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The longer days have meant that there's more time to get things accomplished, so a bit more time for pleasures like reading, knitting...baking.



DH chose the dessert for this week - galettes. Fresh, ripe apricots were available at the market, so I thought that would be a treat, as their season is so fleeting.

I used Ken Haedrich's basic flaky pie recipe (one crust), six fresh apricots and one peach. I macerated the apricots in 1/2 cup of brown sugar, a squeeze of lemon, and 3 tablespoons of vanilla Torani.



To avoid leftovers and/or overindulgence, I chose to make 2 medium-sized galettes, and froze a third portion of the dough for later.

I was unnecessarily concerned about the pastry becoming gummy from the juices. Apricots are not naturally very juicy, so I could have used more of the leftover juices than I did. I will definitely watch the lemon next time. Despite the brown sugar and Torani, the mixture was a bit tart. Still very delicious, though.

This dough is tender, flaky and light. Excellent. The tips of the apricots blackened just slightly, and everything baked up at the perfect texture.

This will be a definite go-to dessert for me.

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I've no idea why I snapped the image from that angle.

I was trying to take some photos for our corporate website in as much natural light as possible when I noticed the room darkening dramatically.

The clouds are much more interesting at this height...]]> http://www.polarsun.net/skypie/index.php?entry=entry080602-102110 Proust had it right.

It's been years since I tasted a freshly baked Madeline, maybe even more than a decade. Food of the Gods. I am in love.

I took the recipe from Afternoon Delights, omitted the lemon, and substituted cardamom and vanilla bean. Quantities to substitute were a bit of a crap shoot, but my guesses turned out to be right on the mark.



The cakes were extremely flavorful and heady (I think from the aroma, in particular), but still delicate, somehow. I am patiently waiting for an opportunity to make these again!]]> http://www.polarsun.net/skypie/index.php?entry=entry080521-071242 if we can get local rhubarb here).

Delectable. Thank you Ken Haedrich , and your lovely book, too.



The crumb crust in this recipe also serves as the topping. I was a little unsure about how it would stand up to the juices after a day or two, but overall, it maintained a really good texture.

And it tasted amazing. Really bright and flavorful. I made one small change. The spices called for include cardamon, which is one of my favorites, and ground ginger. I substituted a lesser amount of fresh grated ginger, which added a just a little zing.



This was a perfect way to kick off the pie-making extravaganza. Definitely a winner.

]]> http://www.polarsun.net/skypie/index.php?entry=entry080512-065546 this Tea and Cookies recipe.



Although I'm probably itching for an argument, I will leave the syrup out of this recipe next time I make it. The cake is perfection with out it, in my opinion. The husband has requested an orange-vanilla adaptation. So shall eh have it.



And no, I didn't make the poor cake suffer in a pool of glaze. I replated. I think that I'm going to have to visit some antique-ish places for interesting service plates.





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Gradually, this thinking has morphed into deep appreciation. I began to ask myself why I don't take a bit more time to enjoy what I eat. Granted, time is very scarce, but wouldn't it be worth even just a little time to explore the foods around me? I don't eat much processed food, and D and I rarely eat out, so why am I not expanding my repritoire?

No good reason. I will do it.

First thing to come to mind:



Beets. Ugh. I've never liked the taste or texture, but they sure are pretty. I've always had them cold, wriggly and defiant on the side of my dinner plate.

I tried them today in a small veggie salad. Still cold and wriggly, but I stuck with it. Later, I trolled around looking for beet recipes, and I found this very promising Spicy Pickled Beets recipe. And, I checked out the nutritional value here. Pretty nutritious.

Here's hoping a small culinary gamble will have a happy ending.
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Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie
by Ken Haedrich.

This is a really comprehensive and informative book. In addition to having tons of great recipes (and of great variety), the writing is really engaging, and he covers lots of fundamentals.

After some consideration, I've set myself some criteria for the beginning stages of this project.

- I want to choose recipes that will enable me to learn basic techniques.
- I am determined, whenever possible, to use fresh, local ingredients.
- No matter the time constraints, I won't start a pie unless I can devote enough time to it. Once I've decided on a recipe, no shortcuts.

I've tentatively decided on Strawberry Rhubarb with a lattice crust as my first project. I think we'll have locally grown fruit available soon, and it's a classic. I should probably consider a second option in case the growing season doesn't cooperate.

]]> http://www.polarsun.net/skypie/index.php?entry=entry080416-105008
My grandmother's blueberry pie, to be specific. It was a beautiful, honest pie, and I think she usually made a lattice crust for the top. Real, fresh fruit, and a crust she made with her own hands.

I've never come close to making a pie that good. I decided it was time to make that journey - to work toward making excellent pie.



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