Nectarine Clafoutis ~ A Guest Post with Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves

Today I am really thrilled to have Becky from Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves guest posting. Becky and I have developed a friendship over the last few months of blogging together in the Love Bloghop and Food Bloggers Network. Becky writes a great blog featuring, as Ted Allen would say, "the food you want to eat." From Lemon Lime Poppy Seed Muffins to an amazing Baked Artichoke Chicken Becky has you covered from breakfast to dinner and today - all the way to dessert with her gorgeous Nectarine Clafoutis!

 

Hello, I'm Becky from Baking and Cooking, A Tale of two Loves.  Today, I am a guest blogger for Jessica, while she takes time away from her blog. Jessica was a guest blogger for me, when my Dad was ill, so now I am returning the favor  Jessica likes to cook and bake with wonderful dishes, like BLT Pasta, Farmers Market Pizza, Blueberry Lemon Teacake, and Berry Angel Food Baskets. Savory or sweet?  I decided to make a  sweet treat laden with summer fruit, Nectarine Clafoutis  I just can't stop eating all the delicious fresh fruit, available this time of year.

Wine Tasting with the Traveling Vineyard

When my good friend Joanna suggested coming over for a wine tasting party I said, "wine? Why not!" Joanna is a talented and funny woman and I had no doubt this summer evening soiree would be full of creative touches. What I had absolutely no idea of was how much fun we would end up having at a Traveling Vineyard wine tasting party.

For me learning about wine is like learning another language. You struggle to master the basics and once you do there is a brief moment of euphoria where you think, "hey! I just said a sentence in this new language!" And then you realize you have years of study ahead of you to learn how to have a conversation. So the more I learn about grape varietals, terroir, and tasting terminology the more I realize I am at the level of Intro Wine Language 101 and have a vast, unexplored territory of knowledge yet to acquire. Our Traveling Vineyard consultant, Kelleyrobin, was perfect because while she educated us on the wines we were tasting she made it fun and entertaining and didn't "speak" above our heads.

While we went through the five wines with Kelleyrobin we also paired them with different foods Joanna had prepared to see how the wine changed and improved when paired with different flavors:

Caballeria de Luna (Moscato, Viura and Verdejo) ~ paired with fruit kebabs. The citrus notes in the wine complimented the fruit perfectly. To me this wine embodied the spirit of a relaxed summer evening on the patio.

Bright Eyed Bird (Pinot Grigio) ~ I was amazed at how the flavors of this wine changed when sipped with a bite of brie.

Desvia (Rioja) ~ Joanna prepared a spinach and berry salad with pecans and gorgonzola. Although a fuller bodied red this wine matched well to the strong flavors of the salad and the fresh berries in the salad complimented the berry notes in the wine.

A lovely candlelit evening

zin-FAN-del (California) ~ although the name is a little hokey the wine exuded the peppery-fruity notes that Thom really loves. Joanna prepared a creamy chicken & pasta dish to go with this wine. I'm sure if he wasn't being polite being in a room (mostly) full of ladies Thom would have sat back with the bottle on the patio and said, "you guys go on ahead. I'm good right here."

Tanglerose (sweet, dessert style rosé) ~ This was our dessert wine and pair it with desserts we did! All of Joanna's guests brought some kind of dessert and so we had cookies, blueberry crumble pie, apple cream pie and ice cream cake.

As the education portion of the evening drew to a close we congregated around the firepit for conversation and one last treat: S'mores!

If you're local to Greater Boston I definitely suggest booking a tasting with Kelleyrobin*. If you live outside the Boston area the Traveling Vineyard has consultants in 27 other states. Thom and I plan on hosting an autumn party where we'll try some of the heavier reds in the Traveling Vineyard repertoire. I really like that Kelleyrobin will tailor the tastings to suit the host's tastes and preferences and I'm really looking forward to coming up with a pairing menu for the wines!


*To book a tasting please visit Kelleyrobin's website. I received no compensation or product for this review nor was I asked to provide a review. All opinions stated are my own. We just really had a good time!

Independence (from the oven) Day

Pinterest would have us believe that July 4th is the day when Americans gather together to clink their perfectly styled red, white and blue layered drinks in mason jars, munch on perky fruit tarts served on vintage china, complemented of course by impeccable patriotic crafts displayed on crisp white linen as it flutters ever so delicately in the breeze.

