Wine Soaked Peaches With Mint And Vanilla

Every year, I tell myself that when stone fruit season comes around, I'll make all the recipes that I've bookmarked through the year. It's no secret how much I enjoy baking and cooking with the fruit of the season and my cookbooks attest to that. These are usually cookbooks written by authors in the West, whose recipes are usually set in the Summer when their markets are crammed with berries and stone fruits.

Unfortunately, in India we have this really tiny window of opportunity when it comes to stone fruits. The first cherries appear in the last days of May when I frankly couldn't be bothered to do anything in that blistering heat but eat a bowl of chilled cherries every day as a snack. It's only when the rains come that you can think of making something with the fruits before you blink and they just vanish from the markets.

 

Well, I did try making a cherry cake last week and if you saw my post on Facebook or Instagram, you'd know that it was a disaster. Yes, I tried to pretty up the picture but honestly, that cake didn't have much going for it. Finally, because I hate wasting food, I had to make a batch of chocolate sauce, doused the cake in it to make it palatable so that we could quietly finish it off.

But, my confidence has taken a bit of a beating. So, instead I went with a no-bake dessert from Yossy's book before I get my bearings to bake another cake. This is a simple dessert where the peaches are soaked in white wine for two days along with some mint and vanilla and then served with some lightly whipped cream.

The reason I chose this dessert was because I have usually poached my fruits over heat, never just soaked them in wine. What you get is a simple, chilled, no-fuss dessert to enjoy the peaches in season. This is not a rainy day dessert. This is a dessert for the days when the rain takes a breather and the humidity and heat come back in full force. 

It's very important that you choose your peaches carefully. You are looking for firm peaches that have already ripened. If your peaches are still slightly unripe, they won't soften in the wine. You are then better off poaching them as that will soften them down. Neither will they be able to absorb the flavours of the mint and vanilla nor would the wine get infused with the scent of the peaches. I had a mixture of peaches that were ripe and some slightly under and I realised that while we really enjoyed the ripe slices, the slightly tougher ones needed some work.

I have served them with some lightly whipped cream but some vanilla ice cream will also work fine or you could just have the peaches with their wine syrup alone. But, it is important that you serve them chilled. That's what makes them so special on a hot day.

And here's the best part of the recipe. Once you've enjoyed the peaches, you are going to be left with some peach scented wine. Yossy recommends that you turn that wine into spritzers. Simply top up a glass of wine with some sparkling water (club soda), ice and a twist of lemon and it is just such a refreshing drink for a humid evening. 

Hope you are enjoying the weekend..x!

Summer Fruit White Wine Sangria

".. ..the heat was so intense that Babur was surprised any living thing could stir. As the days passed, the flat, brown, dry landscape with its teeming people beneath a relentless sun began to oppress Babur. He felt leached of life and vitality. It was not much better at night when mosquitoes whined and his attendants could do little to cool his tent designed for colder climes. He found no refreshment in looking at the sluggish Jumna. Its fetid banks of cracked mud made him long for the swift rivers and bracing air of his homeland."

That is an excerpt from Alex Rutherford's 'Raiders From The North', chronicling the life and times of Babur, the first Emperor of the Mughal Empire. And that passage describes, Babur's first tryst with the Indian Summer. The man has my sympathies. I am Indian, born and bred, and till date I haven't figured out a way to bear the scorching cruelty of the Indian Summer. Coming as he did from the lush and fertile Fergana Valley, set in the cooler climes of Central Asia, little wonder that the Indian Summer was such a shock to his system. But then, such were the treasures and riches of India, that going back was never an option.

History tells us that to deal with crushing homesickness that engulfed him, he turned to one of his favourite fruits from his homeland, melons. The legend has it that every time he cut open a melon, he wept for his homeland. Clearly, the summer heat did a number on him!

So fond was he of the fruit that he taught his gardeners to grow them here. And so, much like Babur and his sons, the melons of Central Asia would find a home in India.

And good for us. For on a hot, listless Summer afternoon, the succour that a slice or two of chilled melon provides can never be expressed in words. It needs to be experienced. Some like it with a squirt of lemon on it, but I like it just as it is. Especially, these days when the heat wave just does not seem to end!

And I think I might have a found one more way of using melons. And it is in this beautiful sangria recipe that I came across. It is white wine that is flavoured with the flavours of Summer - melons, mangoes and mint. Think of it as Summer in a glass!

The success of this sangria lies in using ripe, fresh fruit. Longer the fruit is allowed to steep in the wine, more likely that the flavour of the fruits will shine through. And look at that beautiful colour! It is fresh, light, fruity with mild zesty tones that will perk up any Summer afternoon or night!

History also tells us of Babur's fondness for wine and I'd like to believe that this sangria that combines his love for both wine and melons would have gotten his royal seal of approval. As am pretty sure that it will get yours too!!

Coq Au Vin

Just as I was getting ready to launch my annual rant on the Summers, the rain Gods obliged. Some unseasonal showers, the temperatures dipped and the world was set right again!

 

With my new found enthusiasm for savoury, dinner posts, I thought I make use of the good weather. I discovered this beautiful, rustic French stew, Coq au Vin, over the Winter. Made it on a particularly cold night and we were completely captivated with it and I rued the fact that I never managed any photos to make a post out of it. So, I thought I'd make it again and sneak a post because let's face it, we can't stave off Summer for much longer.

 

 

It is a stew where the chicken is braised in red wine with bacon, carrots, mushrooms and some herbs and garlic. They say every home in France has their own coq au vin recipe. I used this recipe by the 'Barefoot Contessa', Ina Garten. It is a very forgiving recipe and use the recipe as a broad guideline, varying the ingredients as per your preference.

 

 

Over the slow braise, all the flavours meld together to create a beautiful, hearty, rustic stew. The wine envelops the entire stew with a beautiful dark, sensuous hue although, you can't really discern the alcohol. Rather, it adds a certain complexity and richness to the stew.

 

I served it with some simple mashed potatoes, perfect to mop up all the gravy.  

 

 

Out here in India, these are the last few days of tolerable weather but for all those for whom Winter is not showing any signs of ending, I can't think of a better recipe for a cosy dinner!

 

Hope you had a lovely weekend!!

Mulled Wine

Before you know it, Christmas is here! And while we may not celebrate Christmas at home, I do look forward to this time. It ties in perfectly with the end of year holiday mood. And helped along by the weather, it is also  the time when I am more than inclined to work the oven overtime. And yet this year, Christmas has caught me unaware.

 

So, while I may not have food to share with you today, we can always have a drink together. Keeping the occasion in mind, it is only natural that today's special should be mulled wine!!!

 

 

If there is one drink that usually finds itself on most Christmas menus, it is mulled wine and with good reason. Warm wine that has been sweetened and flavoured with spices is perfect for the weather in mind. And helping matters along is the fact that it takes no more than 10 minutes to get it on the table.

 

 

In this case, I flavoured the wine with traditional Christmassy flavours, with orange and spices like cloves, cinnamon and star anise. Ten minutes on a gentle flame and you are done. It is a perfect  time to use up that bottle of red wine in the cellar that no one thinks too highly of because this recipe transforms it into a real celebratory drink.

 

 

Pour yourself some  mulled wine in a glass, wrap your cold fingers around it, take a deep breath of the beautiful spices in there and then take a sip of this warm, flavoured wine. As it hits the back of your throat, you are warmed up in no time. And if like me, you are feeling a bit under the weather, this is what the doctor prescribed!

 

Be it a large group at a party or a small cosy gathering at home, this is the drink for the season!

 

 

Wishing you and yours a very happy Christmas!! May you have a beautiful day that is filled with love, fun and laughter!

 

Dark Chocolate Strawberry Tart With Port Jelly... Baker-in-Disguise Turns One!

Exactly a year back, armed with a handful of baking recipes, a pocket camera and loads of encouragement from my close friends and family, I decided to start writing a food blog. And much like life, the ensuing year would turn out like nothing I expected. Yes, I baked, I photographed, I wrote but what I did not expect was that this blog would teach me some of life's finest lessons. Lessons that I have read about and I have heard before, but never has it been better understood, by me, than today.

No better time than today to look back at all that this blog has taught me.

I have learnt that when you put your mind to something, there is nothing you can not achieve. But, the even bigger lesson that I've learnt is that all too often when we set our goals, we get too caught up dreaming about the end result. We forget that the end result that we wish for tomorrow is achieved from the small steps that we take today. You start where you are and every day you build on yesterday. And, I promise you the journey will be more exciting than any of your wildest dreams. 

I have learnt that when you share your best with the world, the biggest beneficiary is you. Because the reality check you will receive, whether good or bad, will be one of the most insightful lessons of your life. Yes, at times, you will falter or fall short on what you want to deliver but there are also times, when you will surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

I have learnt that for too long in life I have ignored the importance of a hobby in my life. The beauty of a fulfilling hobby is that it takes the edge off the other aspects of life that are not working out the way you want or have let you down in some way. You pursue a hobby only because it makes you happy.

I have learnt that you can never stop learning in life. As my mother will always tell me, if there is one thing that will keep you alive and vibrant in life, it is your thirst to know more. Be it the baking, the photography or the blogging, I've repeatedly said the words "I don't know" and it's been one of the most liberating things I have done in my life.



I have learnt that there is always a story to be told, even if it is a simple chocolate cake. Because, food has this amazing ability to evoke our strongest emotions and memories.

I have learnt the power of a kind word and how it can brighten up your darkest day. All too often, we get judgemental in life and forget to appreciate another's honest work. Nothing prepares you for the spirit of warmth, sharing, encouragement and generosity that is the world of food blogging.

And I would have not learnt any of this, if it had not been for you, the reader of my blog. Whether you came intentionally or you stumbled by, you will never know how much I appreciate that you dropped by my tiny corner of the world. Not only have you bought a smile to my face but you have taught me to believe in myself. And for that, I will be eternally grateful to you.

So, to celebrate my first blog birthday, I decided to make this chocolate ganache tart with port jelly and strawberry. It has chocolate, strawberries, wine and truck loads of calories - all the things needed for a celebration. With my love for all things petite, instead of making one large tart, I made four smaller ones.

The recipe is from the Masterchef Australia website. It is adapted from the same recipe that got the contestant, Audra into the Top 24. A bite of this tart and the judges didn't need to think twice to let her qualify for the main draw. Make this and you will understand why.

Even if you love chocolate as much as I do, you will agree that a chocolate ganache tart can get a bit too much, almost to the point of making you feel sick. And that's where the port jelly and the strawberries comes in. The port jelly not only adds another layer of texture but has a certain acidity which along with fresh strawberries helps to cut through the richness of the chocolate ganache. And for a non-alcoholic version, substitute the port with pomegranate juice.

It all comes together beautifully, making this a very elegant dessert, worthy of a celebration! 

As I embark on a new year, what do I look forward to? Better photography (much needed), better writing (it could do with fewer exclamation marks!) and as for the baking, I want to bake more with fruit, more savoury and make a tiny foray into gluten-free baking. But more than all of that, I look forward to all the little surprises and lessons that lie ahead that I have no clue about. To say that I am excited would be an understatement. Won't you please come along with me on this road trip?!!?!

A year ago: Dark Chocolate and Strawberry Muffins