White & Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

My friends Shara and Richard recently finished building their new house. And when I say "built" I am being literal. As in hammers, nails, boards, roofing, windows, flooring, installing fixtures... you name it; they did it. So when they invited us to the long awaited housewarming party, I knew I needed to make something special.

Shara asked me to make the dessert and said there would be around 50 people in attendance. I immediately thought of chocolate dipped strawberries. This is one of those dishes that are more technique than recipe. And the technique is super simple. But the results look impressive (you always get loads of oohs and aahs), taste delicious and pack really well. This is the dish I bring to most summer gatherings when strawberries are in season.

For the housewarming party, I made a selection of dark chocolate dipped strawberries, Then dipped a quarter of the batch in white chocolate for color, taste, and interest. You can get very creative with this recipe. Sometimes I drizzle warm caramel sauce over the chocolate. Often I will add a liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Chambord to half of the melted chocolate for a more sophisticated taste. You can roll the strawberries and melted chocolate in coconut, chocolate shavings or chopped nuts.Get creative...the fun comes from different creations. Happy Summer!

White & Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
(quantity depends on the size of strawberries)

2 pints fresh strawberries (with stems if possible)
10 oz best quality dark or bittersweet chocolate chips
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 tsp pure Tahitian vanilla
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
4 oz white chocolate
dark chocolate sprinkles

Wash strawberries and pat dry with kitchen towel. Strawberries should be totally dry before dipping so chocolate will adhere. Set aside.

Line 2 large rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Melt dark chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler. Add butter, vanilla and salt and stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat. Dip each strawberry about 3/4 from the top into chocolate, Swirl to evenly coat. Set on prepared cookie sheet and allow to harden. (about 30 minutes)

Wash double boiler and melt white chocolate. Dip 1/4 of the chocolate-dipped strawberries halfway into the white chocolate. Cover with some of the sprinkles and set back onto the cookie sheets. Set in a cool, dry place and allow to harden.

Serve at room temperature. 

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The view from Shera and Richard's upstairs bathroom

Summer means easy, breezy dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network's Summer Soiree we are celebrating Portable/picnic-ready (Anything you can easily pack and take with you). Do you have a favorite portable recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Baked Quinoa Cakes with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Buckwheat Double Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies: Buckwheat Double Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Bacon and Soufflé: Classic Tomato and Garlic Bruschetta
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Fruit Sandwich
Napa Farmhouse 1885: White & Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Red or Green: Corn & Sweet Red Pepper Casserole
Homemade Delish: Mini Tea Sandwiches
Taste with the Eyes: Rice Noodles with Miso Butter and Ramen-Style Toppings
Virtually Homemade: Virtually Homemade Gluten Free Blueberry Crumble Bars
Dishin & Dishes: Iron Skillet Upside Down Mulberry (or Blackberry or Raspberry) Cake
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Strawberries and Skinny Yogurt Cheesecake Dip
Healthy Eats: How to Pack a Healthy Picnic — Summer Soiree
The Mom 100: Creamy Corn and Potato Salad with Bacon

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
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mixed berry tea cake

happy summer everyone!  my favorite season of all.  this week makes the start of food network's summerfest, and we are starting with berries.  when i think of summer fruit desserts, i want something easy to make with an emphasis on the fruit.  crisps, cobblers...that kind of ease.  i will save layered cakes and homemade pies for winter, spring and fall.  summer? i want to be outside.

so i was thrilled to find recipes for tea cake a few years ago.  a dough that comes together in minutes (with NO rolling), this is a cross between a cake, drop biscuits and cobbler.  (does that sound odd?).  my favorite  is from the book Rustic Fruit Desserts by cory schreiber and julie richardson.  their version is delicious, but made with white flour and sugar.  i experimented a lot and tweaked the original to create my recipe which follows their exact directions, but is made with white whole wheat flour**, cornmeal, coconut sugar and coconut.  you can use any type of fruit...they used stone fruit. today i am using strawberries and blueberries.

