Growing up my mom’s all time favorite pie was coconut custard pie. It was on almost every holiday spread. I liked the custard but could not stand the coconut topping so I opted not to eat most times. In honor of my mother, I thought I put a coconut custard pie recipe on the MCCN Menu. This recipe comes from allrecipes.com. -Crystal J, MCCN Editor
The Ben & Jerry’s Truck is back in action! This time there’s even more delicious ic cream to share! The truck will be on the East Coast and the west coast. Reach out to them on Twitter to have Ben & Jerry’s delivered to you.
Kings of Pastry is a truly thrilling and informative look at the somewhat secretive and incestuous world of French patisserie – specifically, the pastry- and candy-making portion of the quadrennial Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) competition among craftsmen in various disciplines. Acclaimed filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (Don’t Look Back, The War Room) follow three competitors as they prepare and compete in this high-pressure contest whose winners will forever hold the highest distinction in their field. READ MORE
Living in sunny California there is one thing we have no shortage of and that is frozen treats shops. Yogurt, Ice Cream, and gelatos plus more shaved ice/Italian ice shops are popping up everywhere. If there can be cupcake wars then why can’t the frozen treats go at it. Starting with yogurts, MCCN staffers will secretly visit shops looking for originality, creaminess, and true to taste claimed flavor.
Taro Flavor Yogurt-Yogurt Planet- This yogurt shop is brand new. It is located in Northridge, California and the yogurt is amazing. It very creamy. The flavors are on point. Some of the yogurts are made on site such as Taro and Cappuccino. I said the cashier all that is missing in the taro flavor is boba. I have tried a lot of Taro yogurts but Yogurt Planet. Yours so far has CREAMED the rest.
Peanut & Chocolate/Reeses Pieces Flavor- This one is tough. In one corner we have Yogurt Planet, a lone shop in Northridge, CA. In the other corner we have a major chain calledTutti Frutti. Did I say this one was tough? Here are the factors. Tutti Frutti has the softest/creamiest yogurt that I have tried thus far. Yogurt planet come as a close second for the soft-serve experience. Tutti Frutti offers the Peanut Butter & Chocolate. I ate it and said this taste like Reeses Pieces…but then I tried Yogurt Planet which sports the brand name for the yogurt of Reeses Pieces and theirs was incredible too. In my opinion just edging out Tutti Frutti in Taste. For overall original flavor option, Birthday Cake at Tutti is like literally eating the flavor of birthday cake frosting minus the sugar factor. When I find a shop offering the same flavor, we will examine it for a “Creamed” competition. In the battle of Peanut & Butter and Chocolate flavor, who reigns supreme? Tie! Let’s face it most people are alienated by the factor Yogurt planet only has one location so far. I have tried other shops take on this, truly both shops are tops in the offering. Tutti Frutti can offer their yogurt to folks in several locations United States and outside of the United States. Word will travel fast about Yogurt Planet’s based on not only great tasting yogurts but because it is near major university, CSUN. Tutti Frutti and Yogurt Planet, you guys CREAMED the rest of the competitors in the category.
Review by Crystal A. Johnson, MCCN Food Critic & Editor
There is some debate regarding tiramisu’s origin. It may have originated as a variation of another layered dessert, the Zuppa Inglese.
In 1998, Fernando and Tina Raris claimed that the dessert is a recent invention. They pointed out that while the recipes and histories of other layered desserts are very similar, the first documented mention of tiramisu in a published work appears in an article from 1971 by Giuseppe Di Clemente.It is mentioned in Giovanni Capnist’s 1983 cookbook I Dolci Del Veneto,whi le Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary gives 1982 as the first mention of the dessert.
Several sources (from Vin Veneto, dated 1981, to the Italian Academy of Giuseppe Maffioli and several cuisine websites) claim that tiramisu was invented in Treviso at Le Beccherie restaurant by the god-daughter and apprentice of confectionerRoberto Linguanotto, Francesca Valori, whose maiden name was Tiramisu. It is believed that Linguanotto named the dish in honour of Francesca’s culinary skill.
In conjunction with the two-year anniversary of SNL alum Jimmy Fallon taking over Conan O’Brien’s NBC post at Late Night, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have created “Late Night Snack,” a premium ice cream complete with Fallon’s mug on the lid. READ MORE
National Chocolate Cake Day is celebrated every year on January 27th. The origins of the day are unknown—but there is some speculation that a dessert company or perhaps a cake enthusiast started it. The main ingredients that make up a chocolate cake are flour, sugar, cocoa, eggs, and milk. TRY THIS RECIPE
Alternatively, pre-packaged cake mix can be purchased; or for more sophisticated bakers, you can find advanced recipes for cake such as the delicious. chocolate ripple cake
Chocolate cakes are part of a 742 million dollar a year international industry. Sales of chocolate cakes have increased year after year since recording of the industry by product began in 1994. READ MORE
Frozen Hot Chocolate was made popular by the restaurant Serendipity 3 in Manhattan, NY and by the popular romantic movie, Serendipity. There’s no romanticizing the fact that this treat is true chocolate decadence. Try this recipe:
Ingredients
3oz of Chocolate Chips
2 tsp of hot chocolate mix
1.5 table spoons of sugar or sweeten to taste
1.5 Cups of Milk
3 Cups of Ice
Whip Cream
Chocolate Shavings
Directions
Mix all the dry ingredients in with melted chocolate chips in a bowl except for whip cream and shavings. Add 1/2 cup milk into the mixture. Pour 1 cup of milk into the blender. Add the chocolate mixture. Pour chocolate mixture into the blender. Add the ice then blend. Pour into serving glass of choice top with whip cream and shavings.
*Note an economical solution would be to use all chocolate milk powder mix instead of chips. Serendipity 3 uses powder instead of melted chips in their version of the recipe.
Have a sweet tooth? The 20th Annual Chocolate Affair is coming to M&T Bank Stadium to help you with that need.
Over 50 Baltimore restaurants, caterers, and chocolatiers will present their best chocolaty delights and samples all to benefit Health Care for the Homeless.
Pista Ice cream is a very popular recipe. Check out this gourmet take on this ice cream. (Click Here For Recipe) Below, enjoy watching classic preparation of Pista Kulfi.
not stand the coconut topping so I opted not to eat most times. In honor of my mother, I thought I put a coconut custard pie recipe on the MCCN Menu. This recipe comes from allrecipes.com. -Crystal J, MCCN Editor
