Summer

 

 

Three 7 year old boys stayed at our house last night….had pizza, made s’mores down the street… rode their bikes back at one point for more marshmallows … and returned just as the sun set. They watched Tintin, played air hockey and got ready for bed…and after an hour of restlessness they asked if I’d read a book to them.  I read Time of Wonder about a summer & a storm on an island off the coast of Maine.  All three boys slept on the bottom bunk and had pancakes this morning.  

The genial simplicity of summer when you are seven.

Black Plum Frangipane

Ripe fruits of summer shine in this wonderfully simple cake.

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground almonds (finely ground in food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix

Add:
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Mix until completely blended.

Pour into greased & floured tart pan.

Slice 4-5 plums or pluots. Place & set decoratively in a circle on top of Frangipane filling.

Bake for 40 minutes @ 370*.


Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream.  Eat the leftover cake for breakfast...as it is not to sweet or rich. The only oil in this Frangipane comes from the ground almonds. You could add 1/4 cup of applesauce for some added fruit & richness I suppose...but it is not necessary.

Long live summer...

bike riding, beaches & plenty of fresh foods & sunshine.

Maine in June

Nonni's Beach

Chances are...

"Unless you're going your own way,

 chances are you're not really achieving something special."

 ~Randy Caparoso

 

White Peach Frangipane...summer is coming!



4-5 summer peaches

Sweet pastry dough:

1 Stick butter, well chilled and cut into 1/2" pieces

1 Cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 Cup all purpose flour

1/4 Cup ground almonds

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Cup ice water

Use a food processor to mix & combine ingredients. Prepare pan..with olive oil spray & flour. Fill with crust mixture and press into sides.

 

Bake

for 20minