Summery Fruit Galette

Tags

baking, cooking, delicious, farmers markets, food, fresh, fruit, homecook, local, seasonal, summer

As Autumn approaches, I find myself wanting to cling to the fresh abundance of summer produce, namely the sumptuous stone fruits and plump berries of early Northeastern summertime. From the delicate glow of ripe apricots with their velvet-soft skin, to the gleaming gem-like quality inherent in freshly picked berries, few other seasons provide such an aesthetically rich bounty for the senses as that of summer. While fruit pies are certainly a wonderful way to embrace the seasonal harvest, the rustic galette is regaining traction for both its simplicity and its ability to showcase what might otherwise be covered by (albeit lovely) latticework.       

The galette wins extra favor with me as it satisfies my desire to whip up something presentable to share, while also taking very little time and not requiring much skill. This free-form tart is a baking dream for those who want a quick and elegant treat. This post from Food 52, which I recently read, is a great guide to the basics of producing a great galette. This dish can be prepared in either a sweet or savory fashion, and is limitless in its possibilities for creativity. Similarly to fruit pies, the fruit galette requires some acid, some sweetness, and a thickening agent to help with moisture. I made the galette featured in this post vegan, but for a more golden brown crust, just brush on butter, egg, or milk.

For this recipe, I mixed together blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with a little balsamic vinegar (for the acid) and some vanilla and agave (for the sweetness) and tossed them in a bit of cornstarch. I mixed the apricots separately with lemon juice and sugar so as to keep their color brighter. Arranging slices of the apricot in a fan created a pretty border which also helped keep the berries contained in the center. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream was absolutely delightful. Here in Belgium the weekly farmers markets have been torturous as I don’t have an oven here in my tiny apartment. Hopefully by fall time I will meet a few classmates who want to let me bake a few savory galettes with caramelized onion, squash, and goat cheese!

Please share your favorite flavor combinations or ideas for galettes in the comments. I can’t wait to hear of more delicious variations!

-Jenny

*Note: This popular tart form is not the same as a traditional french galette, but along with the name, they share a few similarities. The french galette is more akin to a savory crepe folded up around ingredients, rather than a pie-like tart.

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Belgium: A country that understands the importance of snacking.

Tags

chocolate, coffee, food, koffie, Leuven, livingabroad, snacks, studyabroad, travel, treats

Cappuccino (with house cookies) from ANNA

A couple of weeks ago, I arrived in Leuven, Belgium to settle in before commencing a Master of Cultural Studies program at KU Leuven, Belgium’s oldest and largest university. Although Leuven is a relatively small town, the university culture allows for a bustling cultural scene, complete with many charming cafes and restaurants. Leuven, also boasts the title of birthplace of Stella Artois brewing.

Yes, several items of obvious popularity abound: We have beer, beer, and more beer, enough chocolate to give pause to an absolute cocoa fiend- such as myself, and so many frites-the fatty cousin of the french fry. Leuven is a place where the following sign is unironically posted on the entrance to a local shop:

 I imagine the sentiment is something like: We applaud the enjoyment of snacks, but kindly finish them before entering the store. Alsjeblieft.

Upon arrival, a few surprising culinary trends became quickly apparent: Belgians adore Italian food- especially pasta. There are many quick Italian options akin to Chipotle in their set-ups, but with a choice of extra mozzerella or basil rather than guac and salsa. Stewy Flemish fare (which is basically any type of soft cooked meat with something creamy on it) is a given, along with the aforementioned frites, beer, and chocolate. We’ll save chocolate for another time. Let’s just say I am doing extensive ‘research’ at the moment.

The unexpected, however, came along with the coffee. In Leuven, far be it from anyone to serve you a coffee and expect you to suffer the duration of the drink without a snack. I am thrilled at this cultural difference. This is what I have always wanted without realizing it. You don’t ask for it. It doesn’t cost extra, nor are the prices inflated. It’s just a surprise little treat. Just for you…and everyone else. Locals are clearly unphased by this luxury, but for me, the novelty is unending. I have ordered coffee here and actually told the waiter it wasn’t my order because the little chocolate croissant which came along with it had to be a pastry that someone ordered, but no!

Vangrootloon’s house coffee

Werf Koffie at De Werf

The “Werf koffie” pictured above, listed on the menu as just coffee, wins the title of most gratuitous coffee snack of all. I was baffled when I was given an entire thermos of coffee accompanied by a container full of chocolate biscuit sandwiches, cream, sugar, and a side of whipped cream… all for €2.60!

Me, every day now: “What’s this? What’s this? I can’t believe my eyes!”

I assumed my greatest challenge this year would be writing a Master’s thesis, but I am afraid it might be resisting the urge to eat every single thing. Follow my progress by checking in on Very Voracious, or check out my Instagram.

Keep snacking!

-Jenny

 

Late Summer Sweets

Tags

coffee, DC, dolce, Dolcezza, espresso, food, gelato, hot, summer, sweet, Washington

Weeks before I moved to Washington, DC, I began stalking various foodie Instagram accounts and coveting their feeds. Although only two hours south of Carlisle, the balmy humidity of these more southerly climes packs a punch. Having moved from a house situated within a five minute walk of two local ice cream/custard shops, I knew it would be necessary to quickly find replacement locations to satisfy my ever-craving sweet tooth.

