As recently as a few years ago, passion fruit was a novelty ingredient being menued largely by fine-dining chefs with a particular passion for the tart tropical fruit. Now, to the delight of diners, chefs in various segments of the are putting passion fruit in desserts as a way to add complexity to familiar items or to create treats with uncommon flavor combinations. [more...]

Desserts Take An Earthy Tone at StarChefs ICC

Yes, earthy desserts are everywhere, trumping last year’s nod toward nostalgia. Or rather, herbs, vegetables, and flowers hit our sweet spot in entirely novel ways. Pastry Chef Juliann Stoddart of Parkside Projects in Austin, TX nods to peppercorn infusion, sharing, “I love to put little hints of spice in unexpected ways,”