Here we are on the 30th of July and the garden is starting to show fruit. We've already had some bountiful harvests of lettuce but our first tomatoes are starting to appear. Along with the beautiful basil, we'll be enjoying a nice salad soon.
I'm preparing for another cookbook review which will appear soon over at cookthatbook.com. I'm tackling Classic Artisan Baking by Julian Day. So far I'm loving this book but I won't say any more other than to give you a glimpse of today's project: meringues.
UPDATE: (Oct 17, 2012) The review is now complete. Check it out here.
We've been picnicking at the Trout Farmer's Market recently. It makes for a lovely early morning bike ride. Bit of shopping. Coffee. Grazing. Nice.
Two recent trips to the Trout Lake Farmer's Market have me smitten with something new. Garlic scapes. I'm not sure if I'm the last person in Vancouver to discover these but I'm still going to shout about it. I'm loving them grilled on the barbecue and then tossed with lemon, olive oil and salt and pepper. I love the mellow, nutty flavour.
©2012HelenaMcMurdo_ScapesontheGrill
Do you have some yummy ideas for preparing garlic scapes that you would like to share?
Having some fun today with a new lighting set up. I think eggs might be one of favourite things to photograph.
When I was sixteen I worked in a bakery. Among the specialties were some tiny strawberry tarts filled with bavarian cream, topped with strawberries and a strawberry glaze. I thought of this immediately when I was deciding what to do with all those strawberries. I made a larger version with a pâte sablée from a book I'm currently in the process of reviewing for Cookthatbook.com. It uses almonds, flour, butter and an egg and I love the richness it brings. I made a custard with egg yolks, milk, and a bit of flour and then arranged the strawberries on top. Although I made a glaze, ultimately I decided to use just a drizzle. The custard made this rather gooey and delicious.
Summer has come late to Vancouver this year and so we've waited patiently for our strawberries. With the sun now firmly installed over Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, my Dad, sister and the fella headed out to Richmond this past weekend in search of berries. After one failed attempt at a seriously picked over field we landed at Birak Berry Farms at the corner of Cambie and No. 6 Road where the berries were plentiful. A beautiful sunny day and lots of hard work brought an abundant harvest. Tune in tomorrow to see what I made with these.