Lemon Chocolate Tart

I put all of my recipes through a test. It's a ridiculous test with even more ridiculous criteria but, consciously or unconsciously, every recipe on this website has been sent through it. This lemon chocolate tart was the first and only to pass this test.

Only one recipe passed? I imagine you must be thinking. What could this test possibly be?

This serious test is to find the recipe, the first recipe, that makes Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is play out in my head. When I took my first bite of this tart, I swear this classic melody was playing in my mind. This tart is love. Oh, you know the words.

I'm going to take a little time
A little time to let this sink in
I will covet this sweet tart
Now that heaven has finally found me

In my life, there's been heartburn and shame
I don't know if I can face a failed recipe again
Can't stop swooning now, I've searched so long
To find this perfect bite.

I want to know what love is
I want you to show me
I want to taste what love is
I know you can show me

Well, at least that's how the sultry tones of Lou Gramm sounded in my head.

I've been searching high and low for a tart like this. The flavors meld so wonderfully together you will think it came straight from above. The shell is soft and sweet, with almond tones, and crumbles perfectly in your mouth like a shortbread cookie. Lemon and chocolate may be unusual flavors to pair together, but they are so delicious when you do. I used this homemade meyer lemon curd which, in my biased opinion, made this tart even sweeter.

Try this tart. Do it. Try it so Lou Gramm will sing to you too.

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Meyer Lemon Curd

Today, I bought Meyer lemons for the first time. I've seen these praised in recipes before, but I had never tried one. For those of you that don't know the difference between a lemon and a Meyer lemon, a Meyer lemon is a true lemon crossed with a mandarin orange. It's a hybrid (and a delicious one at that).

Meyer lemons taste like a lemon taken a deep breath and had a chance to calm down. It isn't trying to knock out your taste buds. They are less tart than a true lemon, but still have that signature flavor. I can eat them raw without puckering up my face into a frightful look.

Finally, a lemon I can handle.

In the depths of winter, I love to see a splash of citrus sunshine on my plate. It's a little reminder that spring is on its way. With such a bright, vibrant color, these lemons are sunshine.

In many ways, I believe The Temptations were really singing about this lemon curd for the song My Girl. Oh, you know it. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May."

I imagine they hesitated because lemon curd wouldn't sell as much sex. Pity, really.

This Meyer Lemon Curd is bottled sunshine. It's creamy, tangy, and smooth as silk. Feel free to eat it on toast, crackers, muffins, or place a dollop on top of your oatmeal for a lemon touch. But, if you're like me, you can just eat it plain and by the spoonful.

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30 Second Sangria

After a long, miserable day at work, I don't feel like doing anything. I don't feel like making dinner. I don't feel like doing dishes. Sometimes, I don't even feel like eating. All I want to do is zone out in front of the television, involve myself in someone else's life, and forget about my own reality for a moment or two.
If you've had a particularly bad day, and you're like me, you might just need a drink. A sangria, perhaps? After the first drink, the cares of the day start washing away. After the second, making dinner might not seem like such a bad idea after all. And after the third drink? Oh, you'll be feeling mighty fine by then.
Although this isn't a traditional sangria, for a quick fix it can suit your needs just fine. This certainly doesn't taste like a simplified sangria; it tastes really good. This is not the ocassion to bring out the fancy wines. For this sangria, you'll want a cheap wine, something in the range of $7-8 dollars. If you spend anymore than that, it will be a waste. As a poor college student who can't afford fancy wines, this sangria is just perfect.

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