Over here in my little corner of life, I struggle to make sure the berries don't turn moldy immediately after washing them (seriously, am I the only one this happens to?); I'm leery of blue foods (and don't own any mason jars anyway); and crafts? Ha! I'd have to do the craft from inside the air conditioner to make sure the glue doesn't turn into a tacky mess in the heat. I do love vintage china, but since I live in a two room apartment what I have is in storage. No, I'm basically just looking forward to celebrating with Thom, since the last time he had the 4th off was 2009*.

In real life we make messy

Blueberry Lemon Teacake

When you live in a two room apartment encased in brick there aren't many reasons to have your oven compete with the AC in summer. This blueberry lemon teacake, however, is definitely one of the better reasons to initiate an appliance show-down. The lemon flavor is light, fresh, and bright. The blueberries retain their juiciness; bursting with each push of the fork and staining the dense crumb with purple flecks. It's a perfect cake to serve with a dollop of sweet whipped cream at the end of a summer meal on the patio.

Duck and Apricot Risotto with Mint ~ Final Round Integrale Risotto Gauntlet

Duck and apricot risotto with mint sounds like one of those, "wait, you put what with what?" kind of meals but in this case, it's just so crazy it works!

For the third and final round of the Marx Foods Integrale Risotto Gauntlet* I wanted to pull out all the stops and create a feast of a dish that encompassed the richness of the Integrale along with the fresh flavors of summer. Although duck is often considered a winter food it pairs beautifully with the apricot and mint for a seasonally appropriate offering. The richness is cut with a sweet and tart balsamic glaze and the seasoning is highlighted by a garnish of ricotta salata - a dry, salty form of ricotta cheese.

Blood Orange and Strawberry Jam

Sweet, fresh, tart, ruby-red blood orange and strawberry jam. Absolute heaven on buttered toast with tea. Home cooks have been making jam for hundreds of years with recipes passed on from grandmother to mother to daughter as a way to preserve the family's home grown fruits throughout the winter. For those of us who grew up in suburbia, with neither fruit trees nor a family canning recipe, homemade jam is something for the trendy or intrepid.

Perhaps you make jam because you care about the food you eat and want to serve minimally processed food to your family. Or, maybe you simply want to be able to eat a gourmet jam that isn't available on your supermarket's shelves. It's possible I simply fall into the "mmm... yummy jam!" category.

Rêve de Crêpes ~ Coconut Crepes with Kiwi & Strawberries

I vividly remember my first real-live-authentic-made-in-Paris-by-a-professional crêpe. I was twenty-one years old, visiting my best friend Gabriel during her study abroad program in Paris. To prevent jet lag from taking me to a more somnolent state Gaby walked me around the neighborhood where her host family lived. Alongside the beautiful architecture, lovely spring flowers bursting bright and cheerful colors, and of course the chic pedestrians, was a tiny roadside crêperie stand. Gaby helped me to order a savory chicken and guyere lunch crêpe and assured me I was in for a treat.

I was in for a trance.

I don't know if it was the overnight plane travel, the bright spring sunshine, or the joy of a simple repast well-prepared, but I was wrapped in a wafer-thin pancake reverie punctuated by mellow, gooey gruyere. As I stumbled along beside her, Gaby smiled knowingly and confided, "wait til you taste a nutella one!"

Blackberry Peach Teacake

It is no exaggeration to say that this Blackberry Peach Teacake was devoured in twenty-four hours between Thom and me. I have a spectacular fondness for cake... which you... uh... probably already knew considering the name of this blog... but anyway... this style of teacake is one of my particular favorites. The cake is dense and rich while remaining moist. The fruit on top adds a wonderful fresh burst of natural flavor to the mildly spiced and creamy cake.

If you've been reading this blog regularly you know this cake is a springtime variation on a theme; the Pear Marzipan Teacake is brilliant in early autumn and the Orange-Fig Teacake with Caramel Glaze is perfect for bridging the gap between the fall and winter seasons. For spring I lightened up the cake a bit with less sugar and cream as well as added richness to the flavor with almond flour and almond extract. Some slivered almonds on top of the cake would be great, too.

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes - a Teddy Bear's Picnic!

I'm guest posting with these lemon blueberry cupcakes over at Java Cupcake today. It's a deliciously sweet blog filled with goodies galore. In honor of the arrival of Betsy's baby boy these luscious lemon cupcakes are topped with a blueberry cream cheese frosting and a sweet little chocolate teddy because...

