Blissful Baking & Weekend Getaways

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back. After a long weekend, I am back home in Honduras, planning the weekly desserts and cake orders. The gloomy sky today encourages me to keep my chin up. We all have slow days. The sky is having its own. 

Although I woke up with sleepy eyes, a rush of energy filled me, but it seems to have been used up. My daily coffee has failed to do its job, and while I have no pressing matters to attend to, I find myself trying hard to keep myself up. On a happier note, I had an enlightened weekend in Nicaragua and my heart and head are happy. With much to bake for an upcoming bridal shower, my hands itch to reach those spatulas and begin my task. But not today. 

San Juan del Sur...a paradise to be discovered

Today I sit calmly and steadily type away, graciously thinking of my life up to this point. My partner in crime, although thousands of miles away, sitting on the tube at this point, I imagine, emailed me the following Girl's Guide To and after my empowering weekend, it adds up and calms away the queries and questions I have regarding my choices until now. We all wish to be somewhere else, be someone else, try out new things and never regret the things we did. I read it and made me miss her more. With an ocean in between, we still think alike. The same goes to my lovely Chefs, who are dispersed around the world, trying out new recipes, welcomed into new work places, each of us, leaving a footprint on the Earth, trying to figure out where we belong. Hahaha...what can I say? The philosopher in me has decided to come out. 

Anyhow, back to baking. So last week was a short baking week. I had a German Chocolate cake to make, alongside a Strawberry-Lemon Cake and Red Velvet cupcakes. Yup, they were all an utter hit and I've scored new "regular" customers. Now, the red velvet recipe you already have. If not, refer to my June post. The only difference with the recipe is that I substituted the cake flour for all purpose flour and I added 4 cups of confectioner's sugar to the frosting for a sturdier consistency. They were devoured from what I heard and that's all I can ask for. Happy customers make a happy chef. 

Fluffy Red Velvet Beauties

Thursday morning, we left for Granada, Nicaragua for a two day vacation holiday. After a long day of driving, and a well deserved beer, I bid adieu to the world. The following day, after a hearty breakfast and morning prayers, we left for the beach, 2 hours away and spent the entire day, running around in teams, seeing which one was the quickest in building the highest sand mountain and digging the largest whole. Then we exercised our legs, seeing who was quickest in reaching a midpoint, grabbing the assigned token and returning to home base. The day at the beach came to an end and we headed back to the hotel, for dinner, beers and an intense UNO session. Turns out the card game makes good people do bad things hahahaha. 

Friday morning, we spent making up costumes, a song, a dance and creating a flag to represent our teams. Then we spread out around the city, scouting for 8 different tasks to complete, followed by two simultaneous water games. One consisted of taking a bucket of water from one end to the next, without using your hands, with people blocking you, while each team had members around the runners, throwing water balloons at each other, with the same end: making sure they got to your team's bucket. The fun part was you could steal the other teams' water balloons using butterfly nets. All in all, a huge wet mess and lots of laughter. Sadly, the journey came to and end, and by 10 p.m. on Sunday, we were greeting our city. 

For the first time in a long time, I was absolutely, stress free. Nothing to worry me, nothing to question. Just go with the flow and living in the moment. It makes me think, why it took a long and yet short trip for me to realize that the trivial problems that we face each day are simply that: trivial. With this, I am excited to see how the culinary adventures I've yet to live will challenge me. Knowing that the "problems" I face in my kitchen are merely hurdles, waiting for me to leap over, I am feel more at ease. So, this week I shall tackle mousses, macarons, cupcakes, lemon squares and others with a head held high a firm grasp on the spatula. 

Beautiful shot from Iglesia San Francisco

Returning a bit to Granada, I'd like to point out the beautiful hotel we stayed at: Hotel con Corazon, The Hotel with a Heart. Run by a lovely Dutch couple, the feeling of welcome and being at home does not fade away. It is a small, boutique hotel in the center of Granada, with a cordial staff and great service. Don't hesitate to check it out.

Hotel con Corazon

Calle Santa Lucia 141

Granada, NICARAGUA

+ (505) 2552-8852

www.hotelconcorazon.com

So, like I said, it was a weekend of empowerment and enlightment and I can only hope this feeling of fulfillment does not abandon me soon. With new friends and clearer goals, I can say goodbye to July. I wish you all a fantastic week and pop in next week for mouthwatering recipes and my continued adventures in the kitchen.

Until next time.

xx

Strawberries and Lemon for Summer Desserts

Hi Guys!!!

