. With myself. With my self-esteem. My will. My strength. My resolution... I know and <i><u>I'm sure</u></i>, one day life is going to bring me a task way tougher to deal with, bus so far this was something I wouldn't want to relive again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8875683662/" title="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola" height="960" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5468/8875683662_6d6600b4bd_b.jpg" width="638" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd you know what was the first thing I did after handing in my thesis? </i>I went for pizza. Yes, pizza! Large, crispy, super cheese-y pizza I had been craving for quite some time. With every bite it was slowly healing my <i>wounds</i> and, I'm telling you, it couldn't be anything else to fulfill and satisfy as much as that pizza did.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">M</span>aybe it's because I rarely make pizzas at home, and if I do - I cheat. Like this time, when instead of putting a little bit more effort to make a nice crust I just used a tortilla, which, as a matter of fact, is not the worst option at all. I had some way more disastrous experiences when trying to execute a perfectly nice home-made crust.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, when it comes to topping, there is no place for cheating. Which means, you have to create a perfect balance of textures and flavors so that every single bite would give you a magical feeling of crispiness, softness, sweetness, spiciness, mildness, sharpness and maybe even freshness. And since I really love to have some sweet tones on my lunch or dinner plate, I never mind the sweetness to play the lead role on my pizza. That's why the combination of sweetly sourish caramelized onions, sweet and refreshing pear, sharp but heavenly creamy Gorgonzola, a few rough walnuts and earthy sage leaves is a thing to die for. Try it - you'll love it!</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8875683494/" title="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola" height="960" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2812/8875683494_783e075d9b_b.jpg" width="638" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears, Gorgonzola, and Sage</u></b></span><br /><br /><b>for a single pizza:</b><br />1 tortilla<br />2 small <i>or 1 medium-large</i> onion, <i>peeled and thinly sliced</i><br />1 Tbsp olive oil<br />1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar, <i>depending on your taste</i><br />salt<br />pepper<br />1 medium pear, <i>thinly sliced</i><br />1/4 cup Gorgonzola or Cambozola, <i>or any other blue cheese from a creamy kind</i><br />small handful of walnuts, <i>coarsely chopped</i><br />fresh sage<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) temperature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions until they are soft and transparent, for about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the vinegar, lower the heat and keep on sauteing until all the liquid is evaporated and onions are soft, translucent and slightly crispy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When onions are done, spread them evenly on tortilla. Top with sliced pear, crumbled Gorgonzola, walnuts, and sage. Transfer your <i>pizza</i> on a baking sheet and put it in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and the pear is softened. <i>Just be careful not to over bake, cause tortilla is very thin and may quickly turn from crispy to charred.</i></div><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8875682948/" title="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Tortilla Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Pears and Gorgonzola" height="960" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7370/8875682948_3044db6c32_b.jpg" width="627" /></a><br /><br /><i><b>Very similar</b>:</i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/02/sour-rhubarb-sauce-on-top-of-pizza-with.html" target="_blank">Pizza with Sour Rhubarb Sauce, Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese</a></i>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-37555482324836765942013-05-04T11:19:00.000+03:002013-05-05T07:10:11.723+03:00Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trung)<div style="text-align: right;"><i>Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love.</i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Charles Maurice de Talleyrand</b></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b></b></i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8704422450/" title="Vietnamese Egg Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Egg Coffee" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8129/8704422450_da280a37bc_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>s long as I remember myself I've never liked lotteries. I've always tried to avoid bets and even competitions were never something I would eagerly dive into. I would hesitate for a longer while before making a move, and then once again after doing it. It would be a long and unbearable hour of uncertainty that would more often than not end up without anything put on a stake. I would freeze, step back and just take the safe road. The sidewalk. At some point, I'm not that reckless, I guess. But even more than that I hate hanging on to the rope of luck, faith or any other kind of happy <i>misunderstanding</i>.<i> </i>I just don't trust luck. Never relied on it and probably will never do. ...<i>or maybe until life sends me a present and proves me I'm wrong...