Rose and Raspberry Float

Summer, Summer, Summer, wherefore art thou… Fall? Really? It’s Labor Day weekend already? But it’s not here just yet, so I’m going to squeak in a few more truly Summer recipes, like this Rose and Raspberry Float complete with fresh raspberries and a gorgeous pink color. Added bonus, it looks super fancy and elegant, but all you need is a blender and no one will ever know the ice cream is only sorta homemade. Can you just buy raspberry ice cream pre-made for this Rose and Raspberry Float? Maybe. I set out to buy some and discovered three and a half stores later that I was making it myself… and way too late in the game to start from scratch. But it was a good lesson in impressing your guests with ease. Start with a really good vanilla and add your own special twist, and voila! homemade ice cream. Go nuts with wacky flavors, or pick something that will pair with a special soda like my Rose and Raspberry Float. Check out these gorgeous double pink roses I found for the occasion. I can’t help but think this would be a lovely dessert for a tea party. Sometimes monochromatic flowers … Continue reading

Persian Love Cake

At the end of the Middle Eastern Feast Dinner Party, after you’ve enjoyed a spicy Ginger Rogers cocktail and a meal full of rich and bright flavors, you’ll need a dessert that can hold its own. This Persian Love Cake does the trick. I certainly didn’t invent this one, but I definitely claim to have made a few improvements to the original. Here, the chemistry remains largely unaltered, but the flavor has more depth and the rose is more pronounced. Also, I simplify the decorations. A scattering of pomegranate seeds is sufficient. When I have time, I sometimes candy some of the geranium leaves you’ll notice throughout my recipes or ask my florist to order organic roses that I can scatter over the cake, but let’s be honest, that isn’t all that realistic, and the Persian Love Cake is dramatic and gorgeous all on its own.   … Continue reading