Can't Forget About The Blueberries

I picked blueberries for 3 hours in the woods behind my cottage in Grayling, Michigan. The berries, actually called "huckleberries" (I'll be your huckleberry - Val Kilmer), are real tiny. If you have a case of OCD, consider yourself gifted on the days you pick the berries. I'm not kidding. You could pick for days on this property. I normally can begin the last week of June, but this year they took their time and didn't look ready until the third week of July.

I had so many options for what to do with all these berries. I've done this before and made jam, pancakes, muffins, and of course ate them out of hand. But this year I made a giant blueberry pie. I used a sturdy sweet dough. This pie is heavy. It took nine cups or so of blueberries. I took it to a "Christmas in July" party and it went over well. The little that was left was enjoyed as breakfast, I'm told, by our friends Mona and J.P. in Grayling. He is now back in Iraq, only home for a short time to attend a funeral. I was honored to feed them.

The Garden is My Baby

You know how some people always have pictures of their kids? They make you look at them and expect you to think they are so cute. I am so weird. I didn't do much of that when my kids were little. If my kids were there in person, sure, I'd expect you to comment about them. But I didn't want to put you in the uncomfortable position of having to pretend like you cared when I pulled out a pic of them in their absence. WELL, times have changed. So has the content of the pictures.

It's ironic that while all this lovely stuff grows in the dirt (manure even), it looks so fresh and clean in the pictures. The colors up against the darkness of the soil is so lovely. And I know that I don't put anything in the garden outside of a fertilizer so those babies are good for eatin'. I do just pick stuff usually while I'm out there weeding (by hand). Even my girl, Natalie has spent hours of her summer weeding and helping out the plants. We consider the weeds to be thieves of our nutritious soil. The birds,too. But who can blame them all for wanting to feast? It is pretty pure stuff.

I love my garden. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for every beautiful thing that is grown in it. I think that everyone should have a garden. To feel gratitude every single day is better than falling in love. I know that this blog is supposed to be about sugar, and I still love that too. However, the magic (I know it's science, but magic more adequately describes the emotional connection) that occurs when the little seed becomes something that nourishes my family and my friends still brings about something childlike and new in me. I wish I could start a neighborhood garden in the areas that need it the most. No one would ever be hungry.

I Think I Need A Peach Tree...and other things

On my way home from Traverse City, I bought these Michigan grown plums and peaches. Christian was getting frustrated with me because as soon as I walked in the door I just had to take some pictures. I knew that they wouldn't last long on the counter and since I fall in love with beautiful stuff, I really NEEDED to get a picture of them right NOW!!!

The peaches were so ripe that they smelled like a scented candle. The juice would just pour out of them as soon as you touched them. Jeff was driving in to town and took one with him to try on the way. He ended up getting juice on himself and Margaret's car. Sadly, he had to throw some of it out the window because it was just too juicy to eat while driving.

I made the tart below with some almond cream (frangipane) and then the peaches. Normally I would boil them for a minute to loosen the skin but I couldn't chance them getting any softer. I peeled them with a very sharp knife and then quartered them. I put them in a pot with some vanilla sugar, almond extract, a touch of cinnamon and a little bit of butter. I only warmed them and then spooned them out one quarter at a time. I arranged them and topped them with some raspberries. I baked it for about, oh I don't know, until it looked ready. It was tasty. I took some down to The Two Track bar in Grayling and it was enjoyed by some of our friends there. The other one was devoured at the cottage.

It's a berry good start

The first of many strawberries, I hope. There are ten strawberry plants. We have put in a garden at our cottage in northern Michigan. The season is short and the weather is peculiar. I have had to study up on the particulars of growing anything in that part of the state. This plant is actually 4 weeks further along now and I have put it on a bed of mulch so that the tiny fruit never have to touch the ground. They are picky!!

In my garden, I have also planted the following:
Peppers: red, yellow, orange, jalapeno, banana, poblano
Onions: Green, Leeks, Shallots
Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Cilantro, French Tarragon, Texas Terragon,
Parsley, Thyme, Spearmint
Strawberries, Watermelon, Pumpkin & rhubarb
Carrots, Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Red and Green Cabbage
Tomatoes (5 types) & Beans
Zucchini & Cucumber
Lettuce: 3 types

I just spent the last ten days there tending, weeding and planting additional plants. I would have taken newer pictures but I (oops!) forgot the camera. I will be back there in nine days so there will be pics definitely then.

Having a garden is so hopeful! I recommend it. I also love the idea that I can feed my family even if I can't get to the store. I think I was born a few decades too late. I am thinking I should have been a farmer's wife....

Kids gotta have the sugar

This has been a week of birthdays...for 6 year olds. I feel like a drug pusher grooming my future customers.














I think it's strange that 6 year olds ike "high School Musical" enough to make it their party theme. I mean, they're 6. You're a teenagers by the time you get to high school. then again, my ninth grader can't stand the movie.

Easter dessert

I should have just made a carrot cake . I made this dessert for Easter and while everyone liked it, they said it was their least favorite thing I had made recently. Now mind you, they have a lot to choose from. I bake a lot. Their Easter baskets were filled with chocolate bunnies, big & small, that I tempered and molded myself. But, still they tried this and didn't love it. I liked it, but didn't love it either.

It consisted of a lemon cake (very thin) topped with a white chocolate pyramid filled with white chocolate mousse and raspberry coulis. It had a drizzle of the coulis, whipped cream and a bit of peah champagne sorbet. I thought it was beautiful and was glad I played around with it. They just don't like the plated desserts, I have come to realize. Throw some ice cream in a bowl and they are happy.

Take your pick...dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate coconut nests, topped with jelly beans. I have had these in my easter basket every year of my life. We started out getting them from Master's Chocolates in Detroit. They closed many years ago and we had to seek them out or attempt making them. My sister Patti made them for a few years, but I didn't always live near her. Some shops make little, teeny sad excuses for nests and charged too too much for them. After I went to The French Pastry School a few years ago, I decided to make them for myself.

I made them for the folks I worked with at Le Francais prior to leaving (it was the week of Easter) and they couldn't figure out what they were. I realized that many of them were not of the Christian faith and didn't ever have an easter basket. However, they loved them and I have been making them for customers for two years. They are a big seller. And I don't charge a fortune.

I also upgraded my chocolate this year. I used to use a real nice, high quality chocolate and it was fantastic. However, after taking a class with Norman Love, of Norman Love's Chocolates in Florida, I decided to use Felchlin chcocolate which is incredible and a definite step up in the world of chocolate. It is smoooooth and deep tasting. I am really happy with it.

I bake the coconut, not to toast it, only to dry it. Then I temper the chocolate and blend them together. I form the nests and add the jelly beans. I package them up and tie them with a bow. They are adorable and yummy.