2012 Tomato-Day at Morningsun Herb Farm

 It was quite an experience when you thought you have seen and tasted all the tomatoes there is in the world, yet to find out that there are over 90 varieties.     Tomato Day 2012 at the Morningsun Herb Farm is my first experience to taste all these tomatoes one at a time non-stop.   I thought I was turning into a tomato afterwards.

   

 

This one is an interesting peach - sweet, crispy, and beautiful golden yellow.  I thought it was a nectarine I was tasting for a moment.

Pandan & Persian Chiffon Birthday Cake with Crane Over the Sun

August is a special month this summer.    Very busy with school, family gatherings, volunteer work at the local event, and a wonderful vacation with my grandchildren.   For my mother's birthday this year, I was not too sure what pattern I would like to decorate the cake with.    Or maybe just order it from the bakery.     While I was at the office working, several images came to mind - Turtle, KOI, Dragon and Phoenix, and Crane.    I did some Internet search, and I came upon one of my favorite art on the "hanafuda" Japanese game card - a Crane over a Sun.     I was not sure if I want to make it into a 3D shape or just use a gel to decorate it on the cake's surface, etc.   As I was putting the cakes together, I saw the extra scraps.   I decided to use them just enough to raise the design on top of the cake to make it stand out.  

Prepare - 1 Pandan Coconut Chiffon Cake; 1 Persian Love Cake    Sliced across into halves

Whip 1 Cup Heavy Whip Cream with 1 Tbsp sugar.  
Mix enough apricot preserve with butter knife in a bowl to soften it.  There should be enough to cover one layer of the cake

Frosting:  
3 egg whites - Bain Marie
1 stick butter - Soft
1 Cup Sugar - divided into 2/3 Cup for egg whites and 1/3 cup for butter; use 'fine' sugar if you have it

Beat egg whites over bain marie and add sugar gradually while a stick of butter is beaten in a mixer with 1/3 cup of sugar.   Once the egg white has reached meringue consistency - stiff peak but still "shiny" remove from the heat.    Butter should be pale and fluffy.   Place the butter bowl over a bowl of ice with ice water to keep it cool (especially in summer where the kitchen temperature is above 75'F).    Scoop 3rd of the meringue into the butter and mix.  Then, add the next.   Set it aside in a refrigerator while you are assembling the cake, whip cream and apricot preserve into layers.
Frost the cake with butter cream and decorate.

 

Homemade Fresh Cherry Plum Empanada

Normally, to make this fried empanada, I just open a can of cherry pie fillings and wrap them in flour tortilla.   But this summer, since I found out that I can eat cherries, and there are abundant of dark plums, I decided to make the filling myself.    It is a very simple snack that everyone loves.
  Ingredients:
1 Cup Cherries, pitted and halved
4 dark plums, pitted and cut into large chunks
12 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp KATAKURIKO - Japanese Potato starch - Take some of fruits' liquid and mix into slurr, then, add
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp Cassia Flour Jam
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 400'F.
In oven proof skillet, over MediumLow heat - add ingredients.  Heat them through.  Cover with Aluminum foil slightly - not sealed.
Transfer the skillet into oven.    Roast for 40 - 45 min till it thickens.
Let it cool just enough to handle.   

Roll it into cigar shape.        Tip:  dab water around the edge of the flour tortilla with pastry brush to stick

 Tip:   To prevent flour torilla from 'opening' up, Hold the empanada with long handle tong or long cooking chop sticks until the flour tortilla has turned a bit crip to hold its shape.

 Cool the fried empanada on a paper towel to catch excess oil.    When it is 'warm' to the touch, transfer to a plastic bag filled with Ceylon Cinnamon and sugar and coat it well.