We recently discovered Jon’s, a local chain of family owned international markets, and I’m, literally, in love. The deals on meat and fresh produce are unbelievable! A few weeks ago Drew snagged 15 limes for $1!! We usually get 3 for $1 at Ralph’s or Trader Joe’s. Three pounds of Roma tomatoes for $1!!! Can you believe these prices?
Anyway, I digress. The bargain-hunter in my can’t resist the deals. But we recently got a bunch of fresh peaches for pocket change, and unfortunately, because we’re both so busy, we totally forgot we had them and they started to get soft. These peaches were so beautiful and juicy, I couldn’t waste them. I had recently caught an episode of Paula Deen’s cooking show on Food Network, and although most of her food is very rich and fatty, this one was simple and let the peaches stand out. The recipe is available here, and I followed it to the letter, except for the glaze (I thought the filling was enough to complement the peaches, and didn’t want to overpower them with too much fluff).
Don't let fresh fruit spoil--dress it up in dessert!
While there are no step-by-step instructions since this recipe isn’t my own, I do want to take a second to rant about a hidden torture inherent in cooking. I already love shopping for shoes and jewelry, but add a fetish for fine cookware and a yearning to expand my kitchen’s capabilities, it’s impossible to not want every awesome piece of bakeware, every kind of pan and pot that exists, and every cool gadget that seems useful but turns out dispensable. This recipe made me think I need a removable-bottom tart pan! Paula’s made it look so easy on TV, and I’ll admit it was a pain to roll out the crust in a cookie sheet and attempt, unsuccessfully, to shape it to something decent looking. There’s a reason there are no pictures of the tart whole–it was not pretty! My filling spilled everywhere and burnt onto the cookie sheet, although the crust that remained exposed was delicious, and the overall effect was fantastic! It just wasn’t something I’d serve for company. I catch myself thinking, if I had that fabulous tart pan, I’d be a better cook, but then remind myself the challenge is half the fun, and the silly look of a tart on a cookie sheet inspired me to invent a pizza-looking dessert (with a tart crust, custard “sauce” and fruit) that would be both fun and tasty (stay tuned!). Adversity makes us resourceful and smart, and even the little challenges in the kitchen can make you not only a better cook but also a creative one! One day, I will have every fancy gadget, pot and pan possible, but for now I’ll stick to a minimalistic approach (fittingly, in my small apartment kitchen) and try to invent solutions to my setbacks… Let’s see how it goes!
The lonely last slice... this disappeared quickly!
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