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Peach Pie with Basil Cream Cheese Crust
“Moving to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches…” Ok, so I’m not actually moving to the country, this is just the song I sing to myself when making this peach pie with basil cream cheese crust. I have always been a city girl at heart, even when I didn’t live in a city. But I must say this pandemic has been the first time that a country life looked appealing to me. I started growing herbs on my balcony during the shelter-in-place order and Y’all… they’re STILL ALIVE!!! This might not be a big deal to you but for me, this is a Big Deal. I’ve developed a…
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Honey Mascarpone Tarts with Seasonal Fruit
The Beautiful Burden of Seasonal Fruit… The idea for these Honey Mascarpone Tarts with Plums and Blackberries came to me out of a desperate attempt eat every piece of summer produce available to me this season. Summer is great for many reasons, but the fruit (sweet nature the fruit!) is the best! Peaches, plums, nectarines, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, cantaloupe, watermelon, the list extends into infinity and I intend to eat All. Of. It. I must admit, however, this goal has been a somewhat impeded by my other goals this season to limit food waste and grocery shopping as much as possible. I have been working hard on reducing my…
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Brown Butter Blondies
I have always found blondies to be the most boring baked good ever to grace a potluck. If you’re having trouble remembering what blondies are, they are that tray of beige squares that some overworked mom dumped off at every bake sale or class birthday. Sometimes she added some M&M’s or marshmallows (or sprinkles) in a desperate attempt to jazz up what was clearly a less-than-exemplary dessert. They are almost always either too cakey, or too crumbly, and consistently monotonous in flavor. But these… these brown butter blondies are not that. Nay, my friends, the humble blondie has been elevated! It now exemplifies the beautiful chewy texture of it’s sister, the…
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Rhubarb and Ginger Cake: The First Sign of Spring
It is strange to think that while our lives are on hold right now, nature just… carries on. Awkwardly shuffling through the produce aisles of the grocery store, trying not to get too close to anyone, it struck me how different the world is now. The shops and streets are eerily quiet, and if you meet someone’s eyes above their mask they all share this expression of mild panic mixed with tired acquiescence. I probably share their expression. Just as I’m starting to think how this doesn’t even feel abnormal anymore, I see these little red stalks and I’m pulled back. Hey. Look at that. I guess its May. It…
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Quarantine Bakes and Coconut Cakes
The one time I get the post up by the holiday and we’re under quarantine. And yes, I know that quarantine isn’t the right word, but it sure feels like it. This is just The Weirdest Emergency. There’s this cloud of doom in the air, hasty new laws, everything is on the line, and the consequence of failure is literally life or death. And yet, there’s nothing you can do. In fact, that is what you are supposed to do: nothing. That much nothing can get to you after a while. And so… I bake. I originally planned this post when I thought we might be back to life as…
