This was an asparagus fern that we saw at the flower show last week. The different shades of green were so gorgeous. And all that texture just added to the wow factor. I'm not sure you can see the text I added to the picture though.
After the show I like to stop into the Reading Terminal Market across the street from the convention center, mainly to pick up some delicious mint candies they have in the shape of shamrocks. They just melt in your mouth. Well, guess what? They don't have them anymore! I was so terribly disappointed not only not to have the mints but to have fought the crowd at lunchtime to walk all the way to the back of the building were the stand is with my hip screaming at me the whole way. So I tried to find a recipe to create something similar and came up with these Cream Cheese mints.
The recipe is very easy and doesn't involve any cooking and though they were not exactly what I was looking for, they were tasty. I did not have a mold to make the shamrock shape so I attempted to create my own by rolling the candy paste into three little balls and a stem. Unfortunately, when they became too warm, they fell apart. You can find the recipe I used with this link.
My treat today was a shamrock shaped hot pretzel and a shamrock shake from McDonald's. I'm afraid the points value for these two things alone puts me over my limit for the entire week but I was looking forward to a little treat.
Actually, a parent came in to school yesterday afternoon and brought me some Irish soda bread that she made from her grandmother's recipe which she said was authentic because she made it in a cast iron pan just like her grandmother did. It was full of raisins and currants and was delicious. (More points overage I'm afraid!) That was a special treat also.
Your mints are wonderful. My mom used to make mints all the time. I love pretzels and shakes. Great combination. I have never had a shamrock shake.. Guess it may be too late now. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, what a fun pretzel!
ReplyDeleteThat fern is amazing - it looks as if it should be underwater like some green coral or water-weed.
ReplyDeleteI meant to say that I/we really enjoyed those pretzels you sent at Christmas, I should really try the ones I saw in the bakery at a local discount supermarket some time.
Your little shamrocks look sweet - and sound as if they might have that lovely melt-in-the-mouth feel of some after dinner mints I used to love. Till I told myself that they must be almost neat sugar!!