I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday.  This year, I spent Good Friday with many volunteers at the Lawyers Feed the Hungry program preparing and serving meals.  It was a busy night with many guests.  Within the opening hours of 75 minutes, we served over 450 meals.  Guests and volunteers are from all walks of life, just like the pots and pans, difference sizes and depth, but at the end, all made of the same material.  Volunteering is a way to give thanks and be grateful for what I have today.  I always look forward to my Friday's volunteering because I get some culinary training to our fearless kitchen leader - Chef C....

A delicious 3-course menu for Good Friday:  Vegetable soup / Fish & Chips (best chips ever!!!) / chocolate mousse...  My task was to prepare this gigantic tub of tartar sauce from scratch!  How fun?!  But like the label suggests, do not climb in!

I am reading fellow blogger Orangette, Molly Wizenberg's book "A Homemade Life".  In her chapter, "In need of calming", it features the Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger.  I am curious.  I have never tasted crystallized ginger and to my surprise, it would go well with banana and chocolate?

I don't think the banana bread has the calming effect, it has quite an opposite impact on me.  The spice from ginger gives the ordinary banana bread a new life and the taste just exploded.   I end up eating half a loaf, rather exciting; but I admit having an afternoon snooze after.....

ps.  Forgot to mention that I purchased two of her pieces....  I think I need to re-design my place so that I can welcome these two pieces of my new found treasure.

Voila! Paris!

I think of Lenotre, chocolat chaud from Angelina, macarons from Pierre Hermes....

Millions of people come to Paris, the city of light.... I say, I come to Paris because of the gastronomic experience.  Well, I think soon enough, you will find out that I just love food, anywhere I go.......

I decided to start spring cleaning early this year.  While I was cleaning, I found this recipe in my repertoire and I'd like to share with you.  I am no baker (all my friends know that).  I am hopeless in baking.  I decide to challenge myself my first little project - to bake a cranberry duff.  It is a classic New England upside down cake, tasting sweet with a nice cranberry tang.  The recipe is from the Culinary Institute of America.  I went to the Napa Valley school for a day class a few years ago and I tucked this recipe away....  Not bad for the first try, right?

Cranberry Duff

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter 
• 1 1/2 cups whole cranberries
• 1/3 cup pecans toasted and chopped (optional)
• 1 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one orange (1 tbsp)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, butter the bottom and sides of an 8" baking dish (I used a round one).
• Spread the cranberries in an even layer over the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle on the pecans, orange zest, and then coat with 1/3 cup of sugar and set aside.
• Next, melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat, set aside.  
• In a large bowl, add the sugar and eggs together, whisk until pale and thick.  Then slowly add the flour and salt mix.  Combine then blend in the melted butter beating until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the baking dish.  Make sure to cover the cranberries completely.
• Place in the oven and bake until golden brown (about 45 minutes). 
• Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert onto a platter to un-mold.
• Can serve with whipped cream.

Geishun means to welcoming spring and I think of flowers....

I love flowers, especially during the cold, grey winters.  It is amazing to see it is snowing outside and I have tropical flowers blooming at home, warming up the decor.  Today, I make this orchid planter and bring to my parents as new year's gift.  This project is super easy and elegant, what do you think?  My mother loves it...

Orchid planter project:

wood salad bowl - I use what I have at home,

Orchid purchased from garden centre - depends on the size of your planter.  I use 3 strands of orchids.

floral foam - to secure the orchid in desired space.

sheet moss - soak in water and then cover the floral foam.