Plant Potential: Isabella Capece - Lemon
LEMON
In this series, we spotlight the boundless potential of a single ingredient.
Paris-based communication and image consultant for luxury and lifestyle brands and co-founder of vegan coffee shop Maisie Café, Isabella Capece crafted a citrus cheesecake infused with lemon peel. Lemon rind contains loads of calcium, antioxidants, and is high in potassium. It’s also great for the immune system and digestive system.
Chef: Isabella Capece
Instagram: @maisiecafe
3 go-to ingredients that double as immunity: Any citrus fruit, turmeric, and greens of any kind, organic or sourced locally.
Must-have ingredient that delivers an energy boost: Love.
Ultimate comfort food: Pasta della mamma.
Favorite healing ingredient: Hot water with ginger and lemon.
Beauty mantra: Let’s sleep on it. Tomorrow is another day.
CHEESECAKE DU DINGUE AU CITRON
My ingredient of choice is the zest of citrus fruits. Lemons and oranges are my favorite. This recipe is taken from the Maisie Café recipe ebook. It’s a vegan cheesecake with lemon inside for flavor and a lot of zest on top to give it that additional citrus piquant that I love so much. When I was a child, my mother used to make us a “canarino” a hot beverage made up of warm water and lemon peel. I serve that memory with a twist. I peel my citrus and let it dry for a few days. It makes my kitchen smell heavenly. Then I use it to make the best herbal tea, adding lemons, mandarins, and oranges.
Serves 10 people
In a food processor, mix the date paste and add the dry unsalted cashews and walnut kernels until a coarse mixture is obtained. Spread it out on a metal cooking ring about 20 cm in diameter. Make sure it sticks to the bottom. Throw in all the ingredients for the dough and blend in the food processor until you get a smooth paste. Pour the contents in the metal ring to the brim and smooth with a knife blade. Leave to cool in the fridge for 3 hours and unmold and garnish with 1/2 lemon or lime zest.
