Japan's passion Lychee Cake

 Countries will go crazy over another country's food.It's evident here in the States when we order pizza ro munch or croissants.Even though Jamaica has its' fair share of tasty food, Jamiacans go mad for lychee cake.

New contributor and cookbook author Ramin Ganeshram wrote about this new island classic in yesterday's New York TImes Wednesday Food section. Chinese cuisine has been a part of the Jamaican table since the late 1800's when many came over to work the sugar cane fields not just of Jamaica but also Trinidad and Cuba .Lychee remains one of the ingredients most associated with the descendants of Chinese immigrants. Lychee trees though have a longer history on the island as they were first imported in the 1700's,The fresh fruits aren;t used on the cakes though.According to Virginia Burke, author of Eat Caribbean and Selena Wong who created the recipe, the trees have a fickle bearing cycle which makes them expensive. Also Jamaicans would prefer to eat them fresh out of hand.The fruit itself has a flavor that's sort of a combination of a strawberry and pear with a hint of citrus. They lend the,shelves well to the cake , first created by Ms Wong in 1988. She created a light sponge cake that featured canned lychees and their syrup.It not only became a family hit but a national hit that grew into an obsession.Now every bakery and grocery sells it.

It's an easy cake to replicated.Ms Ganeshram gives the recipe and its; very much a Caribbean cake too.It's a scratch cake with a creamy fruit filling and topped with fruit. Rose water also flavors the cake, which again appears in most island dessert recipes. Every Jamaican has a recipe but they're all secret. Ms.Wong credits her invention with giving her a successful pastry business. Yet any home baker can make it for a lovely summer event .The cake is a vanilla one with lychee syrup added.  It's added to  the egg yolks while the whites are whipped into thick peaks The syrup can be  made on the stove top simmering it and stirring it often until it coats the back of a spoon. The filling is a mix of marscapone cheese, heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and more rose water.The cake is also iced with this and then topped with six to seven freshly peeled lychees, strawberries,kiwi and mandarin slices. Before frosting place the  bottom cake layer puffy side down on the plate. Do the opposite with the second layer  with the puffy side up,Brush the fruit with the remaining lychee glaze.

Lychee cake is now a classic in Jamaican cuiine.It's a fresh , fruity take on a summery cream cake.it;s the perfect end to a summer party.

Ebony's Food Lab Returns

 Ebony magazine has always on the forefront of Black American ideas and trends. One division of the famed world renown magazine was their food section. They were also known for their innovative recipes cooked in a funky for the times kitchens. Now both are being celebrated in a retrospect.c

Regular contributor and writer for the Btiiman Project Kayla Stewart wrote about the famed test kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Food section as well as including some of the magazines most classic recipes. The kitchen was quite innovative for its' time , around the late Sixties and early Seventies.It was at the heart of American Black Food culture thanks to the publisher John H. Johnson , owner of the Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago.It was outfitted by a design team that included Arthur Elrod and William Raiser, both known for their adoration of Palm Springs decor. They used what were then state-of-the-art appliances like grills, mixers, a hidden toaster (!) a trash compactor and a refrigerator with an ice and water dispenser. It was almost lost to history when the publishing company closed its' doors in 2010 and sold the building to a Chicago developer. Luckily Landmark Illinois , a  preservation nonprofit was able to save the kitchen. The Museum of Food and Drink took temporary ownership and moved it to Manhattan where it was restored to all its former funky glory.

The kitchen was a try out for all sorts of new recipes thanks to its' innovative and well traveled editor Freda Deknight who first took over the job in 1946. Her articles "Date with A Dish" was laden with good recipes and pictures which spoke to Black home chefs with varying degrees of knowledge. Readers were encouraged also to submit family and beloved recipes as well, receiving a $25 prize and their recipe featured.After her passing in 1963 Charla L. Draper took over and doubled down on the recipes. Ms. Stewart has included three classics, One is stewed chicken and dumplings, which is cooking  chicken  in a Dutch oven  water bath. Celery and onions along with garlic, ground up chicken bouillon and paprika are added for more flavor and spice. The dumplings are the traditional ones , sweetened with sugar and spiked with parsley, A great side with are the honey glazed carrots, made with orange juice honey and butter, first steamed and then baked in the oven. The most beautiful and delicate looking recipe is the  Rose Petal Pudding,It's a cross between a bread pudding and a cake flavored with mace, rose water and lemon juice. The glaze is a mix of confectioners sugar, melted butter, seedless raspberry jam, mace and whole milk. It's decorated with rose petals and would be the perfect end to an Easter dinner or at a shower.

Ebony Magazine has always been at the forefront of trends and news. along with reporting on traditions. Its recipes were no different. They were a fine mix of the new and the classic with exciting dishes and desserts.

Inclusion Dinners

One of the best aspects about kids starting school, is that their world opens up, They get to meet classmates from all sorts pf backgrounds. Even better is when the classmates expand not just your little one's world but yours as well. What better way to do this than throwing an inclusion dinner , featuring the best of of everyone's backgrounds.

