Pristine..
Pristine. Nothing is. Yet, why do we try to box life into it? Homes are never spotless if they have been lived in. Yet, we see so many stunning photos of perfectly styled and photographed homes that set our hearts racing. Kitchens, are rarely clean if someone who loves to eat resides there. Yet, most photos that you see, styled rustic or contemporary, are so flawless. I ponder about it and wonder why. Is it a quest for something that is not really achievable in reality that makes us obsessed with it in smaller frames where we have more control? Like through the lens of a camera for a short period of exemplified purity? Like a mummified moment....
I have at times yearned for that carefree impeccability that has taken the styling world by a rage under the name of Scandinavian aesthetic that paints a sunny, pleasing picture of everything. I have tried to get it that look, live that life, be that person.
The truth is my kitchen always looks like a war zone, my fridge always has something that has been there too long, my pantry has jams and preserves that I forgot I had made, or packets of lentils and spices stashed in the recesses and completely forgotten until I go looking for something and find something else. The truth is this is my reality. I am not perfect. I am not pristine.
And, I am happy I am not. Phew!
I suppose this cake is kind of my way of acknowledging that. It is a strawberry cake of sorts with a cake using a borrowed recipe. My rhubarb strawberry compote was a tad overcooked because I left it on the stove and got immersed in a book I was reading. But, it tastes awesome and makes for an lovely sweet-tang note on this frosting.
Pop goes the.....
Ice Crunch!
It is that time of the year when licking, biting, slurping cold and frozen things are entirely normal cravings. Along with this seasonal shift of palate comes a change in the colors on our plate. The markets are now overflowing with fruits of every color in the vibrancy range and I am really trying very hard to hold myself back from picking up one of everything!
Then, my attempts in self-policing are significantly encumbered by the wide variety of food porn I subscribe to. For several weeks, I have been inundated with photos of ice creams and popsicles. Eventually, I realised I simply cannot continue with this masochistic endeavor and had to succumb to Amazon and get myself a popsicle maker!
Now on to phase 2, or the agonizing on flavors. Berries, berries, berries. It was like a trance. I could not get away from them and somehow, I managed to get through the clinging tentacles (or rather thorns) of the bright pinks, reds and deep purples and laid eyes on a lovely ripe papaya. It sang to me.
You see, to understand why, I must take you back to my childhood world of India and my grandparents garden......
Triple Berry Whopper Pannacotta
The perfect Summer dessert is one that requires little effort and delivers a lot of oomph. A pannacotta is a classic that despite much written about its ease always impresses people when done right. This recipe is a play on the joy of layers and depths - a parfait of berry jam and maple vanilla pannacotta topped with preserved berries and fresh blueberries. It is silky and smooth on the tongue, has just enough oomph to make you go all jelly inside and has a sweet finish that leaves you satiated and palate coated.
Blue Cheese and Buttered Pear Ice Cream
Oh yes! It's ice cream season. Well, is not that what Memorial Day is all about? The subtle signal that Summer is here and now?! Speaking of which, hope you all had a great long weekend. We in the US, don't have nearly enough long weekends. So, we may as well make the most of it. As to me, I jetted off to wet and hot Austin from Spring rebound NYC. I am still there. So when I am back I will have some nice photos of water dripping from awnings! :)
In the meantime, let me tell you about this ice cream. Blue Cheese Ice Cream. Because, it blew my mind! Ever since a little Italian gelataria opened by me, I have been fascinated with savory ice creams. They make an amazing olive oil one that is served with the charcuterie platter. Divine. And, yes, that is where my inspiration for this came about.
Almond Rhubarb Cake for Two
Rhubarb and Friday! It has been a long week and going to be not much of a weekend with work that needs to be wrapped up piling up my to-do list. Still, I am going to rejoice in the tying together of loose ends, snatched times to self over the next few days and simply, the checking of items from the list that will thankfully happen. I am going to run back to that list but I had to leave you with this gem of a cake made with the season's blushing favorite, Rhubarb!
Also, if you are interested in improving your phone photography, I wrote a post with tips on composition and processing on the phone.