Sugar Saucers

Next to brownies, I would rank cookies as my favorite confection to satisfy a craving for something sweet along with having a bit of a crunch. Like the chocolate chip cookie, there are so many different recipe variations for sugar cookies you could spend days, weeks, even months making every version until you find the perfect one (here I go with perfect again). So maybe I can save you some time, some butter and some sugar as I think the most perfect sugar cookie was one created by Rebecca Rather. These cookies can be made large (a cookie created in Texas must be big, right?), medium or small depending on the cookie size preference that satisfies your sweet tooth craving. And if there was ever a reason to turn on the oven on a warm summer day, well this sugar cookie is worthy of adding a little heat to any kitchen (even those like mine, those without air-conditioning that is).

What is so special about these cookies other than being bakery looking beautiful and over the top delicious? They are just the right sugary, just the right amount of crunch, and just the right amount of thickness. Formed with a ice cream scoop (no rolling pin needed for these sugar cookies), they could not be easier to make. And seriously, plated on a tray your family and friends will think you went to the trouble of finding the best bakery within 50 miles of your house (some of us are willing to travel for some ingredients and foods). Once they taste these sugar cookies, your friends will be willing to drive any distance to have access to them.

Served all by themselves, with some fresh berries, or a glass of lemonade, these sugar cookies are a perfect dessert to end a lunch or dinner. They also make a great mid-day or late night snack. And I know its' only August, but these should be on your list of the cookies you make for the fall and winter holidays.

I love when a cookie calls for ingredients you already have in the refrigerator and cupboard. There are no exotic or hard to find ingredients in this recipe. Even the egg used in the recipe is the standard large size. The first six ingredients are each mixed in one at a time before the dry ingredients are added.

What gives these cookies such a great texture is use of both unsalted butter and Canola oil. And because of the use of oil, the batter will start out as thin, thicken slightly with the addition of dry ingredients and then get to a semi-firm stage (after an hour of refrigeration). 

The butter, oil, sugars, egg and vanilla are all mixed together in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, however, the dry ingredients are stirred in with a spatula or wooden spoon until they are completely incorporated. The bowl is covered in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (I chill my dough for an hour and keep the dough in refrigerator as I bake each tray). I prefer baking my cookies on sheet at a time.

I have said this before, but I think it is worth repeating. Ice cream scoops are the perfect cookie making tool, a tool I could not live without. The ice cream scoop allows for making perfectly round, even sized cookies while keeping the dough from being warmed by your hands.

I used a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop for these cookies which yield a cookie 3 inches in diameter. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet you will place the mounds of dough approximately 2 inches apart. Just to make certain they did not touch when baking, I only placed 8 to 10 cookies on each baking sheet. Slightly flatten each cookie to approximately 1/4 inch and sprinkle with sugar before placing in a pre-heated 350 degree (F) oven. Baking time varies from 8 to 14 minutes depending on the size of ice cream scoop used to form the cookies.

The sugar cookies are done when the edges are just lightly golden. I generally look at the bottoms of the cookies to check for doneness as well, lifting one of them up with a spatula.  When done, the bottoms of the cookies will be lightly golden as well. Keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Immediately after taking them out of the oven, generously sprinkle each cookie with more sugar.

Once the sugar cookies have cooled completely on the rack, plate and serve or store in an airtight container. The cookies remain fresh for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container or they can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Recipe
Sugar Saucers (slightly adapted recipe from Rebecca Rather in her"The Pastry Queen" cookbook)
Makes 18-20  3" cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces, 114 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup Canola or vegetable oil (but suggest using Canola oil)
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar plus more for dusting cookies
1/2 cup (63 g) confectionary sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attaching, cream butter for approximately 1 minute.
2. Add each of the ingredients separately, beating on medium speed after each addition: canola oil, granulated sugar, confectionary sugar, egg, and vanilla.
3. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
4. Refrigerate dough (covering the bowl) for at least an hour in order for the dough to firm up slightly.
5. Form cookies using an ice cream scoop. For 4 inch cookies, use a 2 inch ice cream scoop; for 3 inch cookies use a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop and for 2 inch cookies use a tablespoon sized scoop. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press cookies to a 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart.
6. In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (for small 2 inch cookies); for 10-14 minutes for 3 inch cookies); or for 12-15 minutes for 4 inch cookies. (If you like crisper cookies add 1 to 2 minutes onto baking time.)
7. Cookies are done when edges are lightly golden and bottoms are lightly browned. Keep cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooking rack. When cookies are on the baking sheet, sprinkle each cookie generously with granulated sugar.
8. Store cookies in an airtight container (for up to 3 days). Cookies can be frozen up to 1 month.

