Monthly Flavors for August – Light it Up!
August is here, and it is HOT! Here in the Bay Area we are dealing with heat waves, and I am about ready to melt.
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July is here with all her juicy, bright flavors! Everything is exploding with life in my garden, and the farmers’ market is overflowing with bounty. This is a time of delighting in the fruit I have been so eagerly waiting for all year. With all that in mind, it is no wonder the flavors are quite simple this month. I wanted to let each fruit really shine out, and highlight some of my favorite herb pairings. You might be surprised at how well fresh herbs pair with fruit – definitely something to keep in mind for your next fruit salad!
I am not really celebrating anything in particular this month. There is the 4th of July, but there isn’t a particular flavor set aside for it this month. The names this month are “pretty” translated into different languages. I always think of July as a pretty month, with beautiful sunsets and food all month long! I chose French, English, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian, and German for no particular reason.
Apricot and Rosemary White Chocolate Ganache
This is the flavor that kick started the month’s theme for me. While in France, I had this amazing apricot rosemary ice cream. I decided I clearly needed to make it into a ganache, and here we are! I love how the tartness of the apricot pairs with the sweetness of the white chocolate, all punched up by the rosemary.
Raspberry and Thyme Dark Chocolate Ganache
In my opinion, raspberry is a very obvious choice to pair with chocolate. My brother has always loved anything raspberry and milk or dark chocolate. But in this ganache, thyme adds this really interesting twist. It comes across almost citrusy, but earthy. The ganache is not sweet, so the thyme earthiness comes out quite beautifully.
Cherry and Oregano Milk Chocolate Ganache
This might be one of the least obvious pairings of this month. Oregano is quite strong, so it can easily overpower the lightness of cherry. But actually, I think it makes the whole thing taste really juicy. Cherry is a hard flavor to really develop, and it is a bit hard to read in this ganache. Instead, the whole thing comes across more red fruit flavored than cherry in specific, with the oregano giving a backbone to the sweetness of the fruit and chocolate.
Cassis and Sage Ruby Chocolate Ganache
Cassis is a wonderful fruit. I love the tanginess and tartness. Paired with the ruby chocolate, there is a sour funkiness akin to some rums. The sage reads really herby, more grass like than citrusy. While this combo is definitely a bit weird, I quite like the end result here.
Strawberry and Thai Basil Caramel
Thai basil has an anise or licorice flavor that its Italian cousin lacks. It is used throughout many Asian cuisines, and lends an almost peppery spicy note. With strawberry, this caramel goes through quite an evolution. You get red berry and sweetness, then herb-y anise, and it ends with caramel depth.
Peach and Tarragon White Chocolate Ganache
I have always loved tarragon. Not very well known in the US, this herb is citrusy and bittersweet, with a flavor somewhat like fennel. Peaches and tarragon are a natural pairing. Many people add a touch of fresh mint to fruit salad, but I argue to add a little tarragon in there too! It brings out the flavors of fresh fruit beautifully. This ganache is, to me, summer incarnate.
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I didn’t grow up making chocolate chip cookies. I actually didn’t make my first batch until I was 15! But they have always been one of my dad’s favorite cookies. Super simple but tremendously addictive, these cookies get a lovely nutty depth from the brown butter.
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Angelique is a type of reed that grows in the marshes in Charente-Maritime. It has been used in baking for centuries, particularly in butter cookies like these! It has a very light flavor, somewhat similar to celery but with an anise ending. These cookies are light and crisp, perfect for summer.
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August is here, and it is HOT! Here in the Bay Area we are dealing with heat waves, and I am about ready to melt.