Its an age-old problem, what can be easy to make, tasty, delicious, something thats good for you and something that’s super packed with nutrients. Its tricky to find something that fits all the criteria, right?
So what if I tell you that the recipe I am about to share scores awesomely on all front. Its so easy to make that anyone can make it. There is no heat needed, so its kid safe too
Another great part about this recipe is that you can easily swap out ingredients and make it with what you have on hand and something that your family likes. If I don’t have dates, I add apricots or raisins. If I don’t have almonds, I use peanut butter. Sometimes its rose flavoring, sometime its cardamom, sometimes its cinnamon, even cumin, the possibilities are endless.
I love using Roses in my cooking, rose sherbat, rose petals and of course Rose Jam. So I have used that
I love how good this is for you. Full of protein, Omega -3, zinc, Magnesium, Iron, and the best part ,its tastes awesome.
I have made this for my friends, even friend’s Moms, they all want to place an order :). I love snacking on it before workout and as mid-night snacks. Instead of buying highly processed products, why not make these perfect workout snack at home
Palermo was our second stop in Italy. Although its not on a typical Italian itinerary of Rome- Florence-Venice-Milan, the first time I went to Catania, Sicily, I fell in love with it. Very warm weather and people, different landscape and amazing variety of food, what’s not to love.
We landed mid morning and it was already super hot. It was one of those few days where the temperature was hovering around 100F. we reached our Airbnb, tucked away in little tiny lanes of the old Palermo town. I was so pleasantly surprised. The airbnb was just perfect, clean rooms, great hosts, good breakfast spread and close to all old town attractions. Our host Vincenzo was super helpful and I would highly recommend his place for those visiting Palermo.
Our apartment was more like a condominium, a small kitchen and a living room on the first floor, and two bedrooms with attached bathrooms on the second. Our host Frederico had some soda and beer in the fridge waiting for us, it was really nice of him.
We were super hungry and wanted to get something quick to eat. My hubby did a quick search and we walked to the downtown. We walked through the beautiful lanes of Palermo, it was so hot that not many people were on the street. We came to Villa Emanuel and found the place we were looking for, a cafe with a gelato parlor. We were so excited. We ordered many dishes but one of the favorites was the simple margarita pizza, delicious crust, topped with fresh cheese and cherry tomatoes. The pistachio Gelato was a perfect end to a great meal
The old town is so beautiful and charming, just as I had imagined. Cobble stone streets, small shop, gelato everywhere and of course amazing people.
Cathedral de Monreale
We were at a walking distance from the cathedral and the palace. The cathedral is very different from the ones we had seen in Rome, but magnificent in its own way. In fact I felt a very nice vibe in this place.
The church is beautiful with intricate decoration, it had such a serenity.
My favorite part in any town is the local markets, whether its vegetable market or a art market or a food market, I love them all. There are many small markets but four major ones and I visited three of them.
This was on a walking distance from my Airbnb. I wake up fairly early in the day so one day while the family was sleeping I decided to take a trip to this market.
Apparently this market was established by the Arabs and one feels like they are in one of the souks as you walk the lanes of this market. You can get anything here it seems.
When you look at Sicilian food, you can see Arab influence very clearly everywhere. Pistachio in Gelato, combination of sweet-sour ( orange, resins), rice & saffron in arancini and so much more.
Vucciria Market
It was super hot and which meant that it was pretty much necessary to stay indoors during the afternoons. One such evening after a good siesta, we stepped out to check out another market. This market apparently was a known fish market at one point in time, however you don’t see any signs of that if you go here during the day time. But the same place just transforms itself into a whole different scene. As you step down from the street into the square where count-less vendors have set up their tables, you are taken over by the sounds, smells of Vucciria. The evening starts with apretif and ends with cannoli and music and drinks and can go on till the wee hours of morning. There is some harmony in that chaos indeed.
We enjoyed freshly cooked octopus salad, pan e panele which reminded me so much of the Vada Pav from India, and of course feasted on the cannoli. I must tell you, that ricotta is something else.
It might not appear to be the most hygienic place, and it certainly is not a high end affair, but this market captures the essence of Palermo.
Puppet show
Sicily is known for its puppet theatre, so we could not miss attending a show. Just before the show we hung out and enjoyed some Italian mule and some snacks. There are these alleys that suddenly open into an area where there are tables set up and every restaurant is trying to get you to dine with them. We loved the vibe of that place and ended up going another evening.
Teatro Massimo
We are big time Godfather fans, every thanksgiving we watch all three parts, a tradition as special as a Thanksgiving meal. So we of course could not miss visiting Teatro Massimo while in Sicily.
We made a day trip to Mondello beach, it was a beautiful beach but it seemed like all of Sicily was there. I suppose it gets busy in August. We made a stop on the way back at San Lorenzo Mercado. A fun place where you can buy many local products, enjoy good food with some live music. The only issue was getting a cab to go back to Palermo. It seems like mostly locals come here in their cars hence the cabs are not that easily available.
