honey caramel peach pie

This past summer I didn't find myself at any out of state peach-picking farms, but instead, I settled for somewhere a much shorter distance away: the supermarket's fruit aisle. Yes, I can proudly say that if someone asked me to name the aisle where they can find fruit, and what fruit to find there, I could tell them. Ok, maybe not that proudly. But I'll admit that Fairway proved extremely satisfactory. No! I don't mean that! What can I say? I'm a right off-the-tree junkie. 

Am I the only person who thinks that the seasons are flying by? Summer was too short, and the fall is already becoming too cold for me. And now I'm once again falling into my regular all work, no cooking regimen. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that after a long day at work (or school), all I want to do is get home and have something for dinner that does not require an hour of prep time. Yep, you could find a month's worth of food stocked away in our freezer. 

But the peach pie. Oh, the peach pie. Where to begin? The filling was incredible but a little runny, which is my fault because I insisted on eating it right out of the oven and didn't give it any setting time. It was ooey-gooey with a mildly sweet and flowery flavor from the honey. Who could have resisted? The crust; my new favorite recipe. Flaky, crispy, not at all soggy, and it puffed. Yes, folks, my pie crust puffed up like those in really homey bakeries where the crust is extremely uneven and balloons up and looks oh so delicious. Perhaps a little alarming, even, that my excitement over being able to make a giant mound of butter and flour swell up has not ceased after weeks. Maybe pathetic would be the right word?

This is the best darn pie I've ever made, and even if you've never made one before, I insist you try this. Just one thing: make sure to use mild honey, otherwise, the flavor will overpower the dish. Or, you could try increasing the amount of peaches to compensate (who cares if it overflows a bit, right?) I used golden blossom honey.

Honey Caramel Peach Pie

from Gourmet Magazine

3lb ripe peaches

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1/4 cup mild honey

2 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

All butter pastry dough (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon whole milk

Cut an X in the bottom of each peach, then blanch peaches in batches in boiling water 15 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel peaches and cut into 1 inch thick wedges.

Toss peaches well with cornstarch, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

Put a foil-lined large baking sheet in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring 1/2 cup sugar, honey, and water to a boil in a 1 1/2-to 2qt heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add butter, swirling pan until butter is melted. Pour over fruit and toss (caramel may harden slightly but will melt in the oven).

Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9-inch plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out remaining dough.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 11-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. 

Transfer filling to pie shell, mounding it. Cover pie with pastry round. Trim with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges together, then crimp decoratively. Brush top all over with some milk, then sprinkle with remaining Tbsp sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in top of crust with a paring knife. 

Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 5o minutes more. Cool pie to room temperature, 3 to 4 hours.

All-Butter Pastry Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/3 cup plus 1 to 4 Tbsp ice water

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl (or pulse in a food processor). Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 1/3 cup ice water over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated. 

Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a ball. Divide in half and form into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Notes: Dough can be chilled up to 1 day. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before rolling out. Recipe can be halved if making a single-crust pie. Use a rounded 1/4 tsp salt and start with 3 Tbsp water. 

roasted chicken

You've probably all been expecting it, but I've been swept up in this whole Julia Child epidemic. Don't tell me you didn't see it coming.

Despite the fact that I had never read either of the books that Julie & Julia is based on, I walked out of the movie raving. A day later I bought Julia Child's cookbook. A week later, still trying to contain my excitement, I went shopping for the ingredients for her Boeuf Bourguignon. The next day, they went into the freezer (however much I argued otherwise, my mom insisted that it was "not 90 degree weather food").

A few days ago, I went shopping in Bed Bath and Beyond, which is quite a dangerous thing to do when armed with a 20% off coupon and an inspiration level that could kill. I walked out with a new loaf pan, measuring cups, a serrated knife, a bamboo mat, and who knows what else. I think some sort of wooden paddle was also involved.

More to the point, we ate, or scarfed down, Julia Child's roasted chicken yesterday, which was delicious. I decided to cook on a whim and was quite disappointed at, to be frank, the lack of an excessive quantity of butter. Was there a typo in my book? Had I misread two tablespoons for two sticks? After this minor setback, the most trouble I had was preventing the chicken from bouncing around in the oven while trying to keep it balanced on its side with only a small fork in hand (a threat to both the bird's appearance, and my patience). It may not be the prettiest, but this was the best bird we've ever eaten. Next time, though, I'll be doing some damage to my butter supply.

You can find the recipe here-

Julia Child's Poulet Roti [Roasted Chicken]

kelly's birthday, revisited

Although the summer is only half over with a month left still, I can't help but think, the summer is half over. For countless reasons, such as the inconsistent weather (which has still yet to be hot enough to be normal for this time of year), and my unchanging pile of homework that has yet to be completed, this summer has been flying by.
Though some things haven't changed much this year; my annual trip to southern Maine with "the fam", and weekend trips to the Catskills to visit the streams, and my favorite pancake house, I am eating my way through new places, and of course, recipes. Next week, I'm heading off to South Carolina for a week to relax and enjoy the beach for the last time this summer. A girl has to soak up that sun while she can, doesn't she?
Speaking of new recipes, my sister Kelly's birthday just passed, and with no objections, I was left to make the cake. With very specific instructions, I was told to make a yellow cake with vanilla icing. This was my perfect opportunity to try Cook's Illustrated new yellow cake recipe. Easy enough, it satisfied around the table, along with Magnolia Bakery's Fluffy Vanilla Frosting recipe. The not too-sweet cake went perfectly with Magnolia's icing (which, as one would imagine, had more than enough sugar to feed a family). I thought it moist, flavorful, and delicious; the family seemed to concur.

shrimp and orzo salads

In an effort to break through my mayo-hating barrier, and further, forget about its certain qualities that I love to detest, I gave in to Ina Garten's recipe for shrimp salad, which I had been feverishly eyeing for a long time. Too long. 

