Monthly Flavors for February – Cupid’s Busy Month
February, the month of love! Valentine’s Day is here, and chocolate is in the air. This is the time to ply that special someone with
What comes to mind in August for you? For me, it is long, lazy days spent in the sun and most ideally on the beach or near a pool. It is sweet, succulent fruit and crisp, delicious vegetables enjoyed in all their simplicity. It is when nature has her heyday, and everything explodes with bounty and life. Can you tell I love summer?
I personally don’t celebrate any holidays in August. However, Muslims celebrate their New Year in August, called Hijri New Year. And Malayali Hindus celebrate Onam, a 10-day harvest festival which is considered one of the three most important holidays. The French and other Catholic peoples celebrate Ascension Day on August 15, when the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven. I didn’t dedicate a chocolate to Ascension Day though, since I did a French themed chocolate last month and am out of ideas!
Arnold Palmer
Lemon White Chocolate Ganache and Black Tea Milk Chocolate Ganache
My partner David is born August 1, so this chocolate is his request. He loves Arnold Palmers, and their alcoholic brother the John Daly. I happen to also love these drinks, so it works out pretty well. Plus, it is really hard to argue with a cold glass of lemonade and iced tea (with or without vodka) on a hot August day!
Kheer
Rose Water and Saffron White Chocolate Ganache with Puffed Rice
Kheer is an Indian rice pudding, and very common to celebrate Hijri New Year. The rice is flavored with rose water, saffron, cardamom, and topped with an assortment of nuts. These flavors are found throughout the Islamic and Arabic world, as well as India and other parts of Southeast Asia. Hijri New Year celebrates when the prophet Muhammad and his followers emigrated from Mecca to Medina, called the Hijra. The holiday is celebrated with special prayers and sermons, and spending time with family.
Pazham
Plantain, Coconut, and Jaggery White Chocolate Ganache
Pazham Pradhaman is a plantain pudding made with jaggery, coconut, and cardamom. It is served throughout South India, coming from Kerala. It is served for Onam, as well as Vishu, another very important holiday to Malayali Hindus. Onam celebrates the harvest, and has been celebrated as far back as the 2nd century CE. There are two main Hindu legends about what is being celebrated, but the celebration is similar no matter the origin story. There are parades and ritual dances and ceremonies for 10 days, and ends in a huge feast. This pudding is one of many dishes served, though Payasam (Pradhaman) in some form is always served to finish the feast.
Lazy Days
Rum and Ginger Dark Chocolate Ganache
I love rum. I love the complexity of the flavors, and how it lends itself to so many diverse cocktails. Rum and ginger is one of the most basic cocktails you can find, but it still has many delicious variations. My favorite is spiced rum with ginger beer. This chocolate is made with spiced rum, Bundaberg ginger beer, and fresh ginger for an extra kick.
Sunshine
Strawberry and Black Pepper White Chocolate Ganache with Balsamic Reduction
Strawberries are in their peak in summer. There are actually three main types of strawberry plants: June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral. June-bearing plants produce one crop, usually over about three weeks; everbearing plants produce a big crop in spring, a small crop in summer, and another large crop in fall; and day-neutral plants continue to produce until the first frost. The combination of strawberry and black pepper is pretty magical. The pepper brings out the berries’ sweetness, while adding a spiciness that is so refreshing. Balsamic vinegar pairs beautifully, adding a zest and astringency that makes the strawberry’s flavor shine.
Juicy
Peach Caramel
Peaches are probably my favorite fruit. They are one of the biggest highlights in summer, something I look forward to all year. And every year, I continue to debate nectarine vs peach, and white vs yellow. I am pretty sure my all-time winner is white nectarines, but that changes with each peach I eat. Did you know that nectarines are a peach variant? But, no matter your favorite combination, I think we can all agree that there are few things better than a perfectly ripe peach. And what better way to showcase the succulently sweet flavor than through a caramel? The slight bitterness of the caramel brings a lovely backbone to the delicate peach, and I bet you won’t be able to get enough of this one!
Cookie Flavors:
Pepper Cumin Cookies
These cookies are a lovely savory/sweet treat. The black pepper adds a lovely spiciness, the cumin adds a beautiful floral, yet earthy note, and the lemon zest brightens it all up. Try these cookies with fruit to help super boost the fruit’s sweetness, or with a strong cheese to taste the way the cumin and lemon pair and evolve. Or, eat them by themselves for a tasty balance of sweet, spicy, and savory.
Sarkara Varatti
I am totally cheating, these are not cookies at all. These spiced caramelized plantain chips are so addictive and delicious though, I had to find a way to share them with you! These are very traditional for Onam, and I just think they are so good. They are crunchy, sweet, and ginger spicy. They are made with jaggery, coconut, ginger, cardamom, and of course plantain. Because these aren’t cookies, the portions will differ a bit. A “half-dozen” will be about a large handful, and a “dozen” will double that.
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February, the month of love! Valentine’s Day is here, and chocolate is in the air. This is the time to ply that special someone with