It seems like something so simple shouldn’t taste so good. But it does. I picked up this brioche at Market Basket and slathered some wild blueberry preserves on it. What a great snack! I love Bonne Maman products, because they taste great and I keep the cute little jars.
The flowers have nothing to do with this snack, except for they are simple, pretty and giving me a French vibe too. So why not include them? Enjoy! 😀
*Updated 4/4/2016*
If you missed getting your donut ice cream cone, don’t despair! Scroll down for details.
When I first learned about donut ice cream cones, all I could think was, “When are they coming to Massachusetts?”
This amazing dessert appears to have started at Good Food Coffee and Bakery in Prague. The original name for the pastry is “trdelník” and is of Czech or Slovak origin, according to Wikipedia.
A traditional cake and sweet pastry, trdelníks are “made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix.”
The dessert is also called a “chimney” when filled with ice cream. Since the pastry is similar to a donut according to some people, it was dubbed a donut ice cream cone. Confectionary chaos ensued.
Like a bird at a Bernie Sanders rally, people are standing up and applauding this latest dessert trend! Including me. Although sadly, I have yet to try one.
I’m all about a good dessert mystery, so I was interested in finding out when donut ice cream cones would hit Massachusetts.
Well, breaking dessert news! Pizzi Farm in Waltham may be the first to sell them in the Bay State. Rick Pizzi graciously provided me with pictures of the donut ice cream cones that he will be selling for one day only — on Pizzi Farm’s Opening Day, this Friday, April 1st.
No joke! The supply is limited, so get there early!
But don’t worry if you miss out. There will be more donut ice cream treats throughout this season at Pizzi Farm. Donut Ice Cream Panini Sandwiches are coming and will be available as a weekday special. The day is not decided yet, so be sure to check their Facebook page for details!
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Photos: Courtesy of Rick Pizzi.
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*Updated 3/29/2016* The local and national news media grabbed hold of this story and gave it a lot of coverage. Exciting!! Here are links to some of the stories below.
*Updated 4/1/2016* From what I observed on Facebook, the cones sold out!
*Updated 4/4/2016* Pizzi Farm‘s Facebook page says that due to the “overwhelming response” they will be bringing back donut ice cream cones on the first Friday of each month during the season. Good news!
Yesterday I compiled a summary list with links for the restaurants mentioned in the New York Time’s article, A Belle Époque for African-American Cooking. Now for the book list!
I figured I might as well summarize the book list too. The list below has the names of each book mentioned in the article, along with the authors’ names and links to their websites.
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The Up South Cookbook (Nicole A. Taylor)
Hog and Hominy: Soul Food From Africa to America (Frederick Douglass Opie)
High on the Hog (Jessica B. Harris)
Senegal (Pierre Thiam)
The Jemima Code (Toni Tipton-Martin)
Afro-Vegan (Bryant Terry)
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Screenshot: Amazon
A few months ago, when I read the New York Times article on African-American cooking, by Jeff Gordinier, it was a welcome surprise. Yet, it was a great disappointment as well, because there are no links to each restaurant nor the books listed in the article. Nor is there a summary list, which would be nice to refer to later.
Much like the “Big List“ of free yoga classes in Boston that I created, since it’s a list that I want that nobody else has put together, at least that I know of, maybe I need to do it for myself. So I am creating another list for myself again. But of course, I want to share it with you too!
Below is a list with links to each restaurant named in the article and the locations by city and state. For those of us living in these areas or planning to travel to them, this restaurant list may help us to find some great places to eat.
Hopefully many of us will get a chance to try these restaurants. Happy eating!
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Salare (Seattle, WA)
Brown Sugar Kitchen (Oakland, CA)
1300 on Fillmore (San Francisco, CA)
FarmerBrown (San Francisco, CA)
Willie Jane (Venice, CA)
Post & Beam (Los Angeles, CA)
The Cecil (Harlem, NY)
Minton’s (Harlem, NY)
The Grey (Savannah, GA)
The Fat Ham (Philadelphia, PA)
Sbraga & Company (Jacksonville, FL)
Chef Benjamin Dennis (Charleston, SC)
Husk (Nashville, TN)
When out of this world amazing cakes started showing up at family events, I wondered who had made them.
Turns out it was Pastry Chef Naisbel Azarak! After seeing her work, I now believe that she can turn anything into a cake and the only limit is the imagination.
Her creations will astound and delight you. Take a look at her Instagram!
Plus, she got some big recognition last year when chosen to create a cake for Pedro Martinez as he celebrated his entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame. How cool is that?!
Let’s learn a little bit more about Naisbel in number eleven in the interview series, You Pick Six!
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What is a favorite simple recipe to prepare at home?
I love to cook chocolate vegan cake! It’s easy and super delicious! It goes great with anything you combine it with and it’s rich and moist! Indeed my favorite thing to do.
What is a favorite snack?
Venezuelan tequeños!!! These are some amazing cheese sticks covered with a lightly sweet yet salty dough that gets wrapped around the stick then deep fried and the center cheese gets melty and delicious! I love that with a good cup of coffee or in the winter I like it with hot cocoa.
What brings you peace every day?
Knowing that I indeed do what I absolutely love! In times, it can be really hard, no sleep, no rest, but the satisfaction of seeing the result of my work, and the happiness in my clients’ faces is so rewarding that it takes all the pain and exhaustion away and reconfirms that I’m doing what I’m meant to do.
What three people do you admire most?
Duff Goldman! He is the whole reason I found this passion! Though his legacy (and show Ace of Cakes). Ron Ben Israel, his amazing flowers and extremely neat work keeps my breath away! And Frank Haasnoot. This man is an UNBELIEVABLE pastry chef! Every time I see his work I feel a tear will shed out my eye! His work is out of this world!
How did food become an important part of your life?
My mother is probably one of (if not the) most amazing cook in this world! She is adventurous! She is vegetarian! But she has never stopped cooking my beloved meat dishes! And she can make magic out of any ingredients! There is always a variety of flavors on our table! She has learned a ton from cooking shows and applies it in a personalized manner! My brother inherited the same skills! Those two are the savory team and I am the sweet one!
Tell me about what you’re working on now?
Currently I belong to the pastry team at the Mandarín Oriental Hotel in Boston, but I’m still working on the growth of Nais Cakes, which I am planing to open next year!
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Thank you so much for participating Naisbel!
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Photos: Provided by Naisbel Azarak.
