A Summer of Strawberry Cake (September)

STRAWBERRY & CANDIED FENNEL CAKE

Strawberry-Candied-Fennel-Cake

Welcome to the fifth and final month in my Summer of Strawberry Cake series. The strawberry plant I got in May has long ceased fruit production but my craving for cake has not. I’ve already posted about Maple Balsamic Roasted Strawberry CakeStrawberry Mango Shortcake, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake and Strawberry & Apricot Almost Japanese Cheesecake so I figured it’s time to go big and bold. Or rather, bigger and bolder.

Hello Strawberry & Candied Fennel Cake.  I’ve been waiting for you 

I may not be enthusiastic about my birthday but I’m pretty great at other people’s, I must say. I conceptualized this cake months ago for my mother’s birthday and have been patiently awaiting September to serve her this crazy confection.

Strawberry-Candied-Fennel-Cake-Cream

And I’m super happy to say it was worth the wait.

As the only person in my family that likes anise and licorice, I figured my mother would enjoy a fennel-flavored birthday cake.  Although I had never cooked with fennel before, I knew it had a similar flavor profile so I didn’t think I would be so taken with this cake.

This sweet, fruity, creamy cake with a touch of warmth from the candied fennel.

Oh fennel, like the popular girl inevitably falling for the bespectacled shy guy in a high school movie, you’ve won me over.
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Achin’ for Aachen

BAKED CHICKEN SCHNITZEL

Baked-Chicken-Schnitzel

As the summer heat gives way to cool autumn breezes, so ebb my cravings for light salads and water ice. Forget pumpkin spice— I want chicken noodle soup and spinach lasagna and all manner of hearty foods as cozy as the snuggly sweaters I can’t wait to wear.

And now that I’m thinking of hearty food, you know what I’m in the mood for?  

German food.

One of the last German restaurants I went to was in Germany a couple years back with one of my best friends Ellie. During our European adventure, we took a day trip to Aachen, a border-town with a long tradition of spas that can be traced back to the Romans.

Aachen, Germany Read more