when you make this recipe for the first time you will be surprised by the dough.  it will be very soft, almost cookie dough like.  that is the way it is supposed to be.  just wrap it in plastic, pat down to form a 1 inch thick disk and freeze for 1/2 hour.  here is a tip from me....double or triple the dough recipe and keep in the freezer.  you will want to make tea cakes all summer...nothing is easier than pulling the prepared dough out of the freezer...patting into the pan, piling in the fruit and baking.  served with ice cream, whipped cream or just as is, you will eat this often!  happy summer everyone.

mixed berry tea cake
adapted from "rustic fruit desserts"
(serves 10-12)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups white whole wheat flour**
1/4 cup cornmeal, finely ground
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 pints ripe strawberries, halved
1 pint blueberries
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
1 tbsp coconut sugar

Whisk flour, cornmeal,baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beater or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition, then stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir just until a smooth dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk, and freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a shallow 10-inch round baking pan, tart pan or fluted pie pan.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and pat one portion evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread fruit over the dough. Sprinkle coconut over fruit. Break remainder of the dough into tablespoon-size pieces and distribute atop the fruit, then sprinkle the tbsp coconut sugar over the dessert.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Storage: Wrapped in plastic wrap, this tea cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. (The top will soften a bit.) You can also freeze the unbaked dough; if wrapped well, it will keep for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole, unbaked cake with fruit (again, wrapped well) for 1 month.

** i love unbleached white whole wheat flour, whole wheat which has been milled from the lightest wheat kernels...so light they are almost white. contains all the fiber and nutrients of regular whole wheat but lighter in color and taste. note...this is not white flour...the color is light brown when baked. i like the king arthur brand**

it is "berries" week at food network's summerfest roundup. check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. have a favorite berry recipe?  share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one:

Feed Me Phoebe: Gluten-Free Blueberry-Almond Pancakes
The Lemon Bowl: Strawberry Mango Chia Smoothie
Dishin & Dishes: Crunchy Topped Blueberry White Chocolate Muffins
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Gingered Blueberry Shortcakes With Light Creamy Topping
Taste With The Eyes: Blueberry Limoncello Pavlova
Sweet Life Bake: Paletas de Fresca y Aguacate
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mixed Berry Tea Cake 
Red or Green?: Strawberry & Blueberry Crisp (Red or Green-style)
Virtually Homemade: Blueberry Mint Margaritas
Haute Apple Pie: Triple Berry Ice Cream
Pinch My Salt: Strawberry Peach Cobbler With Almond Biscuit Topping
Cooking With Elise: Dehydrating Blueberries, Plus Blueberry and White Chocolate Cookies
Devour: Four Healthy Berry Recipes
Domesticate Me: Summer Berry Crisp
Weelicious: Brainy Breakfast
The Sensitive Epicure: Strawberries With White Balsamic Vinegar Caramel, Orange Zest and Black Pepper
Daily*Dishin: Fresh and Easy Blueberry Pie
From My Corner of Saratoga: Mixed Berry Freezer Pops
FN Dish: Wake Up With Berries

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885
red or green?
california girl in taos

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want a recipe for rhubarb & strawberry crumble?

so...what is the difference between a crisp and a crumble?  summer is approaching (although here in napa you would never know it...it has been cold, cloudy and rainy for weeks!) and crisps/crumbles are the perfect, easy, delicious way to prepare the luscious fruit grown at this time of year.   but what is the difference?  definitions vary, but most agree that both desserts start with a bottom layer of fruit, but their toppings are a little bit different. crisp toppings are a mix of butter (or, in my case, olive oil), sugar, flour,  oats and sometimes nuts. crumbles include a butter (e.v.o.o.), flour, sugar mixture called streusel. the three ingredients are mixed until crumbly and then cover the fruit. the finished products are very similar, but crisps have a higher proportion of fat to flour so are usually crisper and a bit richer.  crumbles are more cake-like.  both are delicious.

