Coconut Macaroons

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been years since I made macaroons. My original recipe called for sweetened condensed milk and I thought the cookies made with it were cloyingly sweet. Despite that, I made the cookies each Christmas for Bob's dad who really loved them. When we lost Andy, macaroons, and his favorite chocolate covered cherries, were dropped from my Christmas baking list. I was browsing through the Joy of Baking website the other day when I happened on the recipe I'm featuring today. It is substantially different from the one I had used in the past. I had coconut in the pantry, so I decided to give this version a try. I'm glad I did. While the cookies are way too sweet for my taste, Bob and one of our neighbors loved them. The cookies are very easy to make and the only problem I had was getting them to brown in the time suggested by the recipe. My cookies were still pale at the 20 minute mark and I had to bake them for an additional 10 minutes to get some color. I also suggest adding a small amount of almond extract to the cookie dough. If you have a sweet tooth I think you'll love this recipe. The cake flour gives the cookies a texture that is quite different from that of the usual macaroon and they are slightly less sweet. Here's the recipe.

Coconut Macaroons...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Joy of Baking.Com

Ingredients:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
1) Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk until mixture feels warm and is creamy. Stir in vanilla and almond extract and then add coconut and cake flour. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for about two hours, or until firm.
2) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3) Place small mounds (heaping tablespoons) of batter on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing several inches apart. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 2 dozen macaroons.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Black Bottom Coconut Bars - Gonna Want Seconds
Coconut Almond Macaroons - Dish by Trish
Coconut Vanilla Lime Shortbread - Luna Cafe
Chocolate Coconut Cookies - Alessandra Zecchini
Lime Glazed Coconut Snowballs - A Bountiful Kitchen
Lacy Coconut Cookies - Family Spice

Coconut Bubble Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been searching for something new to serve for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. When you've cooked as long as I have, novelty can be a problem. I've whisked and woked my way through lots of kitchens and have seen food fads come and go, then come and go again. Ming Tsai, Emeril Lagasse and, worse yet, Jamie Oliver have aged before my eyes, so perhaps you can understand why I'm vexed that it's so hard to find something really new for the holidays this season. It once was a very easy thing to do. Alas, that is no longer true. I decided I'd have to cast a wider net to find what I was looking for this year. If it could be eaten, didn't bite back and came with a readable recipe, it became fair game in my hunt for the new or novel. A fairly general query led me to a wonderful site called The Knead for Bread and there I found this lovely yeasted coconut bread. While there are many recipes for coconut quick breads, this was the first I'd seen for one leavened with yeast. I wanted a sweet bread that could be toasted for a holiday breakfast and this recipe was perfect for my needs. I did make some minor changes to the recipe after tasting the first of the loaves I baked. I added coconut extract to the ingredient list to give the bread a more pronounced coconut flavor. I also removed the grated coconut from the dough but left it in the topping. The bread is delicious and it has a wonderful crumb. It makes marvelous toast and will be perfect for a holiday breakfast. If you prefer, the bread can be pulled off in hunks and eaten out of hand, gorilla style. I know you will like this. Here's the recipe.

Coconut Bubble Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of The Knead for Bread

Ingredients:
Dough
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 to 2 teaspoons coconut extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon milk powder
4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
Topping
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon butter, soft
2 tablespoon coconut(finely chopped)

Directions:
1) In a large bowl add coconut milk, lukewarm water, butter, coconut extract, sugar, milk powder, yeast, salt and egg. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Add half of flour and continue to mix till smooth. Gradually add in remainder of flour. When it becomes difficult to mix, dump onto a work surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Oil bottom and sides of a bowl. Add dough and turn to coat all sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour, or until double in bulk. Cut dough into two equal pieces. Take one piece and cut into 16 more pieces. Roll the first eight piece of dough into a ball and place into the bottom of an 4-1/2 X 8 greased loaf pan. Now, roll out the other 8 pieces of dough and place them on top of those already in pan. Do the same with the other large piece of dough and you should end up with two loaves. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about an hour or till the dough reaches about 1 inch from the top of the pan.
2) To make the topping, mix flour, butter, sugar and coconut together in a small bowl. Using your fingers mix till the mixture becomes a crumble. In a separate bowl combine the egg white and the tablespoon of water. Beat with a wire whisk till foamy. Brush the tops of the loaves with the foam and then sprinkle with the crumble topping. Place into a 350 degree preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Christmas Stollen - The English Kitchen
Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls - Two Peas and Their Pod
Lemon Pull-Apart Loaf - Buttercream Barbie
Quick Brioche - Piece of Cake
Day Before Cinnamon Rolls - Cookie Madness
Hot Cross Buns - Buttercream Barbie

