April Diet
Cinnamon Affogatos, Spring Vests, Picnic Season Approaching, Daffodil Diary
Last year I had a running post on instagram, a monthly “diet” of things that had either occupied my thoughts, moved me in some way or just felt special enough to share; what I was reading, watching, eating, wearing and, sometimes, visual research that fit with the mood of the month. I am revisiting this series and expanding upon it here as a new monthly letter for paying subscribers (THANK YOU!). In case you missed last month’s, I wrote about Martha’s gardening outfits, granola that tastes like grainy toasts, books that look like little boxes of chocolates and a rose skirt.
From last year’s April diet: stripes, pressed flowers, rhubarb and chamomile, Princess Diana's perfect sailor blouse, first magnolia bloom in Toronto, spring room details, pale blue gingham, Rivka Galchen's Little Labors, butter lambs…
And here, this month’s:
Cinnamon Affogatos
After a brief hiatus post ice cream tour, I’m back into the Chez Panisse Desserts book and making ice cream again. After making a batch with the Mexican vanilla beans I brought back (incredible), I made cinnamon ice cream.
A few months ago, my friend Gaia sent me some salt she hand harvested from the Oregon Coast with a note, recommending to sprinkle it on ice cream. This is now the small film canister of salt’s dedicated use (and hidden in case anyone tries to use it otherwise). Putting salt on ice cream was a revelation to me and a little sprinkle on the cinnamon flavour was divine.
The other way I’ve been enjoying it is in an afternoon affogato:
Complete with cinnamon square cereal, the crunchy texture of the cereal combined with the smooth cold ice cream and hot espresso is so fun to eat.
I’m looking forward to making this flavour again during summer, pairing it with blueberry pies and stone fruit galettes.
Additional eating notes:
