The best is still to come!

This is my 100th post. Nine months ago, on my birthday, I decided to blog on the pleasures of the palate. The idea was tempting me for a few months, but I wasn’t sure about having the time to embrace a blog project.

Simply Mojito!

Besides the fact they are the best known and drank rum-based drinks, Mojito and Cubalibre have in common the mystery of their origins.

1, 2, 3 Rosemary and Thyme Syrup!

Researching on new rum cocktails, a few days ago I found Summer in Barcelona, a drink inspired by the fascinating Catalonian city. Among the ingredients, there was a homemade rosemary and thyme syrup and I thought: what can be better than this? I love rosemary and I love thyme. Nothing more Mediterranean than this pair combined in a sweetener.

1, 2, 3 Arepas!

Since I posted my arepas enriched with eggs and cheese, I got tons of suggestions to make carrot and sesame seeds arepas, herbs and crushed red pepper arepas, arepas with crunchy bacon bites and so on. Honestly, I didn´t know our arepas were that versatile and I promise I’ll start experimenting more with Harina PAN.

Pasta with Arugula and Walnut Pesto

Since I started Savoir Fair, I am amazed about the many things I want to cook. I wish I can have 48 hour days so I can cook and write about all the things coming to my mind every single day.

Coca de Sant Joan

I know I should save this recipe for June 24th. That’s St. John’s Day (Sant Joan in Catalan) and that day Catalunya celebrates the summer solstice. I know today's just the first day of spring. But I couldn’t help myself. Since Odila called me a few days ago to give me the recipe, I was craving for this simple yeat delicate treat.

Sunday Pancakes

I grew up having Aunt Jemima pancakes. Imported from the US, they were one of my Mom´s favorite breakfasts for Sunday: an ‘exotic’ ready to make mix, available at some Caracas grocery stores, that her children loved. We used to have them with honey instead of maple syrup.

Melon Bomb, a Green Shot for St. Patrick's Day

Here is another emerald cocktail to toast to St. Patrick. My friend Orquídea found the recipe here and, always helpful as she is, immediately sent it to me.

Green Eyes for a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Researching for green drinks to mix a cocktail and write a note for Ron Santa Teresa to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, all the roads lead me to the emerald Midori, a Japanese melon liqueur with the exact green color I was looking for.

Double Fudge Mint Brownies and a Prayer for Japan

I have a very particular relationship with my kitchen. When I’m happy, I cook and when I’m sad or anxious, I cook too. Japan’s quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, made me think about how fragile everything is.

The tragedy made think about the admirable, brave Japanese people who in the middle of such chaos, remain orderly, polite and showing concern for others. Japan’s devastation made me pray and count our blessings.

Because I was a little bit anxious and I relax in the kitchen, I decided to get creative. We harvested broccoli and I made a wonderful broccoli and pasta salad. I took the bananas ripening on my counter and baked Jamaican banana bread, picked some Meyer lemons from our tree and made the most amazing falernum.

On Sunday, my 'creativity' peaked with these mint brownies. I’m not used to food coloring. But I have Tomás Eugenio (7) always pushing for seasonal stuff and, since St. Patrick’s Day is in a few days, I colored with Irish green —not without fear, I must confess— the mint batter.

These brownies are really fudgy. To increase the minty sensation on the palate, I like to refrigerate them and enjoy them cold. Because they are really heavy and massive and hiper caloric, I suggest cutting them bite size.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Mint Brownies | Ingredients for 24 brownies
1 8-ounce cream cheese package
2 Tsp mint extract
1 ½ cups superfine sugar
Green food color (I used Wilton Irish green)
5 eggs
1 cup of unsalted butter
8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli premium baking bar)
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sweet ground chocolate and cocoa (I used Ghirardelli)
1 Tsp of baking powder
¼ Tsp of salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 6 by 9 inch glass baking dish. In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and the chocolate. Set aside.

In bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer, 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of sugar and beat until dissolved. Add one egg and the mint extract and mix well. Dip a toothpick into the food color and swirl into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well and repeat until you achieve the right shade. Set aside.

Rinse the mixer blades. In a bowl, beat the rest of the eggs with the electric mixer on a medium speed for 1 minute. Add the rest of the sugar and beat for 1 more minute. Reduce speed, add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until well incorporated, 1 more minute. Add the chocolate powder and keep beating. Add the melted butter and chocolate and mix well, 1 more minute.

Put half of the chocolate batter in the prepared baking mold. Pour the cream cheese batter and on top layer the rest of the chocolate batter. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Transfer the mold to a wire rack until it is completely cold. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut into squares.

To print the recipe click here.

Chunky Crunchy Broccoli and Casarecce Pasta Salad

Spring is in the air. Today we went to check our kitchen garden and realized the broccolis were ready to be harvested. The bad news is some of the buds were blooming. They flowered prematurely and the edible buds were, let’s say, kind of poor and not enough for soup or a broccoli gratin.

Insanely Decadent Viennese Brownies

If I would have to describe these brownies in just one word, that word would be, no doubt, decadent. Insanely decadent, I would say. Dangerously decadent.

Rumpirinha, the Rum Version of the Classic Caipirinha

Capirinha is the national drink of Brazil and it’s made of Brazil’s national spirit: cachaça, which is to Brazilians what rum is to Venezuelans.

Creamy Linguini with Leeks and Green Onions

I got this recipe, like many others in my recipe book, from my Mom. Always ready to experiment, one day she came with this pasta that is as flavorful as it’s easy to make. From that very day, it became a staple in my kitchen.

Succulent Arepas Enriched with Eggs and Cheese

A few weeks ago I got a MiAllegro arepa maker to be able to supply the growing demand of arepas in my kitchen. It came in a box where you could read something like “Italian technology for the Venezuelan cuisine.” For me, that was the ultimate proof of the Venezuelan DNA of arepas.

1, 2, 3 Sugar Coated Orange Peels!

Sugar coated orange peels are the perfect embellishment for a dessert. They are made to contrast with textures and flavors making desserts more tempting.