Summer | The Rambling Epicure

Simple Sustenance: Summer Indulgence — Cardamom-Infused Mango Milkshake

Published by Renu-Chhabra + Monday, June 10, 2013 Permalink 0

Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table.–Charles Pierre Monselet

Summer afternoon and a glass of cold milkshake! Mango milkshake. Something I am always ready for. Why wouldn’t I be? It brings back memories of my childhood — fun and comforting memories.

Growing up in India, summer meant boxes of mangoes showing up in our house throughout the season. Not just one or two varieties, but several of them. Different sizes, tastes, and textures to relish, and we all had our own favorite.

It was the summer fruit to indulge in — messy but syrupy sweet and wonderfully juicy. Most of all, it was fun to sit around the table; and enjoy this tropical fruit and celebrate the season.

And with such abundance pouring in, we were treated with mango ice cream, mango custard, mango salad, and not to forget mango milkshake, the simplest of all for warm summer days. Simple because it can be put together in no time.

Its creamy texture and sunshine yellow color always lifts my spirits. Simply said, it’s a happy reminder of my childhood. Little moments that enable us to travel miles away!

I have accented the mango shake with cardamom in this recipe. Cardamom, as I call the soul of Indian desserts. Just a hint of it makes the recipe sing fragrant notes. A little goes a long way; otherwise it gets bitter. Like we say, “Too much of a good thing can be bad.”

I used honey as sweetener, but you can use sugar or agave to taste. The amount will also depend on the sweetness of the mango.

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Simple Sustenance: MarketDay in a mid-September California farmers market with Renu Chhabra

Published by Renu-Chhabra + Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

Let us not forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other arts will follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization.–Daniel Webster

These are the colors of California farms — rich and vibrant!

Summer vegetables are brimming with freshness, and the abundance! Everywhere I set my eyes, there is something that draws me to it. I can’t control myself; I want to shoot every colorful heap I see. I guess it’s the temptation to enjoy them, visually, later? After all, it is a feast for the eyes.

Simple Sustenance: In Season and Healthy — Peach and Spinach Salad

Published by Renu-Chhabra + Tuesday, September 4, 2012 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

One should eat to live, not live to eat” –Benjamin Franklin

Peaches are synonymous with summer.

California being the largest peach-producing state, we are blessed with an abundance of them. Farmers markets are flooded with these fuzzy yellow beauties. So many of them. Different varieties with vibrant colors. Juicy, sweet, and simply delicious.

Farm-fresh peaches have flavor that can’t be found in supermarket ones. I have tasted a few California varieties that need no explanation. Instead, just close my eyes and bless the soil and the farmers who nurtured them. It’s nature’s bounty at its best.

These peaches are in season from May through September. Baking, grilling, roasting, and poaching are definitely a few ways to enjoy them. But nothing beats the joy of savoring them in their natural form. So, I made a salad with this seasonal fruit and paired it with baby spinach.

Another ingredient that gives this salad a little zing is the peach balsamic vinegar. My culinary find that is absolutely delicious. Drizzle a little on salads, grilled vegetables, toasted baguette, or ciabatta, with or without olive oil. It stands out on its own. Its peachy flavor is the star that shines through.

A few other ingredients that complete this salad are ginger, honey, almonds, raw sesame seeds, and roasted sunflower seeds. Ginger and honey, a classic combination goes well with peaches. Raw sesame seeds and roasted sunflower seeds add earthiness and texture. Finishing with a grind of good sea salt (I used pink salt) and pinch of red pepper flakes complements the sweet peaches and honey. All together it makes it a sweet, salty, and spicy experience.

Recipe

Dressing

2 tablespoons peach balsamic or white balsamic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon juice of ginger
1 teaspoon honey or agave
Sea salt to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Salad
2 medium yellow peaches, sliced or diced, your choice
2 handfuls of baby spinach

Garnish

Sliced raw almonds
Raw sesame seeds
Roasted sunflower seeds

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar. Set aside.
In a bowl, gently toss spinach with light dressing.
Place spinach on a serving dish.
Drizzle some dressing on peaches and mix. Serve spinach carefully.
To finish the salad, drizzle a little more dressing and sprinkle sea salt and pepper flakes on top, if needed. Garnish with almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Serve immediately.

Note: Use dressing to your taste, but be careful not to drench the spinach with too much of it.

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar. Set aside.
In a bowl, gently toss spinach with light dressing.
Place spinach on a serving dish.
Drizzle some dressing on peaches and mix. Serve spinach carefully.
To finish the salad, drizzle a little more dressing and sprinkle sea salt and pepper flakes on top, if needed. Garnish with almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Serve immediately.

Note: Use dressing to your taste, but be careful not to drench the spinach with too much of it.

Simple Sustenance: Summer in a Bowl – Honey-Ginger Papaya Salad

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar. Set aside.
In a bowl, gently toss spinach with light dressing.
Place spinach on a serving dish.
Drizzle some dressing on peaches and mix. Serve spinach carefully.
To finish the salad, drizzle a little more dressing and sprinkle sea salt and pepper flakes on top, if needed. Garnish with almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.
Serve immediately.

Note: Use dressing to your taste, but be careful not to drench the spinach with too much of it.

Simple Sustenance: Summer in a Bowl – Honey-Ginger Papaya Salad

Simple Sustenance: Kale Power – Kale and Sunflower Seed Pesto

Simple Sustenance: Summer in a Bowl — Honey-Ginger Papaya Salad

Published by Renu-Chhabra + Thursday, August 2, 2012 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. —Virginia Woolf

Sunshine and outdoors! Summer is in full swing. We have been experiencing beautiful warm days — some warmer than others. But that’s the beauty of this season.

Farmers markets are exploding with seasonal produce and an abundance of flower power. And local honey farms are showcasing their products with great pride. In fact, I recently attended a lecture about bee pollination at our local Whole Foods Market. It is amazing how these tiny bees create something so rewarding, one bit at a time. It definitely makes me respect every drop of honey I use. Especially at a time when there is quite a buzz about honey among health-conscious people like me who try to avoid refined sugars, and want to preserve this precious commodity. So I say, love our honey bees and respect their hard work.

Rosa’s Musings: The Last Of The Summer Days Have Arrived, Indulge In Tomatoes while You Still Can

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Permalink 0

by Rosa Mayland

Spontaneous Cuisine: Raw Tomato Sauce

I don’t know if you have the same uncomfortable feeling as I, but I have the impression this year is flying by, and that we are more than ever racing against time, without being able to get a grip on the present moment or connect with the now. It is insane and quite confusing…

As incredible and shocking as it might seem, September has already arrived and so has autumn (and by the way, just in case you have already got the creeps, we are dangerously approaching Christmas – only 3 1/2 months to go before the ludicrous craze!). Even if you try “lying” to yourself, you cannot do anything other than confirm that the hot season is over and the slow decline of nature is taking its toll. As sad as it might sound, we have no other choice than to bid goodbye to the joys of summer and to the delightful sensation of lightness as well as worry-free days, it is a harbinger for the cold, dark, gloomy days that gently weasel their way into our lives. All those changes are real, visible and can be perceived very clearly.