Ripe for the Picking

Bursting with juice and teetering on the very edge of over-ripening, these ruby gems tumble off their vines effortlessly. Raining into waiting cardboard pints and open mouths, each edible jewel tastes like the summer sun itself. There is nothing I’d rather do on a warm July morning than lose myself in the meditative process of picking raspberries. Hours later, I’ll emerge berry-stained and stuffed, rich with a truly fruitful bounty.

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Jellyfish Season

Up until recently, I was blissfully unaware that a creature may proliferate during a specific season, just as a fruit or vegetable may have a small window of sudden abundance. That was, until a family of these gelatinous creatures descended upon my kitchen without warning.

Gravitating towards the fridge, they seem happiest near a readily available source of food, and seem wholly uninterested in moving on to warmer shores. Far from threatening and actually quite cheerful, I see no harm in letting them float about in the comfort of a safe environment. Miles away from pesky beach goers and without a care in the world, it may permanently be jellyfish season in these parts from here on in.

It couldn’t be easier to whip up a whole swarm of these sting-free softies. Simply print and cut out the template, trace the shapes on your desired color of felt, and carefully trim the fabric. Glue small eyes and embroider a happy smile on the plain head (without the tentacles). Use a matching color of thread to whip stitch the head to the head with tentacles, pausing as you reach the end to very lightly stuff it with batting. Glue a magnet to the back, stick it on the fridge, and admire your handiwork.

Yay or Nay?

Freed of a decade-long mayonnaise aversion, the unctuous white condiment may not be the first thing on my grocery list, but certainly has earned its keep as a refrigerator staple, thanks to its irreplaceable contribution to my very favorite chocolate cake recipe. Thus, I’m probably not the ideal judge of a new take on the classic spread, but the offer to taste Nasoya‘s latest contribution to the category was irresistible.

Curiosity fueled my investigation, since the original Nayonaise and I have a considerable history. It was the first time I ever tasted vegan mayonnaise, which sadly but quite frankly reinforced my original bias against it. Somehow a bottle of the stuff found its way into my fridge, likely after a photo shoot had wrapped and left the extra behind, and I couldn’t seem to get rid of it for the life of me. Eventually I became desperate, attempting to pawn it off on any friends who visited. It was convenient that each and every one “forgot” the glass jar when it came time to depart…

Revitalized and reformulated, my hopes were high for a surprise comeback. In addition to the previous offerings of their Original Sandwich Spread and Light (which I didn’t get to sample), there is now the option of Whipped, which is said to approximate the taste of Miracle Whip more closely. Let’s not beat around the bush here: I do not like Nayo Whipped, Sam I am. It strikes me as being too sweet, pulling my taste buds in the opposite direction of what they would desire in a savory dish, all with a beany undercurrent that muddies up the flavor. Unfortunately, this is exactly what I feared when I signed on for a sample. The jar of Whipped may be around for quite some time, wedged into the farthest reaches of the fridge, unless anyone would care to drop and take it off my hands.

The outlook isn’t as bleak for the Original, however. Despite an inauspicious appearance of a broken, greasy emulsion, the mixture does genuinely feel smooth and creamy on the tongue. The leading and finishing note is one of mustard, with a gentle touch of vinegar and salt chiming in. Appropriately rich and just slightly sweet, I do believe it’s an improvement over the first version that turned me off so many years ago. Is it my favorite mayonnaise option? No. But is it a perfectly serviceable alternative? You bet! The odds of success only improve once it’s mixed into a recipe with more complimentary flavors to enhance that baseline taste.

For my first trick, I thought I would turn the classic BLT sandwich into a fun summer hor d’oeuvre, taking out the bread and stuffing the contents into hollowed out tomato shells. BLT bites, so simple that a formal recipe would be overkill, are nothing more than seeded Roma tomatoes filled with shredded romaine lettuce and chopped chives, tossed with Original Nayonaise, and finally topped with coconut bacon. Serve thoroughly chilled for the best eating experience, especially on a hot day.

Where Nayonaise really shines, however, is in baking, just as I had predicted due to the success of my experimental chocolate cake so long ago. Churning out a batch of chocolate chip cookies in record time and only seven ingredients all told, this recipe is reason enough for me to always keep a jar on hand.

Amazingly, the mustard flavor mellowed significantly in baking, becoming nearly undetectable when paired with the right ratio of sugar and chocolate. The combination shouldn’t work, couldn’t possibly be delicious, but somehow, it really is. The best part is the texture- You would be hard-pressed to find a chewier, gooier, or more lusciously toothsome treat for so little effort. For that incredible contribution alone, Original Nayonaise gets the official thumbs-up from me.

