Apricot season is short, usually running from the end of May to the end of July, sometimes as late as August in good years. With such a short season one must take full advantage of these golden fruits in the few weeks they are available. Unfortunately, this year hasn’t been a good year for apricots, judging by the ones we have gotten in Wisconsin. They aren’t overly sweet and when ripe most of the ones I have purchased have become mealy. All is not lost though. Sure they may not be perfect for eating out of hand this year but when grilled, slightly underripe apricots make a great topping for a variety of items from pork to ice cream. The simple recipe I offer today makes good use of this year’s so-so crop of apricots and makes an excellent ending to any dinner centered around the grill.

Vanilla Ice Cream Topped with Grilled Apricots and Honey
Serves 4

4 each Apricots (slightly firm and just a little underripe)
1-2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
4 Tbsp. Honey (your favorite kind)
1/4 cup Almonds
4 large scoops Vanilla Ice Cream

Earlier in the day toast the almonds in 350 degree oven until slightly browned. Cool and finely chop. While your main entree is grilling, cut the apricots in half and remove the pit. Once your entree is done, brush the grill clean. Brush the cut sides of the apricots with the oil and place on the hottest part of the grill. Grill for about 30 seconds turn over and grill 20-30 seconds more. It’s okay to get a little char on the cut flesh but try not to burn the skin side. Remove from the grill and set aside. After dinner, slice or roughly dice the apricots. Place ice cream in individual bowls and sprinkle with the apricots. Drizzle the honey over top of the ice cream and apricots and finally garnish with the toasted almonds.

I don’t know that I have ever met anyone who doesn’t like Strawberry Shortcake. There just seems to be something about the combination of buttery, sweet biscuit, fresh strawberries and rich whipped cream that appeals to everyone. I am no exception. As far as I am concerned, a well made Strawberry Shortcake, made with fresh from the field strawberries, says summer like nothing else. That said, I do like to experiment with the general recipe. Sometimes I will tinker with the shortcake (aka the biscuit), sometimes I will add different flavorings to the whipped cream, most notably adding a drop of almond extract in place of the vanilla extract, but mostly I play around with the fruit component. It is by far the easiest to fiddle around with, and has the most possibilities. From substituting another berry for the strawberries to adding grilled plums to the mix, I’ve experimented with countless variations.

This being 4th of July weekend I decided to do a Cherry Shortcake in honor of the day. I’m not sure why, but cherries seem to be associated closely with this holiday. Maybe its because of the legend of George Washington and the Cherry tree. I don’t know, but it sounds good anyway. I’ve added another flavor element in the use of lemon balm. It is used in the syrup I use to sweeten the cherries and as a garnish for the dish also. There is no particular reason that I chose Lemon Balm other than the fact that I like its taste and because I have a ton of it about to go to flower and I need to use some of it up. I think it adds a nice, subtle flavor to the overall dish.

Lemon Balm Syrup
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Sugar, granulated
1/2 cup Lemon Balm, leaves only

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the lemon balm leaves and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Strain, pressing on the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible. Chill.

1 pound Fresh Cherries, pitted (for more color use a variety of cherries such as Bing and Ranier)

Cut the cherries in half, after pitting them and add them to the Lemon Balm Syrup. Toss to coat and allow to sit, in the fridge, for at least 2 hours.

Shortcake

2 cups All-purpose Flour
1/4 cup Sugar, granulated
1 pinch Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 each Egg, beaten
1/2 cup Half and Half
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
6 Tbsp. Butter, chilled and diced

Preheat the oven to 400. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In another bowl combine the egg, half and half, and vanilla. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in using a pastry blender or 2 knives. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs when done. Add the wet ingredients stirring only to bring the dough together. Don’t over mix the dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead 4 to 5 times. Pat into a cirlce about 7 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter 3 inches in diameter, cut out 6 rounds. Place on a sheet tray that has either been greased or lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with an egg wash made of 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. of either water or half and half. Sprinkle tops with granulated sugar then bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool.

Assembly
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp. Sugar, granulated
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 each Lemon Balm leaves, chiffonnade (a fine julienne)

Split shortcakes and place the bottom half in each of 6 bowls. Spread a dollop of whipped cream over the shortcake half. Divide the cherries and syrup among the 6 bowls. Top with top half of shortcake. Place a large dollop of whipped cream on top and garnish with a sprinkling of the lemon balm.

