Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté

Studies conducted on yours truly have shown that whole grains are beneficial to one’s health particularly during breakfast, the most important meal of the day.* One noteworthy perk is improved appetite control until the daily ritual colloquially referred to as “lunch,” usually partaken of between 1200 and 1300 hours. This effect is attributable to complex carbohydrates and its slow digestion, a bodily function whereby food is deconstructed into absorbable nutrients.

* citations needed

Please consult the following list for the advantages and disadvantages of carbohydrate-based breakfast options discussed thus far:

View Old-Fashioned Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes recipe and a list of other breakfast options »

Chocolate pot de crème is my dessert of choice for intimate gatherings because it is easily scalable and can be made a day in advance. A silky custard baked in single-serving portions, pots de crème can be topped with fresh fruits, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings to make a dainty-looking but unfussy dessert.

You may already have the ingredients necessary to make this version of pots de crème, perhaps with the exception of chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor is also known as baking chocolate, consisting of roughly 50% cocoa powder, 50% cocoa butter, and 0% sugar. The bitterness will short-circuit your palate for a bit so don’t confuse it with regular sweetened chocolate when snacking. A small amount is enough to lend the custard a deep but pleasant bittersweet flavor.

View Pots de Crème au Chocolat recipe »

At the risk of getting called a donkey, this Italian antipasto recipe from Gordon Ramsay is hereby dubbed rolls of zucchini instead of courgettes. Slivered almonds are folded into a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese, basil, and lemon juice to create the filling. Nestled in paper-thin strips of zucchini and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, these bite-sized rolls are an excellent starter to any meal, Italian or not.

Using the best of seasonal summer produce in zucchini and basil, it also needs no heat to prepare — perfect for days when the thermostat can barely keep up with the heat.

View Ricotta-Stuffed Zucchini Rolls recipe »

The current object of my cheese obsession, the grill-worthy Finnish Juustoleipa, is quite enjoyable broiled until slightly charred but still firm and squeaky. Being a fresh cheese, it stays relatively mild even with the heating and can definitely use a bit of help to make it more interesting.

If there’s anything I learned from the entries in Haalo’s cheese roundup, some fruits pair well with cheese. Raspberries can add a bit of tartness and texture to go with the creaminess of the Juustoleipa. Randomly picked from the produce aisle, cape gooseberries contribute sweetness and a bit of unconventionality to the mix.

The thinking behind this simple recipe is fairly straightforward. Keep the berries fresh (always a good idea), torch the cheese (because you can), and use honey so it can be considered a dessert, and hopefully eligible for entry in this month’s Sugar High Fridays.

View Berries and Grilled Cheese Skewers with Honey recipe »

What do wine, beer, and cheese aficionados all have in common? They speak in a dialect I don’t quite understand. Whereas the aforementioned obsessives use colorful language to describe their indulgence of choice, my vocabulary is limited to “I like” and “…”

Here’s an example:
Yeasty notes. Citrus esters come out to play - more orange than lemon. Slight banana. Not much else is perceptible. I look for spiciness, but find none.

I look for meaning, but find confusion.

So here’s my review of Juustoleipä from Brunkow Cheeses in Wisconsin:
I like.

View more information about Juustoleipä »