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May Monthly Miettes

Buttermilk panna cotta

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

“It was the end of May before the Silacci boys brought the news that the salmon-pink blossoms of the azaleas were breaking free. It was on a Wednesday, as the nine o’clock bell was ringing, that they told him.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

It is in the month of May that we finally know spring in the Salinas Valley. The local lettuce harvest is in full swing. Produce trucks filled with lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, artichokes, celery and more clog the highways and roads on the way to the local cooling and shipping facilities. The Valley is bustling with planting, growing, harvesting and shipping. A most perfect time for seasonal fruit and an indulgent Panna Cotta. READ MORE . . .

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Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberries and rhubarb

An early spring dessert

“On a spring morning when with late-surviving dew the young grass bristled under the sun, when the warmth crept into the ground and pushed yellow dandelions up, Cathy’s mother finished hanging the washed clothes on the line.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

A crisp is a fine dessert. It could also be called a crumble. It is an enticing excuse to enjoy seasonal fruit and easy to prepare. Any seasonal fruit can be substituted in this recipe, peaches, plums, apricots, berries and in the fall apples. Rhubarb and the first strawberries are both in season now and perfect for this satisfying sweet taste of spring. READ MORE . . .

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Blackberry Mandarin Cupcakes

Blackberry mandarin cupcakes with violas

Spring!

“On the wide level acres of the valley the topsoil lay deep and fertile. It required only a rich winter of rain to make it break forth in grass and flowers. The spring flowers in a wet year were unbelievable. The whole valley floor, and the foothills too, would be carpeted with lupins and poppies.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I was so excited to see pansies and violas in every market and store; spring had arrived! It also meant decorating with edible flowers. I had been planning to make cupcakes in baby flowerpots, decorated with pansies for months. Violet Blackberry Curd is a creamy surprise filling inside the citrus vanilla cupcake. The velvety cream cheese frosting is a perfect canvas for spring violas. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. READ MORE . . .

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April Monthly Miettes

Lemon Tarts

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 . . .

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Dutch Oven Bread

Sliced Dutch Oven bread

Artisan bread in minutes

“The oakwood fire roared up past an open damper to heat the oven for the bread, which lay white and rising in the pans.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I am taking classes in Baking and Pastry Arts at Monterey Peninsula College. It is so exciting to spend time learning more about baking in a classroom setting. I am ecstatic! Baking is our homework; can’t get any better than that! One of the first recipes we made in the yeasted bread class was Dutch Oven Bread. Our instructor, Chef Andre Adams, said his wife had gotten the recipe from a friend. Searching the web for the attribution for the recipe I can see I have most definitely missed out! This recipe has been circulating in the blogosphere for years, but I had not seen it. If you haven’t heard of this bread making technique, I highly recommend it. Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery was giving bread baking classes in New York City in 2006. Mark Bittman wrote an article for the New York Times about his method of easily making artisan bread using a Dutch oven to maintain heat and humidity in the home oven, mimicking a commercial bread oven. This recipe is the easiest bread recipe I have used. The resulting bread is nothing short of amazing—rustic with great taste and a lovely deep brown crust! Jim Lahey has a new book, My Pizza: The Easy No-Knead Way to Make Spectacular Pizza at Home, available March 20. Spectacular, yes, I’m sure! READ MORE . . .