Fabulous summery pies from The Los Angeles Times, today…

The news is so grim.  Here is something lovely and the recipes are all there too.  I’d love to try the cherry one but would that ever be a lot of work.

Anyway, enjoy!  Here is that link!

SUMMER FRUIT PIES!

I’ve had a subscription to the Times for years.  I love the columnists.  I loved it when the Food sec was larger, and The Times used to publish books too.  I bought some of them.  The Robert Smaus gardening books!  I have two of them.

The Los Angeles Times writers are one of the best things about Los Angeles.

That’s my view anyway.

xxoo!

33 thoughts on “Fabulous summery pies from The Los Angeles Times, today…”

  1. i’m still thinking about the custard and lobster roll you had yesterday Bonnaire. now…cherry pies?
    geez, I feel my appetite returning. ha!!
    never made a dessert pie..and you can’t get a good cherry pie if you don’t make it, actually.

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    1. Next time you come out? We’ll go to Neptunes. & Malibu! As for pie, so easy. OMG. EASY! I have the crust down pat — and the fillings are nothing. Right now there are really fab cherries this year. Those really dark ones. The picture of that pie was fantastic. It was fab yesterday down there. Just for a drive.

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  2. well i would love to do that someday. like tomorrow actually? ah well. my mind and heart can travel… undeniably…
    and have a hot dog on the beach, at that hot dog stand? and watch a sunset on the ocean.

    yesterday you made me think of Maine. i love Maine…. that’s where I had my first custard. I’d forgotten about that. and lobster rolls. lobster stew…

    it’s the ocean I love. I feel whole by the ocean….

    —————————-

    crusts are hard no? you say easy. that is because you are experienced.

    so you use the dark cherries. I’ve seen those at the market lately. they look good. And there are these other cherries that look like apples. …….they fascinate me every time I see them.

    I will try some of those dark cherries sometime.

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    1. hahahah! we can go all those places! easily, Song. And the hot dog guy and the sunsets! easy, and I will treat you.
      plus remember next year possible writer’s conf. again.

      those yellow and red cherries are Ranier cherries from Washington state — excellent. But my faves are the really dark purplish black ones…
      anyway here is my long winded easiest recipe for crust — I use this for everything? It’s pate brise… here are quiches/scratch ala me………….!

      https://vbonnaire.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/two-simple-quiches-from-scratch/

      or?

      easiest cobbler topping, and great! you could put this on a peach or nectarine cobbler? rather than berries. Total yum —

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      1. Writer’s Conference. I hope that happens especially for you Bonnaire, because there are people you need to meet, and other people you need to meet again. I hope it happens so that I can come. I was thinking about it the other day hoping it would come back and thinking about you, and your book…..and well, yes, Tut.

        I found myself thinking about Tut? So I asked myself, while I was flat on my back “what is it about Tut? Why are you thinking of Tut?” I mean I had only read a little bit about Tut, but, well, he is wise, the wise part of you, that you created. And so, I figured that somehow, I saw in your eyes, at the restaurant, that kind of deep wisdom..and you put that in Tut……

        and now, actually I think of Tut, whenever I see the sea turtles?

        See what you did!!! and I wondered why you chose that name, too.

        ———————–oh! and?

        I read the pie crust recipe. It sounds easy Bonnaire!!!…I know how it’s supposed to look, the butter turning into the little balls, and I think I can do this…..I watch the Top Chef, and Food Channel chef shows sometimes, so I have seen it done. the cold water is important to the process…..I heard that somewhere.

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    3. ps: for fruit pies — make that recipe for quiche crust but do not pre-bake it. It will make a bottom, and a top crust for 9-10″ pie plates…

      roll out, fill and lay top crust over. Do I ever make apple pies in fall… and Pumpkin for thanksgiving… Pie is real Americana to me? On fruit pies? I usually sprinkle with lemon juice — tons, and sugar — not too much. I fill the pie with fruit so that it is stuffed! Really! The filling is everything. ps: that was the first lobster roll I ever had and the custard thing was too. Total east Coast out here. LOL! We’ll go I promise you.

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      1. well Bonnaire, i didn’t bake a cake until I was in my late 30’s so? Perhaps I should join Americana, and learn how to bake a pie…i regret to say, I rarely cooked for myself. The last place I lived? I never cooked a meal there. No pots, or pans. geez huh….

        but?

        I had a music room full of instruments….chimes, flutes, guitars, keyboards, percussion……kandinsky and miro on the wall…primitive drums……

        and I did learn to play them too.

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  3. ps: So if you put tons of lemon juice and little sugar, is this on the all fruit? so if apple pie.

    what apples do you use?

