Lemon Bars In The Cast Iron Skillet

First off...the heat wave broke. Woke up in the middle of the night to drip....drip.....drip... Fog rolled in off the Pacific Ocean. And it was thick. Yesterday afternoon I decided to make some lemon bars but this time I thought I would try them in the cast iron skillet.And they turned out great. The shortbread bottom was flakey and crumbled in your mouth and the Meyer lemons were so tart and sweet. The recipe came from one of my favorite cookbooks, Jim Fobel's Old fashion Baking Book.Recipes from an American Childhood.

Lemon Bars

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

8 Tablespoons...1 stick cold unsalted butter, sliced

2 large eggs....I warmed mine in warm water in the little bowl

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

1. Postion a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl stir together 1 cup of flour and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal and work it with your fingertips till it holds together. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 8 inch square pan. Here is where I went with the cast iron skillet instead. Bake about 15 minutes, until light golden brown. remove, but leave the oven on.

2. Meanwhile, in a meduim bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, beat at a high speed for 10 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened.

3. On a sheet of waxed paper combine the remaining 2 Tablespoons flour with the baking powder and salt, gradually beat into the egg mixture, beating just until smooth. Pour over the baked layer and bake about 20 minutes longer, until set and lightly browned. Cool in the pan on a rack. Sift the remaining powdered sugar over the top and cut into bars or in pie shaped pieces if using the cast iron skillet.

A little taste of Spring.

English Peas By St. Patricks Day

I wasn't going to say anything. I really wasn't . But I am planting english peas today and watering the garden. The english peas are called Early Frosty. How could I pass that up? I couldn't.I finished planting the sweet peas and morning glory seeds.The morning glory I planted were Heavenly Blue, Grandpa Ott and Milky Way.

Should I say the next part? Maybe not.O well, I've gone this far, why stop now. Are your ready? We're bbqing tonight. There, I said it. Hamburgers with Camp Beans and Bessie's asparagus vinagrette .That's our sun tea brewing by the kitchen door. For dessert I am making Meyer lemon bars, the lemons a gift by the back gate from a neighbor. That was my lucky day. Oh, see the quilt. That was my grammys.I just put it out this morning. I planted the yellow johnny-jump-ups and red geraniums about a month ago.I bring out the quilt every Spring...and that's where we're having supper tonight. But just to be fair...the weatherman says RAIN...what? Really? Rain? Yep, it's in the forecast for the weekend. Looks like my free ride might be over. Bet your glad about that, huh?

The Scent of Sweet Peas

I have to tell you. It's 80 degrees out in my garden today.I won't mention it again. Promise. I went to Farm Supply yesterday afternoon and bought a bunch of sweet pea seeds. I like to soak them overnight because the seeds are so hard. The package said on the back that in my area they can be planted before St. Patrick's Day. Last year I had the whole fence coming up the pathway to the house in sweet peas. And I am doing it again this year. When you walked in the gate on an early summer afternoon you were greeted with the scent of sweet peas. AAhhhh. I planted all differnet kinds. Wedding Blush, High Scent, Streamers Mix,Sweet Dreams Mix,Cupani,Singing The Blues, Butterfly,Miss Willmott,Old Spice Mix and Painted Lady.

My gardening tool is my wooden spoon from the kitchen. The handle is the perfect thing. I just pick a spot, start poking holes with the spoon and drop in a seed. Some sweet peas all already up . They must have re-seeded from last years garden. I also planted some Dahlias. I got the big ones called Dinnerplate. I had them last year and they were HUGE. I planted the bulbs, not the plants.Put in alot of soft pink and lilac colored ones.The yellow were already sold out. Might have to try another nursery. I just love how old fashion they look in the garden in summer.

Soaking more sweet peas tonight..so you know what that means for tomorrow.....

