Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart

Bon Anniversaire
Last Sunday my mother turned 70. (She’s going to love that I published that.) Since this is one of those big birthdays we, of course, had to do something big to mark the occasion. So, as per usual in my family, we ate. We ate very well. And we drank. We drank very very well. (The French do know their way around fermented grape juice.)

Since I was hosting the soiree, I decided that it would be fun to do a “70 in Paris” theme so we had the Eiffel Tower centerpiece on the dining table and everything we ate and drank was French. We even tried to speak in French but, well, at least we tried…

There were a number of tasty items on the menu including gougeres (cheese puffs), a wonderful country pate (my son took it in his lunch as a sandwich the next day…um, okay?), a bacon, egg and asparagus salad (perfect for this time of year) and a few other bacon and butter laden offerings to round things out. Vive La France!

While it was all super tasty (yay me!) I think by far everyone’s favorite dish was the Crispy, Crackly Apple Almond Tart. I noticed more than one person sneaking back for a second slice, and not all of the thieves were under five feet tall.

I first made this was for our cookbook club last month. It was a big hit. It’s a little tricky if you aren’t accustomed to using filo dough, but I have to say that it was easier this time around. So easy in fact, that my 8 year-old daughter buttered and sugared all of the layers on her own. It’s spreading the almond cream that takes patience so that you don’t rip the filo.

Add a little scoop of ice cream (I recommend Talenti Salted Caramel gelato—it will make your mouth happy), and you have a simple, but oh-so-good, and definitely oh-so-French, dessert.

This Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart can be served warm or at room temperature. I like to serve it a room temperature so that I can make it ahead of time. It would be a perfect addition to any Spring brunch buffet table. And, it makes for a wonderful breakfast when paired with a cafe au lait…

Crispy, Crackly Apple-Almond Tart
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
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Roasted Fresh Ham with Citrus and Rye

Meat The Challenge

As with most families during the holidays, mine likes to split duty for the numerous meals that happen in the 48 hours between midnight December 24 and midnight (or sometimes later) December 25. I am responsible for Christmas Eve Dinner.

I see Christmas Eve Dinner as a yearly challenge to see what off the wall, out of the box, totally different thing I can make for a party of 15. I think it’s fun. My Meat Department doesn’t always see the humor in making them hunt for the obscure at a time when they are so busy they just want to sit in the corner and drool.

All year long I throw little challenges their way just to see if they can pull it off. But I get even more creative during the holidays—just think Willy Wonka, but with meat. (You’re right. Bad visual!)

Last year I ordered a slab of pork belly, complete with the skin, to make a Porchetta. For obvious reasons, this is not something we normally carry. (I am that 1 in 1000 who thinks this would be super cool to make myself.) My guys in the Meat Department ordered it for me and it was awesome. The good news is that I’m not special. My guys will special order for all y’all…even whole pigs. We’ve sold a few of those recently.

Other wacky meals included whole sides of salmon (not much of a challenge), Ducks, Geese (for Christmas Dinner), and a fresh Ham (otherwise known as a Leg of Pork). This year I tried for venison, but it turned out to be a little too difficult and cost prohibitive. We are talking dinner for 15 and I do actually have limits to my mania, though my husband may disagree.

I am giving the guys a break this year, and going with the fresh ham again because it was really good. You have to plan ahead since its needs to cure it for 4 days. But once you have the spice mixture on the ham, you just flip it every day to make sure the flavor gets everywhere. The results are well worth the effort, and it is an impressive presentation for a buffet table. Read more…

Birthday Strawberry Pavlova

Birthday Week
This week is the busiest week of my year. On top of numerous Little League Baseball playoff games, I also have the following: Mother’s Day, the boys’ birthday on the 12th, my birthday on the 14th and finally my daughter’s birthday on the 17th. All of these things happen in a 7 day span. It’s kinda nuts.

When the boys were born ten years ago, I realized that the days of celebrating my own birthday were numbered. Two years after that, the birth of my daughter pretty much sealed the deal. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is more important for the kids to have their special day, and I try to go all out for them ’cause birthday gifts and birthday parties are two of the best things about being a kid.

I am actually okay with not having a big to-do for my birthday. Besides, I stopped counting birthdays after I reached 26. I still like to acknowledge it somehow, usually with a nice dinner or an awesome dessert.

As I celebrate turning 26 every year, I notice I tend to shy away from the usual birthday cakes. More and more I go for the lighter, fruitier types instead of the Death by Chocolate creations I used to love. For example, we all gathered at my sister’s place on Sunday to have a family party. The kids got red velvet cupcakes, and I got a fabulous white cake with a champagne strawberry filling. It was darn tasty and exactly what I wanted.

Speaking of what I wanted, my sister gave me a copy of the cookbook The Canal House Cooks Everyday, which I have been wanting for some time. It includes the recipe below—perfect for celebrating the big 2-6 next year!

P.S. Check out the Canal House Blog and especially sign up for The Canal House Cooks Lunch. Both are food porn at its finest. Read more…

Lemon Tart with Walnut Crust

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy
This past winter, I thought for sure I would lose all my citrus trees during that long stretch of sub-freezing temperatures. There was a lot of frost damage, and I had to cut them way back. But if you walk into my back yard right now you would never know it.

The trees are in bloom, and the scent is phenomenal. When combined with the fragrance from my honeysuckle it almost smells like Hawaii, without the beach, or the guy with a Mai Tai.

As wonderful as all this is, unfortunately I will have to wait months for the fruit. And I’ve got a wicked craving for all things lemon: lemonade, lemon sauce, lemon cake, preserved lemons…well you get the idea.

To tide me over until harvest, I picked up some beautiful Meyer lemons downstairs in the store, and made a tart from a recipe from the August/September 1997 issue of Fine Cooking magazine—which I bought years ago. It is easy, and so tasty, and a great way to end a Spring meal. Read more…