Chocolate Plum & Hazelnut Shortbread BRIEF: “A balancing act between subtly-sweet coconut cream and boldly-tart plums. Flakey hazelnut shortbread is peppered with dark chocolate chips for a bit of added bitterness, perfectly complementing the plum’s juicy acidity. We sprinkle crumbles of this delectable shortbread into the coconut cream, swirling with gobs of plum marmalade for a sweet, bright, tangy wonder.” SOOT’S TAKE: Very unique and vegan no less! The seemingly disparate flavors seem to work together. Strawberry Honey Balsamic w/ Black Pepper BRIEF: “A strawberry triple threat. We steal a trick from the Italians, using balsamic and citrusy cubeb black pepper to help coax out the fruit's acidity and brightness. We experimented with several ways to keep rich dairy from obscuring the bright quality of fresh strawberries. Our favorite was to reclaim their acidity with a splash of honey balsamic, then blend in earthy, spicy cubeb pepper to play off the fruitiness. We also weave in generous swaths of strawberry jam, which stays supple when frozen and accosts your senses immediately with that concentrated fruit flavor.” SOOT’S TAKE: Looks almost like the scoop of Chocolate Plum & Hazelnut Shortbread. I can taste the black pepper and a hint of balsamic but the strawberry jam is a bit much for me. I would’ve wanted to taste more of the juicy tartness of strawberries.