Peach Cobbler

Baby, it’s Cold Outside

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and I gotta say, I can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that the official start to Summer and the Summer grilling season is here. Perhaps it’s because it feels more like February than May. ( Seriously? Can we shut the fan off now? Thanks.) This time last year, I was at a baseball tournament melting into the bleachers. Fast forward to the tournament this weekend and we’ll be wrapped up like we’re at an outdoor hockey game.

It goes without saying that I just can’t get excited about firing up the BBQ. I look outside and think braised short ribs not baby back ribs. I can, however, get behind dessert. Weather doesn’t matter when it comes to dessert, and if you look really close, you will notice that the peaches and nectarines are in the market. We’ve received some of the first loads of Fitzgerald Peaches in the store, which is always a happy day. I’m dying to make something with ‘em.

My plan for Memorial Day is: figure out what sort of dinner we are going to have once we know the baseball schedule, and make a peach cobbler. Whether you BBQ or not, anytime is a good time for peach cobbler…or peach crisp…or peach tart…or peach pie…you get my drift. Nothing goes better with peach cobbler than a Memorial Day BBQ except maybe some good vanilla ice cream—although you won’t hear me say no to peach cobbler for breakfast either (ice cream included).

Peach Cobbler
Adapted from King Arthur Flours.
Yields 12 servings

This version is made from fresh peaches baked with a sugared biscuit topping. Tapioca flour or Instant ClearJel are both good choices for thickening. Either, unlike flour or cornstarch, keeps the fruit’s juice clear and its flavor true. The resulting color (and flavor) is spectacular. Read more…

Roasted Rhubarb

‘Barb Habit
As a family, we’ve got it bad for rhubarb. It’s kinda strange, most obsessions tend to more run-of-the-mill things. As a way of managing our obsession, I have been coming up with ways to consume rhubarb without always making a pie. Here’s the perfect solution: Roasted Rhubarb!

Roasting rhubarb is the easiest way to cook it through and sweeten it—without it all turning to goo. (Goo is still edible, but not very pretty.)

This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table. I use it for a lot of things: it’s great in yogurt or spooned over a slice of angel food or pound cake. I think my favorite way to eat it is slathered on thick slices of French Toast on Sunday morning…who needs maple syrup?

Roasted Rhubarb
Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
Makes 4 servings Read more…

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

For Goodness Cake

To say that my daughter has varied interests would be the understatement of the century. She has a long list of activities she enjoys participating in, and they are all over the map. Drama Club? Yep. Ceramics Class? Woo Hoo! Gardening Club? Sure. Softball? Definitely! Bluegrass Fiddle? Yee Haw! Add a little paint or glitter and basic carpentry into that mix, and you get the idea. She is like a box of chocolates, and determination should have been her middle name instead of Jane.

On top of everything else, my daughter loves to cook. It makes sense that she would, given how much of my time I devote to cooking and food—she gets it through osmosis. Her love of cooking goes beyond the usual: she has become obsessed with certain shows on the Food Network. Guys Grocery Games would is one, but she has gone Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs over the Kids Baking Championship.

I admit, I found myself watching with her because it was fascinating. These kids were creating some amazing desserts—all on their own. Well, almost. They had to have had some help. (At least I have to tell myself that so I can feel better, because some of the items they made would have been difficult for most adults…including me.)

Either way, it made my daughter more daring and confident in the kitchen. (Me too!) I let her do more on her own. In fact, since my Dad’s Birthday celebration is this Sunday, I am going to let my daughter make Papa Dave’s favorite birthday cake…all by herself. ( I will still be monitoring. Giving an 8 year old, with a wild imagination, free reign can be a bit messy!)

Here is the recipe inspired by America’s Test Kitchen. I’ll let you know how it goes…

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake
Adapted from Americas Test Kitchen
Serves 10 to 12

Their notes: Do not substitute semisweet chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet chocolate in the frosting—chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter than bar chocolate and will not melt as readily. For best results, don’t make the frosting until the cakes are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is ready. If the frosting gets too cold and stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the frosting appears creamy and smooth. Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at room temperature before serving until the frosting softens. Read more…

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
Read more…