Update Notes: (1) Instead of using only granulated sugar to sprinkle on cookies, use a combination of granulated sugar and sanding sugar. I used a 2-1 ratio of these sugars.

I was driving to the grocery store the other day, a scenic 20 minute drive (everything here is at least a 20 minute drive), when I saw that one of the ponds was perfectly still. My first thought was 'be still my heart, this is a great photo opportunity'. I immediately pulled my car over to the side of road (thankfully its' a two lane highway with not much traffic. Picture taking can sometimes be hazardous if you are paying attention only to the landscape and not other cars or bikes on the road. I know this from experience.) Capturing mirror images is something that gives me a bit of thrill. Whether its' mountains or trees reflected in the water, there is something about a mirror image photo that I find a little compelling. It is as if Mother Nature suddenly takes a deep breath and momentarily allows everything to be still. It is in this stillness that there is a feeling of calm (in this sometimes chaotic world we live in). And a little bit of calm is always a good thing.

Someday I will take a photography class (I have to stop saying this and just do it) as I harbor the fantasy of being a female Ansel Adams (yes, I dream big and I am not even from Texas!) or at least take photos that bear some resemblance to the images he captured (without a digital camera no less). I once received a digital photography book from a friend who sought to nurture my passion for picture taking, but I am one of those who when I am learning am a 'much prefers to see it rather than read about it' kind of girl.

I had thought I had a relatively good eye for images until one day, while hiking on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, I came upon someone also taking photos. Actually this person came upon me. While I was initially rather anxious about his proximity to and conversation with me during the duration of a 4 hour hike (in my active imagination I thought I came upon a serial killer), I remained calm (or just slightly less guarded). Periodically throughout the hike he would randomly say 'there's a good shot' and I would look at where he was pointing and indeed there was a great shot. I had many takeaways (and stories) from this hiking experience, but there were a few takeaway that stayed with me. Sometimes we can't see what is in front of us, it takes someone else to help us see it. When you least expect it, you cross paths with someone who helps you take that deep breath.

Bread and Butter Pickles

I have been known to obsess about certain foods as well as having a few food routines once I find something that I love or crave. I could eat a tuna fish sandwich for lunch or have pineapple greek yogurt mixed with dried cranberries and almonds for breakfast every day of the week, for at least a week. Yes, I know this sounds a little boring or even a little rigid considering how many different food options there are and how many recipes I have, but sometimes I go through periods of craving certain foods. And at the moment I am craving pickles. (No, I am too old to bring any mini-me's into the world.)

Until I started making Bread and Butter Pickles, I don't think I really liked them. The only pickles to be found in the refrigerator were Dill Pickles and when making potato salad there would be sweet pickles. But once summer comes and the pickling cucumbers are available at the Farmer's Markets and farm stands, there are usually several jars of Bread and Butter Pickles just waiting to be eaten or given away to friends and neighbors. There is something slightly addictive to the crunch and sweetness of these pickles. I love eating them all by themselves or putting them on burgers or sandwiches. And other than tomatoes as a condiment, I generally eat my burgers and sandwiches with mayo only. For me, these pickles transform a perfectly grilled hamburger into something so amazingly delicious that a hamburger without them, well is just another hamburger (yes, a bit of boring one).

