What screams 4th of July more than hamburgers, hot dogs, crispy fried chicken, old-fashioned potato salad, peach or cherry pie and if luck’s with you, home-made ice cream. Stir in family, friends, a corny parade down Main Street and an evening concert of John Philip Sousa courtesy of the high school band. That’s my memory of summer celebrations in Manchester, Iowa. (So you know, I was a drummer girl in that band.)
Those memories came alive when our country’s celebration was turned inside out by the Pandemic. Even more so because next week I had hoped to join 4 other high school friends in Manchester for a long-planned mini-reunion with short stops in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to visit others. Coordinating dates with conflicting summer schedules? What a chore. Booking flights from San Diego, Aspen, Colorado Springs, Rochelle and Sioux City, even more so. Manchester is not destination-friendly. As for now, and I suspect as for all of you, these vacation adventures are on hold.
AGAIN and AGAIN, THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE
In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.
The USFS has sidelined the Forest Conservancy this summer. Playing it safe, protecting its volunteer corp, we Rangers are grateful for that. With apologies to author Maurice Sendak, this furlough has given me the time and opportunity to explore and discover Where (more of) the Wild Things Are in this Valley.
A JULY PICKS DO-OVER
Am putting my July books aside to join our summer Community Read choice, “The Beekeeper of Aleppo,” a novel by Christy Lefteri. “A House in the Mountains, The Women Who Liberated Italy from Fascism,” by Caroline Moorehead is our library’s Nonfiction Book Club July pick. If you’re a nature lover, prone to the wild side, you’ll love “WRITING WILD, Women Poets, Ramblers and Mavericks Who Shape How We See the World.” It’s by Kathryn Aalto. Just published and fabulous.
COOK the BOOK FRIDAYS
Today’s recipe, LOWER EAST SIDE BRUNCH TART, a creamy custard tart filled with smoked salmon, capers, onions and tomatoes, is dedicated to the memory of the talented Ro DiDomenico, a beloved member of French Fridays with Dorie, who recently passed away.
For the past ten years I’ve cooked virtually with Ro and her daughter, Tricia, through several of Dorie Greenspan’s cookbooks. Crowned our group’s matriarch, Ro started her blogging career at 78, doing the cooking, computer coding and photography herself. This Tart was one of her favorites. We miss you, Ro.
LOWER EAST SIDE BRUNCH TART by Dorie Greenspan, Everyday Dorie, The Way I Cook
Serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
One 9-91/2 inch tart shell made with your favorite tart/pie dough or short circuit this step by purchasing your favorite tart/pie dough.
TART FILLING
1½ oz cream cheese, cut into small chunks
3 oz smoked salmon, chopped
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp chopped chives or dill
¾ cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
12-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a 9-inch tart pan with the dough (I first butter my tart pan), prick all over with a fork. Partially bake for 10-12 minutes until barely browned. Cool.
- Drop the temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Place the partially-baked and cooled tart shell on parchment-lined baking sheet. Drop the cream cheese chunks over the bottom of the pie crust. Top with the salmon, onion, capers, and herbs.
- Whisk together the heavy cream and eggs with the salt and the pepper until smooth. Pour carefully into the crust over the other ingredients stopping when you’re just below the rim. Top with the halved tomatoes.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until it is set and cooked through. The center of the tart should have risen as much as the sides.
- Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve just warm or at room temperature with a small green salad (I like strictly arugula greens with this.)
TIP: If there are leftovers, wrap tightly and refrigerate. Reheat in oven to serve.
- John Muir was America’s most famous, influential naturalist and conservationist.
Sounds great — will make it tonight.
Another book you might like this summer is “The Red Notebook” by Antoine Laurin — set in Paris, short, and a delightful read.
There’s always so much going on in your life Mary! <3 Beautiful photo of Tricia and Nana and Dorie!
Thanks for book suggestions. Will check them out, Mary! Have been so busy with my garden , grape arbor and fruit trees that my reading has suffered. Be well.
Rest in Peace Ro and what an accomplishment to begin blogging at 78! Ro’s favorite tart looks delicious. I’m sure she will be missed. Mary I do believe your nature photography gets more exquisite with every post!
Sorry you missed your reunion…
I feel Like we Need a reunion. I love your pix and that quiche
Hugs
Gorgeous tart! I am salivating. Thank you.
You always seem to have the right image to make the picture complete. Thanks for sharing.
What a beautiful way to honor Ro’s memory. She was quite a woman and I am so glad I was able to meet her and Tricia on our Seattle adventure. Love seeing your summer nature photos…it’s making me dream of a mountain vacation….but we’ll be driving to northern Wisconsin instead. A getaway will be good for my soul. xo
P.S. Will check out those books for our 10 hour trip!!
P.P.S. That tart is calling my name!
Love it all. Thank you for the wonderful tribute to my Mom. She adored blogging with you and of course, meeting you in person for our fabulous IFB convention. We’ll always remember how she wisely opted out of the early morning trip to the Pike Place Market and had room service deliver a delish breakfast in bed. Well played as usual 🙂
Gotta make that tart! Thanks to you and Dorie!
I have a mixed relationship with dragonflies. When I was a kid my grandmother told me that they feed on the eyeballs of children who don’t close their eyes when they sleep. Such a loving woman. I mean to write about her more some day…
Nonetheless, I had a good tiny cry I first heard of Nana’s passing. I think there was a lot mixed up in that one. (See above about my own grandma.) This is such a great way to remember Ro. She truly did inspire me to be open to the ‘next thing’. I could never imagine my own mother or grandmother could embrace ‘the new’ as much as she did. And the reward vis a vis her daughter and new friends was immeasurable. I hope I never forget that. I loved her sense of humor too.
As for this tart, um, yum! How can anything with so many of my favorite ingredients be bad? Simply it can’t.
sorry to hear about your cancelled reunion plans…that’s a bummer. your tart looks delicious, and that’s so nice you got to meet tricia and nana in person!
I enjoyed seeing the photo, thanks for sharing. We loved this tart and look forward to making it again.
Hi Mary, still enjoying all your posts. Love this recipe and I will make this for Harris this weekend. He is recuperating from surgery…both carotid arteries were critically blocked and he needed 2 surgeries to mitigate them. (This was discovered during pre op tests for another surgery which has been put on hold until he heals…probably will have it late August). He’s doing very well and I’ve been cooking all our favorite dishes from years ago! We are living in FL now and loving it…but we were so busy eating out most nights that the kitchen remained fairly closed except for breakfast. Now, bc of the pandemic and these health issues we are at home all the time and we have rediscovered our love of cooking and dining in. Thanks for the recipe and your beautiful narratives…stay well.
What a nice tribute and so great you even had a picture of you all together too! I am so glad we did this together this month…I am sure it helped Tricia know much we are supporting her and her family. BTW The Beekeeper of Aleppo is really good. Really made me open my eyes to the plight of refugees.
So I’m a little late to the party. This is a lovely tribute to our friend Nana, someone I was so glad to have met through this group.
I always enjoy your nature photos. I hope that I get to see some of these (or other) wild things in Aspen when my own on-hold vacation gets rescheduled for next summer (fingers crossed).
I’m adding your book recommendations to my always growing list.