Showing posts with label athens foods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label athens foods. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Surprise: Cannoli Martini Recipe Is In!

What's this in my mailbox? It's a book with an envelope attached to the front of the box, but, I didn't order a book. Alright, I've seen this before. The envelope will disclose that I have two options; 1) keep the enclosed book and pay the shipping cost; or 2) send it back within so many days or else receive a new book every month until I cancel the subscription. I let the box sit on my shelf unopened for several days.

Last Sunday I passed by it for the last time. I opened the envelope to see what my options were. It read, "Greetings and good news! We are delighted to inform you that you are receiving a copy of the "Taste of Home Christmas 2011" cookbook, which includes your recipe on page 138. This complimentary copy is yours to keep free of charge. It's our way of saying "Thank you!" for contributing to this one-of-a-kind holiday collection." What?! Is this for real? You never saw anyone tear open a box quicker than I did. Inside was this beautiful, full color cookbook.

I had absolutely no idea which one of my recipes they were referring to, so in a flash I flipped to page 138. Amazing! It was my Cannoli Martini Dessert recipe! At this moment I am just stunned. All I could do was gaze at page 138.

I rushed to show my son, and he pointed out that a cannoli martini is showcased in the "Enchanting Endings" photo (front left) and that it's the first recipe in that section of the book. Unbelievable!

I created the Cannoli Martini Dessert recipe back in December 2009 to compete in the online “Make it Fabulous with Fillo” Recipe Contest! sponsored by Athens Foods, the world's largest producer of fillo dough. I wanted to come up with a fancy dessert that incorporated my family's authentic vino cotto, a naturally-sweet, cooked wine gourmet syrup.

Out of 10 Finalists my Cannoli Martini Dessert recipe came in 1st Place, and it came in 3rd Place as the Fan Favorite in the Athens Foods' online vote. This was the first time I ever entered a recipe that I created into a contest. I was completely surprised to win the competition.

Two years later, I had no idea the same recipe would appear in the distinguished Reader's Digest Taste of Home Christmas 2011 cookbook.

Note: When you compare my original recipe to the one in the cookbook, you'll spot two variations that were made. To achieve the same results I do, I recommend using Vino Cotto di Montillo instead of reducing three cups of dry red wine. As for the garnish, I simply inserted a square of delicious Lindt® Intense Orange dark chocolate positioned at an angle. They went with kumquats as their garnish of choice. A kumquat is a small, oblong fruit whose taste is similar to that of a tangerine or clementine. Their thin skin is sweet and edible, which is definitely a perfect complement to this dessert. No matter which garnish you go with, I hope you'll love this elegant dessert.