Monthly Flavors for December – Merry and Bright!
The end of the year already?! This year has really flown past. I am so excited to share a whole new year of wonderful flavors
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February is here already, which for us Americans tends to mean Valentine’s Day. Saint Valentine was a Roman priest in the 3rd century A.D. His hagiography has a few different versions, though the one most used for Valentine’s Day today is that he married Christian couples in secret (an illegal act at the time), which would allow the new husbands an escape from being conscripted into the army. He allegedly would give the men paper hearts to remind them of their vows and God’s love, which may be why we associate hearts with the holiday now!
No matter if you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, there is no reason to not get some tasty chocolates and cookies! There are also some very cute heart mendiants for sale this month as an extra treat. Get them for yourself, for your friends and family, anyone you want to share the love with!
Pear and Thyme White Chocolate Ganache
Pears are so extremely delicious right now! They are at the end of their season in February, but so sweet and juicy. Thyme gives this ganache just a note of herbal citrus flavor, preventing the balance from being too sweet. This is a light flavor, best savored slowly.
Lemon Marmelade and Black Lime Milk Chocolate Ganache
Black limes are popular in Persian cuisines, adding a fermented citrus flavor to meats, vegetables, and even tea. To make these, limes are left to dry in the sun until they are hard and black. Currently, black limes are enjoying a moment in the bartenders’ spotlight with new cocktails being created around this unique flavor. Paired with a homemade lemon marmelade, this chocolate is an explosion of citrus!
Red Wine Caramel
I got this idea from watching a video about Cajun food where the cooks were making rillons, also known as Cajun candied pork belly. Rillons are pork belly pieces baked with a red wine caramel until almost burnt, and they look amazing. I did not add any pork belly into the caramel, but I was definitely considering it! Maybe for another chocolate. But just this caramel without the pork is absolutely delicious. The caramel is deep and complex from the red wine, and you should definitely let the flavors totally evolve on your tongue.
Fennel Jelly and Apple White Chocolate Ganache
Fennel is an often overlooked member of the carrot family here in the US. The vegetable is used in many cuisines, from southern France and Italy to the Middle East and India! The seeds are the easiest to find in the spice aisle, but pretty much the whole plant is edible from bulb to flowers. It gives a licorice-like flavor that is less pungent and more herbal and floral than an actual licorice root. Paired with apple, you get a wonderful mix of sharpness from the fennel and sweetness from the apple for a beautiful combination.
Orange and Cognac Ruby Chocolate Ganache
My orange tree is in full swing right now, and I knew I wanted to use them in this month’s flavors. Cognac is a liquor from the southwest of France, and my family produced it for many generations. It is made from specific grape species, then double distilled in copper pot stills are aged in Limousin or Tronçais barrels. If it is made outside of the Cognac region, it is called brandy. Orange brightens the flavor, and with the tart berry flavor of the ruby chocolate, this chocolate is sure to delight you!
Raspberry and Basil Dark Chocolate Ganache
All things red are so fitting for this heart-filled month. Though raspberries are not in season naturally, they are used ubiquitously in pastry this time of year. Kissed with the lovely herbaceous basil and the sharp tang of the raspberry, this chocolate is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Mixed essence is a a combination of pear, almond, and vanilla extracts from the Caribbean. These flavors pair beautifully together, and give these sugar cookies a little something extra. Because hearts are so entwined with this month, I thought I should have a fun (and scientifically correct) take on them! Enjoy while learning about your ventricles and aorta, or with a cup of coffee and no learning, your choice.
Chef Pierre Hermé created the Ispahan macaron many years ago, and it has since become a signature flavor line of his. It was named after a type of Damask rose, it combines rose, raspberry, and often lychee in many different pastries today. For my take, I made rose and raspberry sablé cookies with a lychee cream. Decadent and yet light, these are best savored with a cup of tea.
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The end of the year already?! This year has really flown past. I am so excited to share a whole new year of wonderful flavors