We have an apple tree in our garden which has just begun to bloom, and for me that is very exciting! There is a lot going on all at once, so there will be a flurry of posts forthcoming, I just wanted to break the silence and show off a little bit of springtime which is present here full tilt. I hope you are all enjoying yourselves in the midst of blossoms !
Its harvest time on the mountain. I think the sudden appearance of the fog in recent days has put a rush on things. The last few sunsets has lured in delicious cooling fog from the coast, breaking the scorching hot dry spell. Marine air from the ocean creeps along, rolling over the ridges and sinks into the inland spaces, this mountain range being one of the last hurdles before it pours hungrily north-easterly into Napa Valley . . .
Though the grapes love the fog, I believe when they are almost ready to pick, the flavor does not take kindly to the sudden cool moist air. So harvest bursts in to action up here ! If you look closely, you’ll see (camera zoomed in from our deck) the workers filling their bins in the this morning’s early light. A merry chatter from the jovial pickers echoes from across the trees , along with morning song of birds.
I can’t think of a better thing to post on the summer solstice than to show off the apricot jam I just made ! I beat the ravens & jays to this year’s crop of uncommonly tiny but plentiful fruits, and surprisingly I was able to make at least a few jars of apricot jam ( I did toss a few dried sour cherries in there too).
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And now for my Fresh Apricot Torte recipe!
This is a perfect desert choice for fresh or frozen fresh fruit. Very rustic, and it’s fruit flavor equals that of any fresh fruit pie ~ without all the hassle of pastry ~ and it is made in minutes ! It’s relatively low in fat too. I’m taking this to a casual dinner party we’re going to this evening. Here’s how :
Beat briefly, two eggs. Add 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk, pinch of salt, beat together till blended. Fold in 1.5 cups flour. Gently fold in 1 to 2 pounds in-season fresh or frozen fruit (berries, cherries, apples, pears, apricots, peaches all do really well). Pour into one buttered and floured cake layer pan and bake at 375 or 400 until deep golden on top, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on whether fruit is fresh or frozen.
Cool on rack, then turn upside down and let torte come out of pan, then place right-side-up on a pretty plate. Serve room temperature, or cold from the fridge. A dessert of under-statement ~ surprisingly simple, and yet very elegant!
Happy Summer Solstice everybody !
This is not really a knitting post, nay. In order to cheer myself and this space here up a little, I’ve decided to begin sharing my garden a bit. Especially as this weekend , and last, and the one before that, I’ve worked like an ox in the garden. My hands are riddled with cuts, thorn punctures, slivers, scrapes, and my nails are very dirty. And I am sore, sore, sore…. and tired, tired, tired… but I am so fired up !
So here are two jars of the first of this year’s harvest from the garden ~ one of leeks, and one of scallions. There is a bounty of these now, as I planted them from seeds at the very end of last summer, then proceeded to ignore them all Autumn & Winter, and they just grew and bunched and multiplied somehow. I am hoping to master the garden’s best friend ~ the alliums !
My Leeky Tub . . .
These Two Little Bears , though very simple pullovers with stripes, were lengthy projects, at 6.5 stitches to the inch. Finished the knitting on the Mostly Green pullover, below, and now I’m midway through the yoke decreases in the Mostly Blue pullover, and will have the Autumn Sweaters ready to gift to my two nieces and photograph this coming Sunday. As Spring was incredibly late this year, our Autumn characteristically is always. Leaves are just now starting to turn and flutter to the ground. Our Northern Californian Indian Summer I think is about to end, and to put these winter-worthy pullovers on my nieces to model this weekend!