Years back it was almost impossible to find Vidalia onions at grocery stores or farmer's markets in the midwest. I once remember on a road trip driving through Georgia on the way back from Florida and feeling compelled to bring Vidalia onions as a food 'souvenir'. Thankfully they are now readily available across the country. When making Bread and Butter Pickles I like the pickling cucumbers but the Kirby cucumbers work well too. When making pickles, more specifically when making these pickles, I always double the recipe. With a relatively short summer pickle season, more is better.

These are not thinly cut cucumbers (like the zucchini pickles), they are little more substantial in thickness. They are cut into 1/4 inch slices. I often get out a measuring tape to make sure my visual memory of a 1/4 inch is an actual 1/4 inch. Once I get the first 1/4 inch slice cut, the cutting is so mindlessly easy.

But the onions are a different story. They are cut very thinly. I like rings of onions in my Bread and Butter pickles so after removing the skin from the onion I slice it whole (versus first cutting it end to end). It is a little easier to cut a half of an onion, so feel free to have onion half-moons versus onion moons in your pickles.

The sliced cucumbers and onions are placed in a medium to large sized bowl and mixed with 1/4 cup of  Kosher salt (Diamond brand only). Not all Kosher salts are created equally and if you use Morton Kosher salt, your pickles will have a saltier flavor (not necessary a good thing here).

Once the Kosher salt is mixed in with the cucumber and onions, they are covered with a layer of ice and allowed to sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, the cucumbers and onions are drained in a colander. As much as you might be tempted to, they are not rinsed. Just drained.

The brine is made with white distilled vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, coriander, celery seeds and ground turmeric. All of these ingredients are mixed together in a medium sized saucepan (you will be adding the cucumbers and onions to the pan so it needs to be large enough) and brought to a boil. After it reaches the boiling point the drained cucumbers and onions are added to the brine and it is brought back to almost another boil. Upon reaching that point, the saucepan is removed from the heat and pickles are allowed to cool.

The pickles will take on a richer color after they are allowed to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. So don't be alarmed if they don't look like Bread and Butter pickles at this point. They will, they just need a little time in the refrigerator to crisp up and slightly change their color.

I love the Weck canning jars when making pickles or preserves. There is something about these jars that makes anything put in them look both homemade and gourmet. And I have convinced myself I think that beautifully packaged food tastes better (okay now I am sounding a little like Martha Stewart, but we really do eat with our eyes!)/ I have usually found the Weck jars at Williams-Sonoma but they are also available on Amazon. 

Recipe

Bread and Butter Pickles (adapted from 'The Dispatch Kitchen")

Ingredients (I doubled the recipe, but am showing the single batch version)

1 pound pickling or Kirby cucumbers (sliced 1/4 inch thick)

1 large sweet onion, very thinly sliced (Vidalia or Spanish onion)

1/4 cup Diamond Kosher Salt (the salt brand is important here, if using Morton they will be too salty in taste)

1/2 to 3/4 cups sugar (I used the 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 Tablespoon coriander seeds (if using ground coriander, use 1 teaspoon)

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Ice

Directions

1. In medium to large sized bowl, combine the cucumbers, onion and salt. Mix well.

2. Cover the mixture with ice. Let stand at room temperature for two hours.  Drain and set aside while making the brine.

3. In a medium sized pan (non-reactive if possible), bring sugar, vinegar, and spices to a boil. Add the drained cucumbers and onions to the vinegar mixture and bring almost back to a boil.

4. Remove from the heat and cool.

5. Put pickles and onions in canning jars and pour brine over to fill.

6. Store pickles in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

7. Pickles will last up to three weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

My niece spent five days with me last week. The week was memorable not just because she turned 18 (on the Vineyard aka Martha's Vineyard), but because of the time we spent together going to beaches, biking, sharing meals, shopping (of course), sightseeing, playing Yahtzee on the front porch, and geocashing (there is an app for everything these days). It was both exhausting and energizing in good ways to have her here with me. One's perspective cannot help but change when you spend time with an 18 year old, particularly one who will be going off to college out east in just a few weeks. It is not the same, but this shift in perspective has parallels to the shift I experienced going off to college.

