Rock Your Palate

Makes 2 dozen Cookies 1/4 LB butter [1 stick] 3/4 Cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 beaten egg 1/2 Cup milk 2.5 Cups flour 1 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 Cup currants Blend butter and sugar together, add vanilla. Beat egg and [...]

Recipe serves 2 2 cups of fresh blueberries 2 cups of fresh strawberries 1 tsp of lavender vanilla sugar 2 tsp pure maple syrup 1 tsp fresh lavender flowers Wash berries cutting strawberries to bite size. Mix in lavender vanilla sugar, maple syrup and washed lavender flowers. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. [...]

Recipe Makes 4 servings 2 tsp unflavored gelatin 1 Cup heavy cream 1/2 Cup dark brown sugar 2 Cups plain yogurt 1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla bean 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cardamon 1/2 Cup water 1/2 Cup strawberries 1/2 Cup raspberries 2 Tbsp brown sugar Stir together gelatin and 1/4 cup of heavy cream in saucepan and let stand 1 minute [...]

Makes 6 popovers 1 Cup flour 3/4 tsp salt 1 Cup whole milk 2 large eggs 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp vanilla Canola oil 3 cups vanilla ice cream 2 Tbsp chocolate sauce 6 Tbsp whipped cream Preheat oven to 350°F. Place enough olive oil to cover the bottom of each 6 muffin inserts of [...]

Recipe serves 8 1 cup walnuts 1 cup cake flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 Tbsp brewed coffee 1/2 tsp cardamon 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp salt Syrup 1 cup water 2/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 [...]

Star Anise is the fruit from a small oriental tree and a member of the Magnolia family. The star shaped flower has between five to ten pointed oval shaped pods containing seeds. They are rust colored and picked before ripen and dried.
The bouquet is licorice-like but more powerful and stronger than anise. It is one of the spices found in the popular spice ‘Chinese Five Spices’ leaving the others to be clove, fennel seed, cinnamon and szechuan peppercorns.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Star Anise is prescribed as a digestive aid and to help cure colic in babies.