Sorbet In Winter

Costco always has something new in their warehouse that will surely make you buy (and become obese if it's food). I went this afternoon for more persimmons (there was none) and saw a table offering low fat, low sugar sorbet. After tasting the really really good ice dessert I noticed the single serving (about less than a C) containers: a very tiny real pineapple shell, a real coconut shell, hollowed out half orange and lemon rinds. The box contains 2 of each flavor : orange mango, lemon, coconut and piña colada. My freezer is full but I just can't resist them, nobody can, I think. As I was leaving the table a large group of women were already oohing and aahing. Costco is the devil!

I already had the orange mango....hmm tomorrow, the coconut, can't wait.

Note on the title: the weather is not so wintry nor Christmas-y the last week or so, specially today, high was 61° F in Ashburn, as high as 72° F in DC, that's hot! I hope it gets colder by Christmas.

Been Baking and Frosting The Whole Day

Today is my daughter's office Christmas party, she asked me 2 weeks ago to bake a dozen each of both the vanilla and red velvet cupcakes. Baking 2 half batches of different flavors is time consuming, I kid you not. It took me the whole day including frosting them and putting them on the carrying trays (and I don't get paid for my efforts). Hmm, I should be selling these cupcakes next time. I was worrying that they would get squished or damaged during transport, but then I saw this 3 piece gadget: baking pan, tray, and a cover that has a handle to carry both pan and tray and they all lock in place, very nifty idea. You can easily bring 2 dozens iced cupcakes with ease, without them touching and moving around. I love the person who invented this.

Orange Cauliflower

I see a lot of different colored cauliflowers, purple, lime green and orange in many groceries lately. The label on this orange one says it has added nutrients and because I buy produce that looks pretty for posing, this one is a winner. I looked online for a good recipe and found this. I used the juice of one key lime in place of lemon. This dish is delicious! I really really like it. I never imagined combining anchovies with the bland and awful smelling cauliflower but the different flavors blend well perfectly.

homemade Spanish chorizo, orange cauliflower with anchovies, and ube pandesal for dinner

Fuyu Persimmons, Kumquats & Key Limes

note the 8 point star, similar to caimito, although the consistency is not as snotty

I just discovered these wonderful fruits Fuyu persimmons that I have been reading about and ignoring. I saw them in Bangkok 20 years ago and was told by the hawker not to bother with them, that they are very expensive and don't taste great. He said only the Japanese tourists love them, and I believed him. How can a fruit that looks like a very pale tomato taste good. That's my reason for not trying them for that long. Over a week ago I bought 3 pieces to photograph. One Korean lady told me to leave them on the counter for 5 days to ripen and to eat them when they are very soft but not mushy. Well, the Thai guy was wrong, they are very good when fully ripe and I love them, they're very sweet and the middle section near the seeds (2 or none at all) has the consistency similar to the Philippine caimito or star apple. The fruit is not bland at all, it has a unique taste I guess. I bought a box of 10 pieces today and will wait at least 3 days to enjoy them. I also bought fresh key limes, which is dayap in the Philippines, and kumquats.

I also have been ignoring kumquats because I don't know how to use them in cooking. But they look so pretty, I bought a small quantity to take photographs for my flickr site. The salesperson told me to roll them in my hands until they are soft and they somehow become sweeter and she is absolutely right. You eat the whole fruit skin and all, except the seeds, it's sweet and tart, I also love them and they are so photogenic, too. They can also be candied whole or sliced. I prefer to eat them fresh.

key limes