Kristine Cecile

I love everything food, and I was lucky enough to cook and bake to my heart’s content. Making meals and pastries was a great way to connect with my loved ones.

Below, here are some foodie highlights last year:

Almond Croissants

Almond croissants are one of my go to desserts. Honestly, I forgot that I earned for this pastry as a child. My mom would buy pastries at our local Asian bakery, which sold these flaky croissants with a chewy center. One day, they had almond croissants with them. There’s just something about the almond cream filling, right? It’s a warm, floral party in your mouth. I think I perfected this dessert and will definitely be making more in the new year.

Christmas Handa

As a pinay, my family follows the Filipino Christmas tradition of making a food arrangement. This year, I made carbonara, bulgogi, a charcuterie board, and a small selection of tea sandwiches. The charcuterie board and tea sandwiches were inspired by the many afternoon teas and wine tastings I went to throughout the year. The tea sandwiches included shrimp toast (not a tea sandwich, but still a good bite), cucumber sandwiches, a garlic aioli with brisket (I was supposed to include salmon with the garlic aioli but forgot it), egg salad on a potato bite, and bruschetta. Our dessert was banana pudding and almond croissants.

Miso Green Beans

Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of my favorite veggie dish this year. However, I can tell you that this dish has a good punch of umami balanced with salt and hints of sweet. My miso green beans include onions, a lot of garlic, and mushrooms when they’re available. Shiitake mushrooms are preferable, but portabella or button mushrooms can work too. My specific recipe uses Cold Mountain Kyoto White. If you like more sweetness to your miso green beans, then I recommend using Cold Mountain Mellow White. (Btw, this is not sponsored! I really really enjoy the Cold Mountain miso series especially for this dish.)

Scones

Who doesn’t like a good, warm scone?! I made these in the last quarter of the year, and I’m planning to make more of these in the future. I like to pair my scones with clotted cream, a good citrusy jam, and of course, a cozy and warm cup of tea.

When I cooked and baked throughout the year, I got to connect more with the little girl (a.k.a. me) in my heart. Through many trials and errors, I got to evaluate my childhood dream to open a cafe. And, I think that it’s one step closer. Hopefully, we’ll all get to see it soon!