babycakes

BabyCakes NYC is definitely on our list of bakeries to visit when we travel to New York.....one of these days.

Erin McKenna bakes up a beautiful banana bread loaf. Not just any banana bread, a recipe that is completely vegan & gluten-free. I prefer pouring the batter into muffin tins to create adorable babycakes. The miniature cakes are moist and sweet all the way through. I'm used to my hearty gluten-free muffins, these are light and almost springy. A delicious alternative to my Bittersweet Banana Cupcakes.

Summer Radishes & Cucumbers

Summer is the time of year we prefer chilled soups over steaming hot stews; crisp & cool salads over roasted veggies; and ice-cream, well for me over most things! This salad of cucumbers and radishes is one of my favorites to serve with fresh spring rolls, grilled salmon, seared scallops or spicy fried rice.

Earth & Sea

Umi Sake House's Moonraker Roll balances delicately between Earth and Sea.

Spicy yellowtail, cucumbers & cilantro topped with a smokey mixture of seared snow crab & black tobiko drizzled with a citrus jalapeno sauce & truffle oil.

Flavor profile: Salty...Sweet...Smokey...Spicy...Savory...Earthy & Fruity

Texture: Creamy & Crunchy

Now, I love truffles just as much as the next Italiana and I do think that it enhances many dishes, but it's competing with too many elements in Umi's Moonraker Roll; this roll would be better off without it! The truffle oil DOES add a certain element of earthiness however the smokiness could pull this off on its own.

What I love about Umi's Moonraker Roll is that it satiates completely with one bite! You get a bit of everything from clean crisp cucumbers to citrus sweetness, seawater to bonfire smoke & the fruity spice of the jalapeño to the woodsy taste of truffles.

Adopting the Japanese Izakaya style of informal eating and drinking, Umi was designed to reflect the layout of a Japanese country house, including both a front and back porch.

We are already planning our next visit as Umi Sake House is like dropping by an old friend's house on a summer afternoon.

Presidential Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

A good fit for any 4th of July feast. This oatmeal raisin cookie is a favorite of former president Clinton's.

A fine recipe, although I think next time around I'll add a touch more butter, why not make it easy and toss in the full 2 sticks (8 ounces)? Also, cut a bit of the sweetness by 1/8-1/4 cup. Serve as an ice-cream sandwich layered with cinnamon, ginger or vanilla bean gelato.

This Brownie Isn't Shy: Brownie Testing Take 1

Whether dense, chunky, gooey, cakey, crumby, airy or nutty; Brownies are difficult to resist. I'm in the testing stages right now using Theo Chocolate's 70% Dark Chocolate. This chocolate's cacao beans are sourced from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Theo does not hinder their chocolate with the addition of soy lecithin their bars are packed full of cacao butter; as it should be! Therefore there is a depth to the chocolate that is unmatched out in the world. A deep red fruity chocolate with a beautiful balance of sweetness and floral tones. This chocolate pairs up nicely with nuts.

This brownie isn't shy, it's chock-full of chocolate and not your average 50-60% Cacao....this is a whopping 70% chocolate bar brimming over with antioxidants.

Testing Notes:

Rich, good sweetness. A bit too dense. Addition of 1-2 more eggs and perhaps cut the butter down a smidgen. Delicious right from the oven, okay later in the day. Even better after freezing and the following days.

Ginger, Garlic, Coconut & Potatoes

Serve in place of rice as a side to Thai curry or place in the spotlight and pair with a steaming bowl of salted broccoli & a dipping bowl of sambal oelek.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice a dozen or so red potatoes into 1/4" half moons.

Drizzle with a few heaping tablespoons of coconut oil. Toss with minced fresh ginger and garlic. Roast in the pre-heated oven until golden brown and tender through, approximately 45 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Homemade Nutella

One of my favorite cookies is Emily Luchetti's Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies slathered with nutella. Ahhhhh, the sweet scent of sugared hazelnuts toasting within the buttery dough.
I featured her cookies once before here.

With my most recent batch I cut back the hazelnuts a touch (1/3 Cup) and added one of Theo Chocolate's scrumptious Hazelnut Crunch Bars, in turn I decreased the sugar a smidgen.