30 novembre 2006
Drinking up summer
I told you about NZ blogging by mail and my attempt at making brownies for the occassin. My fear of failing again was overwhelming!
I got a recipe from an all chocolate cookbook and followed meticulously, I really gave it my best shot. All that to end up with a compact layer of fudgy chocolate flan. Nothing like a brownie at all, I don't know where I went wrong. So I apologise in advance to the person who will get the parcel, not many homemades goodies.
Let's face it, I just don't have THE gift. I have decided to give up baking totally and FOREVER... which is quite a big call since my biggest dream was to be able to make a "Cerise sur le Gateau" just like Pierre Hermé.
Anyway I surrendered, made myself a cheerful cocktail and raised my glass to my lost dreams of being a wonderful pastry chef.
Ingredients:
-Pomagranate
-250g fresh, sun ripened strawberries
-Raspberry vodka to taste
-20g brown sugar
-Slice the strawberries and toss in sugar. Leave for a few minutes until it combines and forms a nice syrup.
-Halve the pomagranate and remove the seeds but turning the fruit face down on to a bowl and beat the top with a wooden spoon.
Blend Strawberries, pomagranate seeds and vodka in a blender with a cube of ice. Push through a sieve and serve chilled
Isn't it wonderful?
29 novembre 2006
Hibernation is over!!!
Looks like I am back AGAIN!!!! Back for a GOOD time and a long time.
After spending all winter fiesting on -unblogable -triple cream/cheese/bacon & pasta bakes as well as bagfuls of lollies, I increasingly started thinking about this dear food blog that I so shamefully dropped out too many months ago. Flicking through my favourite food blogs and going out to dinner parties, I felt it would be so nice to start cooking properly again and more importantly resume blogging.
So here I am.
A lot happened during that period of time and Auckland food scene is as radiant as ever, shinning with all the glorious products summer brings. These past fews months have also seen the rise - and fall - of what citymix calls "Super Delis". While Newmarket Fresh is sadly closing down, Nosh seems to be here to stay, although they advertise but still do not sell macarons.
Another event that brought me back here is the 1st ever NZ blogging by mail, thank you Emma for the great initiative. I'll send the parcel tomorrow but it will not contain the lovely pecan and choc chip cookies I thought I'd include. Not because they were so delicious I had to eat them all but because, much to my dismay, I am a VERY mediocre baker. Although edible, the so-called cookies tasted more like madeleines - compact and burnt madeleines that is to say.
I will give brownies a try tonight and if they turn up burnt, flat and oily, I promise to give up baking FOREVER!!