We had an awesome time in Palermo. Enjoyed some incredible Sicilian food like amazing pasta, pizza, Cannoli and so much more
I love Italy so much that I hope to live here some day. Sicily although a part of Italy, has a charm and character of its own. From its people, landscape, families and food, everything is just amazing.
I grew up in a small town in India in a home with my grandma, Uncle-Aunty, cousins and others. Yes, there were many people who have lived in our home, maybe because they needed a place to stay for a short term, or they were studying something and needed a bit of help. Now that I think about it, I really admire my elders for embracing everyone and treating them like family.
Our home was quite large, it probably started as a small home but grew bigger with the family. It had a small courtyard which was one of my favorite spots in the house. The courtyard was surrounded by different parts of the house on three sides and the fourth side was a wall between the courtyard and the street. The courtyard had a giant wooden door, on either side of which was small little enclave where my grandma would light lamps in. One part of the house was used by my Grandfathers brother. He was a professor and a very brilliant one, he would hold his classes where he taught kids for free in that part of the house. Kaka Ajoba, as I fondly called him, also taught me how to pick vegetables in the market.
He was the first one to have TV in the house, our main house did not have until much later. So come Sunday all the kids would be at Kaka Ajoba’s watching all the serials like ‘Ek, Don, Teen, Chaar’ or ‘Vikram and Vetaal’.
Malgudi Days was one of those serials that we were allowed to watch. The minute this music came on, no matter where in the house we were, we would run to Kaka Ajoba’s and plop ourselves in front of the TV. The little Swami had become a part of our lives and that Malgudi Train station made us believe that the town was real. There was something really genuine and pure about that serial, just like my childhood, well done R.K. Narayan!
When I saw the Malgudi Days coffee, it immediately transported me back to those days, and more I read about it I felt a connection. Its a company started by a Mom and Son duo in the quest of getting the best filter coffee in Australia. Their coffees come from the majestic slopes of the Bababudan highlands of South India, situated in a shaded region 4,000 feet above sea level. The coffee is roasted in Sydney and brings you back to the streets of South India where you can smell a beautiful aroma of coffee as you enjoy your ‘tiffin’ in the morning .
Malgudi day contacted me and sent me their products. When I received my package I was very surprised, not only had they sent me boxes of coffee to try but also a set of tumblers along with a south Indian coffee filter to make the coffee with. The quality of the stainless steel is excellent and so was the coffee.
You guys might know that I am a tea addict, a cup of good old Indian chai is an absolute necessity to start my day right. However when I like to drink something other than tea, my favorite is the good old Indian Filter coffee. I of course enjoyed Malgudi Days’s coffee with my Paniyarams but also decided to make something that not only can be enjoyed with the coffee but also uses coffee in the recipe.
When I talk about my childhood memories I think of my paternal grandmother who used to drink only coffee, she never had tea. She would make a coffee using coffee grounds that were freshly ground in a local shop called Metro. She would always add a pinch of nutmeg in her coffee. This type of coffee was also normally served at ‘Haldi Kumkum’ which is a social women’s gathering, in fact it was also called ‘Haldi Kukuwachi coffee’ in Marathi. So when I had the Turkish coffee, which often has cardamom and nutmeg, I was quite surprised and wondered how my grandma must have learnt about this Turkish coffee when there was no internet.
I decided to draw inspiration from the Turkish coffee and my grandma to make this dessert using Malgudi Days’s coffee, it somehow resonated with the theme of nostalgia and coffee.
Baklava which is a quintessential dessert from countries like Lebanon, Greece, Egypt and Turkey and each one of them claims that it originated there. I thought the Turkish version which does not use any orange blossom or honey would pair well with the coffee and the Indian flavors that I wanted to incorporate.
I have not only added some nutmeg to the nut mixture along with the cardamom in the syrup, the syrup also has the coffee decoction I made with Malgudi Days traditional filter coffee blend.
A dessert Pastry filled with a spiced nut mixture and drizzle with a coffee syrup, this is a treat to be enjoyed on it own or with a cup of good coffee.
Heat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine 6 tablespoons butter with the cashews, Brown Sugar, nutmeg, and salt and chop it finely.
Make Syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, add water add the cardamom powder and the pod skin. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Continue to boil for a min. Remove the syrup from the heat, add coffee decoction and let cool; discard the cardamom skins.
Grease an 8-inch square metal baking pan with some of the remaining melted butter.
On a board, lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough so the short sides are parallel to you. Brush the sheet with some butter and place the second sheet over the first. Brush the phyllo with butter and cover with the third sheet. Brush the last phyllo sheet with butter.
Cut the phyllo stack in half lengthwise, and then cut each rectangle crosswise into 5 equal small rectangles. Put about 2 tablespoons of the nut filling in a line along the long edge of 1 of the phyllo rectangles. Roll the phyllo around the filling into a roll and place the roll in the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining filling and phyllo rectangles to make 9 more rolls. Make sure the rolls fit snugly in the pan so they don't open while baking and the filling does not ooze out
Bake
Brush the remaining melted butter over the top of the rolls and bake until light brown and crisp, about 35 minutes.
Remove the baking pan from the oven, pour the cooled coffee syrup over the baklava logs, and let cool to room temperature.
Turn each log over and let stand for 15 minutes to allow the syrup distribute itself through the rolls
Recipe Notes
Baklava is made using various nuts, the more common ones are walnuts, pistachio, however you can use any nuts.
You can make any shapes you would like, you can make a huge tray and cut into diamond or squares etc.
Lebanese version of Baklava uses orange blossom water, Greek version uses honey instead of sugar syrup etc, but all the Baklava tastes amazing
I always knew I wanted to visit San Miguel De Allende. I love Mexico and any place from that country would be beautiful but this particular city had had my attention for a long time, as I had seen so many stunning photos of it online.
Beautiful bright colonial architecture, vibrant art scene and of course food!
So I was super excited because I was able to go to this city with my husband to celebrate our anniversary, the perfect romantic place.
Here is a long Travel Diary with all the details of my first but certainly not the last trip to San Miguel De Allende
Day 1
We landed in Leon, a town an hour west of San Miguel de Allende. We had booked a shuttle ahead of time to ensure that we don’t have to wait for a taxi. If you don’t plan to travel outside SMA you don’t need a car, the shuttle works great. You can pretty much walk everywhere in the town, and if you get tired of walking you can get taxis for about 50-70 pesos one way (about $2-4.)
It took us about an hour and a half to reach San Miguel de Allende, the ride was smooth. The terrain is not picturesque but it made for a beautiful sunrise. Vivid colors in the sky looked absolutely stunning against the arid landscape of mesquite and Nopales or Cactus.
Source: Getty Images
We stayed at a Airbnb a little away from the downtown or Centro area. My hubby prefers a quieter place and hence we picked this and we were so glad we did. This cute little place we had the whole apartment and it also had another terrace with a beautiful view of the cathedral. The host Wanda had taken care of every little detail and made us feel at home.
We had landed very early in the day so we decided to explore the town and have some breakfast while our room was getting ready. Although the walk to the Centro is only 15-20 mins, we decided to hop on a city bus that took us close to the cathedral, and it costed $7 pesos per person. We love taking public transportation because it allows you to connect with the locals.
The bus dropped us near the cathedral but seemed like the town was still asleep. We walked around and came to this market ‘Ignacio Ramirez’ and there was some sign of life. We decided to grab a quick bite before heading back. The market does not seem like much from outside but there is a big treasure waiting for you to explore if you are willing. We walked around a bit and decided to head out. We did come back to this market later on our trip and explored more, because it was full of great finds.
Checking out the map
Any new place I visit, I always do two things: visit the local markets and talk to the locals. I feel that through this I learn the most about the place, culture and people.
TOSMA or Mercado Sano
When I shared that I was going to San Miguel de Allende, my friend Susie told me about this organic market that’s held every Saturday, so the first thing on the agenda was just that.
We decided to walk to that Mercado. San Miguel de Allende is full of colorful shops along the city streets, beautiful homes that have some great doors that open into these cute little courtyards that are fascinating. It seems like each of these courtyard have something interesting to share. Some have cafes like Lavanda, orvegan cafes like Nectar, some have fancy restaurants like Aperi; and others have artisanal craft stores and a lot of them are actually art galleries. In fact I feel like San Miguel de Allende is an artists heaven.
Paper flower store
Colorful paperwork
Beautiful Kayaks
Pretty fountains
We walked towards Mercado de Sana and found this bazar that was just amazing. Local food, drinks, art and even some incredible products. People have this notion that Mexican food is mainly meat focused, but when you come to places like this is when you see all seasonal local ingredients showcased beautifully.
Read my detailed post about TOSMA/Mercado Sano below:
The afternoons were fairly warm, so after exploring until lunch, we decided to head back to the AirBnB for some siesta.
The place where we stayed was very close to the Fabrica La Aurora that David had told us about, so we decide to go and explore. We were so glad we did, there was live music, some wine tasting and beautiful art work. Its always fascinating to see how the artists see and interpret the world.
We headed back to the town after the visit. The town comes alive at night. The street were full of people, local and tourists alike. There were taco stall, churros, corn and more street food. There was music and everyone seemed to be enjoying the cooled down evening temperature . It seemed like everything was happening around the cathedral. In the warm night, the cathedral looked beautifully lit.
La Posadita
We had made a reservation at a roof top restaurant, La Posadita. We enjoyed the outdoor eating with the Cathedral view. The food was not the greatest but interesting things like Escamoles, or ant eggs were on the menu. The guac was very well done and the Oxacan bean soup I ordered tasted so much like the Indian Black lentils, I feel if you observe there are many similarities across various cuisines.
Cathedral from a roof top restaurant
Day 2
We were ready to explore more after a good night sleep and we both love a good breakfast. So the first order of the day was looking for place with good coffee and some chilaquiles.
Lavanda Cafe
Our first stop was this cafe Lavanda that’s very highly rated. We had to wait quite a bit as the restaurant has a few tables in this small beautiful courtyard, the wait was definitely worth it.
