Chocolate Cherry Panettone with Almonds

Chocolate Cherry Panettone with Almonds is such a festive way to kick off the holiday season! A dash of vanilla and orange flower water and a hint of saffron make this extra special, while a few scoops of @nakednutrition Pumpkin Spice #nakedshake adds protein and more flavour!

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My favourite thing about the holidays is the smells associated with the spices and sweet baking that takes place. On the 23rd of December each year, my mom wakes up extra early (about 5AM) to start making our traditional holiday brioche and Challah, so by the time I'm awake to braid the Challah the house is already filled with the scents of cinnamon, dried fruit, yeast and sugar. My contributions are often less labour intensive - say, gingerbread and biscotti - but the timing worked just right this year for me to get in a holiday loaf of my own!

Last year I made these rich, golden panettone loaves as gifts, and it was in this vein that I decided to give it another twist. This time, I added dried cherries, almonds, and a hit of spices and protein with Naked Nutrition's Naked Shake in Pumpkin Spice flavour. Along with the whole wheat flour, I added some extra fibre with Naked Fiber, and tossed in some chopped dark chocolate for good measure (everything is better with chocolate!). 

I chose to bake this batch in two standard loaf pans, but you can also bake them in Texas-style muffin pans using the instructions here. If you don't have saffron, the same amount of turmeric will give the same colour (though not flavour), and for the orange flower water you can sub in some orange juice (again, different flavour but still delicious).

I wish each and every reader a safe and happy end to 2021 and a lucky 2022! I will be back in January with more delicious treats (and ramblings as I keep navigating my grad program).

Marbled Peanut Butter Biscotti

Marbled Peanut Butter Biscotti is the perfect melding of two vegan doughs: one made with @pbfit and one with the rich flavours of @nakednutrition Hot Cocoa Naked Shake. Great on their own, or dipped in dark chocolate for an extra layer of decadence!

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Whew, what a December! Now that things are relatively settled (I hope) and exams are done, I've had time to bake for the holidays! Like last year, I kept things really scaled back since we aren't having the gaggle we normally do here (and without me working, my coworker gift list is non-existent). I did, of course, have to make at least one batch of biscotti and after receiving a tub of Naked Nutrition's Naked Shake in Hot Cocoa flavour I knew I had to use it somehow.

For me there is no better flavour combination than peanut butter and chocolate, so that was an easy pick! I don't often have a jar of peanut butter around, but I did have some powdered peanut butter from PBFit and used that. When I opened the lid on the Naked Shake, I was blown away by how good it smelled - think the richest brownie batter with a hint of milk (a feat for a vegan powder, but then again every single product I've received from Naked Nutrition has been beyond delicious). A serving is only 130 calories, but it packs 20g of protein - and let me tell you, mixing the powder with a bit of cold water before adding some boiling water makes a pretty rich hot cocoa!

The dough for this biscotti requires two separate preparations and some finessing to shape the logs (wet hands really help) but boy is it worth it! While most of the finished biscotti were wrapped for gifts, the ends of the logs became snacks that were a welcome addition to the holiday bustle here at home!

Holiday Gift Ideas from Adagio Teas

Well, November somehow snuck up on me - whether this is a perk or a detriment of being in an accelerated college program (again), I can't quite figure out! While I've been compiling pages and pages of notes on legal matters, writing exams and planning one or two trips to escape the madness, one of the constants throughout the day is a cup of tea at my work station. 

 

Of course, lately my cups have been adorable thanks to the infuser mug Adagio Teas sent me with their Autumn Teas package, which perfectly hold a serving of their wide variety of brews! Speaking of variety, Adagio has come out with an incredible assortment of gifts to make your holiday giving easy and delicious!

First is the "12 Teas of Christmas" sampler, where single-serving pouches of a wide variety of loose leaf teas are packaged in adorable ornaments. My favourite of the bunch this year is Blue Mango (a throwback to the mango iced tea from them I tried over the summer) but White Pear and Golden Monkey are also wonderful to sip on when the frost is covering the ground. The sampler costs $24 USD (while supplies last).

The second holiday gift of the year is Adagio's Advent Calendar - 24 single-serving pouches (loose or bagged tea) are hidden in a gorgeous cardboard case for you to enjoy every day leading up to Christmas! Of course, if you (like me) are impatient, nothing is stopping you from opening them all and choosing your favourites! I won't ruin the surprise here, but if you are concerned about the ingredients you can find the information on Adagio's site by clicking the link above. The Calendar costs $29 USD (while supplies last).

Of course, that's not all that's happening this season - starting on Black Friday (that's November 26 for non-Americans) you can get a package of Reindeer Fuel tea as a gift with purchase. What's Reindeer Fuel you ask? Well, it's a blend of mint, chocolate, ginger and yerba maté wrapped up with black tea - Christmas in a cup, if you will. You can only get your hands on this with purchase on Adagio's site for a limited time, so don't delay!