i posted my crisp recipe last fall and used apples & pears . today i am sharing my "kind of healthy" crumble.  regular readers know i have been on a quest this year to take traditional recipes and make them a bit healthier.  i think i have been brainwashed by my friend laura's quarterly cleanses and want my body to feel good after consuming delicious food...(i.e.  not bloated, stuffed, heavy, too full)...  emphasize delicious in that last sentence.  it does me no good to create a healthy recipe if it tastes bad...or even marginal.  i need to love it or am not satisfied.  this crumble meets that criteria.

i used spelt flour instead of the more traditional white flour.  spelt flour is an ancient whole grain with high water solubility.  this allows its vital nutrients to be absorbed into the body very quickly. it also adds a bit of a nutty taste which i think works really well in crumbles. and, although it is NOT gluten free and therefore not suitable for people with celiac disease, many people sensitive to gluten report they can tolerate spelt flour.   my other substitutes are agave nectar for sugar, extra virgin olive oil for butter and, because i like the taste better, instant tapioca in place of cornstarch or flour to thicken the fruit juices.

it embarrasses me a bit to admit that i have never cooked with rhubarb.  growing up, i don't remember even eating it.  so it was a terrific surprise to find 8 stalks in my csa box last week.  rhubarb and strawberries are so often paired together that i decided this would be the perfect combo for my first attempt at using this fruit. i have heard rhubarb is very bitter so strawberries naturally add a bit of sweetness to balance everything out.  guess what?  i now am quite the rhubarb fan....how did i miss this my whole life?  rhubarb is 95% water and is rich in potassium, vitamin c, dietary fiber and calcium. one cup of chopped rhubarb contains approx 26 calories.  how great is that?  i can convince myself that leftover crumble is a healthy breakfast option  ha!  actually, once in a while, it really is....  so enjoy after dinner, as an afternoon treat...or breakfast...i think even laura would approve....(but probably without the ice cream)

rhubarb and strawberry crumble

topping
2 1/2 cup spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup agave nectar 
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

filling
8 stalks rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 quarts strawberries hulled and quartered
juice of one lemon
3/4 cup agave syrup
4 tablespoons instant tapioca
pinch of sea salt

preheat oven to 375°F.  in a mixing bowl combine spelt flour, baking powder, agave, lemon zest and olive oil. mix well.  you will have a dense dough.  set aside while preparing the filling.

add rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, agave, tapioca and a pinch of sea salt in a 12 x 8 baking dish. (my oval dish is approx the same size).  stir to ensure ingredients are well mixed. using your fingers, break topping into small pieces and sprinkle over fruit . cover fruit with topping. place crumble on a foil lined baking sheet (to capture any drips), and bake until crumble topping is brown and crunchy and fruit is bubbling. (approx 40 to 50 minutes.)
let cool for a minimum of 35 minutes to allow fruit to gel.  serve warm, room temperature or cold with your favorite vanilla ice cream

do you have favorite rhubarb recipes?  please share them in the comments section.  i am hoping for more rhubarb stalks in my csa box during the next few weeks.... what should i do with them?

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "

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maybe balsamic roasted peaches?

fresh strawberries drizzled with excellent balsamic vinegar...and just a dusting of cracked black pepper...are one of my all time favorite things. just as is...or as the topping for vanilla ice cream...delicious. so i was over-the-moon excited to read a blog post by my twitter friend @lelonopo where she suggested roasting strawberries with balsamic. once of those times where i smacked myself in the head wondering why i never thought to do so. i mean..c'mon...i am the roasting queen...i roast everything in sight....why not strawberries? in balsamic?

well let me tell you...roasting the berries in balsamic is brilliant...just brilliant lelo! they became my go-to dessert during june and july...perfect over ice cream...or pound cake...or served with cookies for dipping in the lovely strawberry/balsamic glaze that is a side benefit of this process. for my last cooking club meeting i made a gluten-free crumb cake (more on that in another post) because one friend is gluten sensitive...and i spooned massive amounts of the strawberries and sauce over the cake and topped with coconut ice cream....delicious! truly one of those dishes where everyone asks for the recipe...and says things like "wow, this one is a keeper" or "please make this again soon" or..."who knew? healthy, yummy and gluten free".