Welcome back. My mind seems out of sorts, so far, that for the first time, I forgot to make myself my daily morning coffee. Truth is, sleep didn't come easy last night and I tossed and turned and tossed and turned some more. But daybreak soon came, and I regrettably left my bed to go for a morning dance. It gave me some energy I lacked and I now find myself behind a desk writing this post to you. 

The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice
hehehehe

Last week, cake orders were good and I am happy knowing I already have some lined for this week. However, it will be short baking week as I will visit sunny Nicaragua on Thursday. People haven't ordered new cakes from me, but I did make a slight change to the Lemon-Blueberry Cake. It seems the blueberry season has come to an end, as most supermarkets haven't restocked. It so happened I got an order on this cake, but because of this tiny detail, I swapped berries. I used strawberries instead and my customers were content with the result. I, of course, let them know beforehand to prevent a mitigating disaster. The only problem I have with using fresh strawberries and cutting out the stem and core, is that once it comes in contact with the sweet cream cheese frosting, they bleed, so they move around slightly. But, I'm sure I'll come up with a viable solution. 

I wanted to leave it at home

Due to the several egg whites I had left from the different cakes, I decided to make the Lemon Meringue Roulade once again. I made it for the first time back in September last year and it was an utter success. I took to school in between classes and it was gone in less than 15 minutes. Yup...it's that good. It's a light dessert, that doesn't overpower the palate with a sweetness overdose; this aided by the lemon whipped cream and some more lemon curd. Because family members came over yesterday, on the menu for the day were burgers. I was on grill duty and in no time, the burgers were cheesed up and ready to be stuck between to buns. I also happened to make a batch of delicious spicy caramelized onions to accompany the double cheese (mine) patties. My mom made a Chocolate-Flan cake the previous night, and this was the after lunch dessert. Mine was saved for after dinner. 

Roulade in the Making

I had some trouble managing the temperature on our oven, the recipes degrees were in Celsius and the machine's on Fahrenheit. Hence, the slightly brown color. It still tastes the same, but I bother's me. http://messysweetness.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html If you observe the roulade I made back then, it's a lovely off white color. 

A Lovely Meringue, Cream and Lemon Mess

There's less than half of it left in the fridge and I've barely tried it. So before it disappears completely, I'll make sure to slice it up and dig in a fork. What awaits my short week are brownies, red velvet cupcakes and two lovely chocolate cakes. 

Until next time.

xx

Lemon Meringue Roulade

Original Recipe by Mary Berry

Adapted from All the Threes

Light and fluffy

Ingredients:

Meringue:

5 egg whites

250 g sugar

flaked almonds (optional)

Filling:

300 ml whipping or heavy cream

2 T. lemon curd

lemon curd** as much as you like

Preparation:

Meringue:

Line a baking tray or swiss roll pan with baking parchment.  Preheat the oven to 200C. In a large mixing bowl whisk five egg whites until they’re firm and form stiff peaks, then, a spoon at a time, add the sugar until stiff and glossy.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and level off the top.  Sprinkle flaked almonds on top and place in the oven for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 160C and leave in the oven for another 15 minutes, after which the meringue should be firm to touch.

Remove the meringue from the oven and turn out almond-side-down onto another sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the parchment from the bottom of the meringue and allow to cool, while you make the filling.

Filling:

Whip the cream until very thick, then stir in the two tablespoons of lemon curd. Mix it well for a good even flavor. If you wish for a stronger lemon flavor, spread a thin coat of extra lemon curd on the meringue. If not, spread the cream mixture as evenly as possible onto the meringue sheet, then gently-but-firmly roll up the meringue like a swiss roll using the parchment paper to help so your fingers don’t dent it too much. The sides may crack a bit, making it homey and much better to eat. I sprinkled mine with confectioner's sugar as a finishing touch. 

Back to Baking

Hi guys!!!

Welcome back. Once again, I am back home and the cake orders have started to pour in. Good business, right? For once, I am actually happy it's Monday. There's much to do this week and many friends to catch up with. The golden sun and blue, clear sky makes it better of course. With sad eyes, a portion of us left Guatemala, but we will be reunited again this coming weekend. However, I acquired certain culinary gadgets I cannot wait to break in. 

Roses being sold at the entrance of the market.

But let's back up for a second. During one of our last days, we visited a typical market in the center of the city. It's a bit of a shock to see a market so clean and organized these days. The fruit and vegetable section is an eye opener, with fresh produce on display, amicable people ready to wait on you and offering you tips and whatnot. On the eve of our leaving, we made reservations at Tamarindo's, a popular restaurant in the "Zona Viva" of Guatemala City. We had heard a great deal about the place from friends and family and to finish our lovely trip on a high note, we of course, dined out.  The place was packed, so thankfully we had a reservation. The atmosphere was lively and we couldn't wait to try out the food.

