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Berry Basket Cake

Berry Basket Cake

With Fallen Meringue and Lemon Curd

“Adam started. He sighed deeply. Isn’t it too simple? he asked. I’m always afraid of simple things. It isn’t simple at all, sad Lee. It’s desperately complicated. But at the end there’s light.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The first strawberries of spring have arrived. I always say I’ll wait until later in the season to buy them. They will be much sweeter then. But then I cave, and buy them anyway. I’m glad I brought home two baskets. As soon as I was home, I ate almost an entire basket standing at the sink. I was too greedy to wait. The berries were much better than I imagined. But then, my winter tastebuds are hungry for spring. READ MORE . . .

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Chamomile Cookies with Brown Butter

Chamomile Cookies with Browned Butter

Tea Cookies

“Lee set a teapot on the table and shuffled away. Samuel began to talk to push the silence away. He told how he had first come to the valley fresh from Ireland, but within a few words neither Cathy or Adam was listening to him. To prove it, he used a trick he had devised to discover whether his children were listening when they begged him to read to them and would not let him stop. He thew in two sentences of nonsense. There was no response from either Adam or Cathy. He gave up. He bolted his supper, drank his tea scalding hot, and folded his napkin. Ma’am, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll ride off home. And I thank you for your hospitality.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

If you like chamomile tea, I have a luxurious cookie for you. Little scoops of brown butter goodness blossom into sweet and toasty cookies laced with chamomile. Very much like making tea, the chamomile flowers are steeped, in browned butter not water. The nutty taste of browned butter is a marvelous foundation for the sweet and floral tasting chamomile. The thin crispy edges of these cookies are fabulous. And the soft, billowy centers are mighty fine too. Don’t bother with store bought cookies. The taste, texture and calories just aren’t worth it when homemade cookies are so easy to make. If we’re going to indulge, make it worthwhile. READ MORE . . .

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Brioche Plum Tart

Brioche Plum Tart

Crusts and Perfection

“Adam asked, How is your mother holding up? Will leaned back in his chair and an affectionate smile came on his face. She’s a remarkable woman, he said. She’s like a rock.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

My mom is now in a local rest home. The journey from her home, the hospital and now the nursing home has devoured my time and energy. A failing heart valve leaves her often breathless and afraid. She is still mentally capable of making all her own decisions. Only last year, did she consider a heart valve replacement. In her weakened state it was too late. We ask so much of our parents. When we were children our expectations were defined by love, food, haven from a stormy world and if we were lucky a visit from Santa Claus. As adults we demand even more than when we were children. We expect perfection when we know we live in an imperfect world and our parents likely did the best they could with what they had. We hold our parents to a higher standard than we have for ourselves and refuse to consider the dreams and demons that propelled them through their lives. READ MORE . . .