Dessert By Candy

And The Winner Is…

Thank you everyone for entering the Trick or Treat giveaway. Congratulations to Yvonne T., the winner of Candy By Candy prize pack! I hope you will enjoy the assortment of Mocha Mallomars Surprise, Trillian Bar, Curry Coconut Brittle, Apple Cider Caramel, and Peanut Butter Nougat Bar.

Trick Or Treat Giveaway!

It’s giveaway time! Are you ready for Halloween tomorrow? I don’t plan to dress up this year but I’ve been building a coffer of homemade candies. Surely you don’t think I spoil my appetite with just any store bought chocolate treats? Don’t feel left out because trick or treat isn’t limited to those who knock on the door of my house. Let’s have a virtual trick or treat right here at Dessert By Candy!

If you’re from Canada or the USA, you have three options to enter the contest (you're welcome to pick and choose!):

1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me the candy you most like to try from Candy By Candy. Don’t forget a valid email address!
2. Retweet this post.
3. Like my Facebook Page so you will not miss out on all my sweet or savoury adventure.

Winner will receive a prize pack of Candy By Candy assortment including Mocha Mallomars Surprise , Trillian Bar, Curry Coconut Brittle, and other sweet goodies. One winner will be selected on November 1, 2014 6pm EST. I will contact you by email, or twitter DM, or Facebook message, depending on how you enter the contest.

Trick or treat? I think you know the answer.

To The Caribbean We Go

I propose that we take a mental trip to the Caribbean. Imagine that we are surrounded by beaches, swaying palm trees, glistening ocean, and rum cakes. Wha-what? That’s right, rum cakes. That heady combination of dark rum and vanilla in the moistest, the most tender, the most buttery cake. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Lucky for me, unlike you, I have the advantage of instant gratification in front of me right now. I am devouring a slice of rum cake as I type. Sorry folks, I can’t help with the bragging.

I have made rum cakes in the past and it always amazes me to see how the cake drink up the boozy soaking syrup like a teenager on a spring break in an all-inclusive resort. This recipe from David Lebovitz’s Ready For Dessert soaked in an incredible 1 1/4 cup of rum and coconut milk! Yet the cake did not fall apart. All that alcoholic indulgence only injected every bite of the cake with moistness and tropical flavour.

Winner For Bento Box

Congratulations to Jackie who commented “Love your blog, Candy! It has been the inspiration for many of our family's dinners and desserts”. I’ll contact you with details on mailing the prize pack. I hope you’ll find the box handy!

Thank you everyone for entering and all your lovely comments! It was truly amazing to discover readers from so many different places. I hope to host giveaways from time to time to share some of my shopping finds. Trust me, this girl loves to shop.

Another Bento & A Giveaway!

I can’t get bento out of my mind this week. After testing out a new bento box purchase a few days ago, I made another one just because. This time I added a bit of middle eastern flair with a Lentils & Peas Salad inspired by a recipe in Moro East. I served it with flax & sesame seeds lavash, thick Greek yogurt, and almond stuffed medjool dates for dessert. I never thought earthy lentils pair so well with sweet peas. They are dressed in a classic red wine vinaigrette with shallots and mint. Another way to think about it is putting classic French lentil salad and peas with mint together in one dish. Moro’s Sam Clark is absolutely correct. Lentils and peas are meant to be together!

This bento is very typical of what I pack. There is little to none Japanese cooking yet the aesthetics of a well-balanced meal consisting of numerous courses fitting compactly into container remains. I love the visual interest created from different colours and shapes. But more importantly, I enjoy the variety of tastes. My strategy generally involves complementing dishes from my normal meal preparation with little bites of pantry staples and simple side dishes that do not require much cooking. Of course, I always keep in mind a reasonable balance between lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats.

A neat thing about having a collection of bento accessories at my disposal is the freedom to mix and match. For my Lentils & Peas bento, I used three boxes from my Muji set. The long thin box contains a good size serving of the salad while the individual smaller boxes can keep the lavash crunchy and separate the sweet from the savoury. I opted to use two elastic fasteners to secure the boxes as one unit. The full-size bamboo cutlery is lightweight and fits neatly under the elastics. There is nothing fancy about the boxes. Once I put them together though, there is a simplicity to its clean uncluttered look that evokes images of Scandinavian designs.

Speaking of bento boxes, I have a giveaway! This is the first giveaway I host on Dessert By Candy and I really hope it is something you like. Remember the cute bento box I showcased a few days ago? I like it so much I actually bought two sets! One lucky reader will get to keep one.