Lavender Latte
Amazing local honey
Me 🙂
After the breakfast we decided to go back to Mercado Ignacio Ramirez. Ignacio Ramirez was a famous poet from Mexico and this market is named after him. When you walk past the cathedral and the gardens, navigate through some busy areas, you come to this market. There were some celebrations happening at the cathedral so I decided to not go inside. There were some vendors selling small craft items, young kids were also helping their parents, but I decided to keep focus on the market 🙂 , I get distracted very easily.
Cathedral
Garden
Kids hanging out
Paper flowers and mule
Ignacio Ramirez was a famous poet from Mexico and this market is named after him. It is one of the more popular market amongst the locals.
Mercado Ignacio Ramirez
There is so much to share and see in this market, that I have written a detailed post on it. You can read that here
It seemed like that the Ignacio Ramirez market was never ending. As we made our way through the area where they were selling these vegetables, we could see some stores selling jewelry but also some clay pots and other crafts items. As we made our way towards those shops we saw a banner that said ‘Welcome to the Artisan Market’, there was a huge unending lane full of all kinds of artisanal things in Mercado Artesanias
Mercado Artesanias
There was a pathway with cobbled stones that was leading down from Ignacio Ramirez, both sides were lined with tiny shops that were filled with so many intricate, colorful interesting things. I will write in detail about this market soon.
We were ready for our lunch and decided to check out another market that we had heard about. This market takes place only on Sundays and I was excited to be there.
Via Organica
This is a market surrounding an Organic restaurant, Via Organica. A small cobblestone lined street was full of stalls with merchants selling some amazing organic products. I loved the vibe in that place, there was something very peaceful.
I had an opportunity to taste Mezcals that were aged differently. Different cheeses, got to learn about various different corns, tasted some aguamiel or honey water, this is the same from which Agave Syrup is made.
I also got to taste some Microgreens, try all kinds of Agua fresca and so much more. This once again made me realize that I have so much to learn about Mexican food. In fact it seems like just like India, it changes drastically from place to place.
The afternoons were fairly warm and we preferred going back to the Airbnb for a siesta
As the sun set we came back to the Centro, the central area near and around the Cathedral where all the action is happening. Its vibrant, its lively and I loved it.
Apari
We were celebrating our anniversary and my husband had made reservations in a nice restaurant ,’ Apari’. Located a few blocks away from the Cathedral, its an eclectic restaurant that served some delicious food. We were seated in a courtyard which was decorated very tastefully.
After dinner we walked around the square, enjoyed some live music. As we were walking back to grab a taxi we realized that we were a little hungry again( what can we say, we love food), so decided to make a quick stop at the Taco stand, it was crowded and it was popular.
We love food so much that we made another stop at the Churro stall. It was a tiny little window through which you could place an order. I ordered churro filled with Dulce de Leche, OMG it tasted so good.
Churros
It was Cinco de Mayo and we could see fireworks in the sky as we walked back home. It was a beautiful night.
Day 3
Cumpanio
Next morning we decided to make a trip to famous bakery that locals seem to hang out at. It seemed like people were spending hours chatting with friends enjoying the breakfast, its a rare site in the USA especially on a working day.
We walked around the square, each shop has something interesting an artistic. I loved how there was a great combination of traditional and modern craft store, furniture stores etc.
Nectar
After a good walk, we were ready for our lunch, se I told you we eat a lot. We decided to try this vegan cafe that we had read good stuff about.
Nectar
Beautiful paper flowers
Avocado toast
Torta
I liked some things but I would that make a special trip to this place. The ambience is nice, a small courtyard with bunch of paper flowers, small little glass cups made with handblown glass to hold some nectar for the Calibrí or hummingbirds. The coffee was good, both the hot coffee and the Vietnamese cold coffee were good.
We walked back to the our AirBnb which was not too far from Via Organica
After our nap we were discussing about where to go for dinner, I know what you must be thinking but what can we do, we live for food. When we were at Via Organica, we had met someone who had talked some Mezcaleria, and we thought it was a great idea. But as we were researching we came across this Oxacan place and decided to give it a try.
Salón Oxaca
The address was near the cathedral, near the library. We got there but could not spot it anywhere, and then we saw this unassuming small eatery. I actually was not sure how the food would be but boy we were surprised.
It a cute little place that one must visit when in SMA. Non pretentious, a small but great menu and stunning view is what brought us in. The owner Mario is amazing, he not only spent time explaining details on Mezcal but also shared some amazing stories about Oxacan food. The tllyauda was just amazing and so was the guac. I cant wait to go back when I back in SMA.
Day 4
We were leaving later that day so decided to take it easy and have a chill breakfast. Our host had some cereal and milk and we had that for breakfast while we finished packing. We were ready to have our lunch before we said goodbye for now to SMA.
We had read about this place called Taco Don Felix, it seemed like it was in the no where area. Not close to the Centro or anything but it was rated super well and so we decided to go. Its in a residential area but difficult to find, our cab driver knew about it.