When you see or experience something from a different lens it causes you to think. Think why did you believe or not believe something, think how it was that you were clued-in or clueless about something, and think just how good it can feel to be validated every now and then. But most important, that view through a difference lens allows you to see firsthand just how dynamic life is (even when it seems static). As much as I would like to think I was perceptive growing up, my years in college afforded me so much more than a degree.

It may be as simple as looking a view on a gray day versus a sunny day for one to see what your eye may have missed, to appreciate the beauty of both views, and to know time and patience really can lead to new, different experiences or perspectives. But in order for this to happen, you have to really be open to possibilities, open to seeing things or others differently, even more open to seeing similarities and not only differences, and last but not least, open to putting acceptance ahead of judgement. As different as predictability and possibility are, I hope I can always value and balance both of them. Because sometimes I really do crave how a change in perspective can change my view of the world.

Zucchini Pickles

So how do I love zucchini? Oh, let me count the ways. We can probably all agree that Elizabeth Barrett Browning was absolutely not thinking of zucchini when she wrote her famous Sonnets from the Portuguese. However, who could not be inspired by it. And so this sonnet led me to think of all the ways I love zucchini. Why? Because I needed to figure out how to put to good use the second delivery of freshly picked from the garden zucchini I received this weekend (this time it came with a loaf of freshly made zucchini bread). If my neighbors were turning their gifts of zucchini into bread, I had to take the making of zucchini bread off the list as I could not inundate them with even more zucchini bread (Well, I could if I were in a competitive mode and wanted to be the baker of the best zucchini bread. Decided it was best to temper my competitive spirit, at least for the moment). 

If summer is all about burgers on the grill and sandwiches packed for the beach, then what better use for the zucchini than zucchini pickles to give burgers and sandwiches a little bit of sweet crunch! If you love bread and butter pickles or are looking for a change of pace from dill pickles, then you will love Zuni Cafe's zucchini pickle recipe. I would describe these pickles as having a very similar flavor to bread and butter pickles. 

However, if you are someone who has been reluctant to make pickles because you thought it required all sorts of canning equipment and hours of slaving over the stove, well I have a surprise for you. The making of these pickles is so easy that you might find yourself going to the farmer's market more often this summer (unless of course you are fortunate enough to be the recipient of pounds and pounds of zucchini). It is quite possible these pickles will make you a little bit of celebrity at your family barbecues this summer (not that you are someone who likes to receive any attention for the dish you bring or have even a slight competitive spirit).

It only takes one pound of zucchini and one small yellow onion to make a batch of the pickles. Look for the smaller or 1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter zucchini as they will make for a more beautiful pickle. The oversized zucchinis are best used for breads or cakes where this vegetable is grated. Choose a yellow or Vidalia onion, but please know that red or white onions will not work here.

The original recipe called for cutting the zucchini into 1/16 inch slices, however, I wanted these pickles to have a little more substance so I cut them to 1/8 inch. The slicing is made easier with a mandoline but a great sharp knife, steady hands and a good eye works just as well.

The onions are thinly sliced as well. As it was just one little yellow onion that needed slicing, a knife worked perfectly.

Once the zucchini and onions are sliced and placed in large glass bowl (you do not want to use a metal bowl here), sprinkle with two tablespoons of Kosher salt. Adding a few ice cubes and enough cold water to cover them, they marinate for about an hour. After an hour, check to see if the zucchini are slightly softened. Mine were perfect after an hour.

The zucchini and onions are drained, patted dry and then placed in clean glass bowl. I like to use one of the oversized pyrex measuring cups here as it makes it easy to pour the brine in the jars.  In the last 10 minutes of vegetables marinating in the salt bath, you can begin making the brine. Cider vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds and turmeric are combined in a small saucepan. This mixture is simmered for about 3 to 4 minutes (until the sugar dissolves) and then set aside. The mixture should be warm but not hot (as you will cook the vegetables) when poured over the zucchini and onions.

After the brine is poured over the vegetables, you gently stir to ensure all of the spices are evenly distributed. Using a fork, fill jars with the zucchini and onions. Pour the brine into the jars, seal and put into the refrigerator.  Allow the pickles to remain in the refrigerator for 24 hours for their flavors to fully develop and for the brine to become a beautiful chartreuse. Like the sonnets written by Browning, these  zucchini pickles could easily become a timeless classic.

