-
Quince Tarte Tatin
…these fallen hazel-nuts, stripped late of their green sheaths, grapes, red-purple, their berries dripping with wine, pomegranates already broken, and shrunken figs and quinces untouched, I bring you as offering. – H.D., “Orchard.” There are few fruits more aromatic than quince. Though harder work than an apple or pear, to which quince are related, this fruit has an indescribable lovely spiciness that makes for a gorgeous tarte tatin. Try something different this Thanksgiving – you can even make this the day before, no problem.
-
Pomegranate Curd and Orange Tarts
And her sweet red lips on these lips of mine Burned like the ruby fire set In the swinging lamp of a crimson shrine, Or the bleeding wounds of the pomegranate, Or the heart of the lotus drenched and wet With the spilt-out blood of the rose-red wine. – Oscar Wilde, “In the Gold Room – A Harmony.” Two posts on pomegranates in a row but I couldn’t resist. Not while these beautiful fruits are in season, and not with Thanksgiving around the corner. (And I love working with the arils – they’re like little jewels.) Speaking of fall fruits, I’ve been having some fun with quince, too, which I…
-
Oatmeal Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies
No doubt you have forgotten the pomegranate trees in flower, Oh so red, and such a lot of them. – D.H. Lawrence, “Pomegranate.” These cookies…oh my goodness. Take an oatmeal cookie (already a fan), add pomegranate seeds (crunchy goodness), and semi-sweet chocolate chips (duh), and you have heaven in a cookie. This is one of my favorite recent creations and I will be making them again. Very soon. As long as pomegranates are in season.
-
Berlin, Prague, and Vienna
“…and schnitzel with noodles.” – Rogers & Hammerstein, “My Favorite Things.” I love the big open squares and cafes in Europe, which we took full advantage of for people-watching (and wine-drinking) while on our trip. And I love the little blankets the cafes provide – so perfect to take a break from all the sightseeing and cozy up under a heat lamp with some nibbles, especially when it was raining. (Another favorite travel thing for me is sorting out the subway systems in different cities. Is that weird?) My favorite things from the trip? I’d have to include hearing the church bells of St. Stephen’s in Vienna, the astronomical clock…
-
Oh, She’s Traveling…
“The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain. Reality Bakes is on the move! I’m so fortunate to be able to travel for fun, and years ago I’d made a promise to myself that I’d try to spend every other birthday in a place that wasn’t my home. (The post picture above is from our trip to Venice year before last.) I’ve had mixed success meeting that goal because, well, life. But soon I’ll be checking another item off the…
-
Instant Pot Hummus
Annabeth: My fatal flaw. That’s what the Sirens showed me. My fatal flaw is hubris. Percy: The brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches? Annabeth: No, Seaweed Brain. That’s HUMMUS. – Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters. Not a baked good, perhaps, but this flavorful homemade hummus is so delectable and such a great pairing with these homemade crackers that I couldn’t resist posting the recipe. It’s so vastly superior to store-bought hummus that it’s on constant menu rotation at my house. Even better, this recipe makes quite a bit so you could always freeze some for later.
-
Homemade Crackers
Feeling a little hungry, she took out some Camembert, cut a wedge, and ate it with crackers. – Haruki Murakami, 1Q84. For the opening quote I was a bit spoiled for choice – the magnificent writer Murakami or a line from Animal Crackers, by the unparalleled Marx Bros.? I went with Murakami because…well, because Murakami. Reading him can be challenging but it’s always so rewarding. He’s one of today’s greats. Okay, so crackers. Sure, you could just buy some Carr’s but making your own is so easy, why not try it? You can throw in any herbs or seeds of your choice and then snack away with something like this…
-
Roasted Butternut Squash, Leek and Gruyère Tart
“….the onset of fall marks the beginning of hard squash season.” – Marcus Samuelsson. The Kitchn has kicked off an online cookbook club and the introductory book is Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. If you haven’t checked this book out yet – or her show – get to it! Both are wonderful. And you can check out the Kitchn book club on Instagram #kitchncookbookclub. For the book club’s September pick, I was inspired by the tart pastry recipe in Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat called Aaron’s Tart Dough. At least, this was my departure point. I made a few changes, then decided to stuff the shell with roasted butternut…
-
Peach Scones
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. – T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock What to do with the last of the summer peaches? You could, of course, always make a tart, but for something different, try these peach scones. They’re truly wonderful, super tasty with coffee or tea, and best of all, will leave you with that last little bit of summer on your tongue.
-
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry fields forever. – John Lennon. Gosh, I meant to get this recipe up before Labor Day, as it’s such a wonderful farewell-summer dessert. (As is this blueberry cobbler and this peach tart.) I’d say that as long as you can find fresh strawberries, you can still make this deliciousness happen. Sweet strawberries, a crumbly biscuit, and homemade whipped cream – life really doesn’t get much better.