Everything, absolutely everything was amazing. We were greeted with a small tostada to start with. My husband got the pork one and I got the vegetarian one which had the famous Huitlacoche. If you guys don’t know what Huitlacoche is, its a corn mushroom. When it rains while the corn is still tender inside the cob, a mushroom forms inside the corn. It is enjoyed as a delicacy across latin America. It has a very unique almost truffle like taste, and I absolutely love it .
The tacos were fantastic and each of the salsa served as an accompaniment was tasty. I got the Guava Margarita and it was delish. Another place that I will certainly visit on my next trip to SMA.
Adios SMA!
We took a taxi back to our AirBnB, picked up our bags and headed to the airport.
I fell in love with San Miguel de Allende, and I know I will certainly come back. Perhaps I will explore some areas around SMA, learn some Oxacan cooking, Practice my Spanish and chill.
I hope you enjoyed reading my looooong Travel diary, would love to know your comments/feedbacks.
When I shared that I was going to San Miguel de Allende, my friend Susie told me about this organic market that’s held every Saturday, so the first thing on the agenda was just that.
We decided to walk to that Mercado. San Miguel de Allende is full of colorful shops along the city streets, beautiful homes that have some great doors that open into these cute little courtyards that are fascinating. It seems like each of these courtyard have something interesting to share. Some have cafes like Lavanda, orvegan cafes like Nectar, some have fancy restaurants like Aperi; and others have artisanal craft stores and a lot of them are actually art galleries. In fact I feel like San Miguel de Allende is an artists heaven.
Paper flower store
Colorful paperwork
Beautiful Kayaks
Pretty fountains
We walked towards Mercado de Sana and found this bazar that was just amazing. Local food, drinks, art and even some incredible products. People have this notion that Mexican food is mainly meat focused, but when you come to places like this is when you see all seasonal local ingredients showcased beautifully.
Agua Fresca
There was a stall that was selling the legit local food, fresh corn tortillas cooked on the comal, stuffed with your choice of filling. Fresh tortillas were being made with such amazing skill that one could not stop and watch it, it was very therapeutic. The fillings ranged from some classics like nopal, pumpkin flowers to some garbanzo, pork stew and so much more. I was salivating just looking at it.
There were some fantastic products for sale. Mexican Vanilla, cinnamon and even some spice mixes like Mole etc. It was just incredible to see so many complex flavors of spices combined beautifully in a paste ready to use. I also picked up some of the vanilla beans, can’t wait to cook with it. The cinnamon you get here is different from the Cylon variety.
Garbanzo beans
Different types of mole & spices
Agua Fresca
Adobo spice mix
Fresh corn tortilla
As I was checking out some products I ran into this wonderful gentleman David, loved his spirit and enthusiasm about San Miguel De Allende. He runs a magazine/newsletter that covers everything SMA and very aptly named Lokkal SMA. He hopes to expand this to other cities. Do check his website out!
He told me about this art and wine event happening at the Fabrica La Aurora, It an old renovated textile mill that houses cafes, shops & galleries with works by local artists in many mediums.
I was ready to explore as usual with my camera 🙂
If you want to read more about my experience of San Miguel De Allende, please click here
After breakfast, we decided to go back to Mercado IgnacioRamirez.
Ignacio Ramirez was a famous poet from Mexico and this market is named after him. When you walk past the cathedral and the gardens and navigate through some busy areas, you come to this market. There were some celebrations happening at the cathedral so I decided to not go inside. There were some vendors selling small craft items, young kids were also helping their parents, but I decided to keep focus on the market :), I get distracted very easily.
Cathedral
Garden
Kids hanging out
Paper flowers and mule
This place is full of all kinds of things, fresh fruits and vegetables, groceries like beans and rice, flowers, shoes, clothes and so much more.
We landed so early in the morning and were super hungry, when we saw Tortas being served with eggs, salsa and some tempting looking chilies, we decided to enjoy that with a glass of fresh juice. The Torta was not to die for but it was perfect for us, because we were starved. We also ordered some fresh juice and that was ok as well. We saw people around us eating seafood cocktails as well.
Salsa picante
Torta con huevo
Flowers market
When we came back the second time, we decided to explore the market more. You can see that there are different sections of this market. As you enter the market you see many stalls that sell fresh fruits and vegetables, and also some other things like dry chilies etc. You can get pre-made packets of spices and nuts needed to make the mole. I loved seeing the different types of dried chilies that were in the market. You can also buy rice and beans, a staple in Mexican cuisine.
Check out a video of the market walk below.
As you go deeper you also see stores that sell other household items along with things like shoes, bags etc.
I thought the market ended there but it was like a never ending treasure. I went further in to find many cool things. There was a whole market where you could buy vegetables, fruits, juices, cheese etc. They were also selling prepared food like Tacos, Tlayudas. They had such interesting toppings or fillings, it was super cool. Zucchini blossoms, Nopales and even purslane.