Recipes
Zucchini Pickles (slight adaptation of a recipe from Zuni Cafe)

Ingredients
1 pound zucchini (choose ones at least 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), sliced to 1/8 of an inch
1 small yellow onion or Vidalia, very thinly sliced 
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Scant 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions
1. Combine the sliced zucchini and onion in large, but shallow glass bowl. Add salt and toss to fully distribute. Add a few ice cubes and enough cold water to cover. Then stir to dissolve the salt. Allow to sit for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, taste and feel a piece of zucchini, it should be slightly softened. Drain and pat dry.
3. Combine the vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds and turmeric in a small saucepan and summer for at least 3 minutes (until sugar is dissolved). Set aside until just warm to the touch (if brine is too hot it will cook the vegetables making them soft instead of crisp).
4. Return the zucchini and onions to dry bowl. Pour over the cooled brine. Stir to distribute the spices.
5. Transfer pickles to jars. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 day to allow flavors to mellow and permeate the zucchini.

Almost all of the houses in the town I live in are surrounded by beautiful stone fences (walls) built, in some cases, more than two centuries ago and still standing the test of time. I continue to be mesmerized by the beauty and endurance of these stone fences each time I am cycling or driving. But there is another fence I see every day that causes me to take pause. If there is such a thing as a fence being both elegant and beautiful, then the ornate iron fence with two iron gates going the length of the front of a rather large old house, would be it. And if the iron fence wasn't its' own work of art, the remaining three sides of the house are surrounded by deep stone walls. Like the stone fences, this iron fence has also stood the test of time, reflecting a bygone era of incredible craftsmanship. When walking by this fence I have been known to momentarily feel like I have time traveled back to a different century as it has that much of a presence.

It is the endurance of both stone and iron fences that makes them even more beautiful, more amazing on so many different levels. Does anyone really know when they create something whether or not it will endure? Does anyone think endurance is still important in the creation process? Did Elizabeth Barrett Browning think that the sonnets she had written more than 150 years ago would be ones still read, still loved? Who knows, but quite possibly. Every once in awhile you get lucky enough to get involved in a project that you know is bigger than yourself and all of the people involved in it. You know this because it has all of the hallmarks of becoming a legacy. There is a certain amount of incredible energy (expended energy and created energy) that comes with being involved in such a project. Because on some unspoken level you have the sixth sense that every obstacle, every challenge, and every conflict in the project needs to be overcome. Yes, if you are lucky enough to be involved in such a project, you learn to appreciate even more the values of endurance, commitment, and persistence. Not just at a project's beginning, but long past its' completion.

Rustic Apple Crostata

Earlier this week I had gone out to dinner with several friends and by time dessert came around I was the only one too full to order one. Our server brought the desserts ordered with extra spoons and forks, just in case, anyone wanted to have just a taste. (Always the sign of a very observant server.) And ever since taking a bite of the hot apple crisp topped with cinnamon ice cream (my mouth said no dessert, but my eyes said yes when it came to the table). Ever since I have been craving the taste of a warm apple concoction of some sort. Having immersed myself in Italian cookbooks as of late, my thoughts immediately went to thinking I would make a Rustic Apple Crostata. I had some leftover streusel from the Blueberry Muffin Cake I didn't want to go to waste and thought it might go perfectly on top.

So what is not to love about a tart dough having butter and cream cheese as two of its' ingredients? Alison Pray and Tara Smith share their recipe for a Rustic Tart Dough in their most recent cookbook "Standard Baking Company Pastries". This is a dough they use for their hand formed galettes (otherwise known as Rustic Tarts). It is a dough recipe I have been wanting to make for awhile now but I just needed an incentive to make it. As much as I bake, I have genuinely avoided, with a few exceptions, making desserts and pastries requiring a homemade dough. But finally, I had a reason to work on overcoming my 'dough making aversion' habit. Just one bite of a friend's apple dessert was enough to push me into the dough making arena. Who knows a whole new world of pastry making opportunities could be in my future.