</i></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8703240189/" title="Vietnamese Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Coffee" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8395/8703240189_1c91211123_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hat's why I am probably last one to roll into the <b>culinary travel contest</b> announced by one Lithuanian travel agency <a href="http://www.travelplanet.lt/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Travel Planet</a>. A few weeks ago it challenged food bloggers and offered them to go to Asia or Latin America on the wings of magical scents and flavors.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>he challenge is finally (eventually!) excepted, and the place I'm heading to today is... <b>Vietnam!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8704360550/" title="Vietnamese Egg Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Egg Coffee" height="479" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8559/8704360550_292ab8b480_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>hy not? Vietnam is gorgeous! In general as well as in a more narrow food sense. Due to its colorful history marked with several occupations, colonization period and long-going foreign influence, Vietnam is a real melting pot of various culinary traditions. From a complicated Chinese to a delicate Japanese, a bit over-spiced Thai, highly distinctive Cambodian, beautiful Indian and super gastronomic French - all this colorful combination of cultures nowadays makes a promise of one unforgettably delicious journey full of magical tastes.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, this time I'm not ready to offer you anything extravagant or super exotic. No uncountable number of colors or an exciting multitude of spices. <b>No.</b> This time there will be only three ingredients and just a simple coffee break.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">V</span>ietnamese coffee</b> that, to be honest, is not the one I would go crazy about, but there is something about it that once in a while makes me turn around and starve for another cup of that deep dark muddy pungent drink. Vietnamese coffee is truly unique and this uniqueness comes from the exceptional country's typography. The location of mountainous regions embraces the area in roughly the same direction as the prevailing winds which creates complex micro-climates perfectly suitable for different coffee species. Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, Liberica, Catimor even Kopi Luwak - they all might be found here, in Vietnam.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, <i>at least for me</i>, the most interesting part of Vietnamese coffee is its roasting process, since differently from a regular roasting method, in Vietnam coffee beans are being roasted in a <i>butter oil</i> which refers to a mix of vegetable oil, sugar and a touch of vanilla or cocoa. Using this technique, beans get covered in a very sticky and caramel-like coating which in turn enhances the overall flavor and makes even Robusta way more appealing.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut, despite that, it is the brewing tradition Vietnam is more widely known for. <b>Vietnamese coffee </b>is usually made by mixing the sweet and thick blanket of condensed milk together with locally-grown dark roast coffee which was individually brewed from a small metal drip filter (<i>phin</i>) into the cup. This whole process only at first sight looks like an over-complicated procedure, but what it truly means is that Vietnamese coffee is not meant to be consumed fast or on the run, but rather it is a peaceful moment of a leisure day-break. And that's what I love about it!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>s well as its <i>egg-y</i> variation which magically transforms this authentic Vietnamese drink into a heavenly delicious dessert. However unusual this novel <i>refreshment</i> might seem, the egg here really does wonders (<i>and this comes from a person who doesnt like eggs</i>). It evokes the memories of that wonderful coffee-egg-cream friendship you might encounter in the Italian <i>tiramisu</i>, so if you love the latter, you will definitely love the <b>Cà Phê Trung</b>. <i>At least I do.</i><br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8704360540/" title="Vietnamese Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Coffee" height="479" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8266/8704360540_788a148d9b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Vietnamese Coffee</u></b></span><br />2-3 tsp ground Vietnamese coffee<br />boiling water<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">If you want to make it original, you will need a <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vietnamese-Traditional-Coffee-Filter-Gravity/dp/B008A0AQYC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_gro_3" target="_blank">phin coffee filter</a></b> and a real <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trung-Nguyen-Gourmet-Blend/dp/B002RRLZQW/ref=pd_sim_gro_6" target="_blank"><b>Vietnamese coffee</b></a>. For a guide how to make it, check <b><a href="http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com/brewing-with-vietnamese-phin-filter.html" target="_blank">this website</a></b>. <br /><br />Those two components - the filter and Vietnam-produced coffee beans - are pretty crucial if you want to obtain the real authenticity of the coffee, however, <i>like many other things in this world, </i>they are quite replaceable. If you don't have the coffee, the closest thing would be to use any rich, full-bodied dark roasted coffee beans (French or Vienna Roast) and add some roasted chicory. There are also special blends (like <a href="http://www.communitycoffee.com/category/Our-Traditional-Coffee/Coffee-and-Chicory" target="_blank"><b>this one</b></a> or <a href="http://shop.cafedumonde.com/mpr/mdb-cafed?cfg=cafed&fnc=3&style=4&form=detail.htm&header=coffDetailHead.htm&footer=detailFooter.htm&rno=14" target="_blank"><b>this one</b></a>) containing arabica beans and chicory (<i>dried, ground, and roasted caffeine-free ground rood of Belgian endive</i>), so all you need to do here is to find the one you like best. Just when purchasing pre-ground coffee, make sure it has a coarse or medium-coarse grind, whereas when grinding by yourself, use any grind between the one for French press and drip.