We were hungry and decided to give the Mexican breakfast food ‘Atoles’ a try. I had been reading signs for Tamales y Atoles, I knew about Tamales but had no clue what Atoles were. Atole is a drink made with masa, cooked with water to make a porridge enjoyed at breakfast. I tasted 4-5 different varieties like guava, cacao, coconut but my favorite was the one that was flavored like Arroz con Leche, touch of cinnamon and dulce de Leche.
I enjoyed a roasted ear of corn with some chili and lime, its not one of the hybrid super sweet corn, it was earthy, you had to chew a little but well worth that effort.
Elote in Ignacio Ramirez
I continued going through the market and talking to people to learn and understand more about the food, culture, customs, its always so fascinating.
My walk was filled with interesting spices, some herbal medicines and so much more. I had a chance to taste the fresh cheese they were selling, and it was so delicious.
Spices in San Miguel de Allende
This lady was so helpful and explained not just what she was selling but how it was to be used. I was curious about some green balls that looked like spinach, she explained that it was purslane and often used in soups with potato.
I even tasted fruit of nopal, it’s called tuna (like the fish), an interesting tasting fruit. I would love to cook with it when I get back to California. This is the best part about traveling, meeting new people and learning something new about culture and food expands your horizons.
It seemed like that the Ignacio Ramirez market was never ending. As we made our way through the area where they were selling these vegetables, we could see some stores selling jewelry but also some clay pots and other crafts items. As we made our way towards those shops we saw a banner that said ‘Welcome to the Artisan Market’, there was a huge unending lane full of all kinds of artisanal things in Mercado Artesanias, we will take that tour in a different post
But for now if you want to go back to my original post on San Miguel de Allende, click here 🙂 .
I love California, beautiful weather, amazing nature and abundant produce. Spring time is just awesome here. Wild flowers everywhere, air is crisp and there is a feeling of newness in the air. Farmer’s market starts getting more produce and as the month of May rolls around, you start seeing cherries in the market. A few types of cherries like Brooke, Rainer and more.
We love going cherry picking, so much fun to pick the beautiful ruby red fruits right off the tree. It’s very close to where we live, we go there to pick not just cherries but even peaches & corn. We go early, pick the fruit and have a picnic whenever we go. I will be doing a quick video soon to show you all how awesome it is.
May is very special because its my daughters birthday.
She is sophisticated, beautiful, smart, confident, loving, content, full of love and empathy, I must have done something right in my previous life to have such a wonderful daughter.
In fact I thank my stars everyday and count my blessing that I am a mom to two most wonderful children. Very understanding, no attitude, pure love.
Since I make an effort to cook with whats in season, I thought why not make a cake with these gorgeous cherries for my baby’s birthday. She loves chocolate, she loves fancy desserts and love cherries.
I decided to make a Cherry Upside down cake. I wanted to make something a little more decadent, sophisticated so decided to roast my cherries with the Bourbon before baking with the batter. The bourbon adds a very distinct & complex flavor to the cherries and the roasting intensifies the flavors.
I know its a pain to pit cherries one at a time so I decided to buy this from Amazon, and I love it. You can pit 6 cherries at a time, the juices don’t go all over the place and the pits also stay in place.
The cake batter is the same as my chocolate cake, I made only 1/3 of the batter since we did not want a huge cake. Cherry and chocolate is such an incredible combination, and with the addition of the whipped cream, it comes very close to the ‘Black Forest Cake’.
We loved how it turned out and it looks gorgeous too, a little less than my daughter though 🙂
Decadent chocolate cake with boozy caramelized cherries
Course
cake, Dessert
Keyword
cake, chocolate, dark chocolate
AuthorAnagha
Ingredients
Ingredients
For the Cake: This batter makes three 8inch round cakes
340gUnsalted butterabout 3 sticks; 340g
1 1/2cupbrewed black coffeealternatively take 4 tbsp of instant coffee with hot water
90gUnsweetened cocoa powder
175gDark chocolateroughly 72%
450glight brown sugar
1Tbspvanilla extract
1Tspsalt
6large eggs cold from the fridge
3large egg yolks cold from the fridge
250gAll-purpose flour
1tablespoonBaking soda
Cherry topping
1 Cup Sugar
6TbspWater
6TbspButter
25Pitted Cherries
Instructions
Method
Heat the oven to 375 F
Line , three 8 inch round cake pan line with parchment paper
Cherry Topping
Mix the cherries , sugar and butter together
Pour in the bottom of the cake pan
Cook for 10 min till the sugar is little caramelized
Take out the pan and add the bourbon & salt
Cake
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
Combine butter and coffee steel pot over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat, then mix in cocoa and chocolate, followed by brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in eggs and yolks, then sift in flour and baking soda.
Mix well till you see no dry flour spots
Pour the batter in the prepared pans
Bake until cakes are firm for about 30 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the center should come away with a few crumbs still attached)
Cool cakes directly in their pans for 1 hour, then invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and return cakes right side up.
I am not a chocolate person, I know I know that sounds completely absurd , who can not like chocolate etc etc. I do like to have a bite of good quality dark chocolate but not crazy about chocolate cookies, cakes, brownies etc. So I don’t end up making a lot of things unless kids want it or some guests are coming over.
