Everything Haitian - Shredded Coconut Rounds

I have been wanting to eat fresh coconut since last year.  To my wonderful surprise Whole Foods in River Forest had them nicely cut and ready to eat.  That's when the idea to do Tablette Cocoyer came to me.  Translated Coconut Tablet or Candy.  I found the recipe and my journey began.

Even though the coconut was nicely cut, I still had lots of work to do.  After I cut the leftover shell I had to shred four cups of coconut.  Reminded me of doing the Pate, this time I had cramps in my hands. Here's part one and two:

Phew!!!!! This process of making Shredded Coconut Rounds takes about four hours.  After I relaxed my fingers and hands I mixed the other ingredients and started boiling the mixture for about two hours.  No kidding!!!  Here's part three:

Four:

I guess good things come to those who waits.. It was better then what I remembered and tasted.  It's better when you make it yourself.  This is the final stage.  Four cups of shredded coconuts yielded 12 candy rounds.  So worth it!!! Next time I will try it with sugar substitute for my mom and for everyone's else health.  Pure sugar coconut, so delicious and so not good for you.  With the process that's not so easy who would want to do that every week.  So it was a nice treat. Enjoy.  See all that gooey sugar YUM!!!

Until next week!!! Another inspiration

S&S

Free Tasting Event Menu

Now that my Valentine's Day Special is over, it's time to plan for M Catering, LLC first "Free Tasting Event".  The place is TBD, but the tentative date is Saturday, March 15th.  This is the menu, for now, subject to change:
       
              Appetizers  
         
                 PATE
                GRIOT
          
            Gourmet Salad
          Vegetable Souillon
             Haitian Bread

        Boneless Chicken Breast
            Red Beans and Rice
           Seasoned Vegetables

                   Turtle Bites
                 Mini Cupcakes


      Non-Alcoholic Caribbean Punch
                      Coffee
                        Tea
                      Water


So, I've decided to try Haitian Bread. Here's my journey:

Not bad for my first try

Looks and taste like cake bread.  So you know what that means back to the drawing board.  Next time, I will make small round individual rolls.  That will be next week.

Until then 

S&S

More Cupcakes

Who doesn't like varieties and we are constantly changing our minds.  My intentions were to make Oreo and Golden Oreos, but I changed my mind.  I will still have the Oreo cookies with the surprise inside or something else, but I've decided to have white cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white cupcakes with white frosting and sprinkles.  So here's goes:

The other cupcakes is all white with white pearls sprinkles:

Voila!!!!!!

Cupcakes done.  I have to say I loved the Oreo cupcakes the best.  All of the icings were delish.  Until I get orders I will keep trying new recipes.  I will give an update of my "first special" in three weeks.  

Now, what do I entertain myself with.  I've decided that Saturday, March 15th, I will host my first free tasting event.  I'm truly excited and can't wait.  In the meantime, I will practice and make near perfection what I will be offering.  All of the future blogs will be dedicated to the free tasting event.  Next week I will have the menu and can't wait.

Until next week!!!!!

S&S

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Oreo Cupcakes

Who doesn't love chocolate?  I came upon this and decided to add it to my Valentine's Day Special and make it with my own creativity.

This is my own creation. 

This is for my husband. It's our anniversary Sunday and he does not like pecans.  I like it I hope he does.

Now, on to the Oreo Cupcakes.  

Before

After

That's my surprise, a jelly heart inside.  This has got to be the best chocolate cupcake I have ever had.  

Until next week

S&S!!!!,

Strawberry Cheesecake

Next to ice cream, strawberry cheesecake has to be my go-to desserts.  Last time I made it was over 20 years ago.  Why so long? I could eat it everyday.  I love the consistency and the creaminess.  My strawberry cheesecake have undergo a change, now everything is organic, can't wait to taste it.  Here we go 


BEFORE:

AFTER:

Not bad!!! This is New York Style Cheesecake.  I haven't made this before, so I will let you know how I like it next week.

Remember, in my previous blog, I wanted to do puff pastry by scratch.  Well the first was no good, but I revised my recipe and we have a winner.  I still have to perfect it more but I'm getting very, very close.  Here we go:

Not bad.  I made it with butter, not lard.  Very flaky!!!  My mother had three and gave me a compliment that I should open a store and sell them.  I'm not ready for that yet, but coming from her that made the arm exercise worthwhile.  

Until next week!

S&S

Valentine's Day "Sweets for the Sweet"

For the next three weeks, I will be creating my special treats for Valentine's Day. Yes as predicted, I am known for my milk chocolate and dark chocolate turtles.  I have many requests for Valentine's Day already.  So, my first creative special will be the milk chocolate turtles ( I will have a new name for the turtles soon). 
My second creation will be my second all time favorite dessert.  Yes, strawberry cheesecake (YUM).  Lastly, Oreo and Golden Oreo cupcakes with a twist.

My first creative special:

Until next week

S&S

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! A new year that holds many excitement and a new journey.  I'm happy to declare that my long awaited dream of being a legal entity happened December 10, 2013.  M Catering, LLC is in good standing with the State of Illinois.  My blog will have pictures of actual catering events and of course recipes of perfecting my craft.  

Speaking of perfecting my craft, well the pastry puff didn't quite turned out like I wanted.  There will be no pictures until I get this right, by the way, I did get a wonderful work out.  My shoulders and arms hurt for two days.  Every week I will be perfecting my pastry puff for the pate until I get it right.  

Since this is a new year, the traditional Haitian food for the new year is (soup joumou) or pumpkin soup.  In Haiti whenever you ask for soup you are talking about soup joumou.  If you want anything other than soup joumou you will have to ask for bouillon.  Growing up the soup was more broth like.  I found out that I like my soup like a stew ( my assimilation to the states).  So I made a new name it's called "soullion". So this is my version, it's thick, like Campbell's Chunky Soup.  It's a meal in itself.  It is usually served with Haitian bread, another of my tried and tested recipe like the puff pastry( to be accomplished at a later date, let's get the puff pastry first.

So, you will see two before and after pictures of the authentic, traditional Haitian soup joumou.  Enjoy:

Until next week S&S