With the dough decision made, I had to figure out what the filling would be or more specifically what apple I would use. Some crostatas are made with McIntosh or Macoun apples, however, for me there is nothing better than a crisp or tart made with Granny Smith apples. I love their crispness, their tartness. Next to Honey Crisp apples, Granny Smith apples are the only other apple I eat. So with the crostata filling decision made, all I needed to do was to begin the process of making the dough. "Breathe" I told myself, you can do this!

What I love about this dough recipe is that the butter and cream cheese need to be chilled. Which means there is no planning ahead to have either of them come to room temperature. I used an 'American-made" unsalted butter as that is what I had in the refrigerator. Next time I make this crostata I will try using one of the European unsalted butters as they are little more flavorful in pastry dough (due to their higher fat content). 

And I can already tell you there will be a next time as this dough comes together so nicely. If you too have been suffering from the curable malady known as dough making aversion, this is a dough that will make you wonder why you suffered for so long. And this a dough that gets easier as you can use either a pastry cutter or your finger tips (i.e., no food processor).  I used my finger tips as I wanted to get a feel for the dough (both literally and figuratively). Once the flour, salt and baking powder are whisked together you blend in the butter first. You are looking to get a consistency of pea sized chunks. The cream cheese is then blended in (again I used my fingers) and the texture changes to a coarse meal. At this point you add the cold water and use a fork or your fingers to gently toss the ingredients together.

When the dough comes together, you carefully form the dough into a loose ball and flatten to a disc. After wrapping the dough into plastic wrap, you chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (I waited three hours) or overnight.

On lightly floured surface you roll out the dough to a diameter of approximately 11 inches. This will give you a tart dough about 1/8 inch thick. It rolls out beautifully. I mean really beautifully. Placing the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, it is wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled for at least an hour before you bake it.

For the crostata filling you will need 1.5 pounds of apples. These Granny Smith apples were on the large size so I only needed three of them. If you are using medium sized apples, you will need four.

The apples are peeled, cored and then cut into half inch slices. The easiest way to get half inch apple slices is to first quarter the apples and then cut each quarter into three slices. 

The apples are tossed with a mixture of flour, sugar, Kosher salt, Saigon cinnamon, and ground allspice. To give the baked dough a little more color and a surface for some sprinkled sugar to adhere to it, a egg wash using one egg and a pinch of salt is make.

Once the apples are completed coated, remove the dough from the refrigerator and pile apples up leaving a 3 inch border around the edge. 

After mounding all of the apples, you will bring up the sides of the dough, folding (or pleating) over the apples. Brush the sides of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

The streusel topping is optional but I thought it would add to the rusticness of the tart. I used one cup of the streusel topping I had made for Blueberry Muffin Cake.

In a preheated 425 degree oven you bake the tart for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes you reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate the tart and bake for additional 35 minutes (or until the pastry is a dark golden brown and the folds of the dough no longer have a translucent appearance). My baking time was 33 minutes. You remove the baked crostata from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool slightly. After 10 minutes you can transfer to a platter and serve warm with or without ice cream or whipped cream. It is delicious all on its' own, but I would suggest serving it with either vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. The tart is equally delicious at room temperature, making it a perfect dessert to bring to a picnic or gathering.

Recipe
Rustic Apple Crostata (adaptations from the Standard Baking Company "Pastries" cookbook and Ina Garten's "Parties"cookbook)

Ingredients
Crostata Dough
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Flour)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1/3 cup cream cheese, cubed and chilled
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ice cold water

Apple Mixture
1.5 pounds of a tart baking apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices (recommend Granny Smith apples)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar (plus additional for sprinkling on egg washed tart dough)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (recommend Saigon cinnamon)

Egg Wash
1 large egg

1-2 teaspoons heavy cream, half and half or water
pinch of Kosher salt

Streusel Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup pecans, toasted

6 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes

Directions
For Dough
1. In large bowl, whisk together the flour, Kosher salt and baking powder. Blend in butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips getting the butter reduced to the consistency of pea-sized chunks.
2. Add the cream cheese, blending with either a pastry cutter or your finger tips getting the dough reduced to the consistency of coarse meal.
3. Add water. Using a fork or your fingertips, gently toss until most of the dry ingredients are moistened. Note: It will still look a little crumbly.
4. Pour dough mixture out onto a board forming into a loose ball and gently flattening it to a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
5. After dough has chilled, roll out to an 11 inch circle on a floured surface. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour or until ready to assemble the crostata.

