Chop fresh pineapple, red onion (small dice), jalapeño (tiny dice), cilantro, a squeeze of lime, dash of salt and a drop of the juice from the pineapple and let the flavors meld for a few hours. Serve with corn and flour tortilla chips and guacamole and enjoy!
So this isn’t about Maine (though I did make this dish here in Maine and it is in my cookbook) but more about photography and how just the right lighting, contrast and reflection can make a photo pop! The shine of the glaze fascinates me, and this food is 100% natural! The plums are roasted with honey and the skins give off this beautiful pink juice. They tasted great too, by the way…
I halved a fresh fig, dipped it into Vanilla Bean Creme (recipe in The Art of Breakfast) and then into raw sugar and torched! Add a drizzle of the creme on top and voila, a beautiful, delicious garnish or even small bite for dessert.
Chocolate Cherry Cordial Tart
Wonderful as an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and you have a perfect dessert.
Serves 8
4 cups fresh sweet Bing cherries, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon chocolate balsamic
vinegar (I use Fiore), but if not
available, use an aged Balsamic
1 teaspoon arrow root powder
(dissolved in a couple
tablespoons of the port)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 sheet frozen puff pastry,
thawed
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 ounces shaved chocolate (or
Chips)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the pitted cherries with the sugar, port,
balsamic, dissolved arrow root powder, and cocoa
and put into medium saucepan. Cook over medium
heat until sauce comes to a boil. Remove cherries and boil
sauce 2 to 3 minutes longer to thicken. Remove from heat and
place cherries back into sauce and allow to rest.
3. Press the puff pastry sheet into a 9-inch shallow and greased baking dish or tart
pan.
4. Spread the softened cream cheese on the pastry. Spread the chocolate shavings
(or chips) evenly over the cream cheese. And using a slotted spoon, place the
cherries in a single layer over chocolate.
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.
Recipes can be found in The Art of Breakfast, How to Bring B&B Entertaining Home
You can turn something simple into something special just by melting some chocolate. You can either buy melting wafers or the ready to melt containers of dipping chocolate. Use white and dark chocolate for contrast, then put some melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle to decorate!
After 96 of my photographs, 155 pages and 90 recipes, I am FINALLY submitting my manuscript tomorrow, November 7, 2010 !!!
The Art of Breakfast is due out June 2011. A little bit of my story as an innkeeper and my love of cooking, combined with my background in art and photography will hopefully make this a coffee table cookbook you’ll all love reading as much as I’ve loved creating it! There will be something for all tastes, including several gluten-free and vegetarian options.
for those of you wondering, the cookbook is due out Spring 2011!