My Second Favorite Place On Earth

This is my second favorite place on earth. It is The Apple Farm and it is located way up in northern California in an area called The Anderson Valley. Thhe coast of Mendicino is about a 30 minute drive away. It was started by Don and Sally Schmitt...they were the ones that originally started The French Laundry Restaurant which is in the Napa Valley in the very small town of Yountville.In 1992, Thomas Keller came to look at The French Laundry which was for sale. He said," I came to Yountville on the advice of a friend to look at The French Laundry. The grounds were enclosed by honeysuckle, and climbing roses covered an arched trellis leading to a courtyard. It seemed as if I'd been heading there my whole working life."

Thomas Keller bought the reataurant from Don and Sally..and as Ruth Reichl wrote in The New York Times "Thomas Keller, chef/proprietor of The French Laundry in the Napa Valley-the most exciting place to eat in the United States. Thomas is a purist, a man obsessed with getting it right."

Don and Sally left Yountville and came up to the tiny town of Philo and started a working farm called The Apple Farm. They planted an apple orchard and sold apples, fresh brown eggs, flowers and other produce from their farm at a roadside stand.

Eventually, Sally started cooking classes. They then added small out buildings in the apple orchrds which were turned into rooms for people to stay that were there for the weekend cooking classes.The rooms are all small, simple and charming.

Julie and I have had the pleasure of going there and taking cooking classes from Sally. No matter what the season, she always has something wonderful to cook from their organic garden. Don and Sally bake bread and make delicious meals at their Apple Farm. After the class is over, you are invited to stay and have lunch or supper. If it is a warm day, it will be served out on the courtyard. Julie and I were lucky because when we were there it was a warm spring day in April and we sat out in an orchard of apple blossoms amoung potted pots of tulips and daffodils. We sat in the warm sun and visited with people from all over ...we made friends... and we had a great time. The Schmitts and their family are a delight. It took us 8 hours to get there...traveling from Cambria to San Francisco, over the Golden Gate bridge and another four hours way up into the Napa Valley and beyond. We even saw a wild boar running down the road. Philo is small and remote....but it was worth every mile....

My Favorite Place On Earth

This is it. Deetjens Big Sur Inn. On the Pacific Coast Of California. Julie and I have stayed here many times on our way to Carmel, San Francisco and Napa Valley.It is simple and charming....all the food served is grown in the organic garden out back. Cats and dogs sleep stretched out on the porch. Woodsmoke fills the ocean air. A fire is always smoldering in the fireplace in the dining room. Classical music plays throughout. A large wood bar serves tea in the morning...wine in the evening.Bouquets of wildflowers and stacks of old books fill every room.I am trying the best I can to make Farmhouse like Deetjens. There really isn't much more to say. The pictures say it all.

A Trip To Carlock's Bakery

I took a ride out to Carlock's Bakery today. It about 15 minutes away in Los Osos. It was such a pretty drive because the hills are so green and the yellow mustard is in full bloom. When I got there, it did not dissapoint...I go there for every holiday just because it is so old fashion.

The men were sitting in the back drinking coffee and eating doughnuts. Nothing fancy here. Nothing trendy. Just coffee and doughnuts. The place always reminds of the bakery in my hometown of Los Gatos called The Cream Puff.When you walk in the ladies are dressed in pink and white dresses and are ready to help.The chalkboard in the back lists the specials of the day. Today it was all Valentines. I brought home the little tiny heart shaped cake in the last picture for John and I to share tonight with some fresh raspberries. Sending all of you Warm Valentine Wishes.

I'm Barefoot Today!

This is not a joke. That is really me about 10 minutes ago. You see, today I am gardening...barefoot! I know..I said I wasn't gonna mention it anymore. But today I am planting my forget-me-not and baby blue eye seeds.And it is about 75 degrees in my garden this Saturday morning. Some of my columbine flowers are starting to bloom and my nasturtiums are sprouting back up.The leaves on little cherry are starting to open up too. I am gonna say it. It is downright warm out today. For supper tonight we are pretending it's summer. Making BLT sandwhiches, corn on the cob and I am making a macaroni salad later this afternoon. If you are coming to the Valentines Party you are welcome to come early and stay for Supper on the Porch tonight. We'd love to have you.