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Plum Custard Tart
Slice through the deep purple exterior of a black plum, and you find a center whose sweetness intensifies in the oven. Combine that sweetness with vanilla crème fraîche custard and a tender, cookie-like crust, and you have what could easily be my favorite fruit tart. This recipe made me fall in love with plums all over again, and it is a glorious way to enjoy late summer fruit. As with many of my dessert tarts, a slice rivals the best breakfast pastry. In the middle of the plum custard tart sits a half-round that becomes glazed with its own juice – no jam topping here. A generous sprinkle of raw…
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Raspberry Peach Mocktail with Rosemary
Sunlight poured through the window just as I put the finishing raspberries in my glass. A quick storm gave way to such glow I was happy to have a drink ready for the moment. Plentiful rain has given us rejuvenating late afternoons and kept the herbs growing strong, making rosemary a natural addition to this raspberry peach mocktail. Prepare the peach puree and raspberry syrup during the next midday storm and fill your glass as it starts to slow, then kick back and watch the summer light burst. Mix this drink again when the sun is unflinchingly strong for another fill of summer goodness. Lounge about, bask in the light,…
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Cooking with Edible Flowers
The nasturtiums I have been tending finally burst into mildly sweet and lightly peppery blooms. For weeks I watched their leaves pop up like parasols in my edible flower patch, sometimes shading the yellow and deep orange buds about to emerge. Throughout the spring they formed a showy display of green, the kind that makes you want to take them right into the kitchen, which now I have along with the cheerful flowers. Nasturtiums bloom profusely once they are on a roll, meaning that my salads, pasta, and plant-forward recipes will feature the gorgeous colors for weeks to come. While edible flowers each have their own culinary charms, these lend…
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Bloody Mary Mocktail
Ripe market tomatoes are destined to become part of a delicious tomato salad topped with fresh herbs and cheese, but they also remind me to make a Bloody Mary, the quintessential brunch drink that encourages you to garnish with abandon. This garden-in-a-glass mocktail relies on bottled tomato juice, but a skewer with tiny ripe tomatoes gives you something to snack on while you sip. Add enough raw and pickled vegetables to suit your fancy plus a thinly sliced wheel of fresh lemon. When I make a tomato-based drink, I think of my father, who often would pour me a diminutive glass of pure tomato juice right before dinner. Something about…
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Caesar Dressing
Lighter than most creamy versions, this homemade Caesar dressing is packed with the flavors of the classic but relies on Greek yogurt as its base. If you love Caesar dressing as a salad topping or dip, this recipe will satisfy your cravings and make you feel just a bit better about using extra. While you’re changing things up, feel free to veer from the traditional romaine lettuce and add in some different greens or change up the vegetables altogether. As a final touch, I highly recommend slices of delicious garlic bread on the side instead of croutons. When I am inspired to make traditional favorites in new ways, Greek yogurt…