Yield: Makes 20 - 24 Cookies

Miraculous Mayonnaise Chocolate Chip Cookies

Miraculous Mayonnaise Chocolate Chip Cookies

You would be hard-pressed to find a chewier, gooier, or more lusciously toothsome treat for so little effort. No one will no that mayonnaise is the secret ingredient!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Vegan Mayonnaise
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the mayonnaise, vanilla, and both sugars. Stir until smooth and homogeneous before adding in the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chip. Begin the mixer on low speed to prevent any of the dry goods from flying out, and allow the machine to gently combine all the ingredients. Be careful not to over-mix to prevent the cookies from becoming too tough. Stir just until the dough comes together and there are no remaining pockets of unincorporated flour.
  3. Use a medium cookie scoop or large spoon to portion out about 3 – 4 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place them about 1 1/2-inches apart on your prepared baking sheets, and use lightly moistened hands to flatten them out slightly if domed.
  4. Bake one sheet at a time for 11 – 13 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Immediately pull the silicone mats or parchment paper off of the hot baking sheet to allow the cookies to cool completely.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 89mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

Back and Better Than Ever

Returning for another round in the ring, the second issue of Laika Magazine is just as hard-hitting as the first, and even more inspiring. My big story this time around would ordinarily have been a big step outside of my comfort zone, but turned out to be just the opposite. Visiting Philadelphia for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It seemed like a tough place on paper, rough around the edges and staunchly resistant of outside influence. Every last person I spoke with turned that preconceived notion on its head, not the least of which being Miss Rachel of Miss Rachel’s Pantry. I had never seen a more welcoming establishment, where hugs are dispensed as freely as the coffee, nor felt more at home in a completely unfamiliar place. I won’t spoil the rest of the article for you, but rest assured, I’m equally effusive about the food.

Also included in this issue is another edition of Taste Notes, covering a few summertime staples that would be right at home at any backyard BBQ. Once you’ve got all of those promising ingredients on hand, it would be a shame not to whip up my recipe for meaty, cheesy Grilled Jalapeño Poppers.

Those are my contributions this time around, but they’re not even the tip of the iceberg for all the material contained in this exciting new issue. You’ll just have to read it to find out the rest.

Bowl’d Over

Trends come and go, but good food is forever. The acai bowl is one particular dish that may have suddenly risen in popularity thanks to the superfood craze of recent years, but it has proven a worthy addition to anyone’s short list of standby recipes. Little more than a smoothie thick enough to eat with a spoon, something about that small variation in texture gives this treat real staying power. Though skeptical at first, the attraction became immediately clear after I ordered up my first bowlful of sweet, tropical fruit puree while attempting to beat the heat in Honolulu.

Beginning with a basic formula, expect to get a silky-smooth blend of frozen acai, bananas, apple juice, and ice, topped off by fresh cut fruits and granola. Honey often comes standard when ordering out, easily omitted upon request. Besides, the whole mixture is already so sweet, it’s hard to imagine that the sticky topping would really be a beneficial addition.

The real beauty of this cool, creamy, and yet simultaneously crunchy formula is that it’s infinitely adaptable. No matter what fruits, liquids, or toppings you pick, you’re only minutes away from a frozen delight, even before pulling out the blender. At a time when temperatures are only rising and the last thing you want to do is labor over a hot stove or waste a glorious day indoors, few snacks are better suited to summer fun.

Acai bowls strike me as a “choose your own adventure” sort of recipe, where there are no hard and fast rules, except to follow your intuition. Add more or less liquid until you’re happy with the texture, mix up the flavors, and go wild with the trimmings. In fact, though it may be sacrilege to some, I fully endorse omitting the acai for a considerably less pricey option.

Yield: Makes 1 – 2 Servings

Basic Acai Bowl Blueprint

Basic Acai Bowl Blueprint

Acai bowls strike me as a “choose your own adventure” sort of recipe, where there are no hard and fast rules, except to follow your intuition. Add more or less liquid until you’re happy with the texture, mix up the flavors, and go wild with the trimmings. In fact, though it may be sacrilege to some, I fully endorse omitting the acai for a considerably less pricey option.

Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Basic Acai Bowl Blueprint

  • 1 Frozen Banana OR 2/3 Cup Frozen Diced Mango or Papaya or Pineapple OR 3/4 Cup Sliced Frozen Peaches, Apricots, or Plums
  • 2 (3.5-Ounce) Packets Frozen Acai Puree OR 1/2 Cup Frozen, Seedless Raspberry, Blackberry or Blueberry Puree (or 1 Cup Frozen Berries- If you don’t mind seeds)
  • 1/2 Cup Ice
  • 1/2 – 3/4 Cup Apple Juice or Orange Juice or Coconut Water or Non-Dairy Milk

Optional Nutrition Boosters:

  • Kale or Spinach, Ground Flaxseed, Protein Powder

Crunchy Stuff:

  • Granola, Cereal, Hemp Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Cacao Nibs, Sliced Almonds, Toasted Coconut Flakes

Fruity Stuff:

  • Sliced Bananas, Sliced Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Jam or Preserves, Goji Berries, Dried or Freeze-Dried Fruits

Sweet Stuff:

  • Chocolate Chips, Candied Nuts, Sprinkles, Mochi Bits, Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans, Vegan Marshmallows

Instructions

As you can imagine, once you know what an acai bowl consists of, the procedure is pretty much self-explanatory. Toss all the ingredients for the bowl itself into your blender and puree until smooth, being careful not to run the machine for too long to prevent the mixture from warming up. Top with crunchy additions, fruit, and more decadent options as desired. Don’t be afraid to look beyond these basic ideas- The different blends are endless!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 139Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 569mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 77gProtein: 5g

Spice Up Your Life

Black pepper, an ingredient whose ubiquity is matched only by something so elemental as salt itself, is so much more than the one-note spice that it’s frequently written off as. Few cooks play up the unique flavor profile of pepper as a feature in and of itself, as it deserves to be celebrated, and I’d venture to guess that even fewer realize the fine nuances between peppercorn varieties. Pepper is not just pepper, and especially not if it’s Kampot pepper.

Found in colors of the peppercorn spectrum, Cambodian-grown Kampot pepper has different distinctions depending on how it’s harvested and cured, but the overall flavor profiles are similar. I only had the opportunity to sample the black pepper, but found it a fascinating departure from the standard spicy but flavorless seasoning. More floral, gentle, and subtle than the miscellaneous black powder kept in kitchens the world over, this is one unique variety worth seeking out. Immediately detecting a vague natural sweetness, it seemed perfect for brighten up desserts. Black pepper has always struck me as an ideal match for fresh fruit, so why couldn’t the same pairing work as successfully for other sweet treats?

One can never go wrong with soft, chewy sugar cookies, especially when there’s icing involved, but these are not your average childhood snack. Enlivened with Kampot pepper’s warm bite, the contrast between sweet and spicy makes it impossible to stop at just one cookie.

Of course, the savory applications are near endless, considering how easily pepper can slip into every dish of any cuisine. Seeking to really highlight this unique ingredient, starting with a straight-forward formula seemed like the best approach. Made with only five ingredients and a minimal amount of labor, it’s hard to imagine that such an addictive appetizer could really be simple. Cheese straws are an easy sell at any party, and these in particular will fly off the plate. Bold, zesty, buttery, and crisp, lemon-pepper cheese straws made with Kampot pepper are crowd-pleasing snacks that will make it difficult to save room for dinner.

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 - 2 Dozen Cheese Straws

Lemon-Pepper Cheese Straws

Lemon-Pepper Cheese Straws

Made with only five ingredients and a minimal amount of labor, it's hard to imagine that such an addictive appetizer could really be simple. Cheese straws are an easy sell at any party, and these in particular will fly off the plate. Bold, zesty, buttery, and crisp, lemon-pepper cheese straws made with Kampot pepper are crowd-pleasing snacks that will make it difficult to save room for dinner.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed According to Manufacturer’s Instructions
  • 1/2 Cup Pepper Jack-Style Vegan Cheese Shreds
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 1 Teaspoon Kampot Peppercorns, Coarsely Ground
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher or Coarse Sea Salt

Instructions

  1. Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and roll the sheet of puff pastry to an 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Try to keep it approximately the shape of a rectangle for smoother edges.
  2. Sprinkle the vegan cheese, lemon zest, ground pepper, and salt evenly over the long top half. Fold the ungarnished bottom half over, gently pressing the two sides together to seal. Use a very sharp knife to cut 1/2 – 3/4 inch wide strips.
  3. Handling one strip at a time, take one end in each hand and carefully twist them in opposite directions to form a tight spiral. Place them on a parchment paper- or silicone mat-lined baking sheet, pressing the ends down firmly to discourage them from uncurling. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the twists about 1 inch apart. Move the entire batch into the freezer and let rest for 30 minutes before baking.
  4. Once the straws are nearly done chilling, begin preheating your oven to 425 degrees.
  5. Move the frozen baking sheet immediately into the oven and bake for 13 – 16 minutes, until the straws are golden brown all over. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely before eating.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 20Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.