Matcha Mint Panna Cotta

First things first – le jus d’orange was featured on Zeit magazin! You can read about it (in German) here.

In Boston, St. Patrick’s Day is a big holiday. At least, the parade is a big deal. Snow, rain, a mix of both type of precipitation – nothing stops the parade and the onset of green-clad onlookers. I decided to stay in and instead celebrate by making a batch of matcha mint panna cotta. I took everything I had that was green and made sense together (so for example, not matcha and celery) and made it into a creamy pudding. The original Italian version uses egg whites and involves baking, but it’s supposed to be complicated and delicate. Instead, I took inspiration from Beth at Local Milk and Cynthia at Two Red Bowls and adapted the cream and gelatin version of panna cotta. When I read through it, I was amazed by its simplicity. A large component of the flavor seems to come from the infusing step. I brewed in matcha and fresh mint leaves and let that steep. I then topped it off with sifted matcha powder, some honey, and crushed pistachios. I thought the pistachios added a nice balance to the soft pudding.

Right after I ladled the cream mixture into ramekins to set, I met up with Meg from Bread + Barrow (lovely, gorgeous blog), and we had a great time talking about food blogging, our life stories, while munching on croissants and drinking hot coffee. We even bought the same cookbook after having a wonderfully philosophical conversation with Abby from Farm & Fable about food blogs and cookbooks. I admit I was nervous at first – I mean, have you seen her blog? Her writing, her authentic recipes, her gorgeous photos… I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. It was a cold rainy morning, with gray snow mounds still crowding the sidewalk. I felt increasingly guilty and anxious for making her trek all the way to the South End, where street parking is no joke. When she walked in the door, all my anxiety disappeared – simply washed away at the first smile. As cheesy as this may sound, it was like I was talking to a close friend already. And that’s the beauty of blogging – we follow our favorite bloggers and we are allowed these vignettes of their lives, glimpses into the person. We learn about their lifestyle and their preferences in their recipes and blog posts. Yes, these posts are public for anyone and everyone to view, but I still feel like I’m privileged to be able to get to know these bloggers, albeit virtually. Meeting up with Meg really solidified why I keep blogging. I’m constantly inspired by my readers and my fellow blogger friends. The food community is a warm embrace, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.