Satisfying my cravings

For me, dessert means cake. I just love cake and I love chocolate just as much so the combination of the two should be a fantastic one, but most often I find that I’m easily disappointed.

There is a word in Spanish that I’m certain has no direct translation to English. The word is “empalaga.” One says it when describing a dessert that coats your throat with its cloying sweetness taking away from its enjoyment. That is what I find that most chocolate cakes do. However, this Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake by Nigella is a true masterpiece (can you tell I love her?). Though the batter is meant to be spread equally into two pans, the cake still remains modest in size. Both the cake and frosting contain sour cream, which adds a diminutive tang while also helping cut the fatty mouth feel that the butter gives in the frosting. There isn’t much sugar in either component of the cake, which is another reason I love this cake so much. It doesn’t make it diet worthy, sadly, but it will definitely satisfy those with unwavering palates; even those who long for sugary treats.

Some of the ingredients necessary


The cake ready to go in the oven


The cake frosted and ready to be devoured. I topped it with sugar past pansies an idea also taken from the great Nigella herself. I love this cake and I urge all to try it.

Mustard Pork Chops

Pork, yes, the other white meat, is a meat that I don’t often crave. It was very much present at the kitchen table of my youth as well as commercials that clogged the airwaves for it while growing up, but even so, I just don’t think of it come dinner time. However, what I do crave is something good and simple to make that will give me a true bang for my buck. I wasn’t really in the mood to follow a recipe, but I wasn’t in a position to be creative either so I picked up my copy of Nigella Express and the first recipe that appeared when I did so where her Mustard Pork Chops so off I went to the market and got what I needed which wasn’t much. Once you’ve got the goods, you boil some water for the gnocchi, heat a pan up for the chops, cook the chops, remove them from the pan then add the cider, mustard and cream in that order while allowing each ingredient to absorb itself into the lovely sucs (brown bits) at the bottom of the pan. While it bubbles away for around two to three minutes you cook the gnocchi in the boiling water and then toss them in the sauce. Serve and eat up!

Changes

I've decided that from now on forward this will be a food blog. I can channel other cultures this way anyway. It's not like I eat strictly Puerto Rican food. How boring would that be?! 

Since, my last post I've began and graduated from the Classic Culinary Arts program at The French Culinary Institute in New York City. It was an experience of a lifetime and one I'll never forget. I hope that I can take all I learned there and all I learned while studying Communications at Sagrado Corazón and make a lasting career out of it all. Here's to hoping! And here's to cooking fantastic food was well... cheers!