This past week I made my first chocolate cheesecake* (previously I'd only baked blueberry, raspberry and passion fruit varieties). Complete with a graham crumb and cocoa bottom (I think I'll add a little cinnamon to it next time as well), the delight was a baked combination of cream cheese and dark chocolate. The source of this inspiration was a recent present - The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. We happily shared the cake with good friends of ours over a delicious dinner on Friday evening; such meals are a clear example of the good life.
This past week Greg's mom was also visiting from Vancouver. While debriefing on the cheesecake, she shared with me two of her secret kitchen ingredients - mascarpone cheese and creme fraiche. I am intrigued to try mascarpone in my next batch of icing, and creme fraiche instead of whipped cream/yogurt/sour cream to garnish my next bowl of tomato soup.
Coincidentally, the chef, Ivan Kyutukchiev, who will be preparing our reception dinner this coming May, used mascarpone cheese in snatching his gold plate win at the St. John's installment of the Gold Metal Plates. Good luck Ivan on competing to win the Canadian Culinary Championships in Vancouver later this month.
* Said cake could not have been prepared without the help (in collecting ingredients and otherwise) of Greg and his mom.
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