If you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise. If you go out in the woods today you'd better go in disguise. For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain, because today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

When I was a little girl my Mom would read me stories in the voice of my teddy bear. My favorite were when she would make up stories about what Teddy did all day while I was at school. When I was going through a problem with a bully Teddy had advice for how she handled her bully, Ruthie Bruin (Mom really should have been a children's book author). Teddy was as real and loving to me as... well... as my Mom.

So for all the Moms who love their babies and all the kids at heart who still love their teddies... have a cupcake today.

Enjoy!

Roquefort Date Pecan Cheese Balls

These roquefort date pecan balls are super fast and easy to make but taste like a gourmet's dream. Perfect for a dinner party or as part of a cheese platter at your New Year's Eve party these delicious little bites will became a staple in your hors d'oeuvres repertoire.

Thanks to an awesome giveaway hosted by Natasha over at 5-Star Foodie and sponsored by the folks from Ile de France I was fortunate enough to be one of the winners of a super cheese giveaway. I squealed with delight when the package arrived containing brie, roquefort, camembert, goat cheese and crackers. Poor Thom was despondent when I informed him that he was not permitted to simply scarf down all the cheese immediately but perked up a little when I promised him tasty, tasty cheese hors d'oeuvres.

What Would Julia Do? A Plum Tart Story

Autumn tends to mean the end of most stone fruits, but it's when Italian plums are at their best. Also known as prune plums, Italian plums are less juicy than the black plums we see in the markets over the summer. They have a rather tart flavor that develops into a pleasing sweetness when cooked. Although I have a few favorite recipes using Italian plums I wanted something different from my usual, but with a couple of girlfriends coming over for tea I knew I wanted it to be elegant and appealing to the crowd. Enter Julia.

Orange-Fig Teacake with Caramel Glaze

This post could easily be titled the evolution of a recipe...

As evidenced by this post I love tea time. Whether it's a simple tea and toast towards the end of the workday or a full-on afternoon tea with finger sandwiches and elegant cakes in my favorite A-line frock, I love tea. My favorite is probably a Devonshire tea (also known as a cream tea) which features scones with jam and clotted cream. While searching through my current collection of jams I came across an old favorite: Dalmatia Orange Fig spread. I have no idea how many jars of this I've gone through over the years. I used to use this jam so often in savory dishes that one of my friends started remarking, "ah yes, the famous orange-fig combo!" Although I love it, I started focusing on other flavors. But seeing the distinctive jar got me thinking; with fig season in the Northeast drawing to a close and orange season just getting started, I decided to create a teacake based on these two fantastic fruits.

Pear Teacake with Marzipan Streusel

Everyone has childhood memories of family traditions - whether it is a special holiday tradition, a favorite family recipe, or an annual trip. In my family, one thing I could always count on was that at around 3:30 every afternoon, no matter what else was going on, my grandmother would stop what she was doing and have tea.

Mom or I would put on the kettle, brew a pot of tea, set a pitcher of milk and the sugar bowl on the table. Three teacups and saucers. Three spoons. And then... Grammie would say, "how about a little something?" You see for Grammie there was tea at breakfast, a cup of tea around 10am, a cup with lunch, a cup after dinner and maybe a cup as a pick-me-up during the day. But tea time in the afternoon was different, special. The table would be set, a whole pot would be brewed instead of a single mug, china cups would come out... and there would be "a little something."

"A little something" was often a simple slice of cinnamon raisin toast with cream cheese but sometimes it was apple pie or leftover cake from a birthday or holiday. Sometime in my early teens my Mom and I started making this incredible plum teacake (the pears come later). It was incredibly dense and rich, not overly sweet. The plums stayed juicy and plump on the top while creating a thin sliver of a delectably moist layer right underneath them. A hint of cinnamon and this cake was perfection with a hot cup of tea. Over the years I've tweaked it to make it better and better.

Cardamom-Ginger Peach Cobbler

Late summer is perfect for peaches in New England. With the peaches purchased earlier this week from Cider Hill Farm I decided to make a cobbler. We all have our way of cooking; some people wing it completely, some follow a tried and true recipe to the letter. I usually work somewhere in the middle by reading up on the experiences and recipes of others and then incorporating my own experiences and flavor palate. This particular recipe is still a work in progress but as I write there are some fantastic scents coming from my oven. Here is the process in pictures: