This recipe is inspired completely by my wife, who told me about something similar she had in Turkey shortly after her return there.  It’s nothing more than Squeezed lemon, a bit of mint and sugar with boiling water added but like so many simple dishes the final product is something that is somehow ethereal and infinitely sublime.

Perhaps it’s that this simple drink looks as magical as it tastes.  The mint leaves and lemon pulp swirling slowly in the glass are equally as enticing as the combination of sweet, sour and savory that greets your tongue when you take a sip.  sure, it could be made with perfectly strained lemon juice, but why in the world would you do that?  It would take something away from the experience in my opinion.

I have no idea what the Turkish name for this drink is, nor does my wife (Nor can she find the restaurant she had it in again.).  I’ve searched all over trying to find it, but haven’t been able to, so if anyone knows the proper name for this drink, please let me know.

Thanks to Oz for letting me know that this drink is called “Nane-Limon” or simply “Mint Lemon”.  I’m glad to have the proper name of the drink, but whatever you want to call it, it is extraordinary!

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Popularity: 46% [?]

If you’re looking for a bit of “wow” factor at your next dinner or dessert party, give these little guys a go.  They’re number one in a series of three white chocolate tartlets that will have anyone you serve them to thinking you are a pastry chef extraordinaire, even though they are quite simple to make.

Not only are these little tartlets simple, elegant and, of course extremely tasty, they’re the perfect dessert for a larger gathering, since prep can be done on sheet pans or directly on serving platters.  Just lay them out and let your guests, friends or family dive in.  The taste is something like vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with caramel, but a bit subtler, so these should appeal to just about anyone!

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Summer is upon us, and with it the need for lighter meals and cool refreshing desserts. For many this means ice cream, gelato, sorbet or a float, all of which are wonderful indeed, but to me it means fruit, preferably with a bit of a kick.

This recipe stemmed partially from the fact that I have quite a bit of frozen fruit in my freezer that I don’t want to move to our new house over the following week, and the fact that my wife’s dietitian stated plainly that she needed more fruits in her diet. Faced with those two pieces of knowledge, there was of course only one clear choice…

Parfait!

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Popularity: 2% [?]