How you doin’? I love using fresh cherries and fancy words. Frangipane is named after 16th century Italian nobleman Marquis Muzio Frangipani, who, while living in Paris, invented a bitter almond-scented fragrance that was used to perfume gloves. French pastry chefs were inspired and invented the recipe, which became a classic.
 
A galette resembles a type of single crust, free-form pie with a fruit filling and the crust folded partway over the top of the filling. Cherries are named for cherries—did you expect a better story? Here it is, cherries have a filial relationship with almonds—they’re kissing cousins.
 
What is Frangipane you ask? It is a sweet almond-flavored custard used in a variety of cakes and pastries. It was originally designated as a custard tart flavored by almonds or pistachios; it came later to designate a filling that could be used in a variety of confections and baked goods. It is made of butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds… some of my very favorite things!
 
On Epiphany, the French celebrate with a King Cake—a round cake made of frangipane layers into slices to be passed by a child known as le petit roi (the little king) who is usually hiding under the dining table.  The cake is decorated with stars, a crown, flowers and a special bean hidden inside the cake. Whoever gets the piece of the frangipane cake with the bean is crowned "king" or "queen" for the following year.
 
Prep time: 20 minutes to 30 minutes
Bake time: 45 minutes to 50 minutes
Yield:  serves 6 to 8 (1 galette)
 
Ingredients 
1/2 batch Cream Cheese Dough (see recipe below), rolled out to a 10-inch round that's about 1/8-inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons tapioca starch
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the egg wash
1 pound fresh, sweet cherries, pitted
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or packed brown sugar, for the cherries
1 large egg (for egg wash)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon large-crystal sugar for sprinkling
 
Directions

1. Place the dough circle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 10 minutes. Review recipe below.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the frangipane. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add 1 egg and almond extract and mix well.
4. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
5. Add the almond flour, tapioca starch, and sea salt and beat until fully incorporated. (If not using the frangipane right away, store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and spread the frangipane in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 2-inch border all around.
7. Taste the cherries for sweetness to determine how much sugar you want to use to sweeten them. Scatter the cherries evenly over the frangipane, then sprinkle with the sugar.
8. Fold in the sides of the dough to cover the cherries partially, making sure not to create any valleys where the fruit juice can run out.
9. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
10. While the galette chills, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. If you have a baking stone, set it on the rack in the oven to preheat for 30 minutes.
11. Whisk together the remaining egg with a pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash over the pastry edges, then sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon large crystal sugar.
12. Bake the galette on the baking stone at high heat for 20 minutes.
13. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, move the baking sheet to the middle rack, and continue baking until the pastry has a nice, dark golden brown color and the fruit is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes more.
14. Remove from the oven and serve hot or let cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature with or without ice cream.

 
                                                                   Cream Cheese Dough

Yield:  One 9-inch or 10-inch double-crust pie

Ingredients 
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1-1/2 cups oat flour
1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cream cheese, very cold
1 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Cornstarch or tapioca starch, for rolling
 
Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine all the dry ingredients and blend to mix well.
2. Add the cream cheese and butter and pulse about 15 times, then let the food processor run just until the dough begins to come together in a ball but is not completely smooth, about 20 seconds. You should still be able to see some butter and cream cheese chunks.
3. Divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. To roll out, place a dough disk on a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Roll to 1/8 inch thick, rolling from the center evenly out in all directions. Dust with additional cornstarch as needed to resist sticking.
5. Cut out a circle 2 inches larger than the paddle. Carefully lift and transfer to a paddle, easing the dough to the paddle but not stretching or pressing too firmly, or it will shrink during baking.
6. If the dough tears, just patch with a little extra dough, pressing gently to adhere.
7. Trim the dough level with the top of the pan. (Any leftover dough scraps can be frozen for future use or used as a simple cookie dough).
8. Place the dough shell in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
9. Using a fork, dock the bottom of the dough shell approximately every 2 inches.
10. Follow the directions above.

ChefSecret:  Before starting, make sure you have a cherry pitter which you can easily buy for under $20. I like the OXO Good grips multi-cherry pitter.  

