I’ve been thinking a lot in the past few days about everything, the past months, people in my life and out of my life.
I remember I had a good feeling about this year during the first week of January…. it’s funny after I said it out loud ,everything blew up into billions of pieces… suddenly ,I was fighting for my life, the man I loved (and still love) left me without a word and I was sitting at home, thinking this year actually going to be the worst of it all.
It took nearly 7 months of constant struggle with everything and everyone , but now I feel that I am making permanent changes.
Interesting , how going to another country and spending a few days can make you feel worthwhile again.
I realised that I have to forgive to people who left , ignored , avoided me when I needed them the most. In the end you can only rely on your own strength and you will be fine! 😄:)😄
I’m back with more , this time sooner than expected …:)
As I’m currently based in London , talking or even thinking about summer is a delicate issue. Last week I realized we are already in July. I didn’t really felt the summer so far but let’s keep the hope 🙂
Last week I wrote about Pavlova , this week I try to sort out the difference between Ice cream, sorbet and sherbet.
These “chilling” little sweeties are all on the market, but when you look at the packaging and try to decide what to have or take home it can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, each of them are delicious but if you are on a diet or allergic to dairy and want to avoid animal fat , worth the time to investigate.
In all shapes and sizes
The difference between sorbet and sherbet is that sherbets contain milk or another fat making it similar to ice cream. Generally thought of as being fruit based, sorbets can be made with any ingredient. For instance, I have had wonderful chocolate sorbet as well as one made with champagne.
Sorbets are technically ices and are also referred to as granitas or ices (as in Italian ice). These were probably the first iced dessert, having been invented by the Asians and then introduced to the Middle East and Italy. Because of the icy nature of the recipe sorbets are generally more grainy in texture, where sherbets are creamy because of the added fat.
Happy hormones!
The smoothness of a sorbet is also dependent on the secondary ingredients because of how they can change the structure of the frozen recipe. More or less sugar or alcohol or even the amount of water will make a big difference in the texture of the recipe.
Commercial sorbets have about 100 calories in a half cup. Most of the calories comes from the sugar. Light ice creams are similar but are made with milk and will generally contain some fat in addition to the sugar. Choosing one of these as an occasional treat is a good part of a healthy diet.
Beige delights
Light ice creams are made in a number of ways. Until recently this was what we called “ice milk” when I was growing up and simply made with milk instead of cream (often with the addition of gelatin).
There are some processes now where the milk is super whipped and forms smaller fat globules that more closely resemble that in ice cream. There are also low sugar and sugar free versions marketed today.
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. In some cases, artificial flavourings and colourings are used in addition to, or instead of, the natural ingredients. The mixture of chosen ingredients is stirred slowly while cooling, in order to incorporate air and to prevent large ice crystals from forming. The result is a smoothly textured semi-solid foam that is malleable and can be scooped.
Gelatoo , Gelatooo!
You can say that ice cream is a type of gelato, but there still is a difference. More sugar in gelato, more butterfat (the percentage of fat in the milk/cream) in ice cream.
To summarize : The main difference is in the ingredients used.
Ice cream is made with milk, cream, sugar, and eggs.
Sherbet is made with fruit juice/puree, sugar, water, and dairy (usually milk).
Sorbet is made with fruit juice/puree, sugar, and water (no dairy).
So chic… 🙂
Well, there is more to these desserts, but I think I covered the basics , so now you can go and go wild in the closest Gelato bar or supermarket , whichever is closest 🙂
My life had kept away from my blogger commitment once again. When I started writing , I thought it’s going to be easy to find the time every week to share new ideas, information and stories with you my Dear Readers and Followers.
Life has its ways to surprise me unfortunately not in the best possible scenarios ,but changing a job and trying to relocate your entire being …. never been easy , so keep fingers crossed that everything works out soon.
This time , I’m strolling down memory lane and taking a dessert from Australia.
I spent almost 9 years in Sydney and got introduced to Pavlova very early on.
This is a sweet dish but the history of it is quite interesting and a bit of a mystery.
