pies, tarts, and pastries Archives - Page 4 of 4

2012/04/222017/12/26

April Monthly Miettes

Lemon Tarts

“All during school next day Abra felt good about going to see Lee. She met Cal in the hall between classes. Did you tell him I was coming? He’s started some kind of tarts, said Cal.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

This month’s Monthly Miette baking challenge is tarts! How to choose? The Miette Cookbook includes recipes for Chocolate Truffle, Lime Meringue, Lemon, Fresh Fruit, Banana Cream and Pecan! I narrowed down my choices to family favorites. I would make either Chocolate Truffle or Lemon. For Easter I had made a decadent and sinfully rich flourless chocolate cake. Now it was time to indulge my well-documented love of citrus. I was not disappointed; this is another irresistible recipe from the Miette cookbook. The lemon curd is intoxicating. Puddled inside the rich Pâte Sucrée crust the curd is velvety smooth, whispering luscious lemon flavor. Truly a Lemon Tart that will satisfy any serious citrus craving. READ MORE . . .

2011/11/222017/12/26

Neighborhood Trees and Pear Tarts

Ginger Pear Tarts

“At Thanksgiving he would go home, and then he would be sure. He might never come back. He remembered that Abra had once suggested that they go to live on the ranch, and that became his dream. He remembered the great oaks and the clean living air, the clean sage-laced wind from the hills and the brown oak leaves scudding. He could see Abra there, standing under a tree, waiting for him to come in from his work.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The trees in my neighborhood are magnificent Liquid Ambers. They are fully grown, standing in all their glory at sixty plus feet. They have been part of the neighborhood since it’s beginning in the late fifties, when our home was built. These trees can live for four hundred years! They are so large, the sidewalks have moved out of their way. Every fall the vibrant green leaves slowly turn golden amber and muted red. The leaves begin to drop, blanketing the neighborhood yards and streets. With the winter rains, our street gutters become clogged with leaves. The trees are so tall, leaves fall and blow into our back yard. Branches break off in the wind. One year, we arrived home from a trip to find our truck covered in a limb from cab to bumper. It was so large the city was called to cart it away. And yet, when I see the city’s Urban Forestry truck in the neighborhood I feel panic and dread. Our neighborhood would be empty without the comforting canopy of trees watching over us. Houses, cars, asphalt, cement and overhead wires would dominate our view. I listen for the trucks and pray “Please do not cut these magnificent trees down, please go away.” While making these Pear Tarts I had heard the trucks and their nasty little chipper and knew it was time to quietly say another prayer. READ MORE . . .

2011/07/152017/12/26

Olallieberry Pie

Makes one large 9 inch pie

“Liza was rolling out pie crust on the floury board. She was so expert with the rolling pin that the dough seemed alive. It flattened out and then pulled back a little from the tension in itself. Liza lifted the pale sheet of it and laid it over one of the pie tins and trimmed the edges with a knife. The prepared berries lay deep in red juice in a bowl.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Olallieberries are a cross of logan and young berries, that were developed in Oregon. They grow well in the warm outlying areas of the central coast of California. Olallieberries have a cult following. Yes, I am sure I am not exaggerating. Summer olallie mania heightens in proportion to the short growing season of June plus another week or so. Every summer, my mother would drive to Gizdich Ranch, just outside Watsonville, to purchase olallies. That day she would make olallieberry pie, the next day she would make jam. Some years, her olallie exuberance would dictate more trips for her favorite summer fruit. My mother loved jam and wanted enough to last the year; but she always ran out. She had olallie jam not only on her English muffins but on waffles, pancakes, French toast and vanilla ice cream. This is how we learned that both jam and syrup were wonderful with our pancakes, waffles and French toast. With the end of the olallieberry season fast approaching I had to have some. I wanted to make pie. READ MORE . . .

2011/07/012017/12/26

Apple Strudel

Makes 2 strudels—This is the easy version!

About

This recipe is recalled from fond childhood memories of living in Austria when I very young. The strudel is not too sweet. It’s lovely with coffee or tea. The combination of the crisp buttered crust with walnuts and bread crumbs between the thin layers of dough paired with an apple filling evokes memories of this delicate European pastry. My mother learned to make strudel while we lived in Austria, from our landlords who became lifelong family friends. I was three years old. By the time I was four, we had moved to Italy and I had 2 new brothers, twins! I can still picture my mother clearing the entire wooden table, flouring a clean tablecloth and then with buttered hands slowly stretching the dough until it hung over the sides of the table. She used her fingertips and the palms of her hands to gently transform the dough. I was not allowed to help! I was amazed! I had never seen such large piece of translucent dough. With great patience my mother worked. “Was it ready?” I would ask. “No not yet.” She would tell me. She would instruct me to watch her hands work the dough until we could clearly see the pattern of the tablecloth underneath and the dough hung over the sides of the table. Like magic, she would roll up the very long dough, now filled with apples, by lifting the floured tablecloth. I was always in awe.

“Lee brought the gray enameled coffeepot to the table and filled the cups and sat down. He warmed the palm of his hand against the rounded side of his cup.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck READ MORE . . .