Pears soaked and bathed in wine, juice and spices transform themselves into luscious jewels. A very elegant dessert indeed!

(more…)

This is one of those fun recipes which involves the kids in the kitchen. Summer is offering the bountiful fruits to cool us down. A trip to the Whole Food market last week made us load our cart with these delightful little cantaloupes they were offering four for a dollar that day.

(more…)

The heat is spiking up over 100 degrees here. A few minutes outside in the sun feels like I will get cooked. The summer is at its peak. So is it with the wonders of the nature. I cannot help but dive into the fruits & berries that the season has to offer.

(more…)

Or A Non Traditional Shrikhand …

Shrikhand is a delightful Indian sweet dish (esp. In the Western Region of India) made with strained creamy yogurt,  often with fruit pulps or pieces of fruits added to it. Saffron, Cardamom & Sugar are used  to enhance the taste & flavor. It is very easy to make, with very little ingredients, most of which one would always have at home. Here is some information from Wiki…

(more…)

My hubby celebrated his birthday a couple of days back. Our 3 year old woke up in the morning -hugged, kissed & wished him. She also reminded him “Don’t forget to wear your crown”, just as he was walking out of the door for work, with no doubt in her mind that he is going through deal of crown, birthday song, cupcakes and cheers…. (more…)

Stuffed Pear in Spiced Orange Sauce

The Only Lonely pear stared back at me from the fruit basket. And I did not feel like eating this fruit at all. I knew if I was another day late, it would start having the stale brown spots.  Well to save this little soul, I tried out this yummy fruity dessert. Long long time back I had come across a recipe( I do not remember where), which called for baking pears with the dessert wine Asti. I did not have any, so I just cooked up this easy way to boil it in the orange sauce. (I always love anything with orange or orange zest.)

(more…)

Even though Fall has officially made its entry here, the summer colors are still dominant. The morning and evening air is sure cool and crispy but gets pretty warm during the day. The markets are still displaying abundance of summer fruits, the color and texture of which are tough to resist. The maples leaves are confused to whether it is time it should turn red or still be green.

But it is definitely pleasant and the drone of the air condition is almost gone. And it is very very nice to sit outside in the yard in the evenings… and relax, watch the kids frolicking in high spirits.

Talking of spirits… I decided to add some to my fruit salad this time. Nice change to the already delicious fruit mix. There is no rule to what fruits you can add, just toss in whatever you personally find sensational. I have only written about what i used this particular time. I always use nuts whenever I make a fruit salad, any kind of nut. Clementines and berries would have been a lovely touch to this, but I did not have any at hand. But I did use fresh juicy figs. Figs have just awesome color, texture and taste. This actually turned out to be a great refreshing  dessert for us – a well balanced harmony of color, taste and flavor.

This is being sent to real Epicurean’s “In the Bag” for ITB September: Fruit and Nuts

Ingredients:

1. 1 Nectarine chopped
2. 1 Plum Chopped
3. 1 Apple Chopped
4. 6 Fresh Figs vertically sliced
5. 1 Banana chopped
6. 6 Strawberries (Slice 4 and Leave 2 for garnish)
7. 5 tablespoons Pecans ( may be substituted with walnuts)
8. 2 tablespoons of Raisins
9. Pinch of Fresh Rosemary
10. 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
11. A Splash of Peach Schnapp (Liqueur)
12. 2 teaspoons Clover Honey
13. 1 tablespoon sugar
14. 1″ Ginger grated & the juice squeezed out to be used.
15. A Pinch of Sea Salt
16. 4 tablespoons Heavy Creme (or readymade Cool Whip)

Preparation:

Chop all the fruits except the figs and toss together in a bowl along with the nuts, rosemary, sugar, & salt.

Whisk together ginger juice, lemon juice, & honey and stir it in the fruits. Add a splash of Peach Schnapp. Cover the bowl tight and shake the bowl for about 7-8 times. This makes the fruits release their juice. The juice at the end of the salad is the best part. Now add the figs. Cover & chill it for atleast 1/2 hour. Serve Cold.

Beat the Heavy Creme till it forms soft peaks. Layer fruits with creme in individual glasses. Top with strawberries. Serve Immediately.

Note:   Use gently ripe fruits, not the fruits which are rock hard!

            I sometimes substitute the Creme with Vanilla/Peach Icecream, or Vanilla Icecream with  a drizzle of Peach Schnapp. Do use your favorite.