Quip of the Day: “I’m not sure which is harder on a relationship—sharing a bathroom with 1 sink or sharing an iPhone charger for an hour.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Desserts #Gallette #Cherry #Frangipane #Baking #Sweets #Snacks #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

ow you doin’?  Can you believe it? We’re almost at the end of August? Peaches are coming close to the end of their peak, sweet season. A frozen cocktail is a great place for older peaches that may have gotten a little too ripe, past their prime and somewhat squishy.

Try using Blanco tequila and Suze (a French apéritif) both of which have an earthy flavor profile that makes them an excellent foil for the peaches. Try pre-batching and chilling the cocktail mixture the night before you serve it to give you a cold base to start with, requiring less ice in the blender and less dilution in the drink. Or better yet start with peaches that have been frozen and forget the ice.
 
Ingredients 
6 ounces Blanco tequila
2 ripe peaches, pitted, frozen and cubed
1/2 cup fresh-frozen pineapple chunks
2 ounces fresh pineapple juice
1-1/2 ounces Suze
8 mint leaves
1 cup ice (optional if starting with frozen fruit)
Garnish with mint leaves and extra pineapple chunks
  
Directions

1. Combine the tequila, peaches, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, Suze and mint in a blender jar and add 1 cup of ice.
2. Blend at high speed until well mixed and thick, about 45 seconds.
3. Divide between 4 coupe glasses and garnish with a pineapple chunk and mint leaves.

 
ChefSecret:  Plan ahead by freezing the fruit —peaches and pineapple—a day ahead before making the cocktail. For added sweetness, rim the glass with sugar by dipping it in fruit juice and then sugar.
 
Quip of the Day: “You know you’re getting up in years when you’re going to bed at the same time you used to get ready to go out.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #FrozenPeaches #Peaches #Tequila #Suze #SummerCocktail #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

​How you doin’? Buckle… what a strange name for a dessert. No, it has nothing to do opening your belt a notch to make room for more Blueberry Buckle. A Blueberry Buckle is called “buckle” because while it bakes the batter rises, but the berries and crumb topping weigh it down causing the surface of the cake to buckle while baking as it rises—make sense? Having said that, it looks very much like a coffee cake.  And that works, too…but a “real” buckle has berries and streusel on top.
 
This recipe comes from a friend who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada where blueberries grow wild and abundantly each summer. It really gets cold up there and this is the kind of fresh-baked coffee cake that makes a chilly morning a great morning. There are lots of recipes for fresh fruit buckles, but this one is my favorite... just cake, berries and crumble topping!
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  35 minutes
Cooling time:  20 to 30 minutes
Yield:  9 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening (I prefer Crisco)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
2 cups fresh wild blueberries (see ChefSecret)
 
For the topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰F.

To make the cake

1. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking dish.
2. Whisk 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl.
3. Beat the shortening and 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the egg.
5. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan, then sprinkle evenly with blueberries.

To make the topping

1. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl with a fork until crumbly and evenly mixed.
2. Sprinkle evenly over the blueberries.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the buckle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool before serving warm.

ChefSecret:  I prefer to use wild blueberries if they are available. Wild blueberries are smaller and irregular in size. Farmed blueberries are large and pretty much the same size. If you can’t find either you can try to use frozen blueberries providing that they are thawed and well drained to remove as much of the moisture as possible or your crumble will be wet and soggy.

Quip of the Day:  "Never in my life would I imagine that my hands would consume more alcohol than my mouth."
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Baking #Dessert #CoffeeCake #Blueberry #WildBlueberries #BlueberryBuckle #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? One of the things we’ve heard over the last year is that for the first time in nearly 3 generations moms and dads are taking the time to teach their children to cook. So, occasionally, we like to combine a cooking with a craft project that creates a tasty teachable moment. This is one of those recipes.

I remember when Pop Tarts first appeared on the grocer’s shelf in 1964… I couldn’t wait to try them—what a disappointment! I expected a morning pastry that tasted as good as the picture on the box. We think you will find this is not only a great tasting treat, but a fun project for mom, dad and kiddos (of any age).
The fun part is everyone can make their tarts, their way, with different fillings and toppings with a single recipe of dough.

You can buy special fillings and toppings or you can use the ingredients in your own pantry. What a wonderful way to clean out the fridge with those almost empty jars of nut butters, jams and jellies. So, pull together all your sweet odds and ends for this project… anything goes!

This Kids-Made Pop-Tart recipe includes all the flavors of the original that were promised but never delivered. The other bonus is that you can actually understand the label—none of those questionable ingredients you can’t pronounce or better living through chemistry. These are oven-tarts, not toaster pastries. They are not tarts to put in your pantry, but they store well in your freezer.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  25 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Yield: Approximately 10-12 pastries
 
Ingredients
For the pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup cold water
 
For the original cinnamon-flavored filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
 
For icing or glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
Few drops food coloring as desired
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375⁰F.
2. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

To make the pastry

1. Dry whisk the flour, granulated sugar, and salt together into a bowl.
2. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Mix in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together and forms a ball.
5. Divide dough into 2 pieces and wrap each with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

To make the filling

1. Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.  Or you can use any filling of your choice. Set aside.
2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/2-inch thickness.
3. Cut the dough into rectangles with a knife.
4. Drop 1 tablespoon of filling onto half of the rectangles.
5. Cover with remaining rectangles. Press edges with a fork to seal. Poke a few holes in the top of each pastry with a fork to let steam escape during baking. Neatness counts!
   
6. Arrange the pastries on the lined baking sheets.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
   
8. Cool pastries on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.

To make the icing

1. Combine the icing ingredients in a small bowl. Add a little more milk a teaspoon at a time if you want a thinner consistency.
2. Spread or drizzle the icing over the pastries. Add sprinkles, nuts, coconut, mini chocolate chips, dried fruit… whatever makes you happy!

 
ChefSecret:  When adding the water to pastry dough, be sure to go slow and add it just one tablespoon at a time. If it holds together before you use it all, stop. You don’t want the dough to be too wet.

Quip of the Day: “I believe my soul mate is out there, in some corner of the earth...
unfortunately, the earth is round.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to send a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Baking #Snack #Dessert #PopTarts #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Spring has sprung and in SoCal it’s time for those great backyard brunches with fresh berries and fruit, yeasted waffles and Hawaiian French Toast (made with King’s Hawaiian Bread). But don’t forget the libations.  For these occasions, there is nothing better than a Mimosa.
 
A Mimosa Cocktail is composed of dry, sparkling white wine and chilled, fresh orange juice. It is traditionally served in a tall champagne flute at brunch, at weddings, or as part of business or first class service on some airlines.
 
What is the best Champagne for Mimosas? Well it isn't actually Champagne. For Mimosas, I opt for a less-expensive Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy. They're both delicious dry sparkling wines that mix well with citrus juice.
 
Let me warn you… Bottomless mimosas should be approached with caution. People often don't realize that they are getting drunk, due to the champagne being mixed with orange juice, but it eventually hits them and hits them hard.
 
Prep time:  3 minutes
Yield:  1 serving
 
Ingredients
5 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice, well chilled
3 ounces Cava, Prosecco or Champagne, well chilled
Garnish: orange wheel, cherries or fresh strawberry
 
Directions

1. Pour the orange juice into a well-chilled Champagne flute.
2. Top off with sparkling wine glass without ice—no need to stir or shake.
3. Garnish with an orange wheel, cherry, splash of grenadine (called a Sunrise Mimosa) or a fresh strawberry.

 
ChefSecret:  There are several wonderful variations on this bar standard and they don’t all involve OJ.

• There’s the Buck's Fizz. This is a similar type of cocktail, invented a few years earlier in London, which has twice as much Champagne as orange juice.
• Then there’s the Poinsettia. It consists of cranberry juice with Champagne. It also can be made with vodka and/or Cointreau).
• Ahhh, the refreshing Lemosa. Made with champagne—substitute the orange juice with fresh-made lemonade.
• Tip your hat to Johnny Appleseed with a Vermosa. This is made with apple cider with Champagne. Sometimes seen on the menu as an Apple Crisp. Why the name? It was invented in Vermont
• When in Hawaii I love a Soleil--made with pineapple juice. It seems that Champagne and almost any fruit juice are exciting.

 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Cracking the code to Covid-19 to produce effective vaccines was not easy, but rather complex. Leaning into the complexity of things rather than fighting them can be the fuel to spark ingenious solutions."
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Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #Mimosa #Prosecco #Champagne #OJ #Cheers #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021