SHF #31: The roundup

Whew. When I was first approached by Jennifer to host this month’s Sugar High Friday, I approached it with nervous optimism. Everyone’s had that feeling, that illogical fear of “what would happen if I threw a party, and nobody came?”

Thank goodness for food bloggers. I did not expect, and could not have hoped for, a more enthusiastic and supportive group of contributors to this month’s event. From the dramatic to the sublime, these desserts celebrating the shades of white run the spectrum. 45 entries from around the world, are all delicious variations on the theme. What a party!

Again, my gratitude to those who participated, and those of you who have come by to see the results of our little event. Cheers to Jennifer, once again of the Domestic Goddess, who will be the host of next month’s SHF installment. It will be a confectionery celebration of Canada’s 140th birthday on July 1st - look out for the announcement and details on her site.

And with that, on to the desserts; click the photos to link to the author's site ...

SHF #31: Neutral territory

Ahh, the changing personality of white.

The milkiest tones are soothing and fresh, while the chalkiest are stark and dramatic. The slightest shades of suggested colour bring moodiness and depth. It can be the quality of light on a blisteringly hot summer’s day, or the muffled whiteness of a snow-covered landscape. Almond, cream, malt, vanilla, buttercream; all not only evocative colours, but flavours as well.

With this tempting palette in mind, I am happy to announce Shades of White as the theme for this month’s Sugar High Friday, the dessert-based food blogging event created by Jennifer of Domestic Goddess fame.

Participation is simple; make a dessert featuring your chosen hue of white. Anything from the palest of champagne ices to frothy zabaglione to the barest tan of hazelnut cookies. Or let the character of form inspire; are you drawn to the simple elegance of blancmange, or the childhood taste of marshmallow, or the towering excess of a meringue crowned pie? The possibilities are endless.

Then, let us know about your culinary artistry, maybe explaining why you chose this dessert or what you liked about its particular shade. I will post a roundup here, so we can compare notes.

Here’s how it goes.

1. Sugar High Friday #31 roundup will be posted on Friday, May 25, 2007.

2. Please post your recipe on your site on Monday, May 21st, then email me by Noon EST Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Be sure to include your name, your blog name, your location, the recipe name and a permalink URL to the story. If possible, please provide a 100 x 100 pixel photo of your masterpiece, so I can include it in the gallery for the roundup. For ease of organization, please label the image file the same as the name of the dessert.

3. If you do not have a blog, please feel free to post your thoughts, ideas or feedback in the comments section of the Sugar High Friday posts. If you have a longer comment, you can also email me, and I will include your entry in the roundup.

One last thing, a plea - this is my first time hosting a food-blogging event. So be nice to the newbie! I hope you find the theme inspiring; I invite everyone to join.