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Tangy Lemon and Pomegranate Tart

y Lemon Tart with Pomegranate

No Excuses

“After Will had gone Lee brought out one-third of a lemon pie and cut it in two.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I make no excuse for my love of lemon desserts. They are my obsession. Bright tangy lemon is the perfect match for the commanding sweetness of white sugar. Cradle these opposing forces in a rich buttery dough and this is my favorite dessert. Add a dimension of intrigue with a different tangy, some crunchy and the sparkling ruby color of pomegranate and then we have a dessert that is phenomenal. If lemon is a temptation, toss the excuses and make this tart. READ MORE . . .

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Rose Hip and Orange Marmalade

Rose Hip and Orange Marmalade

A Winter Adventure

“He walked by the sad little garden and all around the house—not a new house any more. Even the last added lean-to bedrooms were old and weathered and the putty around the windowpanes had shrunk away from the glass.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

It took me several weeks to gather up my urban foraging courage. On my morning walk I pass a house that is empty with a forlorn “for sale” sign that dominates the front yard. A gigantic rose bush hadn’t been trimmed and was filled with bright red rose hips. I took a pair of clippers and a bag on my walk and set about stripping the bush of all the rose hips. While I was clipping, the neighbors drove into the driveway next door and gave me a puzzled look. Thank goodness they didn’t speak to me. I was on the verge of being the crazy lady who lives in the neighborhood. I was waiting for “Um, hi there, what are you doing in my neighbor’s yard?” “Oh, I, ah, live down the street and am gathering rose hips for making jam.” I gathered up my treasure and wondered if I had enough rose hips to make jam. I had no idea what rose hips tasted like or that they take time and patience to clean and cook. This is my kind of winter adventure. READ MORE . . .

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Lemon Cherry Bread

Lemon Cherry Bread

Kneading Conference West

“You couldn’t buy flour, white flour, any more without taking four times the quantity of brown flour. Those who could afford it ate bread and biscuits with white flour and made mash for the chickens with the brown.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Bakers of bread, owners of bakeries, farmers of grain and millers of flour gathered in Burlington, Washington at the WSU-Mount Vernon Research Center in September to share all things that make a better bread. Kneading Conference West was a dough filled weekend stuffed with learning and floury experiences in whole grain breads. Workshops, panels and presentations, field trips, networking and bread fresh from the oven are few of the highlights of the conference. Wood-fired bagels for breakfast, challah warm from the oven, tangy sourdough fruity and sweet with raisins and apples and a thrilling heritage wheat puff pastry all were part of the experience. READ MORE . . .

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Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart

Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart

Just by Chance

“Kate, when you close, you tap on my door. I’ll have a little surprise for you. What kind of surprise? Oh, a secret surprise.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

A chance connection made at this year’s PMA Foodservice Conference with Gourmet Trading Company led to gorgeous purple, white and green asparagus arriving at my doorstep for recipe testing. I am fond of cooking with vegetables that are in season but a craving for asparagus can’t always wait! Especially when this Asparagus Goat Cheese Tart would be a stunning addition to any upcoming holiday party. Working with three colors of asparagus was such a treat. One night I made pasta with a heaping tablespoon of garlic and sausage and then the next day a lentil salad with roasted shallots and a red wine vinaigrette. But the cornmeal tart filled with creamy goat cheese and ricotta was too just special not to share. READ MORE . . .

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Cherry Hand Pies

Handpies

Organization Dilemmas

“Liza’s little round face grew redder and redder. She organized and ordered. The kitchen stove never went out.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I have always been proud of my organization skills. When my possessions and treasures have a specific place I feel better about my personal environment. This is especially true in the kitchen. I am delighted when I know what is in my pantry or freezer and where it is located. Taking inventory and locating ingredients before the next shopping trip is so much faster and less frustrating. This week I organized and then went shopping. When I came home I crammed everything in the freezer and pantry without any thought of the time I had just spent organizing. I realized this is my style of organization and a pattern of behavior that might “possibly” be frustrating for those who share the kitchen with me. I’m astonished at my habits and method of organization in the kitchen. When you return from shopping, do you have have the discipline and time to organize everything as you put it away? READ MORE . . .