A quick perusal of our raspberry bushes tells me that raspberry season is not far away here in Wisconsin.  The thought alone makes my toes tingle as raspberries are my favorite of all the berries.  I can remember as a kid, growing up in Vermont, our little village was bespeckled with wild black raspberries.  Each day a bunch of us kids would ride our bikes all over town seeking out patches of these seedy, but luscious, little gems, picking only the ripest berries and popping them into our mouths; each of us racing the others for the biggest haul.  I believe that on more than one occasion a few fists were thrown also as we each jockeyed for our share.  A few days later, as more berries ripened, the ritual would start all over again. To this day, the mere sight of a black raspberry takes me back to those carefree days of childhood when my only worry was getting beaten for eating more than my share of the haul.

Fast forward back to the present; you’d think I have it made now; my very own raspberry patch, protected from raspberry thieves by our 4 foot high cedar fence. Okay, it’s not actually a patch, more like 2 or 3 bushes.  Unfortunately, that isn’t quite the case.  Of course, there are the birds who nab their fair share, though that is to be expected.  Then there is the 2 ½ year old daughter, who, last year tried to help pick a few but ended up smashing most of them.  I expect the same will be true this year also.  The biggest culprit though, is Dodger.  Dodger is our 7 year old English springer spaniel, and he loves raspberries.  Well, he loves most anything, but that is a whole different story.  Dodger loves raspberries, and in the course of his 7 years he has perfected his moves for plucking ripe raspberries off the vine without disturbing the unripe ones, or pricking himself on the raspberries’ thorns.  If I’m not fast enough, or diligent enough, every berry from ground level to about 3 ½ feet up will be his.  Luckily, this year looks to be a bumper crop so there will be enough to go around.

Every year as I see the raspberry bushes bloom and the fruit start to develop, I start making plans for all the ways I will use the raspberries I’ve grown.  But, I admit it, I am weak willed and often go for instant gratification as opposed to more long term rewards.  Translated, that means I end up eating more than I put in the bowl.  If I’m lucky, I might have saved enough for some raspberry muffins or scones.  The serious jam making will usually have to wait until we can get to a “U-Pick” farm where I try desperately to control all those reflexes I developed as a kid.  While some might view me as lacking will power, I prefer to think of it as honoring nature, because really, how can you improve on a falling-off-the-vine ripe raspberry that has been sun warmed until almost bursting.

Today was Father’s Day so I should have left the breakfast cooking to my wife, Wanda, and just sat back and enjoyed. She was more than ready and willing to cook this morning, but I had something very specific in mind and I figured it was best to do it myself rather than explain it to her and then watch over her shoulder the entire time. Don’t get me wrong, she is an excellent cook, but when I know exactly what I want its often best just to let me do it. Wanda was happy to oblige. I don’t offer to cook breakfast often so when I do get the urge Wanda is more than happy to let it run its course. Today I was hungry for rhubarb, once again, so the thought of pancakes topped with a Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup sounded like just the thing to satiate my appetite. The topping is vibrant and refreshing, just the thing for a warm summer’s morning, especially when served atop thin, light pancakes, though it works well on any type of pancake or waffle. It also makes a great topping for ice cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup
2 cups Rhubarb, sliced
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1 pound Strawberries
2 Tbsp. Lemon Balm or mint, finely julienned (optional)

Combine the rhubarb, sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the rhubarb from sticking and burning. As I have stated in previous posts regarding rhubarb, if all you have is the green rhubarb as opposed to the red variety, you can add a splash or 2 of grenadine or a drop or 2 of red food coloring if you want a prettier looking syrup. Strain the rhubarb syrup and chill for 5-8 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile, hull and slice the strawberries and toss with the lemon balm or mint, if using. Pour rhubarb syrup over the strawberries (the syrup should still be warm but not boiling hot) and toss to coat. Mound the strawberries in the middle of a stack of pancakes and drizzle the syrup over top. This makes enough for 6-8 servings.

Rhubarb is one of those foods that you either love or hate. I absolutely love it and would venture to guess that a good number of the people who claim to hate it have never actually tried it. it wasn’t always that way with me though. As a younger child I wouldn’t touch the stuff, but then, when I was around 8 or 9 years old, I braved my first bite of rhubarb pie and it has been love ever since. To this day, my favorite way to eat rhubarb is in a pie although I don’t think I have every turned my nose up to anything made with it. Technically a vegetable, rhubarb is most often treated as a fruit, making its way into pies, cakes, muffins and various other desserts. For the more adventurous, rhubarb makes a great sauce or chutney for rich or fatty meats, its tartness cutting through the richness of a country style pate or terrine, or complimenting any number of pork preparations.