This post is being linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Toasted Coconut and Lime Layer Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This cake is a melange of bits and pieces taken from other places. The first time I assembled it, the planets must have been aligned and Lady Luck deemed to smile my way. I wanted to make a coconut cake but needed a way to beat back its sweetness. I happen to have lime curd in the refrigerator and decided to use it to fill the cake. The next step was to find an icing that was compatible with coconut and lime. I found a lovely cream cheese frosting that was perfect once its taste was heightened with the addition of coconut extract. The frosted cake looked awfully white, so I decided to add color by toasting the coconut that is classically used to cover its surfaces. While the pros have nothing to fear, this cake has become a favorite of ours. I made it for this weekend because it is fairly easy to transport and does not need constant refrigeration. The layers are a cross between a sponge and a pound cake, so it is more dense than many of the layer cakes that are currently so popular. It can handle a little jostling without collapsing and spots can be covered with additional toasted coconut. The next time I make this, I plan to split the layers in order to use more of the lime curd I so love. I hope you'll try this cake. It really is quite lovely. Here's the recipe.

Toasted Coconut and Lime Layer Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Coconut Layer Cake courtesy of Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
2-3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lépez)*
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup buttermilk

Directions:
To make layer cake:
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla and coconut extracts. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
2) Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
3) Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Lime Curd Filling - recipe found HERE

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting courtesy of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Directions:
Place cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add butter and beat to blend. Add sugar and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until well blended. Add drops of milk or cream, if needed, to make a spreadable consistency. Yield: 3 cups.

Final Assembly
Ingredients:
2 cups toasted sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup lime curd over cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere. The cake can be prepared 24 hours before serving. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Key Lime and White Chocolate Cake Squares - One Perfect Bite
Coconut Banana Cream Pie - Coconut Recipes
Strawberry Coconut Thumbprints - Big Black Dog
White Mountain Coconut Cupcakes - Cookie Madness
Coconut Bread - Bored Cook in Kitchen
Coconut Pistachio Truffles - Anja's Food 4 Thought
French Coconut Pie - Home Cooking and Baking

Coconut Bubble Tea

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We spent the day panning for gold. Really! Each year the town of Cottage Grove holds a Bohemia Mining Day celebration to commemorate the discovery of gold in the area. The event is much like a county fair and it's a wonderful family activity. What is less known, is that while the mine is closed, there are still active claims in the area. That makes it possible for the more adventurous to pan for gold. Ever up to a challenge, Bob and I trekked into the area and did some panning. We found no gold, but had a wonderful day and burned a lot of calories. That, of course, meant a special sweet treat could be enjoyed without any feelings of guilt. We decided to spend the expended calories on large glasses of bubble tea. Now, I can't begin to tell you how a day in a Bohemian community led to a drink of Chinese origin. It just did. The drinks are cold and frothy and they just seemed like a perfect way to end the day. Bubble tea was created in Taiwan in the 1980's. It spread across Asia and made its way to Canada before finally reaching the United States. While the drink has a frothy texture, its called bubble tea because it contains pearl-sized tapioca balls, bobas, that are dispersed throughout the drink. The balls have very little flavor, but they are gummy and are sipped through an oversize straw to be chewed between sips of tea. The base of the drink is tea and it can have milk or fruit flavors added to it. I prefer the milk-flavored version. The tapioca pearls have little flavor of their own, so they are soaked for about 30 minutes in sugar or honey after being boiled. I found a recipe at the New York Times: Dining and Wine site that can be used to make a really nice bubble tea at home. If you're curious you might want to give it a try. Here's my version of the recipe.

