Rhubarb Jam with Fresh Ginger and Lime

Where does the time go? I can't believe it is the end of July already. It's not just the summer that is flying by though, the years are too. A major birthday passed this week, one of those that ends in zero. The passing of my birthday each year always feels like summer is quickly coming to a close. As a kid I always did my fall school shopping right after I got my birthday money and then the next major event was the new school year. Working a seasonal job makes things feel the same way. The only difference in my life now is that I really look forward to end of summer berry picking and canning. The blueberries are about a week away from being ripe and I can hardly wait. 

A few weeks ago we had a little late night canning session in our kitchen at work. I think I may be spoiled for canning forever though. Being able to make jam in a kitchen with an endless supply of huge pots and plenty of counter space is really a treat. Almost as much of a treat as the finished product. Not to mention our chef was baking biscuits for breakfast the next morning. Can you say fresh rhubarb jam on warm biscuits? Yup, that's what happened.  I've been loving anything with lime and ginger these days. Ever since I tried this raspberry jam from Chez Pim last year I can't get enough of that fresh ginger taste in my jam. I loved that the ginger and lime in this version did not kill the taste of the rhubarb, but instead enhanced it. This does have quite a ginger kick, so if you aren't a huge fan of ginger, you might want to dial things back a bit.  I know that most of you are probably at the end of your rhubarb season, so I apologize that you will need to save this one until next year. We are lucky in Alaska, my rhubarb will keep growing until I pick the last of it just before the first frost. 

Raspberry Friands

I love my stand mixer, I really do, but sometimes it is nice to make a recipe that just requires a bowl and a simple wooden spoon. Sometimes I have to remember that I didn't always own a stand mixer and others probably still don't. I'm always amazed when I read that people own them and never use them. I honestly use mine almost every day. Today, I'm going to let it take a little rest while I make raspberry friands.
I have been fascinated lately by muffin type baked goods from cultures around the world. There are a few I have been experimenting with over the years, like a Salvadorian one that contains a lot of eggs and butter. I find that they are just too rich for me. A rich, eggy breakfast muffin is a nice treat, but not when it leaves you with a belly ache.
This Australian version of the friand is a nice balance, rich, but not too rich. I think it is the use of only the egg whites that helps.
I had been wanting to make these for a while, but I really wanted to wait until raspberry season rolled around again. Usually I make my berry supply last and am often making up crazy mixed berry jams in an effort to make room for the following years stash. This year I had limited picking time, so things went pretty quick. Last week I searched my freezer and thought that all of last years raspberries had already been used up. Somehow I had missed the one final bag. I had packed it flat and so it just blended in at the bottom of the freezer. I was thrilled to find it and I knew right away that I would make these friands. I did cheat and buy a box of raspberries from the grocery store to garnish them though. I have to admit, as much as I love our local raspberries, a few fresh ones in the dead of winter was kind of a nice treat. Although it is just going to make waiting for the next raspberry season all that much harder.
What seasonal fruits and berries do you squirrel away for the winter? Do you ration them out to make them last? Are you able to use them all up by the time the next years picking season rolls around?

Quince, Raspberry, and Meyer Lemon Marmalade

I'm not a marmalade on toast kind of girl. Now, marmalade on cheese is a whole other story! Especially quince marmalade. I only just discovered the joy of quince when I was able to get a few and make membrillo last year. They are nearly impossible to find in Fairbanks, but I was able to order a few in my produce box. The problem is that they work out to $2.50 a piece. So, a large batch of quince jam isn't really something I can afford.
That is why I was thrilled to find this recipe for Quince and Raspberry Marmalade in Elizabeth Field's new book. I have to admit that I originally bought the book because I thought the photography was gorgeous. Once I started really looking at it I realized it was more than just an eye catching cover. There is some really great information including little tidbits about the history of marmalade, and a whole section in the back with recipes for using marmalade. Recipes are perfect for someone who likes other vehicles for marmalade besides toast.
I made some subtle changes to the original recipe, mostly bumping up the lemon juice and adding a little meyer lemon zest as well. I was afraid the original might be too sweet without it. If for no other reason, I think you should make this marmalade for the smell alone.  I didn't process one of my jars, primarily because I had plans to stick my spoon in it as soon as it had cooled enough that I wouldn't scorch my tongue. Every time I walk past that jar I have to open the lid and smell it. It is not only marmalade, but aromatherapy too.
This one set up a little hard for me, but I am candy thermometer challenged. Can anyone recommend a good one? I have now purchase three duds in a row.  It made me think that this would be great poured into molds and kept in the fridge for holiday cheese platters. Just pop the whole thing out on a plate and use a butter knife to cut off slices like membrillo. However you serve it I hope you enjoy, even if it is on toast!

