Red and Blue Macedonia

It was a quiet celebration. There were no candles, no music – even if there had been, they wouldn't have heard it. There were no confetti, no welcoming party, no surprises. It was just the two of them, and it was all they needed. And they were happy. Celestial Dragon had finally returned home. He had finally destroyed the demon Odious-Ferocious, ruler of all that is Lazy, and had returned home a victor; he was now a shining, primeval and neanderthal male, eager to prove his renewed manliness and vigour. And in order to celebrate both his surprising return and his stupendous victory, Divine Cherry decided to prepare a speciality of hers; indeed, it was something she hadn't done for a long time. What is the ultimate dessert a Divine Cherry can make? Precisely. You've guessed it. And you've read it in the title, let's be honest. It's a so-called Macedonia, or in English that really is Italian but in fact isn't, Tutti Frutti.
Do we need to describe it? Do we need to outline how you take the fruits, wash them, cut them if necessary and arrange them in a beautifully fruity bouquet? Do we need to talk about the tender perfume that emanates from summer's freshest batch, or about the soft, velvety caresses one is given on the tips of one's fingers (that oh-so-sensitive but sadly underrated part of one's anatomy) when merely, gently, touching the sweet fruits? No, I think not. Imagine it. Imagine it and be imaginative. Slowly close your eyes and taste the forbidden fruit in your mind, feel it on your tongue, and long for it with your heart. And when you're there, when you're almost there - so close that you could touch it were it not a self-induced illusion - just then you can open your eyes again; in joy and happiness and with a large smile on your childishly happy face. Now you know what Divine Cherry managed to do on the day Celestial Dragon returned.


Recipe:
Coupelle
-1egg white
-50g of sugar
-25g of flour
-25g of butter
-grated lemon zest

Mix the egg white with the sugar and the flour. Melt the butter and add it to the mix when it has cooled down a little. Grate in some lemon zest and mix it all well. Take a spoonful of the paste and pour it on a with baking foil covered baking tray. Disperse it evenly so that you form a circle with a 10-12cm diameter. Using that as a rule of thumb will yield you 6 coupelles. Once you've used all the paste, put it an a preheated oven at 180°C for approx. 5mins. You can take it out when the borders of your coupelles have darkened. Let them cool slightly and when they are still warm each coupelle on an upside-down glass so as to give it the form of a small bowl.

Garnish
-Strawberries
-Blueberries
-Black grapes
-Raspberries
-1 tbsp of sugar
-the juice of half a lemon
-2tbsp of sugar for the caramel

Cut the strawberries and the grapes in half and mix them carefully with the rest of the fruit in a bowl. Add the sugar and the lemon and let it rest for 15mins.
Meanwhile, put the 2tbsp of sugar in a small double-based pan on medium heat. Let it melt without touching or mixing it whatsoever. When the sugar has melted and has attained a shade of brown which you think is fine, pour it delicately on a piece of baking foil. Rotate your pan a little and move it to and fro in order to created a nice design with your caramel. Let it cool completely and eventually take it off the baking foil and garnish the tutti frutti with it.



Ricetta in italiano:
Divine Cherry e Celestial Dragon partecipano con questa ricatta alla sfida di settembre di Menu turistico!

Coppette di cialda:

-1 albume
-50 g zucchero
-25 g farina
-25 g burro
-scorza di limone grattuggiata

Mescolare l'albume con lo zucchero e la farina. Fondere il burro e aggiungerlo al composto quando i è leggermente raffreddato. Grattare un po' di buccia limone e amalgamare il tutto. Prendere un cucchiaio di pastella alla volta e versarla su una teglia coperta di carta forno, spalmare la pastella in modo da formare un cerchio di 10-12 cm di diametro.Con queste quantità verranno 6 cialde. Inofrnare in forno caldo a 180° C per 5 minuti circa. Tirare fuori dal forno quando i bordi dei cerchi sono scuriti. Lasciare intiepidire mezzo minuto e quando sono ancora calde far aderire le cialde sul retro di alcuni bicchieri capovolti e dare la forma di una ciotolina.


Guarnizione:  ( N.B: i frutti di bosco sono ancora in stagione a casa nostra;) )
-Fragole
-Mirtilli
-Uva nera
-Lamponi
-un cucchiaio di zucchero
-il succo di mezzo limone
-2 cucchiai di zucchero per il caramello

In una ciotola tagliare a fettine le fragole e gli acini d'uva a metà, mescolare delicatamente con gli altri fruttini. Aggiungere zucchero e limone e fare macerare per 15 minuti.
Nel frattempo mettere 2 cucchiai di zucchero in un pentolino a fondo spesso su fuoco medio. Far fondere senza toccare nè girare mai lo zucchero. Quando lo zucchero si è sciolto e ha raggiunto una tonalità che vi aggrada, versarlo con delicatezza su un pezzo di carta forno, ruotando un po' il pentolino in modo da formare un motivocon il caramello. Lasciare raffreddare completamente e staccare dalla carta forno, appoggiare sulle coppette oppure spezzettarlo e spargerlo sopra...


Enjoy,
And Spread the Mess