My Garden

Truth be told, I am a terrible in the garden. I don't remember to water, don't like to weed, and in general do not have a green thumb. I do, however, enjoy looking at a beautiful garden. I enjoy my herbs, roses and love when the lavender fills the garden. My kitchen at the house looks on to the backyard and this time of year the garden is starting to take shape. Thanks goodness I have two gardener's at the house to keep things looking good. My husband is an avid gardener. He really gets satisfaction from starting seeds, watching things grow and then harvesting it. My other gardener is my 10 year old son. You know he has a passion for it when he asks you to buy him a blueberry plant for almost a year. Yes, we finally got him one and I can't wait to start see the fruits of his labors.

The above pictures are from the backyard. Lavender, basil, beans and a recently purchased azalea.

Menu
Savory
Eggplant stuffed with Moussaka - $5/serving or $25tray Eggplant stuffed with lamb, onions, cheese

Arroz Con Pollo - $5/serving or$25/tray A Latin version with chicken, onion, adobo seasoning, cilantro, peas, carrots, green beans, bell peppers and olives and rice

Vegetarian

Spring Greens with marscapone pastry $4/pie Spinach, peas, potatoes, feta, marscapone, spring onions

Leek Cannelloni with lemon, thyme and provolone piccante $5/serving or $25/tray a cheese and tomato sauce with cannelloni filled with leeks, garlic, lemon, thyme, ricotta cheese.

Breakfast

Rhubarb Bread with a crumble topping $3 Similar to banana nut bread but with fresh rhubarb (which is in season right now) and a sweet topping

Chocolate Cherry Rolls $3 for 2 These are plump, ready rolls with dried cherries, bittersweet chocolate chips and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Sweets

Peanut Butter - Fudge Cheesecake - $5/piece Homemade Oreo Cookies for the base, a layer of fudge with peanut butter cups, peanut butter cheesecake filling and topped with chocolate gananche.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Non-Fat Cream Cheese Frosting - $3/cupcake
Old fashioned banana cupcakes with sweet frosting

Steamed Suet Pudding with banana and toffee $4/serving
This is an old fashioned British dessert topped with custard and toffee sauce

Mound Bars - $4/ bar
Named for the Candy Bar these bars are gooey and good with coconut, bittersweet chocolate chips and nuts.

Dulche De Leche Bread Pudding with Pears - $4

Salad

Quinoa, spinach and shitake salad - $5/quart

Ice Cream

Cookies and Cream $5/pint Of course, I had to change the traditional one. How about Strawberry Ice Cream with homemade chocolate cookies crumbled in.

Deliveries 9-11am on Saturday. See you then!

I have been waiting patiently for some sign of Spring. I have been longing for the fruit and vegetables that come with the longer days. Finally, a glimpse of the things to come. The strawberry stands have opened up around us! Now anyone who has heard me get on my soap box about early season strawberries, knows that I find them too watery at the beginning of the season and not flavorful enough at the end of the season. But what the heck, I will break my own rule and buy some

early season strawberries and use them this week because I am tired of waiting for all the good things Spring brings.

Savory

Chili Chicken Pie with a sour cream pastry crust $5/serving or $25/large pie

chicken thighs, chili paste, carrots, leeks, celery, coriander, cinnamon, tarragon, green olives

non-fat sour cream

Sausage and fennel ragu with whole wheat gnocchi $5/serving or $25 9x13 tray

fennel seeds, chili flakes, ragu, red onions, garlic and Italian sausage

Vegetarian

Zucchini and Taleggio(cheese) Tart with polenta pastry - $4/serving or $12 whole tart

Herbed Risotto with cauliflower - $5/serving

Onions, garlic, thyme, vegetable stock, flatleaf parsley, risotto

Breakfast

Cinnamon Raisin Twists - $3 for 2 twists 12 twist for $15

Glazed with drizzle icing

Low Fat Chocolate Doughnuts - $3/2 doughnuts

Baked not fried

Salad

Gingered Almond Broccoli salad with cellophane noodles - $5/quart
Fresh ginger, garlic, spring onions, shitake mushrooms, broccoli, mirin, lettuce, almonds, coriander.

Sweets

Empanada Cake $5/piece

Oaxaca (like mozzarella) cheese, guava paste, puff pastry, dulce de leche.

Rhubarb Cream Pastie - $4/pastie

rhubarb, saffron, orange juice, honey, cream

Strawberry Coconut Trifle - Vegan - $5/trifle

Honeycomb Bars - $3/bar

dried cherries, candied Orange peel, honey and almonds.

Vegan filled Cupcake (take on hostess cupcake) $3/cupcake or 5 cupcake for $12
I have been wanting to try a vegan cupcake for awhile. This is a simple adaptation from a bakery in New York called Babycakes. Made with agave nectar

Ice Cream $5

Cinnamon/Pecan Ice Cream

Deliveries Saturday 9am - 11am

Happy Easter!

Peeps cupcakes made for the kids!