Berry Simple Syrups

It's been a pretty cold and gloomy summer in Fairbanks until recently. It's only when the weather gets really warm and the mosquitos start to die down that I enjoy sitting out on my deck with a cocktail. Last summer I went through several batches of rhubarb simple syrup and the drink of choice was the rhubarb mojito. With only about a cup or so of berries and a vacation just around the corner, I decided to make a couple quick batches of berry simple syrup for future cocktails. You can swap out your berry simple syrups for any regular simple syrup in a cocktail recipe. Just imagine the next time a friend comes over you can offer them their favorite cocktail in blueberry, cloudberry, or rhubarb! You can also add an ounce or so of simple syrup to plain soda water for a delicious wild berry soda. Pretty much any kind of berries will work in this recipe. I'm looking forward to trying a raspberry version soon. If you only have a small bit of several different berries you could also try a mixed berry version that I bet would be quite delicious. Later this week I will also share my favorite blueberry margarita recipe of this summer.

Potato, Onion, and Feta Tart

I have the same problem every week. Friday rolls around and I still haven't grocery shopped for the weekend. The last thing I want to do at the end of the day on Friday is hit a packed grocery store. So, I run in and grab a few quick things that I make every weekend. I think that I will run back in and grab a few things later that weekend. I never buy enough to get me through Monday dinner. Since I work from home on Monday, there is really no good reason for me to run into town except to buy groceries. Then I kick myself that I didn't plan ahead. I repeat this scenario week after week. This makes Monday dinners a creative event, not to mention scrounging up something for lunch that day.  On a recent Sunday night things were looking pretty grim. I had little bits of things leftover from the weekend. One leftover baked potato, a couple slices of cooked bacon, some greens, and a box of puff pastry in the freezer. I put the puff pastry in the fridge thinking I might fill it with apples or maybe some raspberry jam and cream cheese for breakfast. The last bagel had disappeared on Saturday, so that left slim pickings for breakfast as well.
It turned out that I wasn't in the mood for breakfast on Monday, but I was ravenous by the time lunch came around. That was when the idea struck me, a savory tart with caramelized onions, potatoes, and bacon. I did a quick google search and found something very similar by Donna Hay which gave me the idea to add rosemary.  I used dried, but would use fresh if I had it available in the future. This turned out so well that I immediately put two more potatoes in the oven for that nights dinner. I didn't have any bacon left, but it was still really good. I want to try making this again in the future with some toasted walnuts. David asked what made me think of this for dinner, I laughed and said it was all we had left in the house. The only problem came when I was snowed in on Tuesday. We have had some tremendous snowfall here in Fairbanks this week. Probably would be smart to plan ahead for this weekend.

Jammy Almond Thumbprint Cookies

It's all about the jam with these cookies. These cookies are only so very subtly sweet, so a sweet jam is a good choice. I used apricot and plum, but found myself wishing I had some raspberry which is a little sweeter. It is important not to think of these as traditional cookies. If you are looking for a double chocolate chip, these aren't going to cut it. If you are looking for a little something to go with tea, now these are your cookies. They are also great to toss in a ziploc bag and take to work for a little mid-day snack. Just enough sweetness to brighten your day, but not so much sugar that you end up crashing at 3:00 in the afternoon. The original recipe called for raw almonds, but I only had toasted in the house. I thought they turned out great with them. Also, be sure and let them cool completely before eating them. That jammy middle part is super hot straight out of the oven. Kind of the equivalent of boiling hot jam straight out of the pot. Not that I have ever put my tongue to either because that would just be plain stupid. 

One last thing, this dough is incredibly crumbly and a little frustrating if you don't tell it who is boss right from the beginning. It took me a few tries and a lot of muttering, but toward the end I was pressing the holes in the cookies and adding jam at record speed. It took a little practice though. In the end it was worth it, because I just love cookies filled with delicious jam and a cup of hot tea. This time of year it is especially nice while sitting by a warm wood stove.