Throwing caution to the wind, I whipped it up on one 

of those sunny summer days which have become such a rarity. And I don't think whipped would be the right word, seeing as it took me hours to peel, devein, and wash every shrimp- each of which added to the growing doubt of my ill-fated taste buds. But I was determined to put myself out there, into a whole new world of condiments. In the end, though, the salad was delicious. The shrimp were moist and flavorful, and the hints of orange and dill added fresh and unique flavors. I'll admit, I'm slowly inching towards that mayo jar again. One step at a time. 

To add the "cherry on top" of my self-discovering experience, the orzo salad that I paired with the shrimp, from Giada De Laurentiis, was also great. Being chock full of fresh herbs, it tasted just like summer! Yes, it tasted like a season indeed. 

You can find the recipes here-

Orzo Salad

Roasted Shrimp Salad

tuna and beans

June is almost here! That means the end of school, and the start of summer. For some reason, I haven't really been able to grasp the idea of it yet- maybe because the weather keeps being so lousy, or the fact that my neighborhood grocery store has yet to stock up on peaches (which remind me oh so much of what seems to be the never-arriving pie season). To top it off, I'm still getting as much, if not more work from my teachers than I had earlier this year. In spite of these, what I consider, devastations, my spirit has yet to be downtrodden. I've already placed my order for my first ever subscription of Cook's Illustrated magazine, and the new issue should be coming in time for the warm weather! Oh, the anticipation!

And how could I forget? I visited my grandmother last weekend and -gasp!- I received my very own Le Creuset pot! She decided she didn't use it as much as I would- though I've only used it once in the past two weeks. It was quite an important decision, though, deciding what meal to "christen" it with (I resolved that any use of a Le Creuset deserved such consideration, even though it had technically been "christened" before. I saw no reason to recognize this).

As I'm still waiting for the seasonal fruits and veggies to be available, I have to rely on the classics. My dad has been making this tuna and beans dish for years- it's incredibly simple, but full of flavor- plus, it can be made year-round. First, I chopped about 2 medium cloves of garlic, and sauteed them in a small/medium saucepot just for a minute. Then, I added a 15oz can of chopped tomatoes (you could use about 2 large, fresh tomatoes instead), and a can of chickpeas, and let this simmer for about 10 minutes. Then, a can of good tuna in olive oil goes in (I used Genova- you want to drain some of the oil, but not a lot), and it cooks with the beans just until hot. Voila, it's ready! You can always add some salt, pepper, or (fresh) basil if desired.

pignoli cookies

Wow, so much time has gone by and I haven't had time to make a single post, sorry! Spring break passed way too quickly, and the months have just seemed to fly by. During which, I went to the Hamptons for a week. Some of my favorite parts of the Hamptons, like the  little shacks with delicious corn on the cob, and the tons of people, make it a fun scene. Plus, Levain Bakery has a shop in the Hamptons. Oh! I can't even begin to explain my enthusiasm for little orchards and fruit stands along the side of winding roads. Unfortunately, I came a week too early. A week. If only I waited a few more days, I would have left a few pounds heavier, full of cookie, and other summery treats. Ok, so I admit I hit the Manhattan bakery right on my way home, but it's not the same! 

Anyway, summer will be here soon- pie season! I can't wait. School has been keeping me so incredibly busy now that it's the second half of the year, and I haven't even been able to cook many new things nowadays- I'm working on it! A couple weeks back I made these cookies for my Italian class and they were delicious! They have a great unique nutty flavor from the almond paste, and with the pine nuts, it's unbeatable. 

magnolia bakery

So as I begin to explain yet another one of my bakery obsessions (which, I insist are all deliciously justified) I will, yet again, warn you. Don't even think about going in the bakery if you want to a) watch your sugar (some even argue the cupcakes are too sweet- a complaint I would never make) or b) ever, ever maintain a diet in the future. 

On a lighter note, though, Magnolia Bakery is one of the best, and most well known bakeries in the city- especially for their cupcakes. Okay, I admit they're kind of overrated- their most popular cupcakes are plain vanilla with classic vanilla buttercream- nothing new. However, I'm really a sucker for the experience. My favorite part is walking into the cozy bakery and catching a whiff of treats coming out of the oven, then deciding what to get as you hesitantly reach for a cupcake, withdraw, and pick another one; last week I knocked over a tray of them in the process. And though I have Magnolia's cookbook, I think that making their treats at home is never quite the same as greedily taking a bite out of one as you walk out of the bakery on your way home. The taste is the same, but my favorite part- the way the bakers always manage to get the icing to sit on top of the cupcakes in such a perfect, swirly, picturesque way, simply cannot be mastered at home. Or at least by me. 

So, I conclude with their most famous recipe, and a hope that you can get your icing to be structured as you please

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

From Magnolia Bakery

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup self rising flour

1 1/4 all purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake papers

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either vanilla or chocolate buttercream. 

**To make the icing, place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.