Scottish Fruit Slice

Slice of Home
I love to travel. But, I haven’t done much of it recently because, well, life. Sure, we’ve done the requisite Hawaii and Mexico trips as well as some fantastic national parks. But, we haven’t done what I consider real traveling. To me, real traveling is when you find yourself in a new country where you can soak up all of the culture and get to know the people. And the food.

I mean, it’s always about the food, right?

Fifteen years ago, I went to Scotland. It was magical. If you have done any traveling and have had the happy experience of feeling like you have come home that is what being in Scotland was like for me. While I have some Scottish blood in my veins, it is a very small part of my heritage. Although I do have quite a bit of Viking blood which kind of works historically.

I spent a little less than two weeks exploring Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, the highlands, and the islands—eating and drinking my way through some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. The best salmon I have ever tasted was served in a tiny place on the river Spey. The salmon melted in your mouth. Literally melted. I haven’t been able to recreate it, but I do dream about it…often.

Another tasty bite that I have been trying to recreate is a pastry that I purchased from a bakery on the square in the town of Portree on the island of Skye. The Scottish Fruit Slice is essentially two layers of shortbread with a spiced fruit filling in the middle. I have spent the past 15 years trying to find a recipe for it.

Part of the challenge in finding the right recipe was that not only is this treat known by a multitude of names, there are also widely varying versions based on where it is made. What I know as a fruit slice is also known as Fly Cemetery or Fly Cake names which, frankly, diminish the cravability. Also, what I enjoyed on my trip is, no surprise, the Scottish version. Other versions, i.e., the English version, use puff pastry instead of shortbread for the layers.

I like the sturdiness of the shortbread which makes it much easier to eat cookie-style alongside a whisky-spiked cup of tea. The shortbread also holds up better in my Christmas cookie box which this year, I am excited to say, will have some fruit slices in them because I finally found the right recipe!

Scottish Fruit Slice Recipe
Yields 12 servings

This easy Scottish Fruit Slice recipe of shortcrust pastry filled with juicy currants is one to add to your repertoire. It’s quick and simple to make and works well for holiday cookie trays, bake sales, and afternoon tea. Feel free to add a splash of Scottish whisky for an extra flavor. Read more…

Mushroom Walnut and Pomegranate Spread with Serrano Chili

Turkey Day Tid Bits
There are a lot of good things about Thanksgiving. But, one of the best, in my opinion, is that the menu is basically set. Sure, you could change things up a bit and do a different side, but you pretty much know what you are going to get. Turkey. Mashed Potatoes. Stuffing. Gravy. Cranberry Sauce. Maybe yams.

The hardest thing about Thanksgiving—again according to me—is figuring out an appetizer for the folks who linger while waiting for the main event.

Not going to lie, I usually go the easy route and grab some dips from our cheese department and put those out with some nice crackers and a veggie platter. This year I am going to put a little more effort into it. At least that is what I am saying now when we are a week out. Talk to me next Thursday…

Our Mushroom Walnut and Pomegranate Spread recipe is the hors d’oeuvre of choice for this Thanksgiving. I am choosing to serve this with crostini rather than pita slices ’cause I prefer the crunch.

Mushroom Walnut and Pomegranate Spread with Serrano Chili Recipe
Yields 4 Servings
Adapted from Shroom by Becky Selengut Read more…

Weeknight Focaccia

Stippling the dough for our Weeknight Focaccia recipe

A few weeks ago, I made focaccia for dinner on a Tuesday night. Normally, this would be impossible due to time constraints. But I found a Weeknight Focaccia recipe in my cookbook, Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between. This makes it not only possible but pretty easy. It does however require some planning.

Fresh focaccia is one of those things that I just can’t stop eating. And, when I found myself with way too many tomatoes, I figured this would be a good way to use them. I sliced them thin and, after brushing the focaccia with olive oil, I layered them on top with a sprinkle of fresh Italian herbs and some salt before baking. The results made for an amazing mid-week dinner that I paired with a giant salad.

I started the dough on Sunday evening and left it in my fridge until I was ready to use it Tuesday night. You could easily use the dough the next day but the longer stay in the fridge gives the dough a little more time to ferment which gives it more flavor. 48 hours is the max though.

For those who are not tomato fans, you could leave the focaccia plain and sprinkle it with flaky sea salt for crunch, or, my personal favorite, thinly slice some fresh leeks and toss them in a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper then layer them on top before baking. The smell of your kitchen alone would be worth it.

Weeknight Focaccia Recipe
Adapted from Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between.
Yields one 13″ x 18″ sheet pan

This easy-to-prepare bread is chewy, a bit crispy, and wonderfully fluffy. It is great for splitting to make sandwiches and heavenly with a salad and a bowl of soup.

The Weeknight Focaccia dough mixes up fast. And, you can form it in a variety of shapes and sizes. Here we have chosen to use a sheet pan. And, note that the bread needs to rise in the fridge anywhere from overnight to 48 hours—you choose. The longer it rises the more flavorful the loaf. Read more…

Jalapeño Cheddar Scones

Hot Ones
The growing season in California this year has been bizarre, to say the least. It is the first week of October and my tomato plant is finally producing tomatoes at a rate that would normally happen in early August. On top of that, I have two chili plants that are producing Fresno and Jalapeño chilies that are nuclear hot.

I love jalapeños because they are relatively mild but still give you that spicy chili punch of flavor. The chilies that I am pulling off of my plant are volcanic. A few weeks ago, I decided to pickle some of them because we are a family that likes nachos and nachos are better with some pickled jalapeños. I will generally open the windows in my kitchen when I do this because the gases from the chilies can make your eyes water.

These chilies? We ended up opening every door and window in the house. It permeated every corner. It was like someone had emptied a can of pepper spray in the living room. The good news is that pickled jalapeños generally mellow once you process them and let them sit a bit…or so I thought.

Last week my husband was working from home and decided to use the canned chilies in a quesadilla. According to him, he didn’t use that many chilies. But, his idea of not a lot is other people’s pile it on. His text said that his entire mouth was numb. That lasted for an hour. And yet, a few days later, he went back for more. Feel the burn, indeed.

Since it’s been on the cooler side lately, I made a batch of chili to have on hand for the nights that I just can’t. I’m one of those people who can’t eat chili without some cornbread or something carb-y to go with it. I’m going to take a chance that baking with my chilies will result in good flavor and not harm my family. And, these Jalapeño Cheddar Scones are a perfect accompaniment to a hearty bowl of chili….

Jalapeño Cheddar Scones Recipe
Adapted from Bake It with Love
Yields 8 to 12 scones

These Jalapeno Cheddar Scones are big on flavor and loaded with cheddar and jalapeños. They are great at dinnertime—especially alongside a bowl of chili. Read more…