Sugared Raspberries

Despite how things may appear, I actually don't do a lot of canning. That's not to say that I don't put away a lot of our summer bounty. It is mostly berries that I put up, and I freeze them. I use them in baked goods all winter long. There is nothing better than blueberry muffins in January. A sweet taste of summer. That is why I enjoy freezing my berries, they retain that taste of summer flavor you just don't get from jams, syrups, or liquors. I like those things too, but there is nothing better than the bright flavor of summer berries.
That is precisely why I like the sugar method of preserving raspberries. Although it uses a lot of sugar, the berries are not cooked. Using this method they retain their bright summer flavor. You can use these preserved berries as an ice cream topping, a cake or pie filling, or spoon a little over your oatmeal. I have to confess once December rolls around you will most likely catch me with the fridge door open, my spoon in the jar trying to capture just a little bit (or bite) of summer.

Boozy Cherry Clafoutis for Two

Ok, so maybe I just like saying Boozy Clafoutis. Go ahead...it's fun isn't it? I always feel really proud when I am able to whip something up in my kitchen that requires no special trip to the grocery and also requires little effort. Although this clafoutis takes 40 minutes to bake, it takes about 15 to put together, and that includes pitting the cherries. Am I the only one who hates pitting cherries? Well, in some other recipes I found they recommend actually leaving them in. I didn't do that here as I wanted the cherries to soak up the flavor of the rum. I ended up making this recipe three times this week. The first time I tested it out was on Tuesday night, it was so good and easy. I doubled the recipe and made it again on Wednesday night for friends. Then, this morning  I made it minus the rum for breakfast. For breakfast? Yes, for  breakfast. How is it any different than a dutch baby or these apple pancakes? In fact, I will argue that it is healthier as the only butter I used was about 1/8 teaspoon to grease the pan. If you have been around here a while you know I have proposed much worse options for breakfast.
In any case, I am positive boozy clafoutis is going to become a regular around here. I see several versions in my future including Boozy Bourbon Peach Clafoutis early this fall, maybe a Raspberry Chambord as well. The options are endless. Have a good idea for a good boozy clafoutis combo? Let me know in the comments section.

White Chocolate Raspberry Fool

I am a fool for raspberries, I guess that would make me a raspberry fool. In other ways I am also a fool. You see, I am quite trusting of people. Trusting to a fault. I have become better about this, age and experience helps. When it comes down to it, I don't often think that a person might be pulling my leg or outright lying to me. It's not my first instinct. David thinks it has to do with being an only child. I didn't have any siblings to teach me these lessons. For this reason I am a super easy target for April Fool's Day jokes and practical jokes in general.
That doesn't mean I don't love a good practical joke, or playing them. You see, I have always been the shy, quiet sort. Ok, so now all the people who know me now are rolling on the floor laughing at that statement. As a child, I was painfully shy and somewhat afraid of people thanks to my Grandmother who was a little obsessed with child abduction. That's another story. So, yes I once was very shy. This of course never made people suspect me of anything and honestly I often got away with a lot because I was a "good kid". Most people just don't think I have it in me. The thing is if you play a joke on me, I get a little obsessive about it. I will plot and scheme my response. It could take years, and you will have forgotten all about it and then I will come back with a good one. Let's just say if you ever ended up with tabasco in your toothbrush, or cayenne powder in your cigarettes...well, yes that was me. Sorry.
Don't worry, this raspberry fool doesn't contain any tabasco or cayenne, just delicious raspberry picked on a hot summer day last year, a little melted white chocolate, and whipped cream. Fools are easy to throw together and can make a pretty impressive last minute dessert, even though any fool could do it. Happy April Fool's Day to all the practical jokers out there.

Pannukakku

Still looking for something delicious and super easy to make Christmas morning? Pannukaku is a traditional Finnish Breakfast dish usually served with jam. It is related to crepes, swedish pancakes, and I believe most resembles the Dutch Baby. It is definitely more buttery (making it good for special occasions as you might only want to eat it once a year) and a little more custardy. Although I never had it growing up it was very popular where I lived. They even serve it at a local restaurant, The Suomi Cafe where the pronunciation sounds more like Bunn-oo-guck-oo. The pronunciation is probably more Yooper (a person living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula) than Finnish.Now, I have to stop in for breakfast and Pannukakku every time I visit. Traditionally, I believe it is supposed to be served with Lingonberry Jam. The Suomi Cafe serves it with Raspberry, and David eats it with Maple Syrup. I say make your own traditions. We will being eating our traditional cinnamon rolls, but if I thought I could get away with something this simple I would! Happy Holidays everyone.