so now it is stone fruit season...and a few weeks ago i thought...if berries work, why not peaches? or apricots? or plums? or (you get the idea). guess what? they work.

it is stone fruit week at summer fest. i started to blog about the peach pie i have been making all summer (a good friend asked me to make the desserts for her wedding this september... gulp!...and they want pies, cobblers and crisps instead of a traditional cake...i have been experimenting all summer) but i decided to wait until after the big day and share the actual recipes, photos, tips and learnings. instead of pie this week...how about the balsamic roasted fruit? easy...effortless...different...delicious. (and, if you can still find them, give the strawberries a try too)

this is one of those no recipe, recipes...you need only three ingredients: the fruit, brown sugar and balsamic. use the best quality you can because you will really taste the difference...organic fruit & sugar, real balsamic vinegar. you don't need the super aged kind...but check the label to ensure it is pure balsamic. it should simply say "contains grape must"...no added sugars or colors or preservatives. i did vary from lelo's recipe in that she used white sugar and i prefer the less sweet (to me at least) taste of brown sugar but you can use whatever you like. i like to sprinkle fresh herbs on the fruit when serving. mint is a natural, but basil has become my favorite. oh, and did i mention any leftovers are delicious on pancakes the next morning? i think i need to start roasting now!

i am always amazed that even though the fruit is roasted for 40 minutes, it holds the shape so well.
balsamic roasted peaches
2 lbs peaches (or any stone fruit), pitted and cut in half
1/4 cup brown sugar*
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

preheat oven to 425 degrees. place prepared fruit in a large mixing bowl. sprinkle sugar over the top. sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the mixture and gently stir to combine. arrange fruit cut side up on a rimmed baking pan. drizzle any fruit juice over the top and place in preheated oven. roast for 40 minutes. remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. place fruit in serving dish and pour balsamic syrup over each piece. serve warm or at room temperature.

*note, the amount of sugar is approximate depending on how sweet the fruit is and your taste preference. i suggest you taste a piece of the fruit you are going to roast to determine amount of sugar to add. with very sweet white peaches i might only use 1/8 cup sugar. the peaches i used today were not sweet at all and, even though i don't like it too sweet, i needed to use a couple of tablespoons more sugar. experiment to find the finished taste you like and then go from there*

**for the roasted strawberries, use 6 cups whole berries, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tbsp balsamic**

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your stone fruit tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating summer fest 2010...and...happy blogging.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

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crisp anyone? a recipe for farmhouse strawberry & blueberry crisp

i think crisps (and crumbles...never really sure the difference) are my favorite summer dessert. sure, they taste delicious...but they are also incredibly easy...and fast...and versatile. just what i want when it is hot outside and the pool is calling. just what i want when i am staring at mounds of beautiful stone fruit and berries...and don't want to take the time to make pies...or cakes...or tarts...or anything tricky.

crisps involve putting the fruit in a dish...adding a topping of oats, flour sugar, spices and a fat...stirring all together...mounding on the fruit...baking...and viola! warm, yummy, fruity, crunchy...and the perfect base for ice cream...or whipping cream...or frankly...just as is.

most crisps call for butter. but i use (regular readers...you know what is coming, right?) extra virgin olive oil. i like the taste and texture the oil gives the topping. and, perhaps i am just faking myself out, but the health benefits of the olive oil make me feel less guilty about eating dessert...especially if you saw the serving size i take. (heck, it is fruit people,...fruit!)

this is the 4th of july weekend...one of my favorite times of year. we have a bbq to attend one day...and different friends stopping by throughout the other two days. all a variation of... "hey..how about hanging out by the pool...eating, drinking, swimming, talking and laughing?" i plan to have a lot of ingredients on hand to make simple, fast, delicious (and flexible so i am prepared however many people show up) meals. our farmhouse strawberry & blueberry crisp is perfect for the occasion. the red and blue of the berries spooned onto the white plate seems fitting for the 4th....and i can make them throughout the weekend if necessary to satisfy hungry guests. the recipe is equally good with peaches and apricots and nectarines and plums and cherries....and on and on....keep it handy, you may find yourself making it often.

