Semifreddo

The summer found me with an overabundance of blackberries, picked at their ripest and juiciest and too plentiful to be used up on cereal alone. I made a cobbler that turned out right enough but in the end I wanted to try something a little more exotic. In a book on berry desserts checked out from the library I came across a recipe for blackberry semifreddo, an Italian dessert similar to ice cream. It’s basically created by making a simple syrup that is beaten into egg whites, with whipped cream and crushed blackberries folded in. The simplicity of the recipe appealed to me, along with the fact that I didn’t need an ice cream machine to make it. Semifreddo turned out to be the perfect vehicle for my blackberries: it had a very full, round flavor and the berry notes came through loud and clear. It was more flavorsome than any kind of ice cream I’ve had, perhaps because the cream doesn’t drown out the main attraction. Light, delicious, and easy, semifreddo is the perfect thing to bring to a dinner party.

Fruit Basket Case

The warmth of summer is gone and with it our delicious local summer fruit. I was just starting to get used to fresh, juicy peaches, nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and I can’t quite accept the fact that we won’t be having any more (at least none that are worth eating) until next year. With autumn setting in and cold weather upon us, our veritable fresh fruit fantasyland has dried up and left us with those humdrum standbys, apples, oranges and pears. Booooring. I don’t know about you, but the thought of eating these fruits makes me want to scream. Oh, the monotony! I crave something more exotic. One place to turn, at least until Satsuma season starts, is dried fruit.

 

Philippine brand mangoes

You’ll momentarily forget about the overcast skies when you pop one of these little bites of sunshine into your mouth. Your teeth sink into the soft, meaty flesh and suddenly you’re bathed in warmth. These are the best dried mangoes I’ve ever had. Succulent and tangy, they are a bit heavy on the sugar but I’ve never been one to shy away from a little sweetness. Be careful, as it’s hard not to compulsively eat the whole bag. My friend Dr. Jones will never forget the time we went out to Poulsbo to visit a friend with a large bag of these mangoes in the car. I was behind the wheel and every time I looked over at her the bag was a little emptier. It didn’t take long before she was doubled over in her seat, moaning and cursing the deliciousness of these mangoes. She must have eaten about ten servings worth. I do not advise this.

 

Sunridge Farm’s Wild Ginger Harvest Mix

This is a heavenly trail mix that consists of chocolate chips, ginger, tamari almonds, cranberries, papaya, roasted cashews, raisins, pineapple and apricots (PCC, bulk bin #3612). It’s the best damn trail mix out there. The chocolate chips are top quality and there is no skimping on the ginger. The chewy spiciness of ginger is great with chocolate’s soft sweetness—throw some savory almonds into the mix and you’ve got yourself one good snack.

 

Black Sphinx dates

I love biting into a date, the teeth momentarily resisted by the thin, papery skin before breaking through and plunging into soft meatiness. The Black Sphinx are a step above the rest, being thicker, softer and less stringy than other dates I’ve tried. They can be a bit harder to come by than other varieties but are definitely worth holding out for. I’ve seen them sold at Whole Foods.

Avocados: It’s So Easy Eating Green

Ah, the avocado. Such a lovely, lovely food. It’s expensive, sure, but there are few things more satisfying than a perfectly ripe avocado. Native to southern Mexico, Central, and South America, avocado is derived from the Aztec word for testicles. Aztecs considered it to be an aphrodisiac and during the harvest virgin girls weren’t let out of the house lest they get too caught up in the spirit of things, run off and lose their virginity. The Haas variety, the most widely used in America today, emerged in the 1920’s. The Haas “mother” tree, which all Haas avocados descended from, died in 2002. The variety of seed that produced it is unknown.

Avocados are smooth, creamy, have a delicate flavor and are rich in healthy oils. And they are such a beautiful color! The walls in my bedroom are painted an avocado green and I find it to be very soothing. To open, slice all the way around the length with a sharp knife and scoop out the meat with a large table spoon. Save any unused portion in a ziploc bag and put in the refrigerator. Avocados are good eaten plain or with a little salt and pepper on. A popular use is in guacamole. Do not buy guacamole pre-made in the store! There is really no excuse for this. It will taste horrible and it is so easy to make yourself. Even I, she who does not cook, am quite handy with the guacamole making. I must say that a lot of people overwhelm their guacamole with other ingredients. Hold back on the lime juice especially, too much of this will mask the subtle flavor of the avocado. You need to let it shine. They are also popular halved and stuffed with crab or shrimp. So. Good. Avocados are great in pretty much any salad or sandwich, but what I find particularly interesting is their use in dessert. Here in the U.S. we seem stuck on the idea that they can only be used in savory dishes. This is not the case. Avocado’s mild yet distinctive flavor and creamy texture lend themselves well to both the sweet and the savory, and in several southeast Asian countries they are made into milkshakes and smoothies. For my last birthday I made chocolate cupcakes and topped them with an avocado frosting. It was easy to make and turned out buttery, unique, and delicious. It made quite a pretty contrast to the brown of the chocolate cake. You can learn how to make it here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32238,00.html
This is a rare exception to my no recipes rule.

So I encourage you all to use a little variety and creativity when eating this special and versatile food. Viva la avocado!