White Chocolate Ice Cream with a Raspberry Swirl

So, here it is...the last of my summer posts. There is no doubt that summer is officially over in Fairbanks. The temperature sign registered 32 degrees Fahrenheit or the big 0 Celsius when I pulled into work this morning. That always catches me off guard this time of year. I run out of the house without my jacket, we live in the hills where it is warmer, and then I get to work and I am freezing by the time I get into the building. The days are still warm and sunny, so eating ice cream isn't out of the question. But then again, when is ice cream out of the question? Raspberries always remind me of warm summer days, so what better thing to eat when it is cold outside?
White Chocolate and Raspberries is one of my favorite flavor combinations. It reminds me of one of my favorite dessert restaurants of all-time. When I lived in Cincinnati, Ohio there was a place called "The Grand Finale". I hope it is still there because I loved their fresh raspberries with White Chocolate Mousse. This is the frozen version.

The Black Cat - Ashland, Wisconsin

If you have been hanging around here for a while you know I like scones. If you have been paying attention you know that this is the scone I have been trying to re-create...

The Black Cat was "the" place for coffee when I was in college. It was the reason I had to work two jobs. Although I never planned it that way, two of the three places I lived in Ashland were less than a block away from this location. It has been at least 5 years since I have had a Black Cat scone and so this was a big deal for me. I was thrilled to find they had my absolute favorite, raspberry. I was hesitant as I already knew this was not going to be the same scone I remembered, because they never used to be covered with sugar. Inside it was still the same scone that I used to love, but here's the thing. I don't know how to say this, but in the years of trying to perfect the Black Cat scone, mine are now better. So, I no longer need to sit and pine away for the Black Cat days as I can make scones even better than the Black Cat in my own kitchen. If you happen to be passing through Ashland, Wisconsin I still recommend you stop in for a coffee and a scone, because I still think they are pretty darn good!

 The Black Cat looks exactly how I remember it, but they have done a wonderful job renovating the CO-OP since I was last there.

Appleberry Pâtes de Fruits

I have been wanting to make Pâte de Fruits for a long time, but it wasn’t until the apples overflowed the fruit basket and started rolling across the counter and threatened to leap to the floor that I really felt motivated. Pâte de Fruits always look so lovely on other blogs, I have admired others Strawberry Rhubarb and Raspberry flavors. It wasn’t until I found Alice Waters recipe that contained no added pectin that I decided I was ready to give them a go. They really are worth it. I’m looking forward to our summer biking season, I see these replacing Shot Blocks (sorry Cliff Bar corporation) in my bike jersey.
You can make these Pâte de Fruits with any variety of apples and fruit you have on hand. You can also make them with just apple. Our winter CSA has thrown a whole mix of apples at us over the last few weeks, so to be honest I’m not sure what kind of apples I used. I recommend using the kind you like to eat. I like super sour candies, so I would love to try them with Granny Smith in the future. Don’t attempt to make them with just berries however. It is the pectin in the apples that makes them become jellied. There are other similar recipes that use the addition of pectin or gelatin out there if you want to make other fruit jellies such as Turkish Delight, a rose water jelly. Also, most recipes call for a lot of added sugar to offset the lemon. I recommend trying them without first as I found them plenty sweet with just the rolling in sugar.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make these treats. They can be quite time consuming. Not the kind of project to start on a weeknight like I did. They are not difficult, but they do need quite a bit of time and attention during the simmering stage as you don’t want them to burn.
Appleberry Pâtes de Fruits
7 apples, peeled, quartered and cored
¼ cup low bush cranberries or lingonberries
½ cup wild blueberries
1 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
Sugar for coating
Start by lightly rubbing an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with a flavorless vegetable oil (canola or safflower). Line pan with parchment and lightly oil parchment.
In a large pot combine the apples, berries, and the water and cook over medium heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender), process the mixture until smooth.
Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Return the puree to the pot and stir in the lemon juice.
Simmer over low heat, stirring often, for about 2 hours. As the mixture cooks and reduces, it starts to thicken and bubble. Scrape the bottom of the pan while stirring to make sure nothing is sticking and burning. The puree is done when it holds a mounded shape. To be sure, you can chill a small amount on a plate in the freezer. It should appear and feel jellied.
Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Cool for several hours or overnight. When cooled completely, invert onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Leave to dry, uncovered, overnight. Put the paste in a 150° F oven for an hour or more until firm. Let cool completely before cutting. If the center is still not set, you can put them back in the oven, even after cutting. The paste can be stored whole, wrapped tightly in plastic. Or trim the edges and cut into 1-inch pieces before wrapping. Store at room temperature or refrigerated for up to a year. Before serving toss the pieces in granulated sugar to serve.

