FLaVors!

Dear Sugar Diary,
        I am actually writing at NIGHT! lol..I usually do this early in the A.M. but today I have been super busy....prepping for the weekend. It's been one of those moments where I ask myself over and over .... WHY?! lol..Why did I book myself through the weekend!!?? ....Well because even though I may complain and become stressed and be "Lil' Miss Frowny Brow"...deep down inside it's what I want to be doing the most! ;) So...yesterday I was in my "I miss the island" mode....pretty much unable to really focus on my task...so I stopped and gathered my thoughts.......I was raised everywhere..but home will always be a mix of Puerto Rico and Texas...so as I was daydreaming about the beach ...here is an actual photo of the beach not even 5 minutes from my mom's house:

   It is called "Los Amadores"  in Camuy, Puerto Rico. I went there with my family many many Sundays to just pass the time and watch my brother dive off of a cliff straight into the ocean. Drinking coconut water straight from the coconuts...literally! My mom was prego with my lil sis and would get cravings for them! My brother would climb up the palm tress and knock down the coconuts for us.=) Great times! I look at my surroundings now and they are such a contrast to that....I now live in Arizona and it is all mostly desert....dry..windy...and HOT...but even these things can be tied into baking.....How? Well flavor wise! I can pull from my culture to come up with bright bold flavored bakes....and also the flavors that Arizona has to offer.....especially the Mexican Treats! A friend introduced me to "Cajeta" for example. It is very similar to Puerto rican "Dulce de Leche" .....but creamier.
   A while back I was having a tough time deciding on specific flavor profiles....because let's face it....we can have developed and mature palates but no one person has ever tasted EVERYTHING out there...so for me it was a time to experiment. I bought fresh fruits I would not normally eat...and tasted them..alone , together and with other foods. But that still wasn't enough...so I then researched and found this awesome list some genius put together for people like me!! I posted it on a a page on Facebook...and now I will post it here for you:

                        Fruits, Herbs and Spices that Pair Well Together:

Almond pairs well with: apple, apricot, banana, caramel, cherry, coffee, fig, honey, orange, peach, pear, plum 
Apple pairs well with: caramel, cardamom, chestnut, cinnamon, cranberry, currant, ginger, hazelnut, mango, maple, rosemary, walnut     
Apricot pairs well with: almond, black pepper, caramel, cardamom, ginger, hazelnut, honey, orange, peach, vanilla, plum, Sauternes, wine  
Asian Pear pairs well with: almond, apple, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, honey, macadamia, nutmeg, raisin, vanilla
 Banana pairs well with: brandy, caramel, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, dark rum, ginger, hazelnut, honey, Madeira wine, mango, molasses, papaya
Blackberry pairs well with: apricot, black pepper, champagne, cinnamon, citrus, hazelnut, lemon, other berries, peach, plum, Port wine
Blood Orange pairs well with: almond, cardamom, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, fig, ginger, honey, other citrus 
Blueberry pairs well with:lemon verbena, other berries, cardamom, mango, lemon, hazelnut, ginger, fig, lavender, other citrus, 
Carrot pairs well with: anise, brandy, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, walnut 
Cherry pairs well with: apricot, black pepper, chocolate, citrus, nectarine, peach, plum, Port wine, vanilla 
Chestnut pairs well with: apple, caramel, chocolate, coffee, pear, vanilla 
Cilantro (coriander) pairs well with: apricot, berries, cherries, citrus, nectarine, peach, plum, tropical fruit 
Coconut pairs well with: banana, Brazil nut, caramel, chocolate, citrus, Kaffir leaf, lemongrass, pineapple, other tropical fruit
Cranberry pairs well with:  apple, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, mango, mint, pear Currants, Black and Red, pairs well with:cassis, chocolate, citrus, dark rum, Port wine, sloe gin
Elderberry pairs well with:apricot, fig, honey, lemon, mandarin, other berries, peach, plum 
Feijoa pairs well with:banana, berries, cinnamon, citrus, mango, vanilla 
Fig pairs well with:almond, black pepper, cinnamon, citrus, hazelnut, pear, Port wine, vanilla
Ginger pairs well with:almond, apple, apricot, banana, berries, Brazil nut, caramel, chocolate, citrus, coconut, grape, hazelnut, passion fruit, peach, pear, pineaple, plum, tropical fruit
Gooseberry pairs well with:citrus, hazelnut, honey, other berries, white chocolate
Grape pairs well with:brandy, chocolate, citrus, ginger, raisin
Grapefruit pairs well with:basil, black pepper, caramel, citrus, mint, rosemary, thyme, tropical fruit, vanilla 
Guava pairs well with: citrus, coconut, huckleberry, kaffir leaf, pineapple, strawberry, tropical fruit  
Hazelnut pairs well with: apple, apricot, banana, berries, caramel, cherry, chocolate, citrus, fig, mandarin, peach, pear, plum
Kaffir Leaf pairs well with: banana, citrus, coconut, lemongrass, tropical fruit, watermelon
Kiwi pairs well with: apple, banana, berries, cherry, citrus, coconut, mango, tropical fruit
Kumquat pairs well with:berries, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, persimmon, plum
Lemon pairs well with:apricot, berries, black pepper, cardamom, cherry, citrus, ginger, nectarine, peach, plum, prickly pear, tropical fruit
Lemongrass pairs well with:cherry, berries, citrus, coconut, ginger ,guava, kaffir leaf, coconut, tropical fruit, vanilla
 Lime pairs well with: apple, berries, cherry, ginger, papaya, plum, strawberry, tropical fruit
 Lychee pairs well with:citrus, ginger, gooseberry, tropical fruit, vanilla
Mandarin pairs well with: cardamom, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, fig, ginger, nutmeg, tropical fruits, vanilla, star anise
Mango pairs well with: apple, banana, berries, caramel, citrus, coconut, melon, Sauternes, tropical fruits, vanilla
Melon pairs well with: berries, champagne, citrus, lemongrass, lemon verbena
Orange pairs well with:almonds, basil, berries, brandy, cherry, chocolate, cilantro, cinnamon, coffee, cranberry, fig, ginger, grape, hazelnut, mint, nutmeg, persimmon, pineapple, vanilla
Papaya pairs well with:citrus, black pepper, lime, mango, tropical fruit
 Pear pairs well with:almond, apple, caramel, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, ginger, hazelnut, Port wine, vanilla, walnut
Persimmon pairs well with:apple, black pepper, cinnamon, citrus, kumquat, pear
Pineapple pairs well with:basil, caramel, cilantro, coconut, macadamia, rosemary, rum, tropical fruit
 Plum pairs well with:almond, cinnamon, citrus, chestnut, black pepper, hazelnut, honey, Port wine, vanilla
Pomegranate pairs well with:apple, citrus, cucumber, mint, tropical fruit
Prickly Pear pairs well with:citrus, lime, tomatillo, tropical fruit
Raspberry pairs well with:apricot, cinnamon, citrus, ginger, lemon, nectarine, other berries, peach, plum, rhubarb, thyme, vanilla
Rhubarb pairs well with:apple, apricot, berries, black pepper, citrus, ginger, nectarine, peach, plum, strawberry
Strawberry pairs well with: apple, black pepper, chocolate, citrus, coriander, mint, rhubarb, vanilla
Tomatillo pairs well with:berries, citrus, mango, prickly pear, tropical fruit 
Walnut pairs well with:apple, apricot, banana, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, rum


Phew! I hope you enjoyed that extensive list! It sure does come in handy for those days when you just feel like trying something you have never done before...or even to spruce up an old fav. =) Whatever your need I am sure this list can help fill in some gaps. Well thank you for reading..I will be off on the beach in Camuy , PR[in my head] and daydreaming about fresh coconut water! Stay hungry my friends! =)