Pretentions and panna cotta

We had come to the end of a perfect meal. For a very long time I had held off on patronizing this establishment because it was touted as this that and the other and I had heard that it was very expensive to boot. I got the impression that it was one of those very formal places where I would be made to feel uncomfortable. You know the kind of place where you are embarrassed to ask your snobby waiter about an item on the menu because you don't want to be made to feel like a complete philistine.

As luck would have it, I was the recipient of a coupon for this restaurant. Not at all sure of the atmosphere and deciding that I needed an ally, I invited along my boldest friend.  Lorraine epitomizes the word scathing. Where I might get all tongue-tied in the face of uppity service, Lorraine was born ready to slay dragons. Where I am timorous;  Lorraine is emboldened. Thus, we presented myself at the reception area, armed with Lorraine who with cutting stare and dripping derision was ready to slay any would-be pretentious waiters. 

We were very warmly received and quickly disarmed. There wasn't a hint of snootiness to be detected anywhere, not even when we made it known by way of our coupon that we could not afford the eat there. The maître d' did an exceptional job of making us feel like we completely belonged.

For me the highlight of that evening was the most humble item on the menu. It rather looked like the poor relation amongst the splendour of the other epicurean delicacies on offer. Until that evening I had never before heard of panna cotta which is a simple, Italian dessert of simmered cream.

"What is it? I asked the waiter.

"You know I'm not really sure. Let me find out and get back to you."

After this exchange the chef comes out. He introduces himself but I don't remember his name because honestly the moment he started speaking, I stopped breathing. It sounds like he is singing as he explains the dessert to me in his gorgeous Italian accent. He assures me that it is easy to prepare. He even gives me instructions (which I don't hear) for making it at home. Thank goodness Lorraine was paying attention. On that occasion the panna cotta was served with a blueberry fruit coulis. It was was like silk on the tongue, scented with vanilla and barely there sweet.

I love panna cotta. It's not a pretentious dessert. It is straightforward and uncomplicated yet elegant in it's simplicity. The pairings with various fruit and spices are limited only by one's imagination.

Click here for the panna cotta recipe and here for the wild hibiscus in syrup.

I'm in love...

Here. Eat this.

Nyam nyam nyam....

Do you know what you are eating?

Uhmmm, yeah. Cheesecake with a blueberry topping.

Cheesecake, yes. Blueberry, no.

Cherry?

No.

Some kind of berry?

No. It's sorrel.

For real?

For REALLY real.

It's good.

Yeah, I know.

Happy Valantine’s Day

Have a blooming good New Year!

Once again the time has come to say goodbye. How do you plan on saying farewell and ushering in the new year? Whatever your plans, I'm guessing it will include something bubbly.





Hold on to your glasses because I am about to blow you away with the most amazing garnish for your champagne. It's charming, elegant, exotic and fun.

Take a few minutes to appreciate the awesomeness that is sorrel in syrup.

Wait! Did you just do that typical dismissive West Indian thing?

You DID NOT just steups (suck your teeth at me)!!!

Sigh. You did, didn't you?

It might interest you to know that people pay upwards of $10.00 US for a jar of just eleven of these flowers.

That's right, $63.00 for eleven flowers. And you were grumbling about the high price of sorrel this year at $5.00 or .80 US cents per lb. Not 'steupsing' now are you?

Let us take some time to appreciate the brilliance of the man behind all of this. According to wildhibiscusflowers.com, Lee Etherington is the man who invented this product 11 years ago. Whaaaaaaat??? And all these years I thought God held the patent for wild hibiscus. Maybe Lee thinks he invented the concept of putting sorrel in syrup. Again, this is old news. In the Caribbean we have been boiling and preserving this thing in sugar long before Mr. Etherington was even born. It's an old recipe but Lee has looked at it in a new way. Bloody brilliant. Forget about, out with the old and in with the new. How about keeping the old and making it new.





Lee is to be admired for an effective marketing strategy and branding of this product. Just look at the pretty packaging and the hype he has created about the way these flowers open up, or appear to bloom when placed in an effervescent drink.

This is what the sorrel or wild hibiscus flower looks like. There are several varieties, even a white one but only two are shown here as these are the ones I used.




The one on the left that looks like a jester's hat is less tart and is better suited to making the traditional Caribbean, Christmas time sorrel drink. The flower on the right had a superior flavour when cooked. This is the one to use in your champagne cocktail since it is closed and will 'bloom' when you pour your drink.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup (Hibiscus sabdariffa) or

Mock Caribbean Cranberry Sauce

*adapted from the Naparima Girl's High School Cookbook

Makes 2 8oz jars

1 lb sorrel

water

1 lb granulated sugar

1 stick of cinnamon

Remove the seeds from the flower (* I left the seeds in the flower because I wasn't sure that the flowers would not float to the top of the glass. That, and I was lazy.)

Put sorrel and the cinnamon stick in a pot and just barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and measure sorrel. Add 1 cup of sugar for every cup of fruit and juice. Return to the heat and bring to the boil. Cook until water thickens to a thick syrup.

Pour into hot sterilized bottles.

Cooking for a longer time will make sorrel jelly which is good too. The jam does not take too long to cook and sets up rather quickly in about 15 minutes.

Wishing you all a blooming good 2010!