Taking the Day Off

Not me- Jacky Scrapple.

Where I Cook

The kitchen is almost done. Kevin is still working on the built-in, but the shelves with red brackets are finished! I need to find a before-shot. It used to look like home depot. The paint color is called 'deep caviar' and it's not purple like it looks in the close up- it's dark brownish black. The light is new, the counter top and lower cabinets, and so is the Smeg-like fridge. It's actually a Hotpoint from the 50's- enamel bins and glass tops inside. We are starting to feel like we live here!

Yowzas

Its a ginger Jacky!

Image from Dlisted

Rhubarb is Happening

When Kevin and I were invited over to our friends house last week, I was glad to have a reason to try out a recipe that has been stuck in my mind since rhubarb season ended last year. 

Not that I really need a reason to bake. This recipe is from Orangette, and it its a rhubarb meringue tart. 

First you cook the rhubarb without any sugar. It's pink and beautiful. Then you make a creamy egg yolk custard, and finally you make a soft white meringue. 

It was tart, sweet, and buttery.

We ate it slightly warm after dinner, and then room temperature for breakfast. I can't wait to make it again. 

Rhubarb Meringue Tart
from Orangette
½ recipe Martha Stewart’s pâte brisée
2 lbs rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into roughly ½-inch chunks
Juice of an orange
2 eggs, separated
2/3 cup plus ½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
¼ tsp cream of tartar


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out dough and line a 9 inch removable bottom tart pan with it. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (I use dried beans). Pre-bake for 20 minutes, then remove lining and weights and let shell cool. Meanwhile, cook the rhubarb with the orange juice just until the rhubarb starts to soften and fall apart. The desire to add sugar will be strong, but trust me. It's going to work out. Remove from heat. Separate egg whites and yolks into two bowls and whisk yolks with a fork. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar, flour and melted butter together, then add the yolks. Put a sieve over this bowl and pour rhubarb into the sieve, letting it drip its juices into the yolks. Stir together. 
Next pour the rhubarb into the tart shell and spread evenly. Then pour the egg yolk mixture over the top of that and bake for 20 minutes until set. 
In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy and then add cream of tartar. Beat until soft peaks form, then add in remaining sugar. Continue to beat until the whites are shiny ribbons. Spoon the meringue over the tart and form some pretty, soft swirls, then bake for 15 minutes or until the meringue is toasty. Allow to cool a bit and enjoy!

Hunger is the Best Sauce

My grandma LIED! Beurre Blanc is, in fact, the best sauce. My friend Grey and I followed this recipe in honor of Julia and proceeded to smother our salt rubbed chicken and delightful vegetables with lots and lots of it. I mean, we each consumed an astounding amount of sauce. But we couldn't leave perfection alone- we had to follow our meal with Grey's homemade (he followed this recipe, again Julia) croissants also smothered in Beurre blanc. 

Ha! Just kiddin. We made vanilla bean frosting. Way more sensible than beurre blanc for dessert!!!!!! 

Go make some sauce. 

Melons

I'm so sorry for being neglectful, dear blogette. Sometimes the longer I am away the harder it is to get going again.

I just discovered this remarkable seed supplier called Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds! They have a giant collection of heirloom seeds for fruits, vegetables and flowers. I can't stop looking at all the options. Also, they have a blog. All I want to plant are peas, potatoes and melons. Too bad we have all that other crap out in the yard already! I'm thinking about ordering one or two packets of seeds just to round things out a bit.

 I have some great recipes up my sleeve for this week and lots of photos of the chicken coop for Fancy Acre. Stay posted!


Photos from here and here

I knew it

That's weird... Deb from Smitten Kitchen just posted a recipe for brisket and one of her main observations about it is that you don't need teeth to eat it. 


Thank's Deb, I read your blog too.