Culinary Adventures with Camilla

  I know that there is a lot of chatter about whether it's inappropriate to wish people Happy Memorial Day. It's a solemn day, right? Yes, it is. Memorial Day is an American holiday - observed on the last Monday of May - that honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.  But, as I see a growing trend to have celebrations of life that are full of  color instead of funerals that are draped in black, I am opting to celebrate what those who have died for our country are preserving: our freedom. So, if you're in the camp where happiness on this day is not proper, please scroll on by. This Memorial Day, I am joining a group of online foodies for #MemorialDayBakes. The guidelines included having fun, challenging ourselves, and trying new techniques. Inspired by a recipe in  American Cake  by Anne Bryn, I thought I'd try my hand at a cake with 'boiled white icing.' I'd never heard of that. Turns out it also goes by 'Italian meringue'...

I've made this hot milk sponge cake, from Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri, more than a dozen times. It's easy. It's moist. And I figured that it would be a great way to show off the unusual flavor of the tonka bean. [ Click here to read more about these illicit legumes.] Ingredients 8 T butter, cut into 8 pieces 1/2 C milk 1-1/2 C white whole wheat flour 2 t baking powder 3 large eggs 1/2 t pink Himalaya salt 1 C organic granulated sugar 1/2 t almond extract 1/2 t pure vanilla extract half of one tonka bean, grated finely Procedure Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine milk, butter, and grated tonka beans in a saucepan and cook over low heat until the butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat. Stir together the flour and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up, whisk in the salt, whisk in the sugar, and continue whisking till the mixture has lightened in color. Mix in the extracts, then the milk mixture. Gent...