So today is my very good friend’s birthday. Last year for her birthday her husband brought a really nice mango mousse cake, but she kept looking for chocolate. It was so funny when he hubby said well there are chocolate curls that are on top of the mousse cake, and you should have seen her face. Anyway to say the least I knew that I had to make a special chocolate cake for her this year.
Until I tasted the chocolate in a museum of chocolate when I visited Antiqua Guatemala a couple of years ago. Antigua is a beautiful city in Guatemala. I fell in love with its cobbled stone streets, to beautiful architecture to lovely doors and so much more. I loved that however small the homes might be, each of them had a courtyard, and you know I am a sucker for courtyards. My dream home will have a large wrap around porch with a beautiful courtyard.
Courtyards of Antigua
The chocolate museum was just fantastic It was fascinating to read about the history of cacao beans and how it was used as a currency in those days, and how the chocolate was made.
A stone on which the cacao beans are ground
So I started my research my focus was to make sure that it has rich chocolate flavor and also that I need to incorporate coffee in this. Based on what the man at the chocolate museum told me, coffee helps enhance the chocolate flavor and vice versa. I also had watched an episode of Pati’s Mexican table where she added a cup of boiling water in her chocolate cake to make it moist. So all of that combined and settled on this recipe very close to a recipe by Stella for the cake. Instead of using the Swiss buttercream, I decided to make a simple ganache frosting and it worked really well.
What I like about this recipe:
The cake batter comes together in one pot
You can make both the cake and the frosting base a couple of days ahead, and put it together on the day of the party
Its rich, decadent and yet not overly sweet
So if you have a special occasion or you are in a mood for chocolate cake, this is a perfect recipe.
I also have a video for the recipe, check it out !
If you give it a try, let me know how you like it 🙂
Decadent chocolate cake with boozy caramelized cherries
Course
cake, Dessert
Keyword
cake, chocolate, dark chocolate
AuthorAnagha
Ingredients
Ingredients
For the Cake: This batter makes three 8inch round cakes
340gUnsalted butterabout 3 sticks; 340g
1 1/2cupbrewed black coffeealternatively take 4 tbsp of instant coffee with hot water
90gUnsweetened cocoa powder
175gDark chocolateroughly 72%
450glight brown sugar
1Tbspvanilla extract
1Tspsalt
6large eggs cold from the fridge
3large egg yolks cold from the fridge
250gAll-purpose flour
1tablespoonBaking soda
Cherry topping
1 Cup Sugar
6TbspWater
6TbspButter
25Pitted Cherries
Instructions
Method
Heat the oven to 375 F
Line , three 8 inch round cake pan line with parchment paper
Cherry Topping
Mix the cherries , sugar and butter together
Pour in the bottom of the cake pan
Cook for 10 min till the sugar is little caramelized
Take out the pan and add the bourbon & salt
Cake
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
Combine butter and coffee steel pot over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat, then mix in cocoa and chocolate, followed by brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in eggs and yolks, then sift in flour and baking soda.
Mix well till you see no dry flour spots
Pour the batter in the prepared pans
Bake until cakes are firm for about 30 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the center should come away with a few crumbs still attached)
Cool cakes directly in their pans for 1 hour, then invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and return cakes right side up.
Summer is almost here and I have all these amazing memories of different summer vacations I have taken.
I remember waking up to beautiful mornings with the birds were chirping, and scent of various flowers filled the air. One of the birds was called Tambat, which translates to Coppersmith. It makes a sound of a hammer beating down a sheet of copper, I guess that’s where it got its name from. After waking up we would wash up, I still remember those big copper earns filled with water.
My Mami a typical woman from Konkan, unadulterated love, simple life and always a smile on her face that’s how I remember her. She would make beautifully scented rice porridge which would be served on a giant leaf of a Moochkund tree, which is also called ‘dinner plate’ tree. It was simply dressed with a touch of ghee and salt.
Muchkund Leaves
There were bounties of summer like Karvande, Jambhul, but best part about that vacation used to be mangoes, mangoes for breakfast ,Mangoes for lunch, mangoes for snack Mangoes for a drink, what more can one ask for. I still remember very vividly the room full of mango is layered beautifully on a bed of hay. My aunt would tell us to go look for the ones that are ripe and then the party started.
We would wander around in the village, on the paths paved with Chire, a red stone from that region, leading up to the temple. There was a small pond near the temple called Ban Ganga, we would explore around and head home when the stomach started growling.
Mami would have a drink ready for us, made from the Kokum or ratamba as its called in that region. Gorgeous garnet, ruby color, delicious taste and thirst and heat quenching, this used to the the perfect treat after a walk in the village.
Kokum Sherbat
Fast forward to 2018 when I went to Sicily with my family. I fell in love with Italy and would love to live there some day. We enjoyed some amazing foods and a few of the favorites originated in Italy. Cannoli, Arancini to name a few. One of those dishes is Granita, a refreshing icy treat that comes in all kinds of flavors. It so reminded me of the Barf Gola we get in India.