Coconut Bubble Tea...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted from The New York Times: Dining and Wine

Ingredients:
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups tapioca pearls (1/4-inch wide)
For each bubble tea:
1/2 cup chilled tapioca pearls
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup coarsely chopped mango
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup milk
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Directions:
1) Combine sugars and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Torn off heat. In a second pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add tapioca and cook until tender using time suggested on box. Drain. Mix tapioca with sugar mixture and chill.
2) To make a drink, spoon pearls into a large glass. Place ice, mango, coconut milk, milk and lime juice in a blender jar. Puree. When frothy, pour over pearls and stick in a wide straw. If straws are not available, serve with a spoon.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ginger Tea - One Perfect Bite
Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea - The Mother Load
Indian Chai Hot Chocolate-Tea Recipe - Tea Escape - Tea Blog
Russian Friendship Tea - Bake It Pretty
The Ultimate Iced Tea Recipe - Cooking By the Seat of My Pants
Lemon Almond Iced Tea - Elite Tea
Herbal Iced Tea - Oprah.com
California Iced Tea - Lifestyle Food.com

Hawaiian Banana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My homey's call this lovely banana loaf King Kamehameha bread. We first had it in Hawaii several years ago. It is a lovely loaf whose taste has been enhanced by some very pleasant memories. When we returned from the islands, I began to search for a banana bread recipe that had the same plantation flavors as the bread we so enjoyed. Some find it strange that my quest for new foods begins with a search rather than an experiment. The work I did before retirement taught me not to reinvent the wheel, and, for better or worse, I've carried that belief into my kitchen. I don't create or develop recipes unless I absolutely have to, or I have a truly original idea. That I ever began to enter cooking contests is a mystery to those who know me, and that I actually began to win some is a miracle to me. So, it should come as no surprise, that rather than parse taste memories, I began a search for a recipe I suspected already existed. The search brought me to this lovely bread from Gourmet Magazine. It is very close to the one we sampled on the islands. There are some tricks to making a great banana bread and if you want full banana flavor you have to start with really nasty bananas. The best bananas, from a cook's perspective, are the ones that have huge leopard spots on their exteriors. Beautiful bananas look lovely in a fruit bowl but they make anemic breads, cakes or puddings. I also find it important to toast nuts and other dry additions that are folded into quick breads. Toasting will enhance their flavors as well. This bread is very moist and, if well-wrapped, will stay fresh for several days. It is easy to make and, in the great scheme of things, fairly inexpensive to make. If you can't find macadamia nuts in your area, almonds or pine nuts can be substituted. This is a wonderful bread and I think you'll enjoy it. The aroma as it bakes has been known to make grown men weep. Here's the recipe.

Hawaiian Banana Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1-1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted and cooled

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
Dust with flour. Set aside.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another large bowl, cream butter with sugars with an electric mixer. When mixture is light and fluffy beat in vanilla, eggs, one at a time, zest, banana, and sour cream. Add flour mixture, beating batter until it is just combined. Stir in macadamia nuts and coconut.
3) Divide the batter between loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Remove bread from pans. Complete cooling on racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Poppyseed Bread - One Perfect Bite
Sugar Crusted Viennese Nut Bread - One Perfect Bite
Three Savory Quick Breads - One Perfect Bite

Tomato Coconut Rice

Flooded Rice Paddy

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Years ago, Bob and I spent several weeks traveling through the American South. We were, of course, charmed by the people and the compelling history of the region. I loved the whole of the Natchez Trace and I wasn't sure that Bob, having found Savannah, would ever leave her. Savannah, save for its famed red rice, spoke to his sensibilities. Now in fairness to him, I must tell you that Spanish rice was a dinner staple when we were children and I think he simply had had his fill of anything that resembled it. Even Savannah Red Rice couldn't tempt him. I wanted to try some Southern meals this week, so I spent some time looking for side dishes that would work nicely with our main courses. I can happily report that I found one that is so delicious that even Bob will eat it. It comes from Joyce White's cookbook "Soul Food." It is very loosely based on the red rice that is served across the South, but there are decided Asian overtones as well. The secret ingredient is the coconut milk and that's decidedly unsouthern unless you find yourself in Thailand or South Vietnam. The rice bakes in the oven and uses every day ingredients to produce a unique accompaniment to grilled meat or poultry. The recipe can be doubled and brown basmati rice can also be used to prepare it. If you opt to use brown rice you should add an additional 20 minutes to the baking time that's stated in the recipe. I really think you'll love this. I know I did. Here's the recipe.