Crostata Filling
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, all-spice and salt. Toss apples into mixture and mix until all apples are evenly coated.
2. On the chilled tart dough, pile the apples leaving a 3 inch border.
3. Gently fold the dough border over the apples, pleating it to make a circle.
4. Brush egg wash over the dough. Sprinkle with sugar.
5. Top apple mixture with 1 cup of streusel mixture.

Baking
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Bake crostata for 10 minutes. 
2. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate tart and continue baking for up to 35 minutes or until pastry is a dark golden brown and the folds of the dough no longer have a translucent appearance.  
3. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting if serving warm. 
4. Optional: Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

There have been some spectacular evening summer skies here lately. I am not sure if or how the ocean changes the colors of the sky, but I don't think I have seen more incredible colors in the skies as of late or from my memories of midwest skies. From pinks to purples to blues to oranges, the skies look like works of art done by Impressionist artists who have painstakingly captured and layered the various hues of color. 

If these blazing colors were not enough to take in, rainbows can be regularly seen here after an afternoon or early evening quick rain storm. Recently when my childhood best friend was visiting we were out in the yard as she was creating a video of the property I live on as well as the farm next door. As we were outside we experienced a light, quick rainstorm lasting only about five minutes. I said we need to look for the rainbow. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind. But like with most great friends, she followed me as I went from the back to the front of the house. And much to her surprise and delight (and my personal satisfaction and redemption) was a beautiful rainbow. Certainly a rainbow wasn't planned image in the video she was taking back home to share with family and friends. If she posts this video to YouTube someday her rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is quite interesting.

Sometimes our friends tell us things that we don't believe, don't want to believe, don't hear, selectively don't hear, or change what we hear. Yet we always know when someone is or is not really listening to us by what they say or how they respond. I have been more than a thousand miles away from my family and friends for the past two years and for those that really listen to me, the distance or my time away has not mattered. Sometimes listening is all the validation we need to know that someone genuinely cares about us. And when two people listen to each other, both become more strengthened as individuals and in the friendship. Do you know who strengthens you?

Zucchini and Asparagus Crudi

On days when the humidity is high I try to avoid turning on the oven or the stove. There is no central air-conditioning in this 81 year old farm house, just two window air-conditioning units, one upstairs and one downstairs. So it goes without saying (but I will say it anyway) that whenever I add 'heat' to the farm house the air-conditioner's efficiency is even further compromised. Surprisingly, I am getting used to not turning on the 'air' unless I am having company, the humidity is really intolerable or I am getting a more restless sleep than usual. But as acclimated to the heat I am getting, there are limits to how much heat I can or want to endure.

So when my neighbor brought over some freshly picked zucchini from her garden I first considered grilling it on the gas grill I just had to have (such things one buys after experiencing a blizzard with three days of no heat and no power).The thought of grilling on a hot day was not something I wanted to do. And the idea of making a zucchini cake or bread meant heating up the house. Not wanting the zucchini to go to waste, I remembered a recipe I hadn't made in awhile. It was a salad made of fresh, raw zucchini and asparagus and called a crudi. Crudi or crudo literally means 'raw' and is a way of preparing both fish and vegetables using a high end extra-virgin olive oil and some citrus. When Giada DeLaurentiis made this recipe awhile back, I wasn't sure if I would like the taste of raw zucchini and raw asparagus (unless there was a creamy Caesar dressing to dip it into). But the thinly sliced vegetables tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, some salt and pepper were absolutely delicious, refreshing, and a great change of pace from a salad using lettuce as its' base. Certainly so much healthier as well.