Raspberry Chiffon Pie

When I have to wait in line at the grocery store I like to browse through the magazines that I would never buy. I used to read People until I got busted one day by one of those friends who would never dream of picking up a People magazine. They never looked at me the same after that incident, in fact it was one of the primary reasons I moved to Fairbanks. I figured I would never live down the humiliation of shopping at Safeway (rather than the co-op) and reading People magazine in the check-out lane in a small town like Port Townsend, I think I might even have had some Lay's potato chips in my cart (oh, the horrors). In any case...I vowed not to make that mistake here in Fairbanks ( I only read my trash online in the privacy of my home now, although I must admit that I don't know who half those people are anymore). So, what to do while waiting in line at Fred Meyer? I usually pick up the latest Cook's Illustrated in the check out lane (now everyone thinks I am a freak for not reading People, I can't win). I have a subscription to Cook's Illustrated online which gives me access to pretty much every recipe they have ever published. Every recipe except this one that was featured on the cover of their summer entertaining issue. I guess they do not publish their specialty publications online. The great thing about the internet is that with a quick little google search you can usually find someone who has made the recipe you are looking for. I ended up finding this one on a fellow Alaska bloggers page, Batter Splattered. No wonder it looked so familiar, I follow Molly's blog regularly. From there I was able to find it on the Cook's Country site. I must say that mine does not look nearly as lovely as the distinctly three-layered one on the cover of the magazine, but it sure was tasty. It reminded me of an upscale version of Jello Light and Fruity pie that my Mom used to make.

Meyer Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes

I believe it was the February issue of Mary Jane's Farm Magazine that was all about bees and honey. One of the things they recommended to help save the honey bees was to buy more had been wanting to purchase the Raspberry Honey from Moon Valley for a long time and this gave me the perfect excuse. Save the bees, eat more cupcakes! I think I should make some bumperstickers. These were really good, but did not hold up to the second day. Eat them immediately after frosting.
Meyer Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes
from Mary Janes Farm Magazine

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice (1/4 cup) of one Meyer lemon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Butter, softened
3/4 cup Orange Blossom honey
2 large eggs
1/2 pint raspberries
Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a liquid measure, combine lemon zest, juice and buttermilk; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add honey; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time. Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the lemon mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients until combined. Gently fold in raspberries. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool. Frost with Honey Raspberry Whipped Cream (below) if desired.


Honey Raspberry Whipped Cream

- Makes 12-14 servings -

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoon Orange Blossom honey
2 Tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, honey and jam. Beat until peaks form.

*Any mild-flavored honey such as Clover may be used.

Pretty Little Button

I stopped by Inua wool shop over Christmas to buy some yarn for David's hat that I was making him for Christmas. While I was there I was looking through the buttons and fell in love with these pretty little raspberry ones. The sales lady noticed me looking at them and told me she could not get them anymore as the lady who makes them had recently passed away. For weeks I couldn't stop thinking about this button.  When a neck gaiter that I knit was too small to fit over my head it became a felted purse. I knew where to find the perfect button to close it up!

Meyer Lemons

I am a huge fan of Meyer Lemons. Every year I look forward to finding them in the grocery store. I pay the ridiculous price of $10 for a bag of six and usually find two of them rotten. David and I jokingly call the one's we buy here Fred Meyer lemons since that is where we end up purchasing them. In the last couple of weeks I have made a couple of great discoveries for fresh, organic produce. I will highlight a really exciting find in this Thursday’s post, but the first is local harvest. This site highlights places to purchase local produce, but they also have organic growers that ship at peak season. This is how I found The Lemon Ladies. They are producing Organic Meyer Lemons and apparently ship just about anywhere in the United States. They did say that this was the first time they shipped their lemons to Alaska. What I didn’t realize is that I ordered them on a government holiday week, which means our mail always gets backlogged. I was afraid that my poor lemons were going to be frozen solid by the time they arrived. The lemon ladies assured me that I could still turn them into marmalade if they did in fact freeze. When they didn’t arrive at work (I have everything shipped to my office) last Friday I thought for sure my lemon gamble would be a complete loss. I pictured my frozen lemons thawing and then refreezing as they took the ride with the mailman through Fairbanks on Saturday. Then Monday, still no lemons! Now, let me just say that this is in no part the fault of the lemon ladies. Our postal service can be challenging. Finally, yesterday morning the mailman backs up to the front door (this means there is a package in the back of the truck). Yes, the lemons arrived and I cautiously opened the box of 30 perfect lemons (7 lbs.). In addition, there was lovely little jar of Meyer Lemon Marmalade. I have been collecting recipes and information about Meyer Lemons for the last two weeks. Expect a lot of lemon posts this weekend…