Tomato Coconut Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Joyce White

Ingredients:
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 cup basmati rice rice
2 cups finely chopped plum tomatoes or well-drained petite diced tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart ovenproof baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a medium skillet. Stir in onion, herb and bell pepper and sauté 4 or 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in rice and sauté 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring. Remove pan from heat.
3) Spoon rice mixture into baking dish. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Mix well. Cover baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
4) Place dish on the lower oven rack and bake for about 40 minutes, or until he rice is tender, and all liquid is absorbed, stirring a couple times. Cook for another 20 minutes if using brown rice. Serve hot as a side dish to baked fish, roast chicken or meat dishes. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Yangzhou Fried Rice - One Perfect Bite
Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - One Perfect Bite
Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One Perfect Bite

Coconut Cloud Pudding - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are folks who won't admit to birthdays, but like, nonetheless, to be remembered on their special day. I have such a friend. She has eclectic tastes and loves coconut, so I decided to make an uncommon and homely pudding to mark the importance of the day to those of us who love her. This is not the coconut pudding that is so popular across Asia. It's made from cornstarch rather than gelatin and beaten egg white. It does, however, use coconut milk for most of its flavor. I supplement that with a variable amount of coconut extract and use flaked coconut for garnish. This is really easy to do and the six ingredients required to make it can be found in any major grocery store. It can be assembled in about 15 minutes, though it requires 4 to 6 hours to set. Here's the recipe.

Coconut Cloud Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided use
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Optional garnish: shredded coconut

Directions:
1) Whisk cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth.
2) Add reserved 1 cup milk, coconut milk and sugar to a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until mixture is very thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add coconut extract to taste and stir for another minute. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes longer.
3) Spoon custard into 6 3/4-cup containers. Refrigerate until chilled and set, about 4 to 6 hours. Garnish, if desired, with shredded coconut. Yield: 6 servings.

Cook's Note: If you enjoy a really light pudding, let the pudding cook to room temperature and fold in 2 cups of whipped cream or non-dairy topping. Then refrigerate to chill.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding
Double Chocolate Pudding
Pumpkin Panna Cotta

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Tom Kah Gai, Cooking School and Elephants

Lisu Elephant Camp in Chaing Mai, Thailand


The Morning Market and Farm Cooking School Chaing Mai, Thailand


Thailand is beautiful. It's sights and sounds and fragrances are unforgetable and while you occasionally stumble on tourist sctick, you'll probably love every minute of it. The hill tribes - insular ethnic minorities - put on quite a show for visitors; they have tourist villages as well as those they actually live in. They have wonderful costumes, but when you're not looking they dress much as other Thai. Not everything is for show, however. These tribes have been slow to adapt to the modern world and their health and education has suffered. Elephant camps help them care for the members of their tribal families and they really do take good care of their animals. One of the tribes, the Lisu, operated the elephant camp that so delighted the group I traveled with. When you see the pictures I think you'll see why this is one of my favorite memories of Thailand.

