Fruits Archives – Bijouxs | Little Jewels from the Kitchen

N^o. 476Recipe Card Posted on February 6, 2022February 27, 2022 by Lynn — Leave a comment

Spiced Pickled Grapes

Let’s get pickled. Spiced Pickled Grapes are sweet, crisp and spiced–another simple Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

MAKING PICKLES

Pickles can be much more than cucumbers. I love to make pickled vegetables and fruits. They are easy to make, no canning required. The result is crisp, fresh and tangy sides which make great condiments for meats and salads. In the Spring it’s time for these wonderful Pickled Peaches with Brandy topping both both savory and sweet dishes. Spice up your cocktail hour with Quick & Spicy Pickled Vegetables. This Quick Thai Cucumber Pickle makes a simple side salad and uses just one cucumber.

My recipes are often driven by the need to not to waste food. We used to pickle to preserve food. My Grandmother pickled or preserved just about every vegetable and fruit she grew. After surviving the Great Depression she planned ahead. My favorite book with introduces the concept of “cooking with economy and grace” in An Everlasting Meal. This is a lovely book that I needed back in 2011 with a job loss looming, not so far off in today’s work climate. This pickle is a take on Tamar Alder’s pickle recipe.

SPICED PICKLED GRAPES

I had an extra bunch of sweet red grapes left from a charcuterie board I served recently. Feeling it’s now time for some fresh flavors as Winter begins to turn to Spring. Quick pickling is a method to capture the freshness of the ingredient and flavor with a sweet-tart vinegar based brine-don’t worry it is easy.

First, up make the brining liquid which consists of vinegar, brown sugar and some flavorful spices. Bring to a simmer then pour the hot brine over the grapes in a heat-proof bowl.
Allow to cool to room temperature. Place in glass jar and store in the refrigerator. They should keep tighly sealed for about a month. I always check by a quick smell to make sure food is still fresh.

Honestly, I have been snacking on the grapes right from the jar. Think also of using the grapes along with creamy goat cheese tossed in a simple salad of tender baby greens.
Preserving today is a little jewel.

N^o. 475Recipe Card Posted on January 23, 2022 by Lynn — Leave a comment

Jerry’s Persimmon Cookies

A treasured cookie recipe from a friend and fond memories–Jerry’s Persimmon Cookies a Little Jewel from Bijouxs. Continue reading Jerry’s Persimmon Cookies

N^o. 465Recipe Card Posted on October 10, 2021December 20, 2021 by Lynn — Leave a comment

Meyer Lemon Granola with Lemon Yogurt & Blackberries

Meyer Lemon love. Start by baking up a batch of crunchy-sweet Meyer Lemon Granola, then with top Lemon Yogurt and Blackberries–a little breakfast jewel.

Continue reading Meyer Lemon Granola with Lemon Yogurt & Blackberries

N^o. 461Recipe Card Posted on August 31, 2021December 20, 2021 by Lynn — Leave a comment

Blueberry Crumble

Taking a drive to the far Northern section of California yields a bounty of beautiful places to visit. I loved driving up to Northern California, mostly as a child, picking wild berries that grew along the winding roads, up through Trinidad, the redwoods and Crescent City. Some of our most beautiful coast is also home to wild blueberries which produce a marvelous little jewel Blueberry Crumble. Continue reading Blueberry Crumble

N^o. 460Recipe Card Posted on August 23, 2021December 20, 2021 by Lynn — Leave a comment

Simple Apple Tart

This year I found my self in the thick-of-it with apples from my new garden, many recipes ensued. Simple Apple Tart is a preview recipe from my 4th upcoming cookbook, Beautiful Food, by Design.

APPLE CROP

This is the first year with my tiny Anna apple tree. I planted it in my new garden to remind me of the wonderful Anna tree from my home of old. The thin trunked tiny tree was planted, I had no idea what would ensure. In this first year the tiny tree yielded over 50 beautiful apples. At times, the branches bent down from the weight of 5-6 apples per branch. This really restores my belief in nature and the power of a garden.

APPLE RECIPES

Thankfully I love apples and have a collection of recipes to choose from. Simple Apple Tart is really a variation on my Thin Apple Tarts recipe, another simple apple avenue. For this recipe I used a basic sweet pastry recipe and rolled out one large tart topped with thinly sliced apples, a sprinkle of sugar and baked.

As you can see, not all the apples were the same size so they don’t spread out perfectly, and of course the sugar gets a deep brown and burns slightly on the edges of the tart not to worry.