Warm Spiced Pear Tart–Just In Time For Fall!

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Years ago, when I was beginning my career as a food writer and teacher, I loved to prepare Julia Child’s baked pear gratin with a macaroon crust from Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume I. The recipe was simplicity itself. Pears were sliced, placed in a baking dish, tossed with apricot jam and white wine, and then baked with a topping of crushed cookies and bits of butter.           
Last week, as I was contemplating different fillings for an autumn tart, I remembered that dish and knew that those pears would be delectable baked in a pastry crust. I added seasonings of  cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and cloves to the fruit, and to keep things really easy, used purchased puff pastry for the tart shell. When done, this dessert boasts a golden, flakey crust and a filling of tender, juicy pears infused with aromatic spices.

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Arrows Restaurant, Oqunquit, ME

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Arrows Restaurant 41 Berwick Road, Oqunquit, Maine 02907, 207-361-1100

A few weeks ago my husband and I spent a summer weekend in Maine where I was teaching at the Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School. On one of our free nights I booked a table at Arrows in Ogunquit, an original restaurant set in an old, unpretentious farmhouse surrounded by gorgeous grounds. Approaching the house, you are struck by the finely manicured flower and vegetable gardens and an orchard of apple trees. The talented team of Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier (tapped James Beard Best Chefs of the Northeast in 2010) prepare creative menus that include the fresh produce from these fields. They also cure their own hams and smoke the fish offered at Arrows. Continue reading →

Hearty Soup and Fall Weather–Definitely A Winning Combination

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After one of the hottest summers I can remember, autumn has at last arrived in New England.  Temperatures have started to drop, there’s a crispness in the air, and days are getting shorter.  I’ve even noticed that my fellow New Englanders–typically reserved and quiet–have broad smiles on their faces and are uncharacteristically chatty, initiating conversations with “Fall is here!”
So, along with taking out my sweaters and jackets, and setting the thermostat to warm instead of cool, I’ve pulled out my recipes for robust dishes. Among them is a Tuscan-style white bean soup topped with crusty croutons. A breeze to make, this hearty Italian “zuppa,” assembled with cannellini beans, carrots, onions, celery, and kale plus a hint of bacon, is perfect for the new season. 

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Comté Cheese Makes a Fall Salad Even Better

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A few weeks ago while admiring the bountiful display at the cheese counter of my local Whole Foods, I spotted one of my favorite French fromages!  There, in full view, was a wheel of Comté, a hard, ivory-hued cow’s milk cheese with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor from the  east of France. I was even more surprised later that month when I discovered that two local supermarket chains were selling Comté as well.
It didn’t take long for me to figure out how to use my purchase. Since fall weather was arriving, I decided to include it in an autumn salad.  I combined beautiful deep wine- and green-hued leaf lettuce with Belgian endive for the base, then added thinly sliced pears, toasted nuts,

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Dearie – The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz

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I’ve read many biographies of Julia Child over the years, including Appetite for Life, the first, comprehensive one by my friend, Noel Riley Fitch (published in 1997 and reprinted this year with a new intro by the author). My library also includes Alex Prud’Homme’s My Life in France (an account of Julia’s years in Paris and Marseilles in late 1940s and early 1950s), As Always, Julia, (the fascinating correspondence between Julia and her pen pal, Avis DeVoto) by Joan Reardon, and finally Julie Powell’s Julie and Julia (the story of a fledging cook, making her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking I). Now comes a new volume–Dearie-The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spritz. Continue reading →

Lime and Ginger Cream Cheese Bars

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Lime Ginger Cream Cheese Bars 1 3383x2728These rich creamy bars with their bracing citrus accent and crisp gingersnap crust are irresistible, yet quite easy to make. For the crust you’ll need only three ingredients–ground ginger snaps, sugar, and melted butter. This mixture, packed into a pan and baked for a few minutes, is topped with a cheesecake-type batter flavored with bits of crystallized ginger and lime. The mixture is baked 25 minutes, and then a final addition of sour cream, sugar, and lime zest is spread over the thin cream cheese layer. Five more minutes of baking and this dessert is done! Continue reading →

