Sweet Paul Tarts

The Spring issue of Sweet Paul is out!!! It is always a real delight to spend a time on a new project with Paul. Our collaborations - the ease of how we figure out this detail or that, what kind of feeling we want a shoot to convey, and also just getting the work done - make each new shoot a lot of fun to tackle. I hope you'll enjoy the playfulness and whimsy in this story. And you know, it was every bit as delicious as it looks... :)

 

An outtake of Paul getting this tart ready... (that honey was divine, and we used it on a number of things.)

Sweet-salty, juicy, herbacious... these are some words I would use to describe the flavors of these tarts.

The custard-y quality of eggs mixed with young veggies or herbs in tart shells, the soft creaminess of cheese - whether goat's, ricotta, pecorino, or other - where each a heavenly addition to these creations.

This tart was my favorite. Simply fantastical in its many pointy peaks, and yet quite practical in that sturdy pan! The piney fragrance of the rosemary, along with the savory sweetness of that honey (there it is again), set into the backdrop of chevre and young roasted beets, all wrapped in puff pastry... It was a surprising delight.

 

You can probably see by now how immensely satisfying the whole thing was, start to finish. Perhaps you'll make one of these for friends as a special meal to celebrate together. Or, maybe an easy (but glamorous-looking) fix to hunger on any night, to treat yourself right. Here's the story, with all the recipes to make for yourselves. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

I think you could say I may have gone a little overboard. I love romance and sentiment, and so I've cooked up some goodies that you'll love, I think, no matter if you're embracing Valentine's for one, two, or a party with all your peeps. In the spirit of L-O-V-E, I have also updated my banner. It was time, and I hope you will enjoy all the little nooks and crannies in the new display! :-)

If you're still on the hunt for something special for yourself or your sweetie, go for some gorgeous blooms at Graceful Gardens - all the flowers in these images were graciously selected and arranged by the lovely ladies Grace and Francesca, at their floral shop in Brooklyn. Rarefied or classic, they have just what you seek.

Whether or not you have plans to celebrate, there is a lot of pleasure in the confections you're about to see. I will confess I found some good inspiration from recipes I've just discovered in Donna Hay while thinking up what might make for a sweet story. Don't be surprised if you find yourself in full swoon, repeating "be mine, be mine..." after the aching temptation brought on by viewing these treats.

Here's to Love Day...

Raspberry Mascarpone Creme stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

For the cookies:
3/4 lb good dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 oz pastured butter
2 pastured eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the creme:
1 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup raspberries, chopped

Place two-thirds of the chocolate and all the butter in the top of a double boiler to melt over medium heat. Be sure not to let the water spatter, turning the heat down if necessary. Place eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, beat until light and creamy - think the color "buff"- about 10 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients: the flour and baking powder mixture, the stirred chocolate-butter mixture, and the remaining chopped chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes, and preheat oven to 350 degrees(F).

Spoon tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or so, until tops are puffed and cracked. Allow to cool completely on trays before making into sandwiches. To make the filling, stir together mascarpone, sugar, and chopped berries. This can be done ahead of time and re-refrigerated. For the sandwiches, spread a nice layer of the mascarpone creme on one cookie, and sandwich with another. The perfect combination of not-too-sweet berry-creaminess, and decadent-airy chocolatey-ness, these will not last long...

Champagne with Spiced Cranberry Sugar Cubes

In a food processor, combine:
1 cup fresh or thawed cranberries
juice from 1/2 an orange
zest from one orange
2 tbsp brandy
1 stick cinnamon

Pulse until all ingredients are well combined. Add a cinnamon stick and seal in a jar, refrigerated, for a day or two for flavors to meld. On the day before you want to use the sugar, place however many sugar cubes you'd like to use in a small dish, and cover completely with the cranberry mixture. Be sure that all sides are covered, ensuring better saturation. After about an hour, check to see color absorption. Do not let sugar cubes sit in the mixture for longer than a couple hours, as they will begin to dissolve... Remove cubes from the dish scooping with a fork and dry on a wire rack. Store in a sealed container after dry.

When you are ready, place the cube (you can use more than one, but I don't like it too sweet) at the bottom of a glass, and pour Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava (all delicious sparkling wines - choose one that is crisp more than sweet) over. The sugar will fizz until it completely dissolves, leaving a sweet-tart cranberry finish to your drinking pleasure!

Sea Salt Ganache Tartlets

 

Makes 6

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 1/3 ounces of good semi- or bitter-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Large flake salt, like Maldon

Prepare dough for 1/4 portion pâte sucré and roll out to 1/8 inch thick - similar to pâte brisée but with the addition of egg yolks and a bit of heavy cream. Check here for the recipe if you need, and scroll to the galette recipe.... Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds and carefully mold into lightly greased tart tins and re-refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F). Line tart shells with parchment and fill with baking weights or rice, and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden, and remove from oven, setting aside. Full disclosure ~ once baked, my tart crust overlapped just enough along the edge of the tins that I could not dislodge them without them crumbling. Keep that in mind as you form the edge of your dough.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until dark, creamy, and glossy. Allow to cool slightly, and pour or spoon into the baked tartlets, and top with sea salt flakes. Can be eaten warm, room temperature, or chilled. Pure seduction.

Grapefruit - Strawberry Sips

for the strawberry syrup:
1 cup strawberries, cut into wedges
1/4 cup cane sugar
water

for the drink:
Natural grapefruit soda - I used Gus
Wide strips of orange peel - be sure to trim off any bitter white pith
Chilled gin, vodka, tequila, or other spirit, to your liking

Pour enough water in a small saucepan to just cover the berries and sugar, and turn flame to medium-high. Stirring occasionally, bring to boil and then skim off any foam which forms. Skim and stir intermittently, for about 10 minutes, checking for color saturation in the cooking liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour liquid through a sieve and mash fruit with the back of a spoon to extract their juices, discarding the pulp. Chill and store for up to one week. Can be added to ice cream as well as beverages...

Mix fruit soda and syrup in a measuring cup to taste. I used 1 tbsp syrup for every 12 ounce soda bottle. Pour into glasses. Thread orange twist onto cocktail stirrers, add spirit and stir to enjoy.

Barely-Done Brownies with Pomegranate Seeds

Makes 6

4 pastured eggs

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks pastured butter, cut into cubes

12 ounces good semi-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Seeds removed from 1/2 a fresh pomegranate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F).  Using a double boiler, melt half the chocolate and all the butter. Be careful that the water doesn't bubble up into the top saucepan as you do so. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs, sugar, and flour. I used a fork for this, but you could use a mixer if you like. Add the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture and the remaining portion of chopped chocolate, stirring to combine all. Line a square or small rectangular baking tin with parchment and pour the mixture in. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out almost clean. If you jiggle the tin, the center should move just a little. Cool in the tin, cut into squares, scatter the pomegranate and enjoy the combination of gooey, molten-like chocolate heaven and bright, juicy sweetness of the fruit.

Whatever February 14th means to you, live it to the fullest. You never know when something crazy might happen, so take time to savor this life with those you love! Thank you all for reading with me and for indulging in all the sweet fun. :-)

Spring Snacking

I love the zing Springtime flavors bring. And their bright colors, yippeee! The crunch of baby lettuce leaves (look for more on that soon...), the juiciness of citrus wedges (almost a spring thing, and certainly welcome after squash and tubers for months on-end), and then ease of simple ingredients casually tossed together, symbolize a lot of what I cherish most about the (finally arrived) warmer weather. Here's to this time of year!

Branches from my mother's dogwood

And for that good crusty bread, here's an enormously satisfying snack to accompany any meal, or to eat in-between. With oranges as well, this makes for a nice pairing with the above salad. :) As it was completely impromptu there really isn't a "recipe" to speak of. My ingredients, though, are listed below...