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. It has a crisp crust and soft, light inside.
The dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years, but formal research indicates New Zealand as the source.
The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both countries, and with its simple recipe, is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals. It is a dessert most identified with the summer time, but is eaten all year round in many Australian and New Zealand homes.
The Australian website “Australian Flavour” gives the earlier date of 1926 for its creation, suggesting that Home Cookery for New Zealand, by Australian writer Emily Futter, contained a recipe for “Meringue with Fruit Filling”. This recipe was similar to today’s version of the dessert. It has been claimed that Bert Sachse created the dish at the Esplanade Hotel in Perth, Australia in 1935.
In defense of his claim as inventor of the dish, a relative of Sachse’s wrote to Leach suggesting that Sachse may have accidentally dated the recipe incorrectly. Leach replied they would not find evidence for that “because it’s just not showing up in the cookbooks until really the 1940s in Australia.” (However, a 1937 issue of the Australian Women’s Weekly contains a “pavlova sweet cake” recipe.) A 1935 advertisement for a chromium ring used to prevent the dessert collapsing indicates that the term “pavlova cake” had some currency in Auckland at that time.Of such arguments, Matthew Evans, a restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald, said that it was unlikely that a definitive answer about the pavlova’s origins would ever be found. “People have been doing meringue with cream for a long time, I don’t think Australia or New Zealand were the first to think of doing that.”
The first known recorded recipe named “pavlova” was published in the fifth Australian edition of Davis Dainty Dishes in 1926. However this “pavlova” recipe was not meringue based, but was instead a multi-coloured gelatine dish.
Pavlova is made by beating egg whites (and sometimes salt) to a very stiff consistency before folding in caster sugar, white vinegar, cornflour, and sometimes vanilla essence, and slow-baking the mixture, similarly to meringue.
Pavlova vs. Meringue
The major difference between the pavlova and a large meringue is the addition of cornflour, which results in the pavlova having a crisp and crunchy outer shell, and a soft, moist marshmallow-like centre, unlike meringue which is usually solid throughout. The consistency also makes the pavlova significantly more fragile than meringue. Because the Pavlova is notorious for deflating if exposed to cold air, when cooking is complete it is left in the oven to fully cool down before the oven door is opened.
Pavlova is traditionally decorated with a topping of whipped cream and fresh soft fruit such as kiwifruit, passion-fruit, and strawberries. Factory-made pavlovas can be purchased at supermarkets and decorated as desired. A commercial product is available that includes pre-mixed ingredients for baking the meringue shell, requiring only the addition of water and sugar.
Leftover decorated pavlova can be refrigerated overnight, but the dessert will absorb moisture and lose its crispness. Undecorated pavlova can be left overnight in the oven, or for several days in an airtight container, to be decorated when ready.
Here , I share a link to an Australian website , where you can find different types of Pavlova recipes .
You cannot go wrong with Pavlova 🙂
Last week I discussed the difference between Chowder and Bisque… Now , it’s time to talk Pasta! But not just any kind of ordinary pasta … This week the spotlight is on Squid Ink Pasta…
Only a few days ago , I when I was out having dinner with my friends , I had my first encounter with this cool looking black pasta. I was a bit apprehensive at first ,but now I’m 100% sold on it.
I ordered Spaghetti neri all’aragosta , which is black ink pasta , diced whole lobster, bisque ,garlic , fresh tomatoes and chilli.
It was a great surprise…
That amazingly weird looking black pasta is made from eggs, flour, a little salt and ink from squid bottoms. You’ve probably seen squid ink pasta on menus at your favorite italian restaurants, or sold in gourmet food stores. You may have even seen it in a cookbook or a cooking blog, but you will never have seen it prepared on the Today Show (hmmm, why is that?).
Gastronomy above and beyond
Like me, you have never probably thought about squid ink and making squid ink-infused fresh pasta.
