Okay, so this was a stressful undertaking. But about 50% of that stress was completely self-imposed and unwarranted because I expected it to be stressful. From the moment I learned what a Baked Alaska was, it seemed people were lining up to tell me not to make it. Not in a “your thighs will never forgive you” sort of way, but in a “you’ll have to scrape your self-esteem off of the kitchen floor” way. It’s been relayed in a hundred different ways and through a multitude of mediums: Baked Alaskas are difficult. So, naturally, I was a hair afraid of this dessert.
Hey guys! So summer is definitely winding down and while I am bummed I realize I’m totally part of the problem. The other day I made a pasta dish with pumpkin. Pumpkin! I’m really not serving my make-summer-last case here. I definitely am still in love with summer but I can feel my focus shifting. I’m starting to look forward to fall. The chill in the air, the cozy dinners, the vats of mulled wine. But I know wishing for these things prematurely will be regrettable come February. So, instead of sharing the creamy pumpkin pasta I made the other day (don’t worry, it will make an appearance soon) I’m going to squeeze one last ice cream recipe out of this summer. Say hello to this Mint Chip Brownie Sundae.
Oh! Tiki culture, you morally confusing beast. I love your bright colors and unabashed tackery. But I’m troubled by your cultural appropriation of Polynesian mythology and imagery. To say I’m conflicted about tiki culture would be an understatement. But having said that, I have to admit it fascinates me. It’s a bizarre mash-up of misinterpreted cultural symbols and mid-century American aesthetics. It’s strangely beautiful, there’s no getting around it. So, when you isolate tiki culture from the unfair stereotypes it places on a minority, it’s not difficult to see its charms. But is it a given that it should be seen as its own stand-alone cultural phenomenon? No, not necessarily. So, before we get to the frothy, blue fun that is Blue Hawaii Granita let me be clear: Tiki culture is not to be mistaken for Polynesian culture. Okay, I feel marginally better, let’s press on.
Do you ever inexplicably know the name of something but actually know nothing about it? You’re not sure where you first heard it or really what it is, but you know the name. Yeah, this happens to me on the regular and most recently it happened with a dish called Peach Melba. While researching poached peaches, which is a totally normal pastime, I came across a recipe called “Peach Melba”. Well, the name tickled my brain enough that I had to look it up and low and behold it was a simple dish with an illustrious history – my favorite. I was so taken with my Google odyssey that today’s Raspberry Ricotta Ice Cream Pie with Anise Poached Peaches is very much inspired by Peach Melba. So without further ado let’s tear into the history of the dish and, of course, this ice cream pie.