Be sure to make a reservation!!! (this one was for 40 pax)

Usually, as a family, we tend to order several starters for all to try and then each orders a main course. Most of the time, there's no room for dessert, but that's okay. This time, we each ordered a starter and a main course. The menu is quite varied and with so much to choose from, it's hard not to want to order everything. Still, we all ordered different appetizers and had a small bite off eat. I happily ordered a Portobello Mushroom with a Blue Cheese Sauce to begin with and I was glad I did. Since it was quite a large mushroom, I had no problem slicing it off in several pieces for all to try. It certainly did not disappoint. It only opened my appetite. With a rather unfortunate choice of wine, I awaited my main course. It came not long after. Pan Seared Tuna with a Soy-Mirin sauce; yup, mouthwatering and flavorful. I was obviously in a food coma afterwards, but it was worth it. 

Check it out:

Tamarindo's

11 calle 2-19 A zona 10

Guatemala City, GUATEMALA

00 (502) 23605630

We departed early next morning and by noon, we had reached San Salvador. We briefly stopped by the mall, but by 3 o'clock, we were out like a light. Plans had been made for the evening and by 8 o'clock, I was happily sipping on good wine at Merkato. The place is quite nice and has a great wine selection. My cousin ordered the bottle, a soft Malbec: Las Perdices Reserva Don Juan. Try it out if you come across it.  To accompany the wine, we ordered Patatas Bravas, a yummy prosciutto with burrata and a caramelized onion, almond and brie flat bread. 

Check it out:

Merkato

Avenida Las Acacias y pasaje #2, No 117, Colonia San Benito.
San Salvador, EL SALVADOR

00 (503) 2243-8662

The evening passed by blissfully and by next afternoon, we were on our way home. The bus ride took forever as there were a couple of accidents on the road, and I was home by 10:30 at night. 

Looking divine...still needs adjustment

Saturday involved visiting the supermarket to replenish my pantry and baking. A carrot cake and a lemon pie were on the menu. I still need to perfect the lemon pie, as there are still some trivial things that annoy me. So far there have been no complaints, so I guess I am on the right path. Sunday was a quiet day. I delivered the cakes and the afternoon meant lots of TV time. We watched World War Z last night and I think it's safe to say, I'll be having frequent nightmares. 

But anyhow...this week I have some chocolate on mind and we'll see what new orders come my way. I bid you farewell and wish you a great week.

Until next time.
xx

Greetings from Guatemala!!!

Hi Guys!!!

Greetings from beautiful and sunny Guatemala!!! I trust you all had a relaxing weekend. For some, summer has arrived, but for us, winter is midway through. Though it hasn't stopped us from enjoying our days. Despite the occasional rain, the trip has been fun, food-filled and entertaining. Being a tourist is certainly rewarding.

Guatemalan woman weaving necklaces

Anyhow, last week, after some serious nagging by my brother, I was finally talked into baking an apple pie. I hadn't made one since the disaster I created on New Year's Eve. This one wiped that memory clean (more or less).

Apple Pie in the Making

However, the pie was not enjoyed at home. My mother informed me at the last minute that she needed a dessert for a lunch meeting and since there was a freshly baked, untouched pie, she persuaded my brother to let her have it, and I would have to bake another one later (otherwise, I'd never hear the end of it.) So she took that pie and I baked another. I also baked one other Lemon-Blueberry cake and the Rose Cake. Both got amazing reviews and that's all I could ask for. 

Some serious pie love

Wednesday, at dawn, we found ourselves on our way to Guatemala. We took the bus this time, and although it takes more time, it's actually a nice ride. We stopped and spent the night in El Salvador and continued our journey Thursday morning. By noon, we had entered the city and settled in the hotel. We headed out a while after to enjoy a Dim Sum lunch that actually disappointed, but hey, it happens. The remainder of the day we spent at the mall. In the evening, we joined family friends for a vibrant night, having dinner at the popular restaurant Carmen. After a long meal of shrimp filled, gratin portobello mushrooms, grilled vegetables and platters of meat, the food coma was expected. Be sure to stop by when you come visit.