(the cracked black pepper may seem unusual...but please don't skip it. it adds a subtle flavor that works really well with the fruit...and a tiny bit of heat. no one will know what it is...they will just love the overall taste)

farmhouse strawberry & blueberry crisp
1/2 cup organic rolled oats (not quick cooking kind)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
pinch sea salt
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cups fruit (i used a mixture of strawberries and blueberries for this one)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp unbleached flour
finely grated rind from one small orange

fresh mint for garnish
homemade or best quality vanilla ice cream (if desired) or whipping cream, or serve with a pitcher of heavy cream

preheat oven to 375 degrees F
for topping: combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork. add the olive oil, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with the fork to incorporate the oil. when all oil has been added the mixture should look moist and a bit crumbly. set aside.

for filling: slice the strawberries in half and add to another small bowl. stem the blueberries if needed and add to the same bowl. add the sugar, flour and orange peel and gently stir.

assemble: add the fruit mixture to a small baking dish 8 inches in diameter. sprinkle the topping over the fruit ensuring all fruit is covered. bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, or until topping has browned and fruit juices are bubbling. remove from oven and let crisp cool down to "just warm" status. ** this is important...you will be tempted to eat right away, but you need to let the juices thicken a bit which happens during the cooling off period. otherwise the juices will run.**
serve warm or at room temperature topped with the ice cream and mint. also delicious the next morning for breakfast if you have any left.

this recipe serves 4 but is easily doubled or tripled for larger gatherings. i use rectangular glass, stoneware or clay baking dishes and casseroles for larger crisps.

the strawberry and blueberry crisp is a favorite for 4th of july parties...easy, delicious and beautiful...filled with local, in-season organic fruit. make one for this weekend...and happy 4th of july everyone!

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." ~Abraham Lincoln

best, and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™"live a green life of style™ "

do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

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fruit & marmalade bruschetta? easiest ever appetizers for summer

it has been an absolutely crazy couple of weeks. i was a vendor at the three day napa home & garden show a few weeks ago and then was invited (via foodzie) by sunset magazine to be an exhibitor for their celebration weekend event last saturday & sunday. both events were a lot of fun...a lot of work...and resulted in terrific exposure for our company. it was amazing to meet so many cool people, offer tastes from our "farmhouse food" assortment and get real time feedback. hello to everyone that i met...and thank you for your kind words about napa farmhouse 1885™...both the company and this blog.

so i was exhausted on monday....and my body felt like it had been hit by a mack truck (i carried billions of cases back and forth setting up and taking down the booth and, yes, i am getting very whiney ha!). my friend linda from the cordair gallery in downtown napa phoned and said..."hey, how would you like to make the food for this month's tweet up event on wednesday night? it would be a great opportunity to feature your food". linda has been hosting monthly parties for twitter users since the beginning of the year...and each month she focuses on a different type of wine. price of admission is a bottle of that wine so, in addition to meeting terrific people, you get to sample many wines. and...since this is napa after all... many of the guests are from the wineries producing the wine so you have subject experts there to answer all of your quetions...really fun. june was "rose" month. so there i was...torn between wanting to do NOTHING for a day or two...or "cater" a party. ok, i am so not a caterer...but making food for the party won. just could not pass up the opportunity...or refuse to help a friend...

now, my food assortment is primarily jams, marmalade, granola, chutney and seasonings . i thought creating appetizers would be a massive challenge. but i had just spent two weekends passing out samples of my preserves on bread and figured you can't really go wrong with bread and jam right?

introducing my "farmhouse food bruschetta" selection. 4 quick and super easy recipes for summer (or anytime really) entertaining. actually "recipes" may be a bit of a stretch. i should just say "combination suggestions". here is the menu:

"farmhouse preserves" bruschetta selection
~persimmon & jalapeño jam with organic cream cheese on crostini
~meyer lemon marmalade with organic strawberries and fig/balsamic reduction on crostini
~orange & ginger marmalade with whipped marscapone cheese on walnut toast
~fig & grand marnier jam on whipped marscapone cheese with applewood smoked bacon crumbles on walnut toast

here are the details for each one. i am not going to provide quantities because it just depends on how many you want to make...i was preparing for 100 people so i bought a lot of bread :) also, while i use my products in all of my recipes, i never want you to feel you have to...there will be links to my webstore if you are interested, but you can always use whatever brand you like...just ensure it is the best quality you can find. with something this simple, the ingredients really do matter.
i used french baguettes for the crostini and a walnut loaf boule for the other two. (fyi, both were purchased at model bakery in napa). i preheated the oven to 350 degrees, sliced the baguettes into crostini on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick, sliced the walnut bread into 2-bite pieces the same thickness and toasted in the oven until crunchy and just turning golden (about 10 minutes) you can make your bread whatever size you wish.

once the bread is ready, take out of oven and let cool...from there you just assemble and serve.

for the persimmon & jalapeño crostini i spread the cream cheese on 1/2 of each piece of bread and spread the jam on top of the cheese. how easy is that? the sweet of the jam, with a bit of heat from the jalapeños is really nice married with the cream cheese.

for the meyer lemon marmalade option i sliced organic strawberries lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick. i layered 3 pieces of strawberry (with the ends overlapping) on each crostini. i spooned a small amount (about a teaspoon) of the meyer lemon marmalade in the center and drizzled some of the fig/balsamic reduction over the top. * note, i make the balsamic reduction each year during fig season and have shared the recipe before but if you don't have any...or can't find figs...a regular balsamic reduction...or even a high quality, aged balsamic would work really well.

the orange-ginger option couldn't be simpler...just spread the marscapone (as much as you like...i use about 2 teaspoons per piece) over the walnut toast and top with the marmalade. then i sprinkle chopped mint over the entire platter.

and, last but certainly not least because this one involves bacon!!, the option featuring our fig & grand marnier jam. i cook thick-cut applewood smoked bacon until very crispy, drain on paper towels and chop. i spread marscapone on walnut toast, top with the fig jam and sprinkle the bacon pieces over everything. all night i kept hearing people say "bacon!"

so...the next time you are looking for easy appetizers that are a bit different from the norm...try a couple (or all) of these suggestions...they taste really good...hold up well...and are just different enough to get people talking. feel free to take these ideas and experiment with your favorite flavor combinations...i would love to hear about your recipes...please share in the comments section of this post...
happy june! (oh..and thanks to my friends from paupaiz for taking these photos and posting via twit pics...i always forget my camera!)

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page
& follow me on twitter

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what can you do with meyer lemons?

answer....everything. i just noticed that i have been posting a lot of recipes/stories about meyer lemons...pasta...limoncello...cake... you name it. i was a bit worried that this was overkill...i mean. ..what if readers don't like lemons? but i have realized that i am writing the way i try to cook...using fresh, seasonal, local, organic/sustainably grown ingredients...and i cannot get more local than fruit grown in my garden! my lemon tree has been fruiting since december...and i continue to look for ways to use up the bounty.

i use lemons in everything...a bit of lemon juice and zest amps up the flavor in baking, vegetable dishes, fish, chicken, pasta, salads, fresh fruit, tea...i keep a pitcher of water with sliced lemons in the fridge...you name it...i use it.

our good friends richard and caitlin came to dinner on wednesday. i had tons of work to do that day, so i wanted an extremely easy menu...i made a simple pasta with almonds, garlic and peas (will give recipe in another post), roasted asparagus...and a meyer lemon marmalade cake with a strawberry/balsamic sauce for dessert....the pasta and asparagus were hits...and the cake won rave reviews. as i told you last time...my family and friends all "grade" my recipes by using the word bloggable...they are so used to me writing about everything we eat that it has become their shorthand...one bite of cake and they all said..."bloggable!" richard went for seconds...and asked if he could take some home. (for me, this is the ultimate compliment...think it goes back to my italian mom....i feel really, really happy when my friends and family enjoy my food....fyi...caitlin emailed me the following day letting me know the cake was just as good the next morning with coffee for breakfast :)

