Rum Raisin Ice Cream

The first time I encountered rum raisin ice cream was on the coast. It was a warm afternoon and a small vendor nearby was selling creamy, homemade ice cream. From the sheer amount of people vying for a scoop, it seemed only appropriate to do just the same. Scattered among the classic flavors were more unique tastes, including a caramel swirled rum raisin ice cream that looked so divine I didn't look twice elsewhere. As I approached the counter with wide eyes, a wad of dollar bills scrunched in my hand, I told the man exactly what I wanted. However, because it was made with real rum and I was still underage, the rum raisin stayed out of my twenty year old reach.

Sigh.

I walked away, dragging my feet on the sidewalk, with a simple waffle cone in tow—my consolation prize. Nevertheless, my rum raisin woes were quickly assuaged by the melting, chocolate ice cream in my hand. Ice cream often cures all sadness and woes; even those caused by ice cream itself. I've never met a situation that ice cream couldn't improve.

Still, I find it fitting that the very first time I would be carded would be for something so innocent as an ice cream cone.

This Rum Raisin Ice Cream is to make up for that doleful moment of my youth. This is for all of the underage, twenty year olds who have been turned away from ice cream cones. This is for those who need a little extra cheer. This is for those who need a reward after a long, hard day's work. This is for those who deserve a sweet treat for absolutely no reason at all.

This is for you.

This Rum Raisin Ice Cream is everything I have dreamed (and more). Rum soaked raisins are diffused through a creamy, smooth ice cream (which has just a hint of rum itself). While it does taste delicious plain, I love to drizzle this ice cream with a warm, rich caramel sauce. I highly suggest you do the same. Rum, raisins, and caramel are a trio of flavors that, when combined, may leave you obsessing over them days (or weeks) later.

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Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake

In ancient Greece, Muses were beautiful goddesses who inspired great creativity in literature, painting, dance, and music. A visit from the Muses, along with their gifts of inspiration and genius, were coveted by every artist with a vision. Great poets lusted after the perfect words; artists dreamed of the right shades and subtle tones; and musicians yearned to hear lithe melodies and swelling harmonies. Inspiration was a gift the Muses bestowed upon you, often without warning. The Muses would visit as they pleased, blessing a sacred few with true beauty while ignoring the pleas of the struggling or desperate. The Muses were wild and untamed, never to be controlled or willed upon.

Nevertheless, many great poets would call upon the Muses in their work, hoping to be blessed with their gifts of wisdom and virtuoso as they put pen to paper.

"Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy..." -Homer

After studying a great deal of Latin and, in turn, ancient Greece, I often find myself wishing for my own visit from the Muses. I imagine them lounging around above the clouds, holding in all the creativity, the genius, the beauty, that will ever be written, painted, or spoken. Shall we sweep down to Kristin and peer though her camera lens today? They will discuss among themselves. No? Perhaps tomorrow. I heard Adele is writing a new song...

Of all the gods and goddesses, the Muses were revered by the artists above all. In my own occasional pits of creative despair, I have no trouble believing this affirmation. Often my photography simply refuses to match the beautiful images I've conjured up in my mind. The beauty is lost in translation somewhere between my vision and the click of the camera's shutter.

Words escape my fingers when I sit down to write. Sometimes I imagine that if I can ever express something so succinctly, so accurately, I can hang up my apron and my work will be done. Yet, I feel the Muses grant no one that pleasure.

Even so, I feel the Muses heard Homer's call when he composed The Odyssey, blessing him with the expression "child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn." Years later, this simple phrase still sends a shiver through my mind—I could not write such a perfect description if I lived a thousand years.

Despite my personal struggles with the mythical Muses, I like to imagine they hold a real presence in this world. For anyone who pursues artistry, knowing the Muses are out there is like taking a collective sigh of relief. The Muses take away the responsibility of creativity or genius from ourselves. They bestow these gifts alone. If the words do not flow, I am not to blame. If another one of my recipes fails extraordinarily, the Muses must have certainly played a hand. And, if the photographs of this Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake don't quite measure up to the images swimming about my head, we can always blame the Muses.

Perhaps they have taken the day off.

This Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake melts in your mouth like a rich, chocolate truffle. The cake itself is flourless (this is for you, gluten-free friends!) and sets using eggs and a hint of cocoa powder. With a heavy shot of rum, this cake is not for the kids. The alcohol does not bake out of the cake and your nose may feel a little tingly after the first bite. Imagine a chocolate rum truffle, make it just a little bit lighter in texture, and you have this sinful cake.

If you want to eliminate the rum, simply substitute it with 1/3 cup water.

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3 Milk Coconut Cake

On the coast of Oregon, there is an undiscovered restaurant resting in the small town of Oceanside. Unless you happen to stop in the town of 300 people to catch the sunset on the beach, you would never know this little corner of heaven existed. With a view of the ocean that could make your heart sing and food to rival any prized restaurant, it's a true gem.

A genuine hidden treasure.

A wooden beach house on main street has a small sign reading Roseanna's Cafe. With only a handful of businesses on main, Roseanna's is easy to spot—you can't miss it. The lightly faded curtains hanging in the windows invite you inside.

The interior is small but friendly, holding no more than a dozen tables. The decor is dressed up as if you had just gone to visit your grandmother. It's familiar and quaint. There is an immediate sense of belonging—one or two meals at this place and you may want to start calling Roseanna's home. I know I did.

At the end of July, a few friends and I rented a beach house on the coast of Oregon for a week. It was a beautiful visit, filled with the rise and fall of the tides and sand behind my ears. Near the end of our stay, we were craving a good, fresh seafood dinner. Willing to travel many miles for a feast, we wound up just a few minutes down the road. Roseanna's was the place to go, we were told.

And so we went.

A quick glance at the menu is enough to make your mouth water. Simply reading through the descriptions will send your taste buds into a tailspin. Though I am not normally a seafood fan, I found myself getting excited about a real seafood dinner. With too many delicious options on the menu, my friends and I decided to share a little food here and there so everyone would get a taste. We started with seafood stuffed mushrooms and a loaf of bread I could swear was lighter than air. Though we tried to take our time and savor it, it was promptly inhaled with everyone fighting over the last few crumbs. It was a deliciously dirty sight when one of my friends nearly licked the plate clean for fear of wasting such a divine cream sauce.

For my entree, I ordered the scallops drenched in a sun-dried tomato butter with a side of potatoes and string beans. After my first bite, I could have sworn I had died and gone to heaven. The flavors, the scallops, the butter... I immediately converted to a seafood lover. My first thought was of unspeakable emotion. The second was whether or not it would be strange to order an identical second entree. The third was to make everyone else have a bite because something this sinfully delicious couldn't be contained to one person or one stomach.

And then, of course, came dessert. Though we had a few desserts sent to the table, the 3 milk coconut cake was deemed the table favorite and disappeared the quickest (we even begged the waitress for the secret to this heavenly cake). With the sun setting over the ocean and good friends around the table, it couldn't have been a happier moment.

With that very moment in mind, I set out to recreate my own version of the 3 Milk Coconut Cake served at Roseanna's. The cake is essentially the base of tres leches cake, meaning a very light cake that can absorb a lot of liquid. A glaze of coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut rum (who says you can't have a little fun?) is then poured over the cake. After soaking overnight, the cake is topped with a coconut rum infused whipped cream and toasted coconut. Man, oh man, this cake is good. Just ask my mother—she's eaten four pieces just today.

For a kid friendly version, substitute heavy cream for the rum in the glaze and remove it completely from the topping (though, you don't have to share this one with the kids. It can be a special treat just for you. Just saying).

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