Kids will always want their best friends over for lunch or dinner, especially the last.What better way to show your family recipes and traditions. It gives the younger ones as well as their older siblings an open dialog about differences and why our country is proudly called the melting pot.They can discuss their heritage and the different dishes their families make.An excellent idea is expanding the invite to the friend's parents and extended families.Keep in mind dietary restrictions and customs. If the family wants to bring one of their dishes ,let them.It's also a good time for a recipe swap, especially if what you'v served is a hit. Be open to the friend's mother asking questions about cooking and the ingredients. The family may not be familiar with some dishes and curious on how to flavor them. Bring out the spice bottles and let them try the spices you've used. A nice gesture is gifting them with  the spices used in cooking or baking.The friend's family will probably reciprocate with a thank you dinner .

What can you serve? Whatever represents your family's heritage.Keep in mind  that most foods considered US born and created actually came from other places.Also keep in mind if all their family have different beliefs. The kid may want to try a Sloppy Joe or chicken nuggets, however his or her folks may be vegetarian. If that's the case then try Gardein or Morningstar Farms meat free products. Both companies have a large variety of veggie burgers, soy hot dogs, meat crumbles and chicken nuggets.Another idea is incorporating some of the ingredients from their dishes into yours. For example bok choy can be used in salads Garam masala , a staple in Indian cooking can be used in fried chicken batter for a fun and spicy twist.Caribbean spices are not just for jerky or callaloo. Add a teaspoon of it in meat loaf or hamburgers. The idea of incorporating flavors also extends to dessert. Add rose water , usually used in Indian , Greek and Middle Eastern desserts to vanilla pudding or vanilla ice cream.

Tolerance of others begins at home.A meal with a classmate can teach you and your children about inclusion and acceptance. That's the best lesson ever..

The Sweetness of Cherry Season

One of the first fruit harvests of late Spring and early summer are cherries. They are  abundant right now, in  all their ruby red glory. What is so great about them is that they can be made into a variety of  different desserts. The first stone fruits of the season are perfect for everything and  anything , from ice cream to tarts.

David Tanis thought so and featured them in his column , A City Kitchen , in today's New York Times Food section.On their own, the first  harvests are a proper dessert in themselves. They're both deliciously tart and sweet, without any embellishments.. However he provides three cherry-centric desserts that highlight their flavor  and brightness.Best of all they're easy  to make- a boon in this hot weather. Some of the recipes can be split into two days so prep time is leisurely and relaxed. One of the easiest looks hard to execute but if made  in two days , an easy dessert. It is cherry ice cream sandwiches  rolled in coconut flakes. Make the ice cream the first day, it's simple custard recipe with stewed and pureed cherries added later. The cookies can be made a day later ,leaving the filling to firm up overnight. These are a simple shortbread although if you don't feel like heating up your oven, buy a good shortbread like Walker's  and use those instead.

The other desserts are both elegant ad easy as well.One is a cherry frangipane tart that can be stretched into two days of making too. Start with the tart shell, again relatively easy to whip up.There are only five ingredients with butter being the main one. The filling is classic frangipane,  using cream and almond flavoring. Cherries and slivered almonds are then pressed into the batter .They not only provide decoaration but an extra burst of sweet tartness to cut the pastry's sweetness. Mr. Tanis also puts the fruits of the seaon in one of the most elegant desserts ever - iles flottante. This sophisticated French sweet is basically fluffy meringue clouds  over a crème anglaise base. The traditional recipe calls for a drizzle of caramel but Mr. Tanis adds a sweet-sour cherry compote to give it a spike of color and a punch of flavor.A pound of pitted cherries is cooked  with a cup of sugar. Rose water is added for delicacy and for  scent as well. Pistachios are also sprinkled on top for added color and texture.

Take advantage of the first cherry harvests of June. Yes, they're good, just freshly washed and on their own but they're pure heaven in any dessert. Try them in a fun ice cream sandwich, or an elegant tart or iles flottante.

The Sweet Lure Of Rose Water

It's found in almost every garden yet ignored by most cooks and bakers. It creates a light sweet taste and it was the most popular flavor until vanilla stole its' thunder. It's rosewater, the fragrant flavoring that's been around for centuries. An article about it is featured in today's Dining section of The New York Times.If you haven't discovered it please do.

The article , written by John Willoughby (sounds like a character from Austen's Sense and Sensibility) is a loving paeon to rose water. Yes, he writes, it does smell like something our grandmothers used in their bureau but it's also a refreshing addition. It's one of the oldest flavorings made from steamed rose petals in water. The Arabs first created it form their
chemistry formulas. 18th Century bakers used it in their cakes and scones. Middle Eastern cultures still use it in their pastries and drinks.

Don't be put off by the initial aroma of rose water. Yes, it does smell like cologne but it's really a wonderful flavoring. It goes well either raw or uncooked and is best with cakes and fruits. It is best with strawberries, melons and peaches. It surprisingly goes well in salads too and grilled foods for a different taste . You can buy it at your local market or any Middle Eastern food store.

Don't be put off by the smell of rose water. It's the taste that's perfect for food. Sweet and exotic, refreshing and different, it;s the perfect foil for late summer fruit and cakes.