Strawberries and cream biscuits. Cookies. Scones. Call them whatever. The point is that unlike most other strawberry cookies, these really taste like the cream too, not just like the strawberries. And we all know how gloriously delicious that combination is, don't we?
As if that wasn't enough to make anyone want to jump them, these little wonders have another perk: the little strawberry bits in them don't dry out like in most similar cookies, but get juicy-melty and create a wonderful and tasty mess. All in a cream-infused cake mass that doesn't contain that much sugar, to allow the flavors of strawberries and cream to really shine. This is the stuff that dreams are made of :)
They're crumbly and delicious. I honestly don't think they can be better by any means. Oh.. wait. Yes they can, perhaps. By adding a little whipped cream to take the whole thing into the abyss of cookies-and-cream perfection:
Enjoy.
Recipe source: the wonderful Deb @ Smitten Kitchen.
Last year: Paprikás Csirke (Chicken Paprikash) (Hungarian).
Two years ago: Mini Nutella and walnut pies.
Three years ago: Caribbean romance (cocktail), Mousse au chocolat (French chocolate mousse) and Carrot bread (with walnuts).
The "red beans and rice" dish is really iconic to the Southern culture of the United States, to its Creole community and beyond it. It was traditionally made on Mondays in a large pot and served to a crowd. There are still a lot of pubs in the area that have this staple in their menus every Monday.
My dear Louis Armstrong considered this his favorite dish and he used to famously sign his autographs with "red beans and ricely yours, Louis Armstrong". :)
Similar dishes are popular throughout the world. That is probably because the combination of beans and rice is not only delicious, but also very inspired: when paired, the two create a more complex protein that usually lacks from the diet of the poor (who can't afford meat), and thus dishes like this prevented a lot of deficiencies.
Returning to the dish here, it may or may not contain smoked meat (some smoked hock or sausage, added in the beans while they cook or at the end, on top of the dish). It's usually cooked on the mild side of spices, but served next to a bottle of hot sauce (as I also did, see above). The rice is mounded up in the middle of the plate, while the bean mixture is spooned around it. I really liked it. :) Enjoy.
Last year: Smoked trout, fennel, apple and beet salad.
Two years ago: Garlic soup with chorizo and mustard (Czech).
Three years ago: Cream liquor cocktail, Green apple and peanut butter muffins and Brie, walnut and caraway salad.
I feel that I should start this post with a "sorry" for the shadow there in the picture. I should have stepped back a bit while zooming in, but honestly the smell was so nice I felt compelled to lean forward to inhale it better, and the same smell is responsible for why I haven't made more pictures other than this one. :)
But if you make the recipe and taste them, you'll more than understand the circumstances :)
The idea is not my own, lots of people around the internet have their takes on making individual triangle-shaped pockets out of the classic Spanakopita, but I thought replacing the traditional feta with a creamier ricotta would be an interesting twist. And indeed, I didn't regret my choice. The triangles came out way fluffier, creamier and also lighter than I expected. You'll see what I'm talking about :).
So let's cut to the chase and show you how it's done. Enjoy.
Last year: Dill and cottage cheese bread.
Two years ago: Fondant pan potatoes (French style).
Three years ago: Pricomigdale (Romanian walnut biscuits), Salata z Boczkiem (Polish wilted lettuce salad with bacon vinaigrette) and Smoked salmon and cucumber starters.
Today is Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, or in more laymen terms, International Pancake Day. Before Ash Wednesday, or entering into the lent period before Easter, people traditionally eat a lot of fatty and rich foods to get their fill before fasting. :) In old and almost forgotten Romanian tradition, the day is called "Lăsata Secului", which roughly means the Descending of the dry-out, sort-of like nightfall descending but instead of night you have "sec", aka dry-out, barrenness. Brace yourselves for lent, in other words :). Also, in many parts of the world, it's traditional to eat pancakes specifically, not just rich foods (the Romanian version of the holiday also features pancakes as central).
So I thought this just might be a good opportunity to share with you my ground recipe for American pancakes. The quick guide to the fluffiest American pancakes possible. :)
An American pancake is somewhat opposed to the larger and much thinner French-style crepes (European pancakes) and their charm lies precisely in their fluffiness. :)
There is much room to improvise starting from these. I can think of various things to put inside the batter and various things to top them with. I'll leave it up to everyone to find their favorite fillings/toppings. Meanwhile, if you were wondering how to fluff up your pancakes and mornings, here's a good start.
P.S: After making a batch of unfilled, basic pancakes, just like the ones above, I usually simply serve them with some berry jam and a little cream. ;)
Recipe source: here.
Last year: Mexican hot chocolate.
Two years ago: Three cheese pasta with bell peppers and cranberries.
Three years ago: Blue skies cocktail (Blue curacao milk), Fastest home-made crackers (Romanian sărățele) and Oeufs Cocotte (French baked eggs).
