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Monthly Flavors for May – It’s Gotta Be May!

To me, May means flowers, sunshine, and warm weather. I am a big sunbather, and just love to bask in the sun. Growing up in San Diego, we didn’t have much of a winter, but I still looked forward to spring and the sunshine it always brings. When I moved to Montreal, I would look forward to May as the last month of possible snow, and when the weather would finally start to warm up.

Cinco de Mayo is the first holiday I think of in May. It celebrates the victory of the smaller Mexican army over the larger French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Today, it is more widely celebrated in the US, particularly in California, than in Mexico, and is often seen as a celebration of Mexican-American culture. We celebrate Mother’s Day in the US on May 9 this year, and Eid al-Fatr begins on May 12. Eid al-Fatr is the of the end of Ramadan in Islam, and is celebrated with a big feast. It is a time of celebration with family and loved ones, and there are many traditional foods eaten throughout the world. It is also known as “sweet Eid” because in many cultures the traditional breakfast is sweet!

Caipirnha
Cachaça and Lime Dark Chocolate Ganache

The caipirnha is Brazil’s national drink. It is made with cachaça, a sugar cane hard liquor. It can only be made in Brazil, and only about 1% of the production is exported. In the US, it is considered a type of rum, as the process is similar to the production of rum agricole.

Unwind
Banana, Rum, Black Pepper Ganache

This chocolate is so sunny and warm. It is a lovely day at the beach, a tropical vacation. I used Rhum Negrita for this recipe, which is an agricole rum. This means it is made from sugar cane and not molasses, and has a very distinct flavor.

Mole
Peppers, Clove, and Allspice Dark Chocolate Ganache

Mole refers to a variety of different sauces in contemporary Mexico, but outside of Mexico it generally refers to mole poblano. This sauce originates from Puebla, and it made with a variety of spices, cocoa, and sugar. In Puebla, it is often eaten at celebratory dinners such as weddings, baptisms, and for Cinco de Mayo.

Gratitude
Hazelnut Praline and Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache

To celebrate Mother’s Day, I asked my own mother what flavors she would like. She decided to go with hazelnut praline and caramel. The hazelnut praline is paired wonderfully with a salted caramel chocolate ganache, and hopefully is exactly what she had in mind!

Kahk
Mahlab, Cardamom, and Clove Milk Chocolate Ganache

Kahk is a traditional Egyptian cookie eaten for Eid al-Fatr. They can have a variety of fillings, such as honey walnut (agameya), date (agwa), or nut (mokasarat). I based the ganache on the spice mix used in the outer cookie layer, instead of the fillings. Mahlab is a spice made from the seeds of a particular cherry species, the Mahlab or St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb). The flavor is a mix between bitter almond and cherry, somewhat close to the taste of marzipan.

Verve
Tulsi White Chocolate Ganache

Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is related to culinary basil. It is used in Aryuvedic medicine, and is native to India. It is often used to help deal with stress and boost energy. It has a similar earthy flavor to green tea or matcha, with a lemony-floral note that makes it very unique.

Cookie Flavors:

Ma’amoul Cookies

These cookies are traditionally eaten for Eid al-Fatr in Syria and Lebanon. They are also flavored with mahlab, but these have orange blossom water and rose water as well. They are filled with a date walnut mixture.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Mexican wedding cookies are also known as Russian Tea Cookies, Italian Wedding Cookies, or Viennese Sugar Drops. They are all very similar, but I have always known them as Mexican Wedding Cookies. These cookies are light, nutty, and addictive. They also happen to be one my mom’s all time favorites!