Although in pies is my favorite way to eat rhubarb, the Internet is full of rhubarb pie recipes, so today’s recipe offering is for a Rhubarb Curd. Use this curd in the same way you would normally use lemon curd; slathered on scones or biscuits, as a filling for pastries, make a Rhubarb Meringue Pie, or use it as a base for any number of fruit tarts, the list is endless. I also like it just topped with freshly whipped cream.

Rhubarb Curd

1 pound Rhubarb, chopped (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups)
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Water
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
6 Tbsp. Unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3 each Eggs, large
2 each Egg yolks
1 pinch Salt

Combine the rhubarb, sugar and water in a nonreactive saucepan. Cook over medium heat until most of the water has evaporated and the pulp is just starting to stick to the bottom (about 15 minutes). Transfer the rhubarb to a food processor and process until completely smooth. Meanwhile beat the eggs, yolks and vanilla extract until combined. Return 1 1/2 cups of the rhubarb to the saucepan along with the butter and place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted. Add the salt and stir to incorporate. Temper the eggs by whisking in about 1/4 rhubarb puree then pour the egg mixture into the pan with the remaining rhubarb. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, making sure to continually scrape the bottom and sides. Cook until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise and reaches a temperature of approximately 165-170 degrees. Don’t allow the mixture to get too hot or the eggs will curdle. When done remove from heat and quickly whip the mixture to smooth out any lumps. Pour into a clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the mixture to avoid a skin forming as it cools. Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely before using.

Note: If, like me, you aren’t blessed with the red stemmed rhubarb, you can add a little red food coloring to the mixture to give a more desirable color, but be careful and don’t add too much. It should be more a delicate pink than bright red.

Well….Okay….It might be a little while before they arrive, but they are on their way.

Years ago, while working as a sous chef, one of the restaurants I worked at lost their pastry chef. It fell on me to cover pastries until the owners decided if they wanted to hire a new pastry chef or do without. Now, I can hold my own in a pastry shop, but I have to admit it is not one of my favorite things to do. Sure, I love playing around and baking every now and then, but to do it for 8-10 hours a day, day after day is not something I really enjoy all that much. There was one exception though, and that was the making of ice creams and sorbets. I absolutely loved the whole process and had lots of fun experiementing with different flavors and combinations. It helped that I am an ice cream junkie and if I had to taste test experiement after experiement until I got a new flavor just right, well then….I sacrifices I had to make for my career! When it came to sorbets, many of my experiements revolved around trying to recreate cocktails as dessert. The key to a successful “cocktail” sorbet was a balance of alcohol and sugar. Too little of either and the sorbet came out “icy” while too much of either and the sorbet wouldn’t freeze solid enough. Along the way I learned a number of other tricks also, one of which I am sharing in the recipe below.

Of all sorbets, I am most fond of passionfruit and citrus sorbets. I love the sweet-tart tanginess of these sorbets. They are prefect year round, their vibrant freshness brighening a winter’s day or acting as a cool refreshment on a hot summer day. To really play upon citrus’s flavor I like to take a three pronged approach to infusing my sorbets with as much flavor as possible. To do this not only do I use the juice of the citrus fruit, but also the zest, which gets used 2 in the recipe. This recipe only contains 3 ingredients and 1 optional one, but you’ll be amazed by the flavor you can achieve from only 3 items.

One word about zesting citrus fruit; do yourself a favor and buy a zester. They are not expensive and save you so much time. The other options are using a grater to zest the fruit which gives you a poor yield or using a peeler, which is time consuming as you then need to go back with a knife and remove any of the white pith you might have left on the peel, and then slice it into strips.

3 each Pink Grapefruits
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1-2 Tbsp. Grenadine

Wash the grapefruits and zest 2 of the grapefruits. Combine the water, sugar, and zest in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Just cook until the sugar is dissolved then remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes so that the zest can infuse the simple syrup with its flavor. Meanwhile zest the third grapefruit and very finely mince the zest. Measure out 1/2 Tbsp. for the recipe and reserve the rest for another use. Juice and strain the grapefruits. This should yield approximately 2 cups of juice. Stir the mince zest into the juice. Strain the simple syrup into a measuring cup. It should be about 12 ounces. Pour half of it into the juice. Taste and adjust to your liking. It should taste overly sweet as the freezing process will deaden the sweetness considerably. I like my sorbets pretty tart so I stop with the 6 ounces. If you want something a little sweeter add a couple more ounces. If the color is not to your liking add the grenadine to bump up the color. You could also try food coloring, but be very careful, you want a nice light pink color, not red. Chill for at least 2 hours then freeze, in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s directions. Once it is done it is ready to eat, but I like to give my sorbets and ice creams a chance to harden in the freezer overnight before I dig into them.