100 Things to do with a Meyer Lemon

Meyer Lemon Butter Cookies

Luscious Lemon Bars

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Recipes for Meyer Lemons

Preserved Lemons

Lemon Pudding Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Scones

Have I mentioned that I am really terrible about reading recipes all the way through? This is why I cook instead of bake, most of the time.
Lately I had been thinking about the scones I used to get at the Black Cat Coffeehouse in Ashland, Wisconsin. I was a student at Northland College and although it was never purposeful, conveniently all but one of my apartments were within a block of the Black Cat. This was the reason I had to work two jobs to get me through college, my $5.00 a day scone and cappuccino habit. The scones that Honore, the owner made were amazing. I have never found anything that compares since.
I somewhat regularly make Meyer Lemon scones with dried blueberries. These are very good scones. David once described them as the best scones he ever had (maybe he was just being nice). I figure I will never get any closer to finding that Black Cat scone if I don't branch out and try some new recipes. I had been looking at these ones that were posted on the Smitten Kitchen site for a while and decided to give them a shot. Now, had I actually read the directions on the original recipe or the post on the Smitten Kitchen website it may have completely changed the outcome of these scones, but alas I did not and still got some pretty tasty scones out of the deal. My co-workers scarfed them down, although they are about as picky about food as the four legged cohorts in the office (we are dog friendly). Sorry guys! Thanks for eating my scones anyway.
So, where did I go wrong you ask? I decided to make the fruit version of this scone with raspberries. I did not realize until I actually started this post that the last line of the recipe explains to reduce the amount of buttermilk if using fruit rather than the caraway and raisins. I was thinking that the batter was incredibly sticky! Also, I cut them in wedges just like my favorite scones of all time. They were huge, monster scones because of this. They really do need to be cut into small triangles and spaced far apart on the cookie sheet as mine ran together. In the end I really do think these have the potential with a few tweeks to be amazing scones. I added half a teaspoon of cinnamon to the recipe and it really added to the flavor. In the future if I used a tart fruit such as raspberries I would add just a little more sugar as well.

SCONES
2 ¾ c. pastry flour (all-purpose is fine)
¼ c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
6 oz. butter, ½ inch cubes
**1 c. golden raisins
**1 T. caraway seeds
1 c. buttermilk
*Preheat oven to 375
*Place cubed butter in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, measure other ingredients (except buttermilk) & place in the bowl of a food processor
*Add butter to processor bowl & mix until the butter and flour are the texture of coarse cornmeal. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add buttermilk and mix on lowest speed until the dough just comes together.
*Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very gently a couple of times. Roll dough out to approximately 1 inch. cut squares & then again on the diagonal to create triangles. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.
**Option-substitute caraway & raisins with 1 c. fresh fruit, reduce buttermilk to 3/4 cup.

Calypso Farm Auction and Dinner

Last night was the annual fundraising auction for the Calypso Farm and Ecology Center. The place was packed with supporters of the organization. They provided a meal with all locally grown and raised food. This is where we purchased our CSA from this year. I think most of the folks that do aren't really looking for a CSA as much as they just want to support the organization. To say that our share was meager would be an understatement. Now, I will admit that it was a pretty sad year for growing just about anything. I have heard from other folks that it didn't really make a difference in past years. I'm not really sure that their small farm can support all the special activities and workshops along with a CSA. We will continue to support the organization in other ways, but we need to eat too! I am on the waiting list for a couple other highly recommended CSA's in town for next year.
In any case I donated a couple jars of lemon and raspberry curd for the silent auction. We watched other folks pay $150 for a plate of fudge or a box of homemade caramels and then came home and had a couple more slices of leftover Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.

In other news, if you notice those little white things on our deck in the picture. Yes, our very first snow of the season came yesterday!

Apple Bars

I really wanted to make the Raspberry Bars from the Smitten Kitchen site, but I had a whole bag of apples that I got from the Farmer's Market on Wednesday that I didn't realize were bruised when I bought them, and were going to rot fast if I didn't use them. I followed the raspberry bar recipe exactly, but used apples instead. I think I put a little too much of the crumbly stuff on top however. They did not hold together as nicely as the raspberry ones in the picture. They are really tasty anyway.