Yuzu Mango Coconut Cake Shooters

What can I say, but that the generosity of my blogger friends continues to amaze me! Right now I'm speaking of Joyti of Darjeeling Dreams, one of the sweetest, brightest girls I know. Though we've been online buddies for a while, it wasn't until last August that I finally got to meet her (and her husband) while visiting San Francisco. Let me just tell you this, she's even sweeter in person than on her blog (and so pretty, too). Joyti blew me away again with her generosity when she recently sent me some fresh yuzu fruit after hearing my lament not having access to it. Not only that, she also sent me a bounty of other citrus, including Meyer lemons! We also decided it would be fun to post our yuzu recipes on the same day. Thanks for the lovely package, Joyti! I can't wait to see what you've made =D.

Lately I've been really into the idea of layered cake and other dessert shooters. They're such a lovely way to fit in multiple light desserts at the end of a party...even when you're mostly stuffed ;p. Especially having just added dessert shooters to my menu, I was excited to have this opportunity to test out a different flavor.

The results were delicious but I unfortunately didn't have enough juice to make the curd from entirely yuzu. Subbing in lemon juice to make up the remainder resulted in a curd that, while delicious, tasted as much of lemon as of yuzu. So if, unlike me, you have regular and abundant access to fresh yuzu, I recommend you use it and only it for the curd so that its delicate flavor and floral aroma is allowed to shine.

P.S. - I've finally submitted my graduate school application! Sorry for the long lull between new recipe posts -- I'm finding my way back slowly and surely =D.

Thursday Favorites!

I took a break from essay-writing to gather this week's favorite food photographs -- hope you enjoy them! Seems to me, in retrospect, that there's a bit of a green theme running throughout. Maybe I'm just looking forward to Spring? Hope everyone's week is going well...only one more day until the weekend =D

Vegetable Soup with Cheesy Puff Pastry Croutons from Katskyful

Photograph of Rosemary-infused Olive Oil from Jennifer Davick

Photograph of Seafood Pasta from John Cullen

Parsley Root Fries from My New Roots

Orange Passionfruit Curd Tartlets on Food Network UK Front Page!

Happy Year of the Dragon, my friends! And what a wonderful beginning it's been! When my friend Sanjana contacted me recently to share another recipe on Food Network UK's blog, Locally Sourced, I was certainly honored and excited. But never would I have expected to have my photo and recipe featured on their front page today in honor of Chinese New Year! Please head over to check out one of my favorite desserts, tangy Orange Passionfruit Curd and Poppyseed Tartlets -- a fun modern dessert that's perfect for a celebration!

I'd also like to wish my good friend Christine (of Pure Joy Events) a very happy birthday! It is just like her, of course, to generously offer up wonderful prizes to others as part of her 4th Party Tutorial Contest. Please head over to her blog to get all the details of the contest! Fabulous prizes include fondant cupcake toppers from the Lynlee's Petite Cakes, a $40 gift certificate to Piggy Bank Parties party supply store, and a fresh batch of decadent Oreo brownies, browned butter pecan chocolate chip cookies, or cranberry lemon polenta cookies from yours truly. Good luck!

Latest Music Obsession: James Vincent McMorrow

If you follow my Facebook page, you may have already seen this. But this gorgeous song (and the movie through which I discovered it) has wound itself so deeply into my heart that I feel compelled to share it on the blog itself. If you enjoy this song, please be sure to check out the rest of McMorrow's stunning album, "Early in the Morning." His voice is one of the most incredible sounds I've heard for quite some time.

Third Star, the movie which features this song, follows a 29-year-old man (arguably still a boy) terminally ill with cancer as he embarks on one last fun outing with his childhood friends. You'll not be surprised to learn that my favorite actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, plays the lead. Nor will you be surprised to learn, if you've seen any of his work before, that he is incredibly believable and moving in the skin of this boy who's forced to quickly come to grips with his mortality. I don't want to give away too much, but I will warn you that this film is likely to result in some tears being shed as well as some heavy reflection on the direction of your own life. I'd love to encourage you to purchase the film, but I can't seem to find a version that works in the US/Canada. If you're in this area, I'll just mention innocently that you may be able to find it on Youtube 8).

IBelieveinSherlock || MoriartyWasReal