Tomato Chutney

It has been so long since my last post, it is nothing short of ridiculous. I've been feeling terribly lost without my familiar, weekly routine of mulling over what to cook, poring over cookbooks and experimenting in the kitchen, then sitting down to write about the whole experience. I don’t have much to show for the hiatus other than some late nights due to work assignments falling due at the same time plus the general chaos of life with two littles.

TODAY at the Pop Up - the LC Mess!

It's finally time to reveal our surprise dessert action station...  THE LC MESS!

A new twist on a classic, this beautiful dessert features a muddle of crispy, crumbled meringue which gives way to a perfect marshmallowy centre, melding into softly whipped cream. Punctuated with the tart, sweetness of fresh strawberries and drizzled with a lovely raspberry purée, this is heaven in a bowl. With just the right amount of sweetness, playing against the sharpness of the fruit elements, we can't think of anything more refreshing on a hot and sunny afternoon.

Tropical Mess

I have had a deep and committed love affair with meringue for as long as I can remember – meringue and I, we go way back. From the time I was a little girl, any dessert with meringue was the epitome of sophistication in my unsophisticated eyes. Two desserts stand out in my memory – Chocolate Meringue Gateau, a towering confection of chocolate cream and meringue layers, which was the dessert of choice in Colombo households in the 90s. The other was a delicate creation of my grandmother's – mini meringue nests in which dollops of lemon curd and cream nestled, cushioning slices of mango, peach or other fruit.

Florentines

Florentines were one of the first biscuits I ever made, very early on in my baking career. The recipe was from one of the first volumes in my cookbook collection, Essential Baking, presented to me by my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I have been making Florentines from this recipe for over 12 years, but thought I should probably do some research before baking and writing about them for this post. And I’m glad I did, because I’ve learned a few things… first, despite its name, this lovely biscuit is more of a French confection than an Italian one.