All I needed to make the crudi was the asparagus. Fortunately there are two amazing seasonal markets in town selling some great locally grown produce. Unfortunately, I did not just buy some asparagus but walked away with a bouquet of some irresistible Dahlias, a baguette, some garlic, and some tomatoes. I have a tendency to get distracted in these markets. There were a few more things that looked appealing but one needs a reason to go back, right?

The too thin or too thick asparagus does not work in this recipe. It needs to be a somewhere 'in the middle of thickness' asparagus as it needs to be cut thinly on the diagonal. In the making of this crudi I have never done a quick (as in 2 to 3 minutes) blanching on the asparagus before. You could if you wanted, but you really do not have to, you really don't want to.

A vegetable peeler and a knife are the only tools you need for this recipe. The zucchini is trimmed at the ends and then with a vegetable peeler you make long, thin strips. Because the skin of the zucchini is not removed the strips of the zucchini look like ribbons of white with green edges. So this dish is not just delicious, it is beautiful.

Once you have prepared the vegetables, the dressing is assembled. Using the best extra-virgin olive you can find (my favorite is Frankies 457) or the best tasting extra-virgin olive oil of your choice, is critical in this dressing. You want it to be light, yet rich in flavor. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, some Kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper are all mixed in with the extra-virgin olive oil. These four ingredients create an incredibly flavorful dressing for the asparagus and zucchini.

Once tossed together the salad is plated on a platter and shavings of Pecorino Romano cheese are added. The sharpness of the cheese is a perfect compliment to the salad. 

This salad is best served after it has been tossed with dressing. Because the Zucchini and Asparagus Crudi does not take long to prepare you might consider making it all summer long. Especially if you or your neighbors are growing zucchini (and this could be a year for a bumper crop of zucchini).

Recipe 
Zucchini and Asparagus Crudi (slightly adapted from a recipe created by Giada DeLaurentiis)

Ingredients
2 medium sized zucchini (ends trimmed)
1 bunch of asparagus (ends trimmed) - semi-thick asparagus works best
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (highly recommend Frankies 457)
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from one small lemon)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce of shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions
1. Using a vegetable peeler, slice long strips of zucchini.
2. Cut the asparagus thinly, on a diagonal 
3. Combine the sliced zucchini and asparagus in a bowl and set aside.
4. Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Kosher salt and pepper. Pour over vegetable and toss.
5. Transfer mixture to a platter. Add shavings of Pecorino Romano cheese over the top. Serve immediately.

I have shared before there were mostly canned vegetables served at the dinner table of my youth. Asparagus was one of those vegetables. It wasn't until I was out of college that I tasted what perfectly cooked asparagus actually tasted like. And it was not the mushy canned asparagus served at our dinner table. I remember the first time I made fresh asparagus at a dinner for my husband's family. My mother-in-law actually liked it. Unbeknownst to me she asked my husband how I made it. He shared that I had brought water to a boil and submerged the asparagus for approximately 12 to 14 minutes. When he shared this with me, I said the asparagus wasn't cooked that long, just somewhere between 6 to 8 minutes. This comment was immediately followed by 'you need to call her and tell her you gave her the wrong information'. To that he said 'my mom has been cooking asparagus for up to 20 minutes for the last 30 years (replicating the texture of canned asparagus is my guess), so you don't take someone who has been cooking it for 20 minutes to somewhere between 6 and 8 minutes the first time as its' too much of a change for them.' And my response started something like 'but....'. But then I saw the wisdom in those words, the wisdom that not everyone can make such drastic changes in their cooking (or in their lives) too quickly. Sometimes they need to do it gradually.

We all fall somewhere along the continuum of loving/embracing or disliking/avoiding change in our personal and professional lives. Where we fall can be influenced by context, our prior experiences and/or ability to be open to possibility. When faced with change our energies can be directed to sabotaging it or figuring how to make it make it work. We may never know where the change that lies before us will take us or how it could affect our lives unless we 'take that leap of faith'.