We’re headed back to France this week on our world tour and making the fabulous Palmiers. The first step was to know how to pronounce them. Thanks to You Tube I now know that it is Palm-ee-ay.
Read More
Week 7 - Pistachio Baklava - Turkey
Baklava is the story of migration, empires, individuality and sometimes collaboration. Baklava is almost as old as time. it can be traced as far back as the 8th centuries B.C. So there is no wonder that, with an individual twist from each country, it is the national dessert of many countries in the Mediterranean. To name a few: Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Bulgaria, Cyprus.
The earliest, likely Assyrian, versions
Read More
Week 6 - Mochi - Japan
I knew that my weekend spent in Richmond was definitely going to prevent me from making a dessert for the blog this past weekend. A few ideas had rolled around in my head of desserts I might try at local restaurants but nothing really jumped out at me. Suddenly, however, at the eleventh hour an unexpected Whole Foods trip for Pellegrino and a late night snack led me past the freezer section, and an unusual sight. A group of people beelining for a stand alone freezer. The kind that usually holds frozen fish or waffles or other not so intriguing things. 8:30 at night on a Sunday what was making everybody so animated?
Read More
Week 5 - Black Forrest Cake - Germany
I started this weeks dessert with a few things against me. First, I am not a cake baker. I don't have the finesse and attention to detail required for the beauty of cakes. Secondly, the dessert that i was making, Black Forrest Cake, while pretty popular here in The States, had never been a favorite of mine. Thirdly, most of the ingredients were not easily accessible where i live.
Read More
Week 4 - Rugelach - Israel via NYC
Rugelach have been with me since childhood. When we visited my grandmother in New York it was always the treat she always seemed to have around. Sometimes they would be apricot filled, chocolate, or strawberry but always rugelach. While Rugelach have become much more common now, even available in my southern small town bakery, the sense of childhood, family and New York is strong whenever I have them. So when I thought...
Read More
Brigaderos - Week 3 - Brazil
Our treat for today, Brigaderos, are something of a pop icon in their native Brazil. You can find the classic fudge-y truffle everywhere, but there is also the trend for gourmet versions with all kinds of toppings and flavors. For example check out the flavors from Simply Brigadeiro
Consisting of basically three main ingredients and the toppings, Brigaderos are deceivingly simple to make, and pack a big bang for their buck, thus making them the perfect party treat. You will definitely look like you slaved away in the kitchen making them. Children's
Read More
Week 2 - Umm Ali - Egypt
From one of our most ancient civilizations comes our dessert for today, Umm Ali. Umm Ali ( or Om Ali, Um Ali) meaning Ali's Mother is a traditional Egyptian dessert. While I've seen several different tales as to how it came by that name, the most common is the story about the Sultan's wife (Ali's mother) who was murdered because of the jealously & plotting of sultans second wife ( or was she Ali's mother? Ive seen it both ways),
Read More
Couronne - Week 1 - France
Week 1 - Couronne - France
For week 1 of my Desserts of the World Challenge - 52 Desserts in 52 Weeks, I'm beginning in the usual me fashion - there are only two rules and I'm breaking one. I decided to make a Couronne. Therein lies the rule breaking- its mostly a bread and only slightly a cake. However, if you had seen the lovely (for the recipe click here ➡️) Mon Petit Fours blog post on Pinterest for a Cranberry and Pecan Courrone you will definitely see why the rule needed breaking.
Read More
Introduction to the Tastebud Traveler
Introducing The Tastebud Traveler
Hi all! I'm Jenessa from Lexington, Virginia, USA. It's a quiet mountain town with an interesting mix of culture, architecture, agriculture and civil war history. I live there with with my ever-tolerant-of-my-whims husband, our (constantly on a diet) French Bulldog, Carlie and our two cats, Wall-e (a mouthy needy wonderful Bengal) and Fiona (a less that brilliant beauty of a Long-Haired Persian - unfortunately not helping the stereotype).
Read More