We Are Not &*$#@*^ Around Over Here

Once the thought of making burnt-caramel-sea-salt-chocolates came up, it was hard to think about anything else. It was difficult to move on. Challenging to focus. Substantive topics were being overlooked, tossed out like empty plastic water bottles (into the recycling bin, of course). It was like an elephant in the room - big, silent, awkward, all-consuming, absolutely intriguing and mildly exciting.

Sara finally took matters into her own hands and did something about it, and the result was pretty amazing. It's still a main focus in apartment 108, but at least now there's something to both obsess about and put in our mouths. The caramel doesn't really freeze, so next time we may do them bon-bon style rather than layering the chocolate and caramel in the mold. But the end result is the same - chocolate-y, caramel-y, salt-y, coconut-y yum.

They taste a lot like Caramel Delight (or Samosa) Girl Scout cookies - good recipe to keep on hand for the time of year when everyone is scarfing down Thin Mints left and right and yapping about freezing them to crumble over ice cream, and hoarding boxes of Do-Si-Dos in their desks at work. (You should still support your local Girl Scout troop! Buy some boxes to send to troops overseas or donate to an orphanage or something.)

I don't have the marvelous secret recipe for the caramel and assembly - over to you, Sara.

Like a Gentle Breeze in Your Mouth

Tonight we hosted our first ever entirely-raw dinner party. OK. It wasn't entirely raw, but that truly wasn't our fault. Due to convoy delays and various other co-factors, things were tight at the cafeteria - aka grocery shop - the last couple days. And some ingredients, namely mushrooms and cauliflower, we will never get raw. Let's say there was nothing not raw that wouldn't have been raw if it could have been raw.

Besides our delic "save the moo-eat" from last night's Mexican extravaganza, pineapple-cucumber skewers, bok choy salad, and our clever idea to wrap everything on the table in big pieces of lettuce (thank you, sandwich bar), the dinner was Ani Phyo East Meets West, Desserts or Raw Food Essentials. She's a genius. Here's what we served:

Appetizers

Pineapple Cucumber Skewers with Ginger Dipping Sauce

Crudite Platter (carrots, celery, radish, cucumber) with "Peanut" Thai Dipping Sauce

Tomato Coconut Bisque

Main Course
Mixed Vegetables and Mango with Yellow Curry

"Save the Moo-eat" Lettuce Wraps with Corn and Tomato Garnish and Cashew Garlic Aioli

Mushroom Namul Lettuce Wraps with Mango Sauce

Bok Choy-Onion-Orange salad

Dessert
Peach Cobbler (variation of Mango Cobbler - serious YUM)

Chai Ice Cream
Coconut Ice Cream
Assorted Chocolates

The chocolates were new to me, and they were very cool - easy to make and set in a few minutes. I used our egg holder (which we have for what eggs??) as a mold and followed the ratio of two parts coconut oil to one part cocoa powder, plus a dash of agave. Before pouring the chocolate into the molds, I sprinkled cocoa nibs into each, and added goji berries or coconut to some. I also flavored some of the chocolate mint or almond. The result was delicious bites of chocolately goodness. When I find a raw caramel recipe, I'll try caramel sea salt filled chocolates. Yum.

P.S. Credit to Te for these lovely photos, and for the post title: she declared the Cashew Aioli, "like a gentle breeze in your mouth." Agreed.