Monday, June 26, 2006
The Perfect Dessert: Is it really that hard to come by?
I spent the morning scanning the market for the right deal, something tasty, sweet and fresh. So often, I find myself sifting through rows, lines and lies to find the truth I’m seeking. I knew what I wanted: strawberries and blueberries to make something inconceivable to the shortcake traditionalist. My Grandma’s amazing, lumpy-Bisquick shortcakes topped by something unheard of to the recipe-on-the-box follower. Sure, by sticking with the box recipe, I’d come out with something good and sweet, but I aimed higher than that.
For those unwilling to be defined by a recipe or designated path, adding a few extras to assert oneself is a given. What could amp-up the tasty, but syrupy strawberry shortcake of my childhood? Some blueberries, fresh, ripe and full of antioxidants: that’s what. The true individual takes something simple and, dare I say, boring to create a flavorful novelty.
So I’ve always found it hard to follow any recipe to the letter. It ends up biting me sometimes, but other times I end up constructing something better than I could have imagined. The building blocks I choose aren’t anything crazy, they’re time-tested, traditional recipes. But I add something new. This time, I blended in some blueberries and a little lemon. When thinking of ways to make something sweet AND tangy, I instantly think to squeeze in the citric acid. The fresh juice and added zest brought out something unexpected and bright. Then, to complete the experience, I threw in a healthy dose of fresh spearmint. It took out the mundane and added a zinger.
All saccharinity aside, I know the world loves its sweets. We put it here, there and everywhere. It makes us happy and our dentists cringe. And, at the risk of Pixie-Stick impalement, I’ll say it: sugar is just plain overused. It slows your dessert down, speeds your mind up and leads to a blood sugar breakdown. How can I balance the need, the want and the flavor? By bringing out what’s already there. This is not hard, when you have the right berries.
So there I was, walking through berry-sellers galore at the market, tasting, pricing and not struck by any berries. As a baker on a budget, the plump, amazing five-dollar-a-basket berries were out of the question. I was in the same boat with most of the blueberries, too. Somehow, claiming blueberries more expensive because they’re the first harvest falls as flat as shortcake made by Hostess. Just as hard to stomach at a DC farmer’s market are berries from California. If I wanted berries that have traveled more than me this year, I’d go to Safeway. The unicorn that I sought was of the locally-grown inexpensive and sweet variety.
On my way home, carrying the next best thing to a unicorn: the golden goose variety, my bag was full of locally grown and loved berries. The best part of my uncompromising flavor was that it did ring true. When we ate it, the tart, tangy, light breezy sweetness left as much of an impression as the sun on our noses.
For those unwilling to be defined by a recipe or designated path, adding a few extras to assert oneself is a given. What could amp-up the tasty, but syrupy strawberry shortcake of my childhood? Some blueberries, fresh, ripe and full of antioxidants: that’s what. The true individual takes something simple and, dare I say, boring to create a flavorful novelty.
So I’ve always found it hard to follow any recipe to the letter. It ends up biting me sometimes, but other times I end up constructing something better than I could have imagined. The building blocks I choose aren’t anything crazy, they’re time-tested, traditional recipes. But I add something new. This time, I blended in some blueberries and a little lemon. When thinking of ways to make something sweet AND tangy, I instantly think to squeeze in the citric acid. The fresh juice and added zest brought out something unexpected and bright. Then, to complete the experience, I threw in a healthy dose of fresh spearmint. It took out the mundane and added a zinger.
All saccharinity aside, I know the world loves its sweets. We put it here, there and everywhere. It makes us happy and our dentists cringe. And, at the risk of Pixie-Stick impalement, I’ll say it: sugar is just plain overused. It slows your dessert down, speeds your mind up and leads to a blood sugar breakdown. How can I balance the need, the want and the flavor? By bringing out what’s already there. This is not hard, when you have the right berries.
So there I was, walking through berry-sellers galore at the market, tasting, pricing and not struck by any berries. As a baker on a budget, the plump, amazing five-dollar-a-basket berries were out of the question. I was in the same boat with most of the blueberries, too. Somehow, claiming blueberries more expensive because they’re the first harvest falls as flat as shortcake made by Hostess. Just as hard to stomach at a DC farmer’s market are berries from California. If I wanted berries that have traveled more than me this year, I’d go to Safeway. The unicorn that I sought was of the locally-grown inexpensive and sweet variety.
On my way home, carrying the next best thing to a unicorn: the golden goose variety, my bag was full of locally grown and loved berries. The best part of my uncompromising flavor was that it did ring true. When we ate it, the tart, tangy, light breezy sweetness left as much of an impression as the sun on our noses.
