Posted on

Apple Pie Bread

ApplePieBread

IFBC 2017 with a Big Fat Slice of Autumn

I asked what you wanted, and you said, A box. What for? To put things in. What things? Whatever you have, you said. Well, here’s your box. Nearly everything I have is in it, and it is not full. Pain and excitement are in it, and feeling good or bad and evil thoughts and good thoughts —the pleasure of design and some despair and the indescribable joy of creation.

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Somewhere between SEO and avocados I lost my patience. My pen dug deeper into the paper while my heart shattered into a heap of brightly colored sprinkles. Other than the opening remarks at the International Food Bloggers Conference by Nick Papadopoulos of CropMobster, it was all about me, me, me. I found myself wedged between blogging as a business and searching for a way to nurture my creative spirit. We learned the importance of more unique sessions, better SEO, having more followers, all about making money blogging. And yes, I know we need money to live in this time and place. And yes, we all would love to have wildly popular blogs that bring in six figures from advertising. I wanted more. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Pear Walnut Muffins

Pear Walnut Muffins

It’s Still Summer

“The floor of the Salinas Valley, between the ranges and below the foothills, is level because this valley used to be the bottom of a hundred-mile inlet from the sea. The river mouth at Moss landing was centuries ago the entrance to the long inland water.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The fabulous pears are from Gerlinde’s birthday party, a gift from Judy and Mark. Gerlinde gathered her friends together to celebrate a momentous date, a marker of time past and times to come. Nostalgia, a longing for the past came rushing and blowing. Straightforward, direct, reminiscent of the afternoon wind in the Salinas Valley. The only escape was to go inside, the place where introverts hide. It was a sensory thing, the winding county road, the sweetness of a summer forest in bloom, the gathering of Gerlinde’s long time friends. It arrived, settled in and took me back, I felt summer. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Plum Almond Cake

Plum Almond Cake

Simple, Seasonal, Scrumptious

“There were three kinds, yellow, red, and green. Oh, yes, I remember.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Not all summer fruit has the best flavor. The most beautiful peaches can be dull and mushy. I’ve had cherries that didn’t taste like much of anything at all. Plums and pluots can taste like they don’t understand that without the tang they aren’t worth the bother. Such a disappointment. The first time I made the Plum Almond Cake I had stellar plums. The plum tang was nuanced and came in a cascading rainbow of bright, bold flavors. The second time I made the recipe the plums were lackluster, boring. I’d let them get a little soft, hoping for a sweet ending since I couldn’t find that pop of flavor I crave. What a surprise, both times the cake was excellent. Baking the plums in the Plum Almond Cake changed everything. As the cake bakes the plums sink into the batter, melting into sweet, jammy pockets of summer delight. A hint of almond and lemon intrigue lingers, making for nuanced layers of taste and textures. This is definitely the cake to make with any kind of plums and pluots, yellow, red or green all will be simple, seasonal and scrumptious. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Raspberry Brownies

Raspberry Brownies

More than just Brownies

I remember the five-fingered ferns growing under the waterfalls, bobbing their green fingers as the droplets struck them. And I remember the smells of the hills, wild azalea and a very distant skunk and the sweet cloy of lupin and horse sweat on harness.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Brownies, why yes! Summer raspberries, of course! Yes to summer bliss in every bite. With such an unassuming recipe title it might be easy to ignore this compelling summer treat. This is a brownie with just enough chocolate to share the stage with in-season raspberries. A bittersweet chocolate glaze drizzled over the brownie takes these brownies from snack worthy to dessert. This is such an easy recipe to make, well worth the results. Just fantastic with summer berries. We went berry picking at Live Earth Farm, coming home with red and golden raspberries, a flat of blackberries too. I took a few photos for Instagram, made lots of jam and these brownies. Walking around the house barefoot is a favorite part of my summer, but intensely flavored summer berries might be even better.

Essentials

I thought the recipe was light on the chocolate, but this is not a dusky, dark chocolate brownie. This brownie is perfectly matched to complement sweet, summer raspberries. A drizzle of bittersweet chocolate adds the pop of flavor I crave in my favorite recipes. READ MORE . . .

Posted on

Lemon Lavender Pound Cake

Lemon Lavender Cake

Baking with Lavender

“Samual went on, After we’ve visited Olive for maybe a month or two, there will come a letter from George. And his feelings will be hurt if we don’t visit him in Paso Robles. And after that Mollie will want us in San Francisco, and then Will, and maybe even Joe in the East, if we should live so long. ”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The Lemon Lavender Pound Cake is laced with floral notes from the dried, culinary lavender. There is just a hint of lavender which is nicely balanced with lemon and vanilla. It’s a wonderful snacking cake, every bite brings summer thoughts of lavender fields in full bloom. Making lemon-lavender sugar is how the recipe for Lemon Lavender Pound Cake from Bon Appetit begins. As the food processor whirls and chops a sensory experience unfolds. The explosion of aromas is divine. The combination of lemon, lavender, vanilla and sugar bring thoughts of boutique candles and fancy bath scrubs. My kitchen smelled like an upscale vacation spa. I couldn’t wait to bake with the sugar. READ MORE . . .