I bought duck fat garlic bread - yes, there is such a thing, at the Union Square Market, at Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse . After cutting it into thick slices, I slathered on double-cream brie-like d'Affinois cheese, and then layered a smear of chunky marmalade. The natural pairings of duck and orange - along with the silky texture of the oozing cheese - put me into a state of immediate bliss. So easy, you absolutely must go now and try it. If this specific bread isn't readily available where you are, choose any rustic, good, wood-fired bread. Dig in. Relish the effortless delights of spring.

A Feast for Friends

It is actually looking like spring outside! What fortunate timing, as I've been starved for the season's flowers and the fragrance they bring. So with Easter as my excuse (should I ever need one) I bought numerous dainty and bright blooms and made preparations for a meal that would make use of things calling out to me from my refrigerator's stocks... food I think anyone would happily gobble. Made for ease and versatility - and of course supreme deliciousness - shared with friends. Enjoy. ;)

The fragrance from these jonquils permeated the living room!

                                                                                                                                 

 

 

 

As you can imagine, we had a great time. Nothing like catching up with dear people (it seems like far too long in-between each time one or another of us makes arrangements, but then again I guess that's New York). What even better time spent, making a festive occasion of it with flowers celebrating the season, and special-feeling, fantastic food.

Japan, I Love You

I thought I would share about my journeys as we traveled and as it turns out, I was wrong. Japan swallowed me whole, and I loved every bit of it. (well, maybe not the freezing, toes-numb parts, but more on that later) Our time in this fabled land was richly sensory: visual beauty and bombardment; culinary explorations in many, many directions, most, exceedingly delicious; and lots and lots of walking. We did take trains, buses, and the metro quite a bit, but it was our lucky feet that brought us to one destination after another and all of those treasured points in-between.

After our 14+ hours in a plane and 2 additional in a shuttle from the airport to Tokyo proper, we muscled our luggage to the rental apartment in Shibuya - a youthful, bustling area and a great anchor from which to move about. We got settled in, cleaned up, and then collapsed. And that brings me to our first day. We set out for my favorite nook in this incredible city, the neighborhood of Shimokitazawa, and true-to-memory it remains as vibrant as when I visited it last.

artwork on storefront gate

It was a beautiful sunny day meant for wandering. We were wide-eyed to drink it all in, and one of the first orders of business was to get to drinking some coffee. We found a little corner shop, and as we walked in I was surprised to see a coffee I knew well - the fruity Yirgacheffe that I have loved sipping at spots here in NYC. We got whatever their daily roast was - still brushing up on our *VERY* limited Japanese, we did not attempt to find out what it was. Only that it was delicious and I wished to have more of it. :)

 

cute teapots lined up along the window

 

sitting in the warming sun

photo by Jim Lafferty

Meandering around as shops began to open and bicyclists pedaled by, we came across various things.

fun sp moment!

outdoor restaurant display, weathered design on a large urn

Along another small street, there was a flower shop selling exquisite blooms.

such a thoughtful, smart presentation!

Peeking into various shops and taking our time, we were having a blast. Here's another sweet flower shop we happened upon - and I thought I'd be trudging in the freezing cold, it being winter and all!

We had arranged to meet A for lunch and in retracing our steps to meet with her, I found these - a little table that looked like the beginnings of a produce stand, and someone's refined display outside their home - gorgeous, right?

We dined at a place called Cafe Zinc, an artsy, light-filled space with enough room to remain intimate, even when full. The food was simple and a delight, a mix of Japanese comfort food and western-inspired offerings. I loved how the menu was composed: daily selections could be added or removed as per what the chef could source and wanted to make.

iphone photo, Jim Lafferty

What better way to top off a tasty meal than with a rich cup of joe? This place set a new bar for what coffee can be - we found ourselves measuring the flavor of every subsequent cup to the one we had here. It was a divine experience. Sigh.

The day wore on and we set out again. Seeing this orange tree growing on a corner was a warming treat during the late-afternoon.

We did finally leave Shimokitazawa to find a new area to explore. More on that soon. Our first day was bliss. I hope these scenes help you to enjoy it as much as we did!