<br /><br />When it comes to the filter, you can easily replace it with French press. <b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g3Mddtg6hlE" target="_blank">Here</a></b> you can find a pretty explicit video on how to make Vietnamese coffee with French press (<i>which is actually not that different from a regular coffee making process</i>).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8704422478/" title="Vietnamese Egg Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Egg Coffee" height="479" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8558/8704422478_6630547d4e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br /><b style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: xx-large;"><u>Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trung)</u></b><br /><br />Brewed Vietnamese coffee<br />1 egg yolk*<br />2 tsp sweetened condensed milk<br /><br />When you have your Vietnamese coffee brewed, move on to its <i>egg-y</i> variation.<br />The first thing you need to do, is to put the egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk in a small deep bowl and whisk them vigorously until you get a frothy, fluffy mixture. Add a tablespoon of the brewed coffee and whisk it in.<br />Then, pour your leftover brewed coffee into a cup or a glass subsequently adding the fluffy egg mixture on top.<br />Here it is - your drink is ready!<br /><br /><br /><i>* those who are worried about raw eggs, make sure you are using the pasteurized ones. </i><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8703239923/" title="Vietnamese Egg Coffee by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Vietnamese Egg Coffee" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8134/8703239923_92d074b843_b.jpg" width="640" /></a>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-47909109532088225122013-04-24T08:56:00.000+03:002013-04-24T08:56:03.570+03:00when spring gives you... Radishes!<div style="text-align: right;"><i>I love the generous bunches of radishes at the market, their leaves tied with rubber bands, </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>their tips as clean and white as snow. </i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><b>Nigel Slater</b></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8671568995/" title="radishes by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="radishes" height="893" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8671568995_63905fa50f_b.jpg" width="650" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>hey say, there is no bad weather, only bad outfit. But they are wrong. <b>So (<i>damn</i>) wrong</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>his year, spring was desperately teasing us. It was playing with us. It was provoking us and leaving us more miserable than ever. 1st of August was still frosted with snow and only a little bit more than a week ago we could finally hear the proper season knocking on the door. Actually, it was quite a crazy jump. Hectic and wild. A jump into the second part of the spring. The one that normally is adapted at a slow pace, step by step changing your warm cosy outfit into something more flimsy. Heavy thick scarf into weightless shawl. Baggy winter jacket into a body lines emphasizing coat. <b>But no</b>. This year, it was an absolutely different story. We skipped that medium stage and simply moved on to the part where you don't need any scarf or jacket at all. <i>Am I complaining? <b>No, not at all!</b></i><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: large;">R</span>est in peace, my spring jacket! See you later in September!</i></div><br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8671568913/" title="Pistachios by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Pistachios" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8525/8671568913_0fa514f436_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>nd out of the sudden, the itch for a hearty, warm and spicy stew was overshadowed by a desire for something lighter (<i>along with a more frequent ice cream indulgence</i>). Luckily, market stalls just began shining with a colorful fresh spring produce that could perfectly satisfy that growing wish for a somehow moderate lunch plate.</span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">R</span>adishes, in this case, are the first ones to go. Beautiful, crunchy and generously gifted with a pungent peppery flavor, this root vegetable is the front runner in early spring. And though, mostly, it is eaten raw, my very preferable way to prepare it is by <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/04/balsamic-roasted-radishes-and-salad.html" target="_blank">roasting in the oven with some balsamic vinegar</a> </b>or a generous scoop of butter and fresh herbs. After roasting, more often than not, I would simply lean towards the baking dish and savor these heavenly crispy vegetables just the way they are. On a more special occasions, I would toss them into a <b><a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/04/balsamic-roasted-radishes-and-salad.html" target="_blank">salad along with some greens and certainly cheese</a></b>. Whereas, on a very special occasions, I would open my dried fruit and nut pantry and make a <b>salad with roasted radishes pistachios, dried cranberries, raisins and sunflower seeds</b>. </span></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8671568883/" title="Roasted Radish, Dried Fruit and Pistachio Salad by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Roasted Radish, Dried Fruit and Pistachio Salad" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8521/8671568883_a44477af64_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u><br /></u></span></b> <b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><u>Roasted Radish, Dried Fruit, and Pistachio Salad</u></span></b><br /><br />1/3 lb (150 g) fresh radishes<br />1 Tbsp olive oil<br />½ tsp salt<br />½ cup dried cranberries<br />¼ cup raisins<br />¼ salted pistachios (<i>if using not salted, add a little bit more salt to the dish)</i><br />1 Tbsp sunflower seeds<br />1 Tbsp lemon juice<br />2 Tbsp honey<br />1 Tbsp soy sauce<br />1 Tbsp sesame oil<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) temperature.<br />Thoroughly wash radishes, drain them and cut into quarters. Mix with olive oil and salt and spread evenly on a baking dish. Place it into the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, until radishes are nicely roasted.<br />In the meantime, wash dried cranberries and raisins; drain them.<br />In a dry pan, lightly toast sunflower seeds.<br />In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Taste: if the sauce is too sour, add a little bit more of honey (<i>and vise versa: if it is too sweet, add more soy sauce</i>).<br />When radishes are roasted, toss them together with dried cranberries, raisins, prepared honey-soy sauce, and pistachios. Before serving, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8672670132/" title="Roasted Radish, Dried Fruit and Pistachio Salad by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Roasted Radish, Dried Fruit and Pistachio Salad" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8521/8672670132_e61cd76805_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut when salad is not something you desperately wish for, or you simply want to surprise yourself, go on and make a batch of <b>radish chips</b>. It is easy as hell, but so intriguing! <i>I'm tellin' ya!</i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>y the way, these two recipes were featured in a spring issue of <b><a href="http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/" target="_blank">"Clouds"</a> </b>magazine. Check it out to find even more heavenly delicious ideas to prepare your radishes, asparagus, and spring onions. Plus, there, you will also find some inspiration for the Mother's Day, Europe's Day or International Blonde Day holidays too!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8671568681/" title="Radish Chips by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Radish Chips" height="427" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8536/8671568681_fbf4a3d259_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Radish Chips</u></b></span><br /><br />1/3 lb (150 g) fresh radishes<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">1 Tbsp olive oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">freshly ground black pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Preheat the oven to (150 C) temperature.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Wash the radishes and drain them thoroughly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Using mandolin, cut vegetables into even slices. Brush each slice with olive oil (<i>the best way to do it is by fingers</i>) and arrange on a baking tray. <i>You don’t need to keep a space between the slices, since the water is evaporating while baking and slices will shrink</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Bake for about 30-40 minutes, not forgetting to rotate the tray, until radishes are completely dry and crispy. <i>Be careful not to over-bake the chips when waiting for them to get crispy – they will crisp up while cooling</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8672670080/" title="Radish Chips by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Radish Chips" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/8672670080_3652f14b8f_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br />Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-31688966206951739972013-04-18T21:47:00.000+03:002013-04-18T21:47:13.203+03:00figuring out muffins: Lemon Curd Marble Muffins<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">T</span>here are thousands of different ways to create a muffin. A perfect muffin. Your own muffin. You can start by experimenting with flours, then step further into sweetness oasis, pick fat of your own, and finally end up with the uncountable number of various additives. Fruits, berries, nuts and chocolate - that's just a very beginning of the beginning. The further you go the more magical flavor combinations you find. Fragrant herbs, sharp-noted cheese, deeply-flavored coffee, magical spices, tea leaves, sweet and savory vegetables - the whole list is far from ending, each time bringing you to the finish line with something just perfect to fulfill all your momentary cravings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">H</span>owever, despite this army of choices you can make, there are only two basic techniques you can use to create that superfine muffin of yours. And the main question actually dwells on fat: <i>butter or oil? </i><i>creaming or melting?. </i>By making a decision on this, you are not only choosing the fat and how to deal with it, but you are also picking the desirable texture of your forthcoming <i>goodie</i>. So, be wise!</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>f you are aiming at <i>cake-y </i>muffins favored with a very soft and smooth crumb, you should use the same technique as you do when making a cake. That is, take room temperature butter (<i>and only butter</i>) and cream it together with sugar. Then beat in the eggs and alternately add all the remaining wet and dry ingredients. Creaming ensures a good rise whereas the sugar creates some air pockets that allow for the leavening gasses to expand. Without good creaming, you might end up with a poorly-risen muffin marked with uneven air holes. Besides, the higher sugar and fat (<i>butter</i>) content the richer and softer your muffins will be. The increased fat also minimizes the development of gluten which again helps to produce a muffin with a softer crumb.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut if you are a <i>bread-y</i> muffin person, looking for a very moist and rather wet muffin, you should stick to the "quick-bread method". There you'll need two bowls (<i>more washing, unfortunately</i>) and fat in liquid form (oil or melted butter). The first bowl should be used for combining dry ingredients, the second one - for wet. Once wet and dry mixtures have been mixed together separately, carefully incorporate them into each other. And now comes the mixing part which is so far the most important stage in using quick-bread technique. Due to the high liquid to flour ratio, there is a risk to overmix the batter, which might lead to overdevelopment of gluten causing a tough muffin with quite big tunnels and a very tight texture. Consequently, what you are looking for here is a still lumpy batter with a few traces of flour that will disappear during the baking process. A sign that the batter has been overmixed is when it becomes very stringy and tough, since overmixing causes long strands of gluten to form which makes it hard for the leavening agents to work.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8660270825/" title="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8113/8660270825_4656e660d9_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>'ve been experimenting with muffins for quite a while, until I finally found the ones I love best. The perfect ones that never let me down and always turn out just the way I want them to be. </div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>t this point I prefer the second, <i>the quick-bread</i>, method. Some people say that creaming the butter gives a way better rise, but as soon as you figure out the folding part and know just when you need to stop mixing the batter, all the worries about the rise will fade away instantly. Your muffins will rise. The will. I promise. And they will not only rise, but they will become beautifully tender, moist and fluffy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">C</span>ommonly, I reach for oil than for butter. Olive oil, avocado oil, hazelnut oil, grape-seed oil, peanut oil, coconut oil or any other oil I might have on hand and think it fits here and there at the moment. As a matter of fact, all the previous muffin recipes I posted on my blog calls for oil<i> (the links below). </i>But there are also some rare times when I seek after that milky fat flavor only butter can provide. So I go for it. Just like I went for these <b>lemon curd marble muffins </b>adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's <b><a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/rivecott-21/detail/0747598401" target="_blank">"River Cottage Every Day"</a></b>. Together with lemon curd, butter here creates as much richness and creaminess as you could possible think of; and that is pretty great! Though, if you are not up to this challenge, don't be afraid to substitute the curd with your favorite jam, mashed bananas, chocolate spread or almond paste. You can also replace half of the regular flour with almond meal or coconut flour. It would end up equally great, I'm telling you!</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8661371548/" title="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8120/8661371548_a0b356ac0a_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Lemon Curd Marble Muffins</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>from <b><a href="http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/lemon-curd-marble-muffins/" target="_blank">River Cottage</a></b></i></span><br /><br />8 oz (225 g) all purpose flour<br />2 tsp baking powder<br />pinch of salt<br />3,5 oz (100 g) light brown sugar<br />1 medium egg<br />4,4 oz (125 g) plain natural yogurt<br />4,4 oz (125 g) whole milk<br />2,6 oz (75 g) butter, <i>melted and slightly chilled</i><br />~3,5 oz (~100 g) <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/cream-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">lemon curd</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C) temperature.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To make muffins, put the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk lightly to combine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In another bowl, mix together the egg, yogurt, milk and melted butter. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix lightly, but do not over mix. <i>It's okay if there still are some small lumps.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Spoon some batter into each muffin case, <i>about 1 tablespoon. </i>With the back of the spoon make a small holes and pour some lemon curd (~ <i>1/2 tsp</i>) into them (<i>if you don't make holes, lemon curd will run over</i>). Top with another tablespoon of batter to encase the lemon curd while filling a little bit more than three quarters of each case.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bake for about 30 minutes. When done, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8661371492/" title="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Lemon Curd Marble Muffins" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8119/8661371492_bc5b4a744c_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b><i>More muffins:</i></b><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2011/11/fall-promise.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Muffins</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-i-love-about-valentines-day.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Muffins with Red Wine</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/07/rye-strawberry-muffins-cause.html" target="_blank">Rye Strawberry Muffins</a></i><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/06/rye-muffins-with-sorrel-parmesan-and.html" target="_blank">Whole-grain Muffins with Sorrel, Parmesan and Sun-dried Tomatoes</a></i>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1279089366362470618.post-1148441645082783702013-04-06T16:11:00.001+03:002013-04-06T16:11:03.858+03:00Banana Basil Jam<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ho doesn't love jams? </i>That sweet glossy drop on a freshly baked bread, wrapped up in a bowl of warm morning oatmeal, or just elegantly laid down on a very side of a pancake. Jam, jelly, marmalade - it all becomes handy when you wish for something fruity, sweet and maybe even delicately refreshing. And the best part is that you can have it all year-round.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> love putting jams on my wheat cakes. I love swirling them into a bowl of fresh cottage cheese, <i>ricotta</i> or yogurt along with some <i>healthy </i>grains, seeds and toasted nuts. And none the less, I enjoy them generously topped on a scoop of just churned vanilla ice-cream. Though, quite rarely I put them inside a cake, cookies or muffins. Simply because, personally to me, jam is made for <i><u>straight-eating</u></i>. Just like a peach at its very peak is supposed to be eaten raw, jam is also demanding the full attention on it's exceptional flavor tone. Someone might say that after boiling and getting all covered up in sugar fruits lose their <i>trueness</i>, but it's far from the actual reality. When you taste wine, you can barely taste that perfectly ripen grape that was hanging out for a wile somewhere in a middle of Tuscany. No, rather you get a taste-glimpse into that perfect combination of sun, wind, soil, a little bit of love and a long process of fermentation. Same goes for jam. It's not only a method to make your fruits last longer (<i>which, actually, was initial aim at the first place</i>), but it also is a great way to make them bloom in an absolutely different color palette. Strawberry jam does not taste like that scarlet berry you've just stolen from your grandma's garden. Rather it has its own unique punch encompassing the freshness, summer bliss, heat, sugar, and relatively long-lasting caramelization process. Change one of these items, and you'll get a different result. Not worse, just different.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut besides being totally in love with all kinds of jams, I'm also crazy about making them. To be more precise, that's exactly how I spend most of my summer evenings: watching the sunset setting into that bubbling pot while it slowly speaks the words of sweet temptation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut when summer is not here (<i>even the spring is not here yet</i>) and fresh seasonal fruits are nowhere to be found, I might just end up experimenting with something/anything that a grocery store could offer. Like bananas, for example, which, by the way, are very suitable for jams. Being quite starchy, they quickly transform into a nice and thick jam, whereas the initial sweetness that they have ends up with a lesser demand for additional sugar (<i>just as much as it's needed to preserve the fruits)</i>. Finally, bananas are very welcoming, which means that they are beautiful together with other fruits (apples, pears, lemons, limes, dates, figs, mangoes), berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) and things like coffee, chocolate, coconut, peanuts, almonds, mint or... <b>basil</b>. Yes, basil. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">E</span>specially, <b>sweet basil </b>whose highly aromatic leaves has a pleasant spicy taste of anise and cloves. Together with bananas and a delicate hint of lemon it creates a very subtle exotic treat that could cheer you up in a moment when the calendar tells you that it's April, but the nature decides to stick to a deep winter instead.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8624706936/" title="Banana Basil Jam by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Banana Basil Jam" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8118/8624706936_ed448ef332_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <u><b><span style="font-family: pacifico, pacifico, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Banana Basil Jam</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4 lb (2 kg) bananas, <i>weighed with skins</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 medium lemon</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 lb (500 g) sugar</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1/3 cup / 1 oz (30 g) fresh basil, <i>roughly chopped</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Peal bananas, crumble them and place into a medium saucepan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mix in grated lemon peal and juices. Add sugar and bring everything to boil.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When bananas start bubbling, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As soon as jam begins to thicken, add basil and continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ladle the jam into clean sterilized jars, cover with lids and keep in a dry and dark place.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69668444@N03/8623602695/" title="Banana Basil Jam by Migle Seikyte, on Flickr"><img alt="Banana Basil Jam" height="960" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8126/8623602695_2cdd8fd936_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b><i>If you liked this, you would also like:</i></b><br /><i>- <a href="http://mykitchenaffair.blogspot.com/2012/01/marrow-and-banana-jam.html" target="_blank">Banana and Marrow Jam</a></i>Miglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915097550547281905noreply@blogger.com4