Roses & Berries Pavlovas: A Balanced Pastry Chef Guest Post

What’s better than a bunch of “Roses & Berries Pavlovas”? Well, a bunch of “Roses & Berries Pavlovas” which my friend, Jenni Field, from A Balanced Pastry Chef has shared today as a guest post  for the LOVE MONTH !

 

Ruminations on the Meanings of Love, Because, You Know, It’s February

First of all, I’d like to thank Betty Ann, who I know and adore as @Mango_Queen on twitter, for inviting me to write a guest post for her blog.  She is one of the kindest folks I know, and one day we will sit at a table together, swapping stories, drinking coffee and eating some Mango Pound Cake! But for now, this will have to do.  Thank you, Betty Ann. Sincerely.

 

Lots of folks say that Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark Holiday; that it was pumped up by the card, confectionary and candy communities to part hard working folks from their money in a cynical exploitation of romance.  Well, if Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark Holiday, then Christmas has become a Coca Cola and Macy’s Holiday. But that’s another story.

As Valentine’s Day approaches (and I rather enjoy the holiday, myself), I begin to wax philosophical about the meaning of love. The way we use the word. The different people, animals, foods and movies that we Love. 

I think that the word love has lost some of its potency through overuse. Like Awesome has.  I mean, the Himilayas are awesome.  The Universe is awesome. Your higher power, however you name it, is awesome.  So, is Jamba Juice really awesome?  I think not. You get my point, yes? Awesome.

When it comes to love, we seem to bandy that word around rather loosely.  I love your hair! I love pizza! I love New York! I love my Chihuahua! I love this nail polish! I love this sandwich! I love…you.  Unlike the arctic Saami people, who have a bajillion words for “snow” –a word that means a light dusting. Another that means a swirling blizzard. One for the hard kind with the soft kind underneath. And another for the soft kind with the hard kind underneath. And tons more–English speaking folks have only one word for the feeling that makes you feel invincible, or makes your knees weak, or makes you want to take a big old bite, or makes you lie on your bed listening to Rumors by Fleetwood Mac over and over again, or makes you want to buy the Cutest Collar Ever for Little Precious, or makes you want to go to enlist, or makes you want to spend the rest of your life with someone.  Wow, that’s a lot of pressure for four little letters.

So, maybe we should all hold the word love in a little more regard. Reserve it for the Truly Special. For the people and ideals and causes that stir us to passion, that bring a lump to our throats, that we really, honestly love.  And where does food fit in here? I believe that when we cook with love, our food tastes better. When we eat with those we love, food tastes better.  But, deep down, I’m not sure that I should really talk about loving food. I enjoy it. It makes my mouth water. It sustains me. It is a way to show others I love them. Maybe it’s the ritual of feeding others or of eating with others that we really love.

Lest ye think that I am without overuse-of-love-sin, trust that I am not casting stones. I am as guilty as the next person of lovism.  I love my husband; I love our cats; I love our home and our neighbors and John Cusack and Lord of the Rings and Indian food and twitter and carbs and…but I am trying.  I won’t say that I will never again emphatically state “I love meatballs,” because I just might. But in my heart, I will remember that the love must be reserved for the animal that died that I might eat and for the ritual of making the meatballs and of feeding it to dear ones.

When I cook and bake, I am saying I love you with food.  And, since it is that time of the year, I will probably say I love you with Pavlova. White. Red. Sweet. Chewy. Crunchy. Who wouldn’t love want that?!

And here’s the big treat….

Find the complete recipe of Jenni’s ROSES & BERRIES PAVLOVAS on her beautiful site A Balanced Pastry Chef! Go check it out or you’ll never know what you’re missing!

I’d like to GIVE A BIG THANK YOU to my friend Jenni Field, the awesome BALANCED PASTRY CHEF for this amazing guest post and for so much more! She’s been the foremost supporter of my blogs from Day 1 .

You have to go check out A Balanced Pastry Chef!

 Jenni Field is a teacher turned pastry chef, and as she says herself “still turning”. Follow her on her journey to find balance in life and in food!

 

*Notes: Since this recipe is  for the love month, I’m sharing my personal paintings with Jenni and my readers. These are from my handcrafted, personalized one-of-a-kind Valentine cards which I give out to friends . These are my original drawings and pastel sketches.