How would you rate a meal? Better taste? What about the nutrition? How is the balance of flavors? Those are most likely valid criteria, but what about the backstory? What about originality? When was the last time you went to a restaurant to try a new cuisine or delicacy, and then you caught a whiff of something odd yet intriguing enough that you followed the smell? You extend your hand to greet a server. You request for the menu in response to your inexplicable obsession with this cuisine that you haven't even tried yet.
When you get your hands on the menu, you tell the waiter to serve other guests in the meanwhile because you have no idea where you should look at the menu. So you look over the ingredients for each item on their menu to see if there's anything similar to the hint of flavor you detected earlier. They have exquisite ingredients such as garlic, thyme, and several types of cheese. All of them are appealing to you, but none of them comes close to satisfying your illogical yearning. In exasperation, you request for the server's assistance in your search once more, and he rushes over to you; he is happy that you finally made up your mind.
So you try to describe to him what happened a while ago, "Would you please help me? I was just looking for lunch. I have been going from one restaurant to another to find decent food. Once I entered your establishment, something caught my senses. It smelt more like the finest almonds, toasted just enough to bring out their richness. That's what I'm after. Can you assist me? "The server simply smiles and responds, "So that's for one Rosemary Focaccia, do you want anything with that?" "No, just that." Then 20 minutes later, your eyes begin to wander in search of the same smell you had earlier. There it is - the Rosemary Focaccia, coming to you. As he gently places the pastry in front of you, you enjoy the euphoria of satisfying your desire. There is a combination of seasonings distributed generously on top of it. You cut the bread and simply let it stay in your mouth as you appreciate all of the flavors you're tasting - examining each one like a food critic. Then you take another mouthful, and another, until the pleasure you're feeling slowly changes to bitterness over your food's gradual departure. Then a server approaches you to check on your satisfaction, asking, "Are you enjoying the food?" "Oh, thank you very much!" you exclaim. "Did we mention it's also low carb, gluten-free, and keto?" he says proudly. "Wow, really? How?" you exclaim, stunned. "That's a secret even we don't know about; all we know is that it's a best-seller, particularly among our diabetic customers and those who strictly control their food intake."
Don't worry, I'm not so cruel to leave you hanging like that. Fortunately, I know the person responsible for this wonderful pastry, and I was able to learn from him how he discovered it during one of his own experiments. When preparing low carb breads, the texture of almond flour is not as fluffy as that of wheat flour. Furthermore, even with the addition of baking powder, it does not expand as much. If you're thinking yeast for fermentation, then you're mistaken because yeast lives on sugar and Vilma Low Carb Breadery doesn't add even a grain of sugar in their offers. So, if you've tasted low carb bread, you'll notice that the texture isn't the same as your typical loaf bread. My friend, who works at Vilma Low Carb Breadery, has devised a solution.
He used the natural absorbent quality of keto-friendly flour (i.e. coconut flour, and almond flour) to his advantage in crafting the ultimate low carb bread, even blending better with the tastes than regular flour. Then he sliced the bread thinly, making holes as is customary with Rosemary Focaccia. He let the bread absorb the rich savory flavor of olive oil and Rosemary leaves by maintaining the bread's thin crust to not more than an inch. The bread was so flavorful that when I went into Vilma's Low Carb Breadery's pastry store, I literally caught a whiff of what they were cooking from the secret area of the store where the magic is being made.
I'm not sure if that would be the best food you've ever eaten. If I didn't do it justice, perhaps you can share it better with others. Share your Rosemary Focaccia story with others, and share one with your family. "There are numerous ways to a happy existence," Vilma's says, "but each has to have amazing moments and fantastic food." I'm sure you don't run out of moments to treasure, but as for the food, leave it to Vilma and start living the life you truly desire.
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