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    1. It’s fun to cook! It is. On the apples? Can be any kind or even a mix of kinds — some are sturdier than others. The green ones need more sugar — are tarter. MacIntosh is the classic, but Pink Lady is my fave. Fuji also works well. For a nine inch pie you need about ten? Make the crust. While it is resting in the fridge — take a large bowl and put water in it half way. Use one of those slicers to core and peel, or you could use a paring knife. Drop the slices into the water. Have about four lemons on hand. Squeeze two of them on the water. (Keeps Apples from turning brown) — get the crust out and roll the bottom. Easy — into a circle! Fold in half and again in a quarter and lay this out in pan. Unfold. Smooth in pan — Pour the water off the apples and add about a cup of sugar — brown or white? Toss apples with that by hand. Put that on top of crust. Now you can squeeze lemon juice over — dot with butter — I stick? Or so. By dot I mean skinny slices that you tuck in. I sprinkle a bunch of vanilla, too. The other way to do it is with cinnamon? So for that toss the apples in the bowl with that — and don’t add more lemon. Now, roll the top out like you did the bottom. Place over the whole and join the edges to seal. You can use the tines of a fork around the edge to press together. Brush the top with milk till glazed — (makes it shiny golden) — make sure to cut a slit in the top like a cross? So it will vent!
      Bake at 350 degrees. Maybe 45 mins. Keep checking until it is golden brown. But, believe me — it will be an olfactory musical even in your kitchen.
      You will be composing songs when you taste that pie!

      xxoo!

      miss you. If I was there? It would be a cinch and fun to show you how. Damn. FALL FOR SURE. We will!

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      1. ps: I meant a ten inch pie with ten apples. Here is equip to get. Decent paring knife! One glass pie pan (pyrex) for starters. 9 -10 inch size. You can get these almost anyplace? One of those apple corer/slicers — if you want. Here is a pic of that:

        Pies are so fun. Also? This will work for a pot pie? The crust will. You can use this crust as just a top crust on something too — !
        (my only crust)! Easy enough. pss: I forgot to say, after you brush the milk on — I sprinkle the whole top with sugar – lightly, too. Just because. Twinkly!
        And you can get creative with the slits, too.

        I found this for you!

        http://www.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1078&bih=494&q=pies+crust&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

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      2. Ps: get a large glass bowl, a two cup measuring cup and a pastry brush. THIS IS THE BEGINNING of your own chefdom, Song! xxoo! The cup and bowl, plus a set of measuring spoons is the basis for the world o’ stuff. See if you can find this stuff at a Ross. I was in there the other day? OMG. They have the most fab white baking dishes from Portugal. You cannot believe how fab. For like $6.99. I hope they have them in AZ — beautiful!

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  4. Apple corer? I bought one of those not long ago. I love that little contraption. But I just bought caramel dipping sauce to go with the apples–

    I love the idea of sprinkling sugar on the top!

    I will learn to do this and bookmark this page. I love fruit pies, and sometimes I go to a gourmet market and buy one, like a cherry, raspberry or an apple pie but they are only “ok”, and I know that…I have 3 cookbooks. Julia Child’s 2 set the Art of French Cooking, and also The Joy of Cooking.

    On television, I used to watch Martha Stewart. Now? I like the Barefoot Contessa…..

    since I’ve not been working, lately I’ve been cooking…..I love to make soups actually…..but most meals consist of fresh vegetables, fish or meat, whatever looks good….fresh fruit for dessert, or yogurt, . that cake I made once was a yellow cake from scratch with an apricot filling between the layers, and a buttercream frosting…I bought a pastry bag to lattice the top…….and I learned how to make those teeny little layers of genoise? I think that is what it is called….that was the another cake.,,,

    I love chocolate too, and so I buy candy….sometimes it is pretty candy. Sometimes a Hershey bar (often).

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    1. genoise!

      pie crust is for tarts too! French ones. You and I have same book! My mom had those two Julia ones. I have her “How to Cook.”
      I only like to cook if I have people to feed, How sad! xxoo! that Brise crust is Martha’s….

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  5. I just bookmarked this page. I will look for those apples Pink Lady…….I know McIntosh….and probably not cinnamon, but vanilla….because I’ve never tasted an apple pie that didn’t have cinnamon and I would think that the vanilla would lift the flavor of the apples, with the lemon juice for tartness..because most of these pies are too sweet if you buy them.

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    1. It will be buttery vanilla tasting — the lemon disappears — but adds freshness. That’s how I do it. I never put cinnamon with that pie — but for thanksgiving — cinnamon things rule.

