after dark

The season is late spring. No wind is blowing, but the air carries the warmth. The date is just about to change. I am inside the house. I don’t need anything but a kiss.

Wouldn’t it be too sad to go to bed without a kiss?

Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside and paired with sharp, bright lemon curd.

Perfect kiss, don’t you think?

11:56 pm. Midnight is approaching and peak of activity has past.

This cookie looks like a single gigantic creature created by human.

One hand slowly reaches the cookie.

I take a drink of water and wipe my mouth with the paper napkin.

Silence.

Meringue kisses

2 egg whites, at room temperature

120g caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 110^oC. Line baking tray with parchment paper.

Place the egg whites into a mixing bowl. Beat them with an electric mixer until stiff peaks are formed. At this point start to add sugar, a spoonful at a time. Continue beating for few seconds between each addition. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.

Dollop up a spoonful (tea spoon) of the mixture in a rough rounds on the lined tray and bake for about one hour, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath. 

Leave them to cool and pair each with lemon curd. 

Recipe for a lemon curd - Nigel Slater, lemon curd recipes

 

rice paper rolls

Rice paper rolls second time.

I made them few days ago just to see if I would succeed. And I did!! I was so excited when I rolled the first one. To be honest I was afraid of rice paper. I read that the best and durable rice paper for handling and rolling is one that contains both rice flour and tapioca starch. Boohoo. This one that I used only contains rice flour, but it worked out just fine, both times. Read the instructions for preparation and all should be ok.

Few years ago I went to Vienna for a pre-summer 3 day vacation. In one of my ‘layoffs’ I set at a sidewalk table of a newly opened, matchbox size restaurant. I looked across the table and saw a girl eating something vibrant and fresh. Everything wrapped in a light, translucent paper.
Raw vegetables, fresh herbs, crunchy texture with the uplifting effect. All this in just one bite, and this is what it takes to be hooked.
Easy to make, never forget rice paper rolls.

Ingredients
- avocado (peeled and thinly sliced) 
- cucumber (peeled and sliced into sticks)
- carrot (peeled and sliced into sticks)
- 2 egg 'pancake' (heat a pan over medium heat and beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Add tablespoon of milk and season with salt to taste. When the pan is hot add 1 teaspoon oil and pour in the eggs. Swirl the pan so that eggs cover the bottom in an even layer. Lift the edges of the 'omelet' with spatula and flip over like a pancake. Turn out of the pan onto a plate. Slice the pancake into thin stripes.)
- radish (shredded)
- fresh mint leaves (bunch of whole mint leaves)

Soak the rice paper according to packet instructions. Place the rice paper on a plate in front of you and arrange raw vegetables and eggs the way you want, leaving a centimeter margin on the sides. Finish with whole mint leaves and fold the sides in, then roll up the roll tightly, squeezing the filling to get a tight roll.

If you are not going to serve it right away refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with a dipping sauce (if desired).

Dipping sauce (variation/one in a million)
- tbsp soya sauce
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- spring onion (finely sliced)
- fresh ginger (grated) or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- tbsp cold water

Ideal for breakfast or light spring lunch.

AA salad

Nourishing

Flavorful

Fresh

Satisfying 

Easy enough to make anytime..

AVOCADO AND ARUGULA SALAD

Serves 1 as a breakfast

INGREDIENTS ½ avocado 30g arugula 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil infused with pink peppercorns shaved Parmesan

Make a simple dressing by mixing olive oil and lemon juice. Place arugula in a bowl, pour over some of the dressing and mix well. Chop the avocado into chunks and add it to the bowl along with the arugula.  Combine slowly and place everything on a plate. Shave enough Parmesan and spoon the rest of the dressing over the salad. Add couple of pink peppercorns before serving.