Happy Spring Everyone! I just wish it felt more like Spring. Where did the sunshine go? I am anxiously awaiting its return. I have started to prepare for the upcoming Farmers Market with a new look for our booth. I have also decided to refine and change how and what we serve at the Market slightly. I will keep you posted with upcoming changes. It is my hope, that the goods we sell will be able to serve both the customers that like to come to the market for the same thing every week and those who like to get something different each time. Of course, I hope to keep everything as organic and fresh as possible. I am also hoping to start serving fresh coffee (which means making it at the market). I have looked at lots of options for this and am still in the process of deciding. Watch this space!

Here is the menu for the week

Savory

Salmon Tacos (tray of 12 tacos) $25 or $5/serving

Grilled Salmon, pickled onions, chipolte mayonnaise, jicama salad salsa

Italian Easter Pie

Italian sausage, prosciutto, mortadello, ham, ricotta in a pastry with lemon zest. Whole pie $25 Small Pie $5

Scotch Eggs $4/egg

Hard eggs, covered in sausage with a spiced bread crumb. A favorite in England!

Onion, Walnut and Mushroom Tarte Tatin - Whole Tart $15 or $4/serving

Torta Pasquillina $4/serving

This is a Torte with spinach, artichoke, ricotta and eggs.

Breakfast

Hot Cross Buns $2/bun or $10 for 8

A Easter Favorite

Lemon, Raspberry French Toast Strata $4/serving or $12/pan

Slightly Sweet and Tangy Bread Pudding for Breakfast

Side

Gruyere and Rosemary Cake $3/piece

This is between a Spanish tortilla and a cake. Great with a Easter drink.

Sweet

Pear and Cardamon mini tart - $4/tart

Pear and Cracked Cardamon on puff pastry

Blueberry Angel Food Cake Rolls - Whole Roll $12 or $4 piece

Angle food cake and blueberry filling, rolled and sliced

Carrot and Ginger Layered Cake with Orange Frosting - Whole Cake $22 or $5/piece

Lime Shortbread Cookies with white chocolate and almonds - 6 cookies $3

Homemade Carmel Corn $4/bag

This is a nice gift for Easter.

Ice Cream

Ice Cream

Brown Sugar Banana Ice Cream

Dark Chocolate ice Cream with Coco Nibs

*A scoop of each for a really great dessert!

Deliveries Saturday Morning. 9-11a.m.

Daring Bakers - Pineapple Tian with Lemon and Lime Marmalade

The 2010 March Daring Baker's Challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She choose Orange Tian, as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alian Ducasse's school in Paris.

To be honest, I am tiring of Oranges and Lemons. So instead I decided to make a Pineapple Tian. Mostly because I had a pineapple already. I grilled the pineapple to give it some color. In the stabilized whip cream I made a lemon and lime marmalade (picture above). The marmalade by itself, was a hit. I added lime zest to the pate sable.

I have never made a Tian before so I loved the challenge! Thanks Jennifer for a adding something new repertoire.

Menu for this week!

I can't believe Easter is next weekend! I will be putting up the Easter menu on Thursday/Friday (early morning), of this week. If I am missing something from previous menus that you would like, please let me know.

Here is the menu for this week. Deliveries are Saturday from 9am-11am.

Savory
Moroccan chicken with spring onion couscous $25/9x13 or $5/serving
ginger, apricots, garlic, chicken breasts, harissa, almonds, tomatoes, cumin, couscous, spring onion, chicken stock

Ground Turkey meatballs, pine nuts, cilantro and raisins served with yogurt sauce $25 for 9x13 with yogurt sauce or $5/serving
This is adapted from on of my favorite bloggers Orangette. These have a Mediterranean flavor with a lemon and garlic yogurt sauce.

Marrakesh Stew with Roti (like tortilla) $25 for large container with 8 roti or $5/serving
The Roti shells use organic flour, cumin and soymilk. The stew has chunks of carrots, onions, sweet potato, white potato, eggplant, green peppers, zucchini, chickpeas and is topped with finely grated coconut.

Vegetarian Stir Fry $5/serving
Tofu, tomatoes, red onions, bok choy, soba noodles, oranges, jalapeno and a spicy mango sauce.

Breakfast
Custard filled cornbread with maple syrup $4/cornbread
Yes cornbread for breakfast. This is filled with custard. Warm the syrup and dump it on. What a great way to start the day!

Sweets
Pineapple Tian $5/tian
This is lime zest pate sable, with lemon -lime stabilized cream topped with grilled pineapple and homemade Carmel.

Chocolate, Honey, Lavender Tart $4/piece
This seems like an almost spring tart to me. The Lavender just gives a slight floral taste to the sweet chocolate and honey. Bittersweet chocolate, dried lavender, starthistle honey.

Gateau Basque $4/piece
This is yet a different variation on a cake that I have made before. This has a vanilla pastry cream inside the cake with dried cherry and red wine filling.