Thanks again to Adagio for sending me this parcel!

The Inspiring Story of Culinary Savant Guy Savoy

Guy Savoy is perhaps best known as Gordon Ramsey’s mentor, though he is also an equally outspoken celebrity chef in his own right. At 69 years old, the French culinary expert has significantly influenced the world's cuisine over the decades as well as food media. He was the voice actor of sous-chef Horst in the French version of Ratatouille, Disney’s animated blockbuster. With all his duties outside the kitchen, his most important work remains behind the bustling restaurant kitchen, where his meticulousness and passion make the difference between high-end cooking and creating masterpieces.

 

Michelin Star Worthy

Guy Savoy has three restaurants in Paris, and branched into the American market with Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas. His food palace in the bustling, casino-filled city has earned two Michelin stars. Las Vegas visitors get a sensory explosion between the glitter of the local casinos and the tastes of some of the best food in the world. For the food lovers in Canada (where no Michelin stars have been awarded to date), the next best thing you can do is to try and recreate some of Guy Savoy's recipes and replace the regular casinos with some digital alternatives such as Canadian online casino websites.

Savoy opened his first restaurant in New York, and following his success there he opened a restaurant in Paris in 1980. The creation of his signature artichoke and black truffle soup and other unique recipes lead to two Michelin stars awarded to him by 1985. Currently, Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris has three Michelin stars, and it is commonly included in the top 50 restaurants in the world. La Liste had it listed as the best restaurant for four consecutive years.

 

Where it All Started

For many renowned French chefs, the inspiration begins at home. In his many interviews, Guy Savoy points out that the starting point of his food obsession was his mother's cooking, which according to the chef was quick and delicious. Guy Savoy experienced the magic of cooking outside the home early in his career when he saw the creation of the simple, yet decadent cookies known as langues de chat (cat's tongues). His 50 year-long career began with an apprenticeship (or stage) in Troisgros restaurant, a famous establishment in Ouche, France. After three years in a world-class restaurant, Guy Savoy decided to test his expertise and opened his New York restaurant.

 

Guy Savoy’s Philosophy of Cooking

All talented chefs can learn recipes and techniques, but the underlying emotion and personal feel for the aesthetics make the magic happen on the plate. The passion and presentation of everything for each meal is what earned his continuous recognition in the restaurant world. Savoy often said that the art of cooking gives life to the ingredients, and in his case this is absolutely true. Chef Savoy is on the French Mission for Food Culture and Heritage board, which helped get French gastronomy into UNESCO's cultural heritage list.

Being a highly decorated chef, Guy Savoy receivedn numerous awards for his leading restaurant. Along with the three Michelin stars, the restaurant has four stars in Bottin Gourmand, three plates in Pudlowski Guide, and a 6-Diamond Award from AAA. Chef Savoy was also awarded the Legion d'Honneur medal in 2008 for his contributions to French cuisine.

If you're lucky enough to snag a reservation in Paris or Las Vegas, you can experience Guy Savoy's authentic creations and a rich and well-thought menu. Such an experience is worth the wait, and the price justifies dining in one of the world's best restaurants.

 

Spiced Shredded Apple Loaf for #WorldBreadDay

It's fall - and that means warming spices and apples! This loaf is packed with shredded apples and laced with stong-brewed @adagioteas Masala Chai and Vanilla Roobois teas. It is a perfect pairing for strong cheeses or apple butter!

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 It's the middle of October, and I for one love this time of year. Despite needing a light jacket (or a sweatshirt if, unlike me, you don't feel the cold), the aromas and colours of the season are by far some of the best of the year. 

On Thanksgiving weekend, my sister and I spent an hour or so at the orchard picking local apples, and when I came home and brewed myself a mug of apple-chai tea I was inspired to try and make a loaf of bread encapsulating all the spices and fruit of the season. A few hours (and a lot of flour) later I had some delicious low-rising loaves cooling on the rack waiting to be sampled. Had I thought more ahead I would have broken out my makeshift French bread moulds to keep them a little taller, but the flavour was perfect regardless!

I have to say I am spoiled for choice with teas this Autumn - the lovely folks at Aadagio Teas sent me a decadent selection of Autumn and Chai teas, each filled with warming flavors and spices. A mug (or two) is a perfect addition to the colder, rainy days of October and November here. To achieve the perfect brew for one, the company also has an adorable line of porcelain infuser mugs which are perfect (especially when working from home).
You can find the Autumn Tea Ssampler, Chai Sampler and infuser mugs all on adagio's site, and stay tuned since I've caught wind of an exclusive release tea for Black Friday!

Today is also World Bread Day and I am so glad to be able to submit my entry into the roundup at kochtopf.me this year. Zorra has been compiling World Bread Day roundups since 2006 (longer than this little project of mine has been around!) and I love seeing the entries from around the world.