Mango & Strawberry Layered Lassi

UberEats is taking all of my money. Ok sure, it's not like they're holding a gun to my head, telling me "you must order takeout," but each time I open my phone and see their little UberEats icon, the temptation is real, and it is strong! As you'll know from all of my recent blog and social media posts, Toronto has been experiencing one hell of a heatwave these past few weeks, making it all the easier to forgo cooking for the convenience of takeout. Though I sure love me some delicious takeout, it can get real expensive, real fast, leading me to try and get clever with reducing my takeout bill as much as possible. 

One of the regions of cuisine that my boyfriend Chris and I like to order delivery from is Indian, simply because it's a type of cuisine we didn't really grow up with, and aren't as familiar with cooking. Ordering a couple orders of roti is fairly inexpensive, but it's easy for our bill to climb once we start adding appetizers and drinks. For any other type of delivery/takeout I never bother to order a drink (I have cheap drinks at home, after-all!), but a burn-your-face-off spicy roti simply demands one! 

Forget cans of pop, ice tea, and juice; The only drink that can cool the intense heat from a fiery roti is a cool and creamy mango lassi. If you're unfamiliar with lassi's (we're not talking collie's here!), they are an Indian yogourt-based drink that is designed to cool the body down, whether from the heat of the weather or from the spices from your meal. The relief from a lassi strikes immediately, as it coats the tongue with its creamy and rich texture. While sure, it's easier to order a lassi from the restaurant that I'm getting my takeout from, it also comes with a cost. Bills add up fast, and with a drink as simple as this to prepare, I really have no excuse not to think a little bit ahead, and make my own homemade lassi in advance to have once my delivery arrives. 

Another advantage to making your own lassis at home is having the freedom of playing around with different flavour combinations. Though a mango flavoured lassi is more traditional (yet a true, authentic lassi is actually savoury), there are so many different fruits that would lend themselves perfectly blended into a lassi. With Ontario strawberries still in season for a little longer, they were on the top of my list to try making into a lassi. I love the combination of the sweet mango lassi layered with the slightly tangy strawberry lassi, delivering that refreshing hit of relief that my tastebuds were begging for. This layered lassi was not only delicious and cooling, it was also awfully pretty, with the vibrant yellow from the mangoes contrasted by the blushing pink from the strawberries. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try this weekend, whether paired with Indian food or not, to leave you feeling cool as a cucumber...er...or lassi! 

*Note: When making the lassi in advance, simply omit the ice and set aside each flavour on its own in the fridge. When ready to serve, blend in the ice and layer away! 

Ingredients:

1 cup Astro Original Balkan Style Plain Yogourt 6%

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and puréed

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 tsp liquid honey

ice

Directions:

1. In a powerful blender or food processor add mango purée, 1/2-cup yogourt, and 1-tsp honey. Add a large handful of ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a container and set aside in fridge. Rise blender/processor.
2. Add strawberries to the cleaned blender. Add 1/2-cup yogourt and 2-tsp honey. Add a large handful of ice and blend until smooth.
3. Fill four small serving glasses halfway with the mango lassi. Carefully spoon in strawberry lassi so it sits atop the mango lassi. Serve immediately. 

Listening To:

Flume - Never Be Like You ft. Kai

A Fresh Experience With FRESH Wines

I am a total sucker for beautiful design. This should come as no surprise considering my emphasis on aesthetics in my food photos, as well as my extensive and, what some may consider obsessive, pinning on Pinterest. I believe that good design can be an effective tool in helping brands deliver their message and tell their story, which was why I was so intrigued to attend A Fresh Experience, an event celebrating the launch of the FRESH Wines rebrand put together by my friends at the iYellow Wine Club. The event, which was held at CB2 on Queen West, showcased five new FRESH VQA wines, with each wine reflected in a corresponding food pairing installation. The installations, which were designed and executed by event and design agency Love By Lynzie, were thoughtfully created to reflect each of the wines with which they were paired. 

I was happy to have my friend Alex Orlando by my side to stroll through each of the installations with me and take in all of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the night. As we entered the buzzing CB2 space, we were immediately greeted by the smiling iYellow team and were handed a glass of FRESH Wines Sparkling Rosé, with notes of raspberry, cherry, apple, and pink grapefruit. What may have been the most striking of all the installations, the food pairing for the Sparkling Rosé featured a backdrop of vibrantly-coloured balloons, to reflect the bubbles in the sparkling wine, as well as freshly-spun cotton candy "clouds," and big, fluffy peonies. 

My favourite wine of the evening, the Sparkling Riesling, came next as we made our way to the white peg board, studded with citrus slices and paper bags of citrus and Granny Smith-flavoured candy corn. The peg board was created to allow the fragrance of the citrus to waft through the area, reflecting the notes of tangerine, green apple, mineral citrus, and lemon-lime zest that the Sparkling Riesling featured.

Before making our way up the grand staircase to the second level of the space, we took in the stunning fruit salad station, which illustrated the tasting notes of fruit salad, citrus, peach, floral, and pear in the FRESH Moscato that was being poured. Though I'm not normally a fan of moscato, finding it a little too sweet for my palate, I actually really enjoyed this one as it was more on the off-dry side. 

The feminine and vibrant theme from the first level of the food installations took on a more seductive and romantic vibe with the final two wines of the event. The FRESH Satin Red (with notes of red berries, mild oak, and light pepper) installation emulated the tone of evening passion, with a dramatic bed dressed in sequinned black sheets, and dangling, lip-stained wine glasses.

The final installation for the FRESH Crisp White, showcased the lively "adventure" quality that the wine embodied, with mouth-watering cheese boards resting atop vintage suitcases. The Crisp White exhibited bright notes of honeysuckle, green apple, and pear.

Both Alex and I had a great time at the event, and felt so inspired by all of the installations. You'll be glad to know that FRESH Wines is available at the LCBO, with each bottle sold at a very approachable price, particularly for VQA wines! I hope to grab a bottle of that delicious Sparkling Riesling to ring in this long weekend! Cheers to Ontario VQA wine!

To learn more about FRESH Wines and to check out each of the gorgeous new labels, be sure to visit the FRESH Wines website! 

Listening To:
Mike Will Made It - Nothing Is Promised (ft. Rihanna)