Gelato
The best part was that the granita is enjoyed at breakfast with brioche, dessert for breakfast, what more can one ask for.
So today’s recipe is my summers relived, Kokum granita showcases two of my favorites, konkan and Sicily.
A refreshing summer dessert with tangy and sweet flavors
Servings4
Ingredients
Ingredients
3/4cupKokum Agalwithout sugar
2 1/2cupsof water
1 1/2cupsugar
1tspCumin powder
1/2tspsalt
Instructions
Method
Bring 1 cup of water and sugar to a boil. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves.
Keep aside. Stir in the rest of the water. Taste and add more sugar if needed
Add cumin powder and salt and stir.
Put this mixture into a baking tray, keep it in fridge for 2-3 hours. The mixture will start freezing around the edges slowly. Take the tray out and scrape the frozen part with fork, and put it back in the freezer.
Keep repeating till all of the mixture is frozen into fine ice.
Serve it in a bowl.
Recipe Notes
You can make this a couple of days ahead, just make sure to scrape it with a fork right before you serve
Gudhi padwa is celebrated in Maharashtra, India as a new year. Across India the same day is celebrated by different names but the spirit is the same. We look at nature, and you can see that spring is in the air and this day is the celebration of the new beginnings. Bengali celebrate ‘poila boishokh’ , Keralite celebrate Vishu and so much more. Not just in India but even Zoroastrians celebrate ‘Nowrouz’ which marks the first day of the spring. On this day they have a platter newly sprouting wheat is always on the table along with other things.
I feel you feel like celebrating if you just look around. Where I live, there are beautiful blossoms everywhere, when I go for a walk, I see beautiful wildflowers, mustard fields with yellow flower and just a sense of rejuvenation.
We went for a beautiful hike in a state park and saw so many beautiful wild flowers, it was just breathtaking.
I picked a few of these and decided to make a Gudhi using those.
In India, especially in Maharashtra we celebrate Navratri which starts on Gudhi Padwa. Often there are Haldi Kunku which is a gathering for women, an informal social gathering. The celebration is for a goddess and I remember very fondly my Aai coming up with amazing ideas for decorations. One year we had recreated a famous garden from southern india, another year was a beautiful swing made with flowers and plants. As a kid I loved helping Aai with this event.
This is also the season when you start seeing Green mangoes on the tree in India. So naturally traditionally two dishes using the green mango are always made for this haldi kunku, Aam Panhe, a drink made with cooked green mango & jaggery and the second is this , Kairichi Daal.
I love both of these things very much. Today when I picked up the green mango to make this, it turned out not very sour but the kiwis I picked up from the farmers market were so sour, so voila, a new dish is born. I added some Kiwi and the results were quite delicious.
It a super easy recipe, hope you guys like it. If you have any such traditions, I would love to know about them. 🙂
I have also written the recipe in Marathi, hope thats useful to some.
This is a typical dish made during the spring while the mangoes are still green and tart. Soaked lentils add a perfect crunch to this salad
Ingredients
साहित्य
2CupsChana Daal
1/2CupPeeled and grated Green Mango
2Kiwi Peeled and chopped
3-4Green Chili paste
1TspSalt
1TbspSugar
1/3CupFreshly grated coconut
1-2TbspChopped mint leaves
1 TbspChopped cilantro
For tempering
3TbspOil
1TspMustard seeds
1TspCumin seeds
1/4TspAsafetida
3Dry red chilies
1SprigCurry leaves
Instructions
Method
Soak the lentils for 4-5 hours at the least
Drain and crush them in mortar pestle, make sure you don’t make a fine paste
Mix sugar, salt, coconut, mint, cilantro in the crushed lentils. Once its completely mixed, add the kiwi and green mango.
Heat oil in a pan. Check if its hot by adding a couple of mustard seeds, if they splutter add the rest of the ingredients and saute for 30 secs. Make sure it does not burn
Add this tempering to the lentil mixture. The salad is now ready
This is a typical dish made during the spring while the mangoes are still green and tart. Soaked lentils add a perfect crunch to this salad
Ingredients
साहित्य
2CupsChana Daal
1/2CupPeeled and grated Green Mango
2Kiwi Peeled and chopped
3-4Green Chili paste
1TspSalt
1TbspSugar
1/3CupFreshly grated coconut
1-2TbspChopped mint leaves
1 TbspChopped cilantro
For tempering
3TbspOil
1TspMustard seeds
1TspCumin seeds
1/4TspAsafetida
3Dry red chilies
1SprigCurry leaves
Instructions
Method
Soak the lentils for 4-5 hours at the least
Drain and crush them in mortar pestle, make sure you don’t make a fine paste
Mix sugar, salt, coconut, mint, cilantro in the crushed lentils. Once its completely mixed, add the kiwi and green mango.
Heat oil in a pan. Check if its hot by adding a couple of mustard seeds, if they splutter add the rest of the ingredients and saute for 30 secs. Make sure it does not burn
Add this tempering to the lentil mixture. The salad is now ready
English