Another favorite memory is that of Thai cooking schools. Cooking schools in Southeast Asia tend to follow a pattern. The day begins just after first light with a stop at the local market to purchase ingredients needed for the day's lesson. Then it's on to classes which start early in order to avoid the intense midday heat. In Chiang Mai the school was in the country and part of a beautiful organic farm. Our instructor was a young Thai chef who brooked no departure from her agenda. She was about 4' 8" tall and if she weighed 85 pounds I'd be surprised. I don't quite know how she did it, but I'm here to tell you she struck fear in the hearts of some members of our group. Most of the men were there because their wives told them they had to be. The guys were known to horse around if cooking or weaving was involved. The highlight of my day was watching her watch them with an unblinking stare that prevented infractions before they could occur. She was there to teach, we were there to learn and learning did not include small talk, laughter or lack of respect for the food. I'll bear witness to the fact that her class was run with military efficiency - all dishes were prepared as directed and lunch was ready at noon. The other class didn't do so well. I heard lots of laughter over there and they were an hour late for lunch. That gave us lots of time to explore the old plantation and talk with the folks who helped with the gardens and kitchen prep work. I had a great time, but when I evaluated the day I became aware of a problem I would encounter throughout our trip - overcooked, dry meat. Today's recipe is based on the Tom Kah Gai recipe from the Farm School. I've reworked it in order to avoid dry chicken. This is a really simple recipe. Most of the ingredients can be found in supermarkets. The two items that might pose a problem are galangal and kiffir lime leaves. If a recipe calls for 3 kiffir lime leaves, substitute the peeled zest of 1 lime. If you are unable to find galangal - also called blue ginger - substitute an equal quantity of fresh ginger. The fresh ginger lacks the musky overtones of galangal, but it's a great substitute.

Tom Kah Gai

Ingredients:
2 (14.5-oz.) cans coconut milk
2 (14.5-oz.) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 kaffir lime leaves
3 fresh stalks lemon grass (white part only), bruised
2 teaspoons green curry paste
12 thin slices galangal
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 cups sliced white mushrooms
1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Garnish: fresh cilantro, green onion tops

Directions:
1) Combine coconut milk, chicken broth, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, green curry paste and galangal in a large (3-quart) saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add fish sauce. Simmer for 45 minutes.
2) Remove kaffir lime leaves, galangal and lemon grass. Add chicken and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken is cooked, about 7 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with cilantro and green onion tops. Yield: 6 servings.

Thai Coconut Pancakes with Lime and Maple Syrup

We're planning another trek. Bob and I'll be heading back to Asia in February - Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos - and excited just begins to describe the way I feel. I'm getting restless again and my gypsy soul needs one last adventure to rein it in. I'm less rooted to place and things than most. What's important to me can be taken by the hand or tucked in the corners of memory to age like fine wine, so I have an open arms approach to the sights and sounds and tastes of unfamiliar places. I move and travel easily, am comfortable wherever I'm dropped and if Bob is with me I am home; it's been that way for nearly fifty years. I know that I've been blessed. As departure date approaches I moderate our diet so our palates will be ready for the street food of these countries. I gradually increase spice and heat and desserts, when we have them, become sweeter. With any luck we'll be set to eat our way through Asia like seasoned pros. These pancakes are sold by street vendors in Thailand as snacks, but they also make a great dessert for family and close friends. Maple syrup is not indigenous to Thailand, but how can you have pancakes without syrup? The maple-lime combination is one you don't want to miss. I use it here as a dessert sauce, but it can also be used in more savory dishes. One bite and your taste buds will be singing.

Thai Coconut Pancakes with Lime and Maple Syrup

Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour (cornstarch may be substituted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut
1 large egg
1 to 1-1/2 cups coconut milk
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Zest and juice of 1 lime + additional zest and lime wedges for garnish

Directions:
1) Sift all-purpose flour, rice flour, sugar, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in coconut. Make a well in the center. Place egg and 1 cup coconut milk in well; whisk until mixture forms a batter, using additional milk to thin to desired consistency.
2) Preheat an electric griddle to 350 to 375 degrees F. Brush griddle with oil. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop a scant 1/4 cup batter onto grill, Smooth surface with back of spoon and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn and cook until other side is golden. Repeat. Keep warm.
3) Warm maple syrup, zest of 1 lime and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice in a small sauce pan. Pour into a 1/2 cup pitcher.
4) Arrange pancakes on a serving platter. Drizzle lightly with syrup. Sprinkle additional lime zest over pancakes. Garnish with lime wedges. Pass remaining syrup at the table. Yield: 6 to 8 pancakes.