With snapshots of creamy gelato embedded in my subconscious after weeks of perusal, I consulted a handful of screenshots and navigated to the nearest Dolcezza Gelato & Coffee.

Lucky for me, the nearest location was housed in a converted flour factory behind Union Market-which is another post entirely, but oh-so-enticing.

The barista kindly allowed me to sample the double chocolate and the peppermint stracciatella. To be honest, I knew I wanted the cool, refreshing mint, but I like to stake out my chocolate options whenever possible. The interior (see pictures) was beautifully decorated with a blend of homey accents such as little flower jars with fresh blossoming herbs and rustic wooden crates, and a more blanched, angular, warehouse aesthetic.
The peppermint stracciatella was incredibly smooth and luscious, and only failed to satisfy my craving because it was so delicious that I immediately wanted more. My friend and dining companion chose the plum, whose bright and fresh flavor profile perfectly showcased the ingredients, which, like a majority of Dolcezza products, are grown and sourced by local artisans and farmers.

Next time I’ll try a “nitro” which is nitrogen infused coffee (think Guinness), and is apparently amazing. Do any DC folk have other recommendations for ice cream or gelato? I have only been here a few weeks, and now that I’m adjusting a bit, I will be sure to explore more places..and write more blog posts to accompany the bounty of pictures I’ve been amassing.

Fourth of July…Pie!

Tags

baking, cooking, foodie, fourthofjuly, fresh, fruit, july, pie, summer, sunshine

Happy Independence Day!

Since I love to embrace the festive elements of life, I thought I would share some recent pie experiences with you all, if only to compensate for this overcast day and its outdoor-inhibiting precipitation. Central Pennsylvania is not having the trite sunshine and warmth typically lauded on the Fourth. No, we are instead enjoying an understated drizzle/gloom combination for the holiday weekend. How nice. C’est la vie.

Guided by the sage advice of Bon Appétit‘s test kitchen, I recently attempted my first fruit pie. I heeded their no-nonsense decree: “Fruit, sugar, cornstarch, acid, extras. These are the only things you need to remember to turn out a perfect pie filling.” Advice in mind, I chose Strawberries, apricots, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, and for the “extras” I made a basil/vanilla whipped cream. I whipped the cream you guys- by hand. The “soft peaks” stage I’m sure you’ve all heard of…takes so much longer to reach than rumored. Talk about minor muscle toning! It was, however, rather satisfying in the end, and my little pie creation held its own. Following the basic ingredient formula, I was thrilled to discover that my strawberry apricot pies were properly sweet and tart, thanks to the apple cider vinegar (and despite hazarding guesses for all measurements).

Strawberry apricot mini pies!

This weekend I had the pleasure of encountering yet another perfectly seasonal pie. One of my best friends grew up on a veritable treasure-trove of biodiversity, and luckily for me, she was visiting this weekend, just as the blueberries and black raspberries were reaching prime-time plumpness. We spent the evening gathering, snacking, and soaking up the early July sunshine. Her mother, a domestic-goddess extraordinaire, baked a berry custard pie with our harvest.

berry harvest with wildflowers

Although my involvement in this pie’s success was limited to berry-picking, I watched the several-generations old recipe under construction, and witnessed the custard’s iconic jiggle as it emerged from the oven.

Eating freshly baked pie on their Eden-esque property, and enjoying the rustic wholesomeness of a summer evening outdoors with friends, made it a very festive holiday weekend indeed.

A little gold box

Tags

chocolate, food, travel

If you visit Asheville, NC, your taste buds may not be prepared for this trendy mountain town. While all the buzz circulates about Asheville’s nationally recognized beer, which is truly plentiful and amazing, it was a bit surprising how formidable the entire culinary scene was in Asheville. Last spring, I camped along the the lovely French Broad River for a few days to plunge into nature, and into the local flavor. Choosing one delicious moment to feature is almost impossible, as the brunch at Posana was as incredible as the restaurant was beautiful, the bountiful farmer’s market provided ultra fresh produce for a delectable camp fire dinner overlooking the river, and Tupelo Honey Cafe made my Southern-craving dreams come true. Yet…

Sometimes a chocolate shop beckons with such an alluring window display as to make you want to reenact the Comte de Reynaud’s notorious scene of indulgence in Chocolat. Such was the case with The Chocolate Fetish on Haywood Street in Asheville. Known for their award winning truffles, it was an incredibly lengthy and agonizing process (both for me and my boyfriend who waited many minutes) to choose which little beauties to take with me. I am basically the Cookie Monster of chocolate consumption, so I generally attempt to limit sugars and other top tier food pyramid items, and restricted my selection to four truffles to share. Each one was a sublime creation of distinct yet smoothly blended flavors. I will eventually make it back to Asheville for the mountains, the beer, the quirky vibes, and the teeming optimism of its residents, but not insignificantly, I’ll also go for more chocolate.

Pictured below: Ancient Pleasures-cayenne infused/cocoa dusted, Entice Mint-dark chocolate ganache blended with mint and dipped into dark chocolate, African Queen (my favorite) caramel ganache with a hazelnut wafer dipped in dark chocolate and topped with an edible chocolate leopard leaf, and Mocha Magic-because coffee.