Doughnut Muffins—Different, Easy, and Delicious

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Photo by Yvonne Duivenvoorden

Leafing through the pages of Diane Worthington’s beautiful new book, Seriously Simple Parties, I found plenty of recipes that made me want to rush into the kitchen and start cooking. In this collection, just as in the author’s successful prequels, Seriously Simple, and Seriously Simple Holidays, the philosophy is the same. “Keep it fresh and keep it simple!”
From tempting drinks and appetizers, to seasonal soups and salads, to a cornucopia of mains and sides, plus plenty of desserts, Diane has streamlined her recipes without sacrificing flavor.
Doughnut Muffins is a good example. The name alone was intriguing. Who would have imagined that the delicious goodness of doughnut batter could be baked as muffins instead of fried in fat as rings? The muffins, prepared either in mini-or standard-sized pans, come out golden and tender. Then they are finished with a coating of melted butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

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Tian of Tomatoes and Summer Squash with Basil and Mint

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Recently at my local farmers’ market, I was selecting tomatoes when the farmer whispered to me. “Better buy plenty because they’re not going to be around too much longer!”  I didn’t want to hear these words. I was hoping that the luscious red orbs that have been exceptionally sweet this season would last forever, but it was September, and I knew he was right.

I bought a bunch along with that some zucchini and yellow squash to make a Provencal dish I had been working on for the new book I am writing, Sunday Casseroles (it’s due in 2014). I’ve just started to create the recipes for this collection, and am happy to share one here. Continue reading →

Great for Labor Day–Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank

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My local Whole Foods has a display of wooden boards for grilling fish set up in front of their seafood counter. You can choose a cedar, maple, or cherry board and then pair it with a compatible fish. The friendly merchant confessed that she was crazy about the cherry plank, but I chose cedar since it matches up admirably with salmon, the fish I am planning to use.
Whatever your selection, when fish is set atop a wooden plank, then placed on a grill (whether charcoal or gas), the wood imparts a lovely smokiness to the seafood. What, I thought, could be better to grill on this long holiday weekend than marinated salmon fillets on a cedar plank. For my recipe (a favorite I created several years ago) I use a simple, yet distinctive marinade of maple syrup, lime juice, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. The ingredients provide, respectively, sweet, tart, salty, and spicy notes that complement the scent of smoked wood.
While the fish is marinating, I’ll soak the cedar plank in water. Then after preparing the grill, I’ll heat the plank for a few minutes, place the salmon on it, and put down the lid. In about 15 minutes, the cedar will have imparted a smoky scent to the fish, which turns a light mahogany color. I plan to serve the fillets right on the plank, with a garnish of chopped cilantro and green onions sprinkled over each. Corn on the cob and a bracing slaw would make fine sides.
           
Happy Labor Day weekend to all of you!

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Farmers’ Market Peach Smoothie

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Saturday mornings from May to October, I can’t wait to drive to the center of our New England town to the Farmers’ Market. There on a short block that dissects the town common, local growers present their weekly harvest under canopied stands. Ours is not a large, sprawling market, but what it lacks in quantity, it certainly makes up for in quality.
Proud farmers display bins of gorgeous vegetables and fruits (mostly organic), and are eager to discuss what varieties they’ve grown. Want a Green Zebra or a Cherokee Purple  tomato. No problem—our vendors offer those and countless other heirlooms. 
There’s a stand that sells superb grass-fed lamb, butchered and packaged in frozen bundles. Bakers set out baguettes and French peasant loaves as well as flax, sourdough, and olive breads. Others sell exquisite seasonal flowers picked that morning, and a few tempt shoppers with local maple syrup and homemade soaps.
Recently, as I ambled by the different stalls, I stopped at the local yogurt stand where a merchant was selling smoothies made with her maple/vanilla yogurt and fresh chopped peaches. Unable to resist, I purchased one of the icy cold drinks and downed it in seconds. The tart yogurt was balanced by a hint of maple syrup and a dash of vanilla, while the peaches provided a subtle, fruited accent. I’ve included the recipe, and hope you’ll enjoy this “market” smoothie as much as I did.

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