Check it out:

Carmen

4TA Avenida 12-09 y 12-59 | Local 1F y 2F Zona 10

Plaza Fontabella

Guatemala City, GUATEMALA

Friday was a long and short day, as the most eventful thing involved a trip to the supermarket. As you may already know, I LOVE going grocery shopping, and time spent at the market is time well spent. I almost died of shock when I gazed upon the short aisles of fruits and veggies. The supermarkets back home seem dull and empty compared to these (but not really). I am sad to say I felt jealous of the vast variety they have here. Now, call me naive, but never had I ever laid sight on a purple potato. Red, yes. Yellow, yes. Even white, but never purple. Only in chips, but the actual root is far more impressive. I can't wait to try the ones we bought.

Isn't it beautiful!!!

Early Saturday morning, we made our way to Antigua, Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With breathtaking sceneries and historical features, the bewitching, old city is a treasure to behold. It was my third time visiting and it still fails to lose its charm. The day was well spent, touring around the cobble-stoned streets, picking up souvenirs and enjoying a delicious lunch at El Sabor del Tiempo, a popular and famous restaurant in the center of town. With a varied Italian/International menu, we got to enjoy several dishes, among them, a lovely Rabbit Stew. I, myself, had the pleasure to savor a delicious Duck Magret, served with garlic roasted tomatoes, oven roasted potatoes, caramelized onions and an exquisite plum sauce. Definitely a place to visit if you're in town.

Duck Magret in Plum Sauce...moutwatering, right?

Check it out:

El Sabor del Tiempo

3a Calle Poniente and Calle del Arco

Antigua, GUATEMALA

(502) 7832-0516

Sunday, after a long sleep, we visited a traditional craftsmanship market in the capital city. It is hard to leave the place without wanting to take everything with you. The labor and dedication of the people is admirable, with truly magnificent detailed work. We had a late lunch at a steak house in the market and we came straight back to the hotel. The weekend was slightly exhausting, and sleep came early for us. 

Greetings from Antigua

This Monday has been calm, running casual errands and enjoying the lively city. We've just arrived from catching Despicable Me 2 at the theatre. With happy hearts, we bid this day adieu, and can only hope for a better day tomorrow and the remainder of our trip. I wish you all a wonderful week.

Until next time.

xx

P.S. I owe you the pie recipe!!!

Baking Blues

Hi Guys!!!

Welcome back. We greet July on this gloomy morning and while I drink my hot coffee and gleam with joy over some happy wedding news, I contemplate the unproductiveness of my past week. Cake orders have been short, but summer is not always the best baking season. Though it doesn't prevent the kitchen from being a complete mess. 

I am very sorry to say that my thoughtful attempts of baking something magnificent for my 50th blog post went down the drain, as I did not plan anything. I want something spectacular, so it'll have to wait until the 100th post. It gives me plenty of time think and experiment. On the baking front, this week will be cut short as I join family members on a weeklong trip to our neighboring country: Guatemala. A beautiful, delicious and popular Rose Cake will make a girlfriend very happy this coming Wednesday and you'll have to wait (sadly) for two weeks until my dainty (chubby) fingers create something delectable and eye pleasing.

Now, this past week I was very happy to learn that the small lemon orchard in our backyard has given fruit. I was delighted to use fresh, organic and homegrown lemons in my lemon curd to fill two fabulous Lemon-Blueberry cakes. Sure, they look like limes, but they're actually lemons. The vibrant green brought color to our kitchen.

Homegrown and organic

While I suffer silent baking blues, my coffee releases a bitter taste, which brings me to think it's just one of those days. My blueberry-banana smoothie was great this morning, and yesterday's review on the Lemon-Blueberry cake was fantastic, but I still sit here and contemplate on the vast emptiness of the creative void I experience. I thought it was back, but it was a mere illusion. Perhaps this trip came at the perfect time. Getting away and embarking on what will be a cultural and culinary journey (for me at least, although the country is not new to me) is the ideal way to get those sparks of imagination flying. 

I told you sometime in the past, that a great way to reinvent yourself is to keep journals and lists. While I go back and forth on this idea (I never stick to writing daily), it seems to me, it'll be the only way to keep track of my thoughts and those moments of epiphany that emerge in the most random instants. So far, I can recall one experiment I have in mind. A chocolate roulade keeps haunting me and perhaps when I come back, it'll manifest itself.

Later on today, I'll be baking an ever-pleasing apple pie and perhaps a blueberry pound cake. Mmm...mouthwatering...but this damn coffee is ruining my day, so I take my leave to throw it away and fix myself another one, but not before wishing you all a lovely week and I promise you, my following posts will not disappoint!!!

Until next time.

xx 

P.S...sorry about the short post.