“Is this gonna stain my hands?” “What about my kitchen countertops?” and, “What does it taste like?” Well, fear not my lovely pasta enthusiasts. The top most important concerns an tips of squid ink pasta are revealed here …
Squid ink can be purchased at a cool supermarkets, specialty food stores or decent fish mongers. If you still can’t locate it, you should find it online somewhere. It is usually around 4-5 pounds for a small container of squid ink that was imported from Italy. Italian squid ink, much like their pasta , is far better.
Squid are not the only sea creatures to emit black ink as a defense mechanism. Cuttlefish also produce black ink which is harvested for food coloring and flavoring. Be mindful of this when asking your fishmonger for black ink. They are hyper-sensitive about it and you can easily end up thrown out from their shop…
The ink actually won’t stain your hands…permanently. I mean, it will dirty your hands, and it will make you look like a coal miner, but it will wash off with soap and water. I’m pretty sure it will. Ditto for staining your counter-tops, work spaces or pasta rolling equipment.
Delightful dinner
Squid ink pasta has a distinctive iodine, briny flavor that pairs well with seafood, ideally squid. This is probably the most surprising aspect of squid ink pasta. I thought it was merely a coloring agent, but it has its own unique flavor profile. It’s worth the effort if you love seafood .
Squid ink pasta will take the same time to cook as regular fresh pasta. About 3-6 minutes.
Squid ink pasta is arguably the coolest looking pasta to make, serve, eat, take photos of, discuss . Make sure you tell people about it at any available opportunity. It makes for scintillating conversation and ego boosting.
Squid ink can be used in other regional specialties such as risotto or paella.
The “How to” on squid ink pasta
The perfect recipe :
2 cups flour
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon squid ink
1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center using your fingers making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides.
Break the eggs into a bowl and add the salt, squid ink and olive oil. Beat it well and add it to the well, gently mixing together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape.
Discard the fork and using your hands, continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little more flour.
Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t skimp on the kneading time. It will pay-off in the end.
Different sides of Black
Set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out.
Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.
If using a pasta machine: Flatten one of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta.
With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into thirds, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting.
Endless possibilites
If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it’s not sticking.
Amazing when paired with seafood or veggies
Well, that’s all there is on Squid Ink Pasta . I hope some of you will try and make the pasta at home or at least try it at the restaurant when you next see it on the menu.
Now that all of our table manners are perfect and we know how to behave….
Let’s talk veg…
I’m probably not the one , who is not a big fan of any kind of green (veggies).
You must wonder what do I mean by that . It basically means I need some other ingredient , some sauce or dressing to go with it, if it’s a salad…
It’s not new , since I was a little girl,my Mom had a problem forcing me on it , but as I grew older, I realized, I can actually enjoy eating them, if they are “disguised” properly.
“Eating a variety of natural, unprocessed vegetables can do wonders for your health.”
I’ve heard this so many times, but I just waved and said it’s only rabbit-food , I can’t eat that, until 1 month ago…
My relationship with veggies , changed. I found Kale.
“Friendly”greens
I was having lunch with my friend not long before Christmas, I had an ordinary Sunday Roast , with the only green on my plate , Peas. Marie had a salad which looked good, but I told her I won’t be touching it… But she was insistent and I gave in… and I have to say it was maybe the best salad I’ve ever had… Kale, feta cheese, pomegranate and peach salad, with vinegar dressing.
My -my even thinking of it makes my stomach rumble…
Beautiful mix of flavors and colors
Kale, also known as borecole, is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
Kale’s health benefits are the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K .
To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color.
Breakfast from/with Kale
Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator.The good thing about it, besides all I mentioned above, you can find Kale all year long, even during the dark and gloomy winter days we are having now.
To find more tips on how to prepare ,choose ,store and cook Kale , you can refer to the link below.
To find recipes to make smoothies, salads and all kinds of goodness from my new favorite veg ,you can use Google. I cannot even recommend just one simple page , because there are one too many of them , and all of those are quite good.
Everyone of you can find something to load up on vitamins this winter.
Good luck!
Oh, and if anyone finds some desserts with Kale , please let me know! 😀
