Thursday, March 12, 2009

Beautiful Treats

These treats are so beautiful that I cannot bear to slice them up and eat them...
These California avocados are one of many varieties available at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, and with their shiny, taut skin, they remind me of the avocados that grew in our garden in Kenya - eating them is one of my very earliest food memories - what are yours?
Can you guess what the other picture is? Candied mini-tangerines from Provence, a typical local delicacy that my foodie mum sent me.

These days, I sometimes make a gourmand snack I invented, the Banana Choc Oatmeal:
Make oatmeal.
Add a pureed banana.
When the oatmeal is still hot, add chocolate chips.

And there, you have a chocolaty, fruity, warm and healthy snack.

28 comments:

Joanna said...

I have to try that gourmand snack of yours. I'm salivating just thinking about it!

The Clever Pup said...

I had some oatmeal at a hotel restaurant once. Cost 14 dollars or something insane, but it was caramelized like a creme brule. Yummy.

One of my earliest food memories is Ovaltine. and chestnuts.

Laura in Paris said...

Your shot of the mandarines is beautiful - not to mention the avocados!

Mary-Laure said...

JOANNA - let me know how it turns out!

CLEVER PUP - oh, caramelized oatmeal, that sounds good. Then again, caramelized anything wins me over every time.
To me, chestnuts are reminiscent of Paris around X-mas time, when they're sold super hot, roasted on the street...

Annie said...

I always love your photos. Oatmeal is my earliest food memory; with lots of real butter.

Anonymous said...

A Riverside DR, dans notre premiere maison a Nairobi, nous avions un enorme avocatier qui donnait des avocats a peau violette dont je n ai plus jamais revu l espece , meme a Hawaii ou ailleurs. T en souviens-tu?

Anonymous said...

Blondie wants banana choc; the oatmeal, not so much.

Mary-Laure said...

JL - je me souviens surtout des histoires qu'on m'a racontees... et heureusement, j'ai plein de photos de mon enfance.

BLONDIE - why don't you talk to Taolechien, I suspect he still has some of my Toblerone stashed somewhere in his home...

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Eat the avos, there are more where they came from. We haven't quite hit avo season up here, soon though!

marie-louise said...

lovely colour!

tangobaby said...

Your oatmeal treat sounds delicious! I must try that soon.

Mary-Laure said...

D. MOLL - I wonder, are Syndey and Taylor avocado eaters? I know they like all things green and fresh.

Seeker said...

Love the pictures so great colours.

xoxo

Kwana said...

These are beautiful. Wow!

Anonymous said...

wow fun...especially the Candied mini-tangerines that your mum sent you... tu es chanseuse, tu es chanseuse!!!! mille fois...;)
xxnancy

Solange said...

those look really good Mary-Laure! I can imagine already what they taste like from your pictures...
Also just saw your previous post, you are so lucky to be so near the sea.... :-)

enjoy the weekend,
Solange

Certain Creatures said...

certainly are beautiful!

I love your pictures

francesca

HoneyBunny said...

wow these look so beautiful! I love the colours

christina said...

Wow, I love the way you photographed the tangerines. I would have loved to slice those avocados and set them beside the nachos, I made the other night.
xo

sølvi said...

Your last two post makes me long for spring. It's still snowing over here.....

Dave King said...

You'd have to be starving to bring yourself to slice those up!

Anonymous said...

Como saben esas mandarinas?

Alice X said...

that loks SOOOOOO deliscious.

alicexinwonderland.blogspot.com

Spangler Cummings said...

We used to eat mashed avocado with garlic and salt on our toast in the morning. I, too, had this childhood food memory since the trees grew in our yard. But, my Mother's peach pies which she created amid clouds of dusted flour on the kitchen table were the best.

Mary-Laure said...

DAVE KING - that's exactly how I feel about those mandarins, and since Im not starving yet, they still adorn my counter.

ANONYMOUS - no tengo NI idea porque todavia no me anime a comer las mandarinas, de lo divino que son. Los avocados, MUY sabrosos.

SPANGELR - I mash the avocados and have them on toast too, just just a pinch of salt. I use the very heavy, chewy multi-grain bread from Rocken Wagner bakery.
Your mother's peach pies sound delicious. Who doesn't love a good pie???

Alya said...

Mmmm.. I love oatmeal. And bananas. And chocolate!

Tulip Press said...

I've stumbled upon the same DELICIOUS combination myself. So warm, and comforting!

Love your blog<3

Anonymous said...

The candied mini tangerines are so pretty! Love that colour! Almost (but not quite) too good to eat!