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  7. I am going to make this pie…as soon as I feel better. And today, I did take my mother to lunch.
    I didn’t feel like eating anything but dessert. So? I ate the first one. it’s served hot, the torte with the ice cream on the side. best thing I have eaten in a few weeks….!!!

    http://www.sierrabonitagrill.com/Desserts.html

    when you come to Phx, I will take you here. Neighborhood restaurant. You’ve seen it before.
    The osso bucco is incredible, and the buttermilk chicken–comfort food max. i haven’t had the pork tenderloin rubbed in chocolate, but I’ve heard it is fantastic. I might try it soon, but I can’t quite do so, because the chocolate and vanilla? sounds odd. but what do I know huh?

    http://www.sierrabonitagrill.com/Entrees.html

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    1. I want you to feel better, and that pie is going to be the ticket! xxoo! I might make one for the same reason, too. I swear. Same reason. I have an apple tree I planted. It has like 50 apples this year. PIE! or Medieval tart. I ‘ll show you that one, OMG. Impressive and so easy. IMPRESSIVE!

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      1. I promise as soon as I feel better, I AM going to make that pie. I can’t wait to use that apple corer, try that crust, put the sugar and vanilla and lemons, and bake it, and have that smell fill the house…..

        it will be a very special day ….

        I can’t believe you have an apple tree. This woman that I worked with planted a miniature apple tree, and she brought me one, at work, last year. a little apple, and it was so good…..not like so many in the stores that taste? engineered…and she planted all kinds of miniature trees, fruit trees in her yard. magical here in Az. i didn’t know they grew here.

        ————-

        Medieval Tart!!!!!

        you’ll tell me what it is when you’re ready.

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      2. This is so easy you cannot believe. It involves phyllo dough, the apples, sugar, butter, and calvados brandy.

        found! — it comes from The Silver palate cookbook. I used much less butter… ahem. But, OMG. This one is really fabulous.
        All you need is a cookie sheet and a pastry brush… xxoo!

        http://www.food.com/recipe/medieval-apple-tart-silver-palate-340350

        I planted that tree. I love to plant trees…5 acres would do it for me. I’m sure there are places in AZ where stuff like that would flourish. Mine is a Gordon Apple. Really nice one — kind of like a Macintosh? A little. They basically just grow? Really nice to watch them flower and then fruit. I have two oranges, (old) and a Meyer Lemon. I bet Sunset Garden Book has an AZ edition? Only thing is the summer heat? But I bet if you drive to a permaculture place you’d see what can grow there. Last time I was in the desert here I saw acres of stone fruits — peaches and so forth. This desert is the same as AZ? Where the Joshua trees were. Same kinds of temperatures.

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      3. In the book you can use Calvados or Grand Marnier? Either would be okay, but that old Apple Brandy is better! Totally French, but without the hassle of making the crust! Phyllo! I did all this cooking in the early days of this marriage. Bought cookbooks galore. Too many. I was trying to be a wife, I think. Sort of.

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  10. I started to write a little about my day, but, I am just not going to go there…..

    I read this recipe earlier today…..

    a wonderful sounding recipe. I’ve never tried Calvados–never even heard of it. Grand Marnier. of course. The apple would be better than the orange. And phyllo ha!…I had an uncle from Greece who taught my mother how to use phyllo,,I watched when I was a little girl. His accent was very thick and I could never understand him, so when he would say something
    I would say “yes”
    sometimes he would chastise me…..in a loud voice
    “whah do you mean to tell your Uncle Nicky ‘yes’ when he ask you (unintelligible)!!!!!!”
    so, when he’d finish, i’d say, “No”
    “what do you mean to tell your Uncle Nicky ‘no” when he ask you (unintelligible!!!!!!!”
    this happened over and over again whenever he came.

    of course I began to avoid him while he taught my mother Greek recipes…

    Not surprised looking back i never tried phyllo either. ah well. I flunk. I admit it.

    you sound like you have knocked it out of the ballpark.
    “I think. Sort of.”
    ?????

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    1. Wish your day had been better. A greek Uncle! ps: phyllo can be had in the frozen section of big markets — near the puff pastry! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
      I haven’t made that tart in years. Julia Child loved carmelized apples. I guess I do too!
      It will turn out carmelized like you cannot believe.

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  11. i know where that is!! they are together. sometimes near the specialty foods, and?

    pierogi.

    My grandmother made pierogi every New Years. I saw Martha Stewart make those with her mother on television. Loved that. Made some m’self, with my grandmother’s recipe, and Martha Stewarts’ suggestions. Put dill in the potato filling. Boil first til they float and saute in butter if you want, serve with sour cream.

    You can’t eat just one…

    yup, a Real Greek Uncle, and a real character.

    Again, I’ve never made caramelized apples, but they sound incredible. I read that recipe carefully, actually

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