Jewelry in Drawers

 

My First Attempt at Tart Tartin

 I have always wanted to make a tart tartin. Recently I’ve been experimenting with rustica apple tarts aka galette. The tricky part is flipping the hot pan upside down. Though not perfect I just made my first tart tartin today. Tarte Tatin is a classic French upside-down tart with caramelized fruit (traditionally apples) baked under a pastry crust, which is then inverted before serving to reveal a glossy, jammy topping. It's made by cooking fruit in butter and sugar on the stovetop to create a rich caramel, topping it with pastry (often puff pastry), baking until golden, and then flipping it onto a plate. The result is a simple yet elegant dessert with tender, caramelized fruit and flaky crust, often served warm with crème fraîche or ice cream. The last two pictures are not my tart but variations of the way it’s supposed to look. I’ll keep trying.

You place a pie crust or puff pastry over the apples and bake. Then the tricky part is flipping the whole thing over so the crust is on the bottom.

these two examples of what the correct tart tartin should look like

 

The One in a Million Boy

 

Just finished a book titled “The One-In-A-Million Boy” written by Monica Wood. It’s a very thoughtful book about a friendship between a104 year old woman and an 11 year old Boy Scout who has been sent to help the woman on saturdays so he can earn a merit badge. Through circumstances which I won’t reveal additional generational friendships are made. There are multiple story lines going on within these pages, thus multiple themes: friendship, loss, grieving, forgiveness, aging, regret, etc. it’s a very touching story filled with splashes of humor, quirky characters and touching moments. The book is not new and was published in 2016.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

 I’m having trouble keeping my feet on the ground. Tomorrow is our long awaited departure for Australia. I’ve been cooking to clean out our fridge of apples as you know and reading books to pass the time. We are all packed and my big suitcase is filled on one side with gifts for Jude (now 5 1/2) and Julian (2 1/2). We have not seen our daughter Athena and her family in a year. That’s a very long time not to see our grandsons and their parents. Flight time is long approximately 15 hrs and somewhat shorter on the return. I’m hoping I can see white Lotus and listen to some books I’ve downloaded. Funny I liken this long flight to going through labor: at the end of some rather long arduous hours you get to hold your baby. Well maybe that’s a bit of a bad analogy but I will be rewarded after 15 hours with lots of love from my family and I will get to hug my daughter once again! I am very excited. Keep your fingers crossed that we don’t have any major delays.

 

 

 

 

 

Can't wait to see these two in Oz await!

 

 Can't wait to see these two!

 

This was three years ago with Jude.  He was 2 1/2 years old. 

 

 

Be Thankful

 "Be thankful for the difficult 

people in your life,

for they have shown you

who you don't want to be." 

Joy

 Joy was never meant to live

only in perfect conditions.  It

lives in our ability to adapt, to

soften, and to find happiness

even when life feels unsettled or

confusing.  We don't have to wait

for everything to finally fall into

place to feel happy.  Joy can

meet us right where we are in

the imperfect, the unexpected

and even the messy parts of life. 

 

Happiness

" Happiness is something we create in our mind.

It's not something we search for and seldom find.

It's just waking up and beginning the day,

By counting our blessings and kneeling to pray.

It's giving up thoughts that breed discontent, 

And accepting what comes as a gift heaven sent.

It's giving up wishing for things we have not,

And making the best of whatever we've got

For it's by completing what God asks us to do

That we find real contentment and happiness too."-Anonynmous