Chocolate and Cardamon Cupcakes
6 cupcakes $10 1 cupcake $2

Ice Cream
Coffee and almond brittle Ice Cream sandwiches $4/sandwich

French Macarons

Macarons are tiny colorful cookies that are now seen all over at bakeries and pastry shops. I have been trying to perfect them for awhile. There are many different techniques to make these and advice found on blogs and websites haven't produced the perfect macaron, for me.

After my somewhat futile attempts, I finally took a class in San Francisco and got the missing pieces to the puzzle. Actually, I think it was one missing piece - I have been over stirring the temperamental batter.

So, I had my best success yet! I am beginning to think it is a well practiced art, so I am going to keep at it. Although the colors are what initially attracted me to these cute cookies, I think I like them in their natural state . Maybe just with some great topping on top. In this way, they somehow seem more organic.

So I have added them to the menu this week, so you can give me your input. I hope in upcoming months to work on some different flavors/fillings.

Menu

Savory
Tri-Tip Beef Stroganoff with wild mushrooms served over noodles. $25/pan (9x13) or
$5/serving
mixed mushrooms, tri-tip, shallots, sweet paprika, non-fat yogurt

Slow Roasted pork with apple chili chutney served with fresh rolls $25/pan with rolls or $5/serving
pork, thyme fennel seeds, onion, apples

Crespeou - $5/piece
A savory cake using thin omelette's and layers of red, yellow and green. red onion, turmeric, green onion, tomatoes, red pepper, basil green chili, tarragon.

Vegetarian cauliflower, spinach and chickpea balti $5/serving
spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, chickpeas, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, onions, ginger

Breakfast
Banana streusel donuts 6 for $4 or $2/donut

Side
Salt Lick Potato Salad (GOES GOOD WITH PORK) quart $5

Sweet
Organic Peanut Butter Pie $4/piece
a chocolate crust, , chocolate peanut butter coating and a light peanut butter filling (using organic peanut butter)

Butterscotch Cashew Bars $3 for 2 bars sweet, salty and chewy

French Macarons 6 cookies for $4 (should be eaten with in 3-5 days)filled with salted carmel, chocolate ganache and raspberry jam

NOTE: I have a freezer now at the office where we deliver so I will add ice cream back on the menu!
Snickerdoodle/lemon ice cream sandwiches $3

Double chocolate crepes $3
chocolate crepes, with chocolate filling

Breton Buckwheat cake with sea salt $4/slice

Cookbooks galore

Ok, I admit to having a terrible sickness. I collect cookbooks! My collection started at an early age and was quite well controlled for many years. I was able to keep all my cookbooks on one book shelf. Over the years as more and more cookbooks were published my collection grew. I now have so many cookbooks that my bookshelves are overflowing. I don't know what it is about them. I enjoy looking at them, reading them and referring to them. Much to my Mom's disgust, I have some cookbooks that look like they have been used. Splatters and spills adorn the pages. I have others that I have never cooked out of but just enjoyed reading. I have cookbooks from various parts of the world, cookbooks given to me as gifts and some that have just appeared on my shelf.



Ok, this week I have added some Irish inspired items for upcoming St. Paddy's Day! Deliveries 9-11am on Saturday.





Savory
Beef and Guinness Pie (large pie $25 small pie $5)
Even if you don’t like Guinness you will like this.

Sage and onion sausage tart (whole tart $15 or $4/piece)
Short-crust pastry, onions, sage leaves, sausage, honey, sesame seeds

Corned Beef Pasty ($4/pasty) - Pieces of delicate corned beef and shredded cabbage with Swiss cheese, topped with a stone ground mustard sauce.

Leek cannelloni with lemon thyme and provolone piccante - (9x13 dish $25 or $5/serving)
onion, provolone cheese, tomatoes, thyme, ricotta cheese, cannelloni shells

Carrot pancakes with hummus and roasted chili feta ($4/serving)
carrots, chickpeas, tahini, cumin (hummus), pancakes chillies, cumin, fennel, coriander, chickpea flour, semolina, feta cheese

Sides
Colcannon cakes with crisp pancetta and Stilton recipe ($4 for 2 cakes)
This is a traditional recipe with potatoes. Added in is cabbage, stilton, onion and topped with pancetta

Irish Soda Bread
Small Whole Loaf $4

Breakfast
Oatmeal,Pecan and Date Sticky Biscuits (whole pan 8x8 $12 individual $3/bun)
These are like sticky buns but made with biscuit batter. Medjool dates, buttermilk, oats, vanilla pecans, cinnamon

Irish scones
Irish currants added to a moist scone ($3/scone)

Sweet
Carmel Walnut Upside Down Cake ($4/piece)
Sticky brown-sugar Carmel with a super moist banana cake

Green Velvet Cupcakes/Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Bailey Irish Cream Frosting (6 for $10 or $2.50 each

Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake ($5/piece)
Irish Cream Liqueur, bittersweet chocolate, eggs. This is a cake with a mousse topping

Pineapple meringue pie ($4/piece)
coco crust with fresh pineapple and a meringue topping