Not True, and More Delicious Bits

I have decided my last post was just silly. There have been several occasions when good stories were begging to be told, and ample time presented itself for blogging. My excuse? I retired it already. Ridiculous!

I've realized that I don't need to be pressured by the superbloggers, whose blackberry hip attachments allow them to spew several entries a day--on schedule, no doubt. So, I've decided to return to my spontaneous, sporadic storytelling, recipe sharing, photo posting attempt at blogging.

We'll launch with my first attempt at making a trifle, no artificial ingredients.



I used my favorite recipe resource for the cake and custard. The cake came out a little heavy, so I think the author meant that instead of just mixing the heavy cream and vanilla, you need to whip it until stiff. The flavor was nice, so I'll try that adaptation next time and see what happens. The custard needs to be quadrupled, at least for the purpose of the trifle. I defrosted organic frozen strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. A portion of the juice served as the first layer, then cake sprinkled with 1/2 Tbs. brandy. The brandy could be doubled, maybe tripled too. Custard was spread over the cake layer, followed by berries and then whipped cream--before starting the whole process again. I used ground up almonds, chocolate, and toffee bits as a topping. Delish!

Another Turn

Incredible. Why does my consciousness distort the passing of time so that I feel surprise when a quantitative mark is surpassed?

How's that for a pretentious start to the new year? But it's true, I wonder why I'm amazed another year has gone by. Certainly enough has happened to fill it and I should be content to pack it off as history.

Maybe the same can be said for this blog. Every year I lament my lack of posting consistency. Maybe my expectations are too high, or maybe I really am not the exhibitionist I think I am. Maybe I really don't want the world to know all my little thoughts and quandaries, perhaps not even my friends.

I think I'm going to retire my blog. It was started for the specific purpose of documenting my life in Asia for family and friends in a more elaborate manner than email would allow. That purpose has been served and concluded. Most of the photos lost in the shut down of my photo host site. It's time to leave it as a piece of posterity, and continue with my grand adventure in real time: unfiltered, unprocessed, just enjoyed.

The Pie Is Not A Lie

Of all the things I bake, my least favorite are pies. Getting the perfect, flaky crust is such a chore and it just gets mangled in the serving process anyway. Consistency in flavor and, well...consistency, are so elusive that there must be some sapience at the cellular level of your ingredients. And refined flour really isn't healthy for us (sigh, there's  a reason flour and water makes glue).

Perhaps being hopeless of success makes you more likely to try unlikely combinations that lead to excellent results. After drawing from sources in Nourishing Traditions and Allrecipes.com, I am pleased to present Laura's Pear Custard Pie. It's gluten free, low glycemic, and mind-blowingly delicious. I fudge a little using evaporated cane sugar; you can use maple syrup or Rapadura completely. Organic is assumed.

(makes one 9" pie)

Crust:

2 c. finely shredded coconut

1/2 c.  butter or virgin coconut oil (I prefer an even mix of both), melted

dash salt (optional)

1 1/2 Tbs. powdered sugar (optional; I make my own combining 1 c organic cane sugar with 1 tbs tapioca starch and blending on high)

Filling

4 c. ripe pears, cored and cubed

1/2 c. evaporated cane sugar

1/2 c. Rapadura

3 Tbs. Tapioca starch (or arrowroot powder, or potato starch, just not corn! you can even substitute 1/4c of pastry flour but it's not as healthy and I can't guarantee the goodness)

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

2 eggs

1/4 c. whipping cream

1/4 c. melted butter (optional, I forgot it the first time, and didn't notice a marked change the second time)

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine melted butter/coconut oil with shredded coconut, salt, and powdered sugar. Press into pie pan. Cover with a double layer of aluminum foil and bake at 450F for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 4 minutes and reduce heat to 350F. Place fruit in pie shell. In a bowl, combine cane sugar, Rapadura, starch, and nutmeg. Whisk in eggs and beat until frothy. Gently whisk in whipping cream, butter, and vanilla. Pour over fruit. Cover the edges of the crust with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.

It's spectacular at slightly above room temperature with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream.

I'm interested in trying the base recipe with other fruit, so we'll see. Happy Eating!