novel34

  Risotto doesn't always have to be a savory dish.  It can just as easily be a sweet and delious type of  pudding.  Something like this Vanilla Risotto here today.  People can be a little put off and afraid of making risotto . . .fearing that it is a bit too complicate or time consuming, but it really isn't. It does require constant attention however, but so long as you stay with it and do what the recipe says, you will always be rewarded at the end with something quite silky and delicious, with just a tiny bit of bite. This risotto is not overly sweet . . . the only sweetening being a bit of honey . . . it's nicely flavoured with vanilla . . . and just a hint of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom.  Warm sweet spices that go so well with both vanilla and pears . . .   Oh yes . . . the pears.  Oven roasted until just tender and then peeled . . . the oven roasting bringing out their natural sweetness.   Tender and sweet, sitting in an o...

I had asked Todd to pick up some croissants for me when he went into town yesterday, thinking that wasn't something he could mess up.  WRONG!  Poor Todd . . . he thought he would save some money and buy the ones that were running out of date, so they were stale and not at their best (which is how I wanted them) and after traveling home in his bag, kinda squashed.  (Why do men always squash the bread????) I just bit my tongue and didn't say anything and then changed my plans. Poor guy.   Whenever I ask him to pick me up something at the store . . .  he looks a bit like a deer caught in the headlights.  He always, always gets the wrong thing, and he knows it.  It's inevitable.   I don't complain any more.  I just sigh inside and try to smile.  I have come to the conclusion that men and woman really are from completely different planets. Whenever I see a man wandering the grocery store aisles with cell phone to the ear, I have a lit...

  I love the holidays.  I miss having Thanksgiving over here in the UK.  It seems to me like the perfect start to the holiday season . . . but alas . . . we don't even really seem to celebrate St George's Day which is kind of odd really, seeing as he is the Patron Saint of England.  Oh well as they say up North . . . "There's naught so queer as folk!" Of course the things I love most about the holidays are having friends and family around and the special food that we get to eat.   We do go all out don't we?   I love it.   I am not opposed to taking a few short cuts if I can however. I like dessert to be something light and not too filling.  After a heavy meal, a heavy dessert seems to be just too much.  That's why I created these delicious little tarts which although not large in size, are just enough to end a celebratory meal in the perfect way. Little airy indulgences that aren't going to lay heavily on your stomach. ...