so...here is the recipe for the cake...full disclosure as to how it was developed...i make meyer lemon marmalade all the time...i have an easy (but really labor intensive) recipe that is usually foolproof. i made multiple batches one day and...for some unknown reason...one batch did not set. now i make it exactly the same way every time...the recipe only uses lemons and sugar...nothing else...so i am baffled as to what happened. but, since i love experimenting, i decided i wanted to create recipes using the unset marmalade (is that even a term?). i thought a vanilla bundt cake drizzled with the marmalade would be nice...well, it rocks. .but since i cannot give you a recipe for that, i substituted a meyer lemon simple syrup with a few spoonfuls of correctly made marmalade...works just as well...but..if you happen to be making jam and screw it up...here is an option for your creation....and a new expression"when life gives you runny marmalade...make cake?"

i wrote about my vegan chocolate cake earlier this year and it has become one of the most popular sites from a search engine perspective...i love this cake which i adapted from one published in the moosewood cookbook. i used the same basic recipe for this vanilla cake...just tweaked the ingredients around to remove the chocolate. i love the way it turned out...think it will become my go-to summer cake used with many different types of summer fruit...and, best of all...it is super simple...can be mixed with a wooden spoon, so no mixer to clean...and the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar used makes it a bit healthier...so a bit more guilt free...please let me know what you think...

meyer lemon marmalade cake (just happens to be vegan)

(with strawberry/balsamic sauce)

for the cake

3 2/3 cups organic unbleached flour

2 cups sugar (organic will really make a difference)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp alum free baking powder

2 cups cold water

1/2 cup plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (i use tahitian vanilla)

meyer lemon marmalade syrup

2 cups organic sugar
zest from 1 meyer lemon, plus 3/4 cup fresh meyer lemon juice
2 cups water

2 tbsp meyer lemon marmalade

combine sugar, zest, and 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has completely dissolved. bring to a boil. turn off heat and allow syrup to come to room temperature (keep in saucepan). when completely cool, pour though strainer into small bowl(throw away strainer contents) . stir in meyer lemon juice and marmalade.

strawberry/balsamic sauce

2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries

1 1/2 tbsp organic brown sugar

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

handful of fresh mint for garnish, rough chop

(i use this sauce all summer on cakes, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, fresh fruit. .etc. feel free to substitute other berries..whatever you like)

wash, stem and puree 2 cups of the strawberries in a blender or food processor. add the brown sugar, orange zest, pepper and balsamic vinegar and puree until almost smooth. pour into serving bowl. slice the remaining 1/2 cup berries and add to bowl. taste and add a bit more sugar if needed...total amount will depend on how sweet your berries are..

step 1...make cake

preheat oven to 350 degrees. oil and flour a bundt pan and set aside. combine the water, e.v.o.o., vinegar and vanilla in a large bowl. in a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients...do not skip the sifting, you want all the small lumps removed... add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. (do not over-mix). bake in preheated oven approx. 45 min-1 hour. start checking at 45 minutes...when a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean...the cake is finished. remove from oven and place on rack. let cool for 10 minutes.

step 2

turnout cake from bundt pan onto serving plate. using a toothpick, poke a number of holes in cake top. using a large spoon, drizzle meyer lemon marmalade syrup onto cake top, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups in total. cake should look really moist...not soggy. allow to cool completely. garnish cake with large pieces of lemon peel from the marmalade (i just use a fork to strain out from the syrup mixture)

step 3

to serve, slice cake and plate...either spoon strawberry/balsamic sauce around cake...or serve plain and pass sauce separately. top serving with sprinkle of mint...as my friend richard says.."the mint is key...it wakes up the entire mouth"

today, the lemon trees are covered with blossoms...and the entire yard is perfumed with the beautiful scent...so i am going to spend some time outdoors relaxing and enjoying the flowers...because...in mere moments (just a slight exaggeration)...those flowers will become meyer lemons...and the cooking, baking, juicing will begin... again....

do you have favorite lemon recipes?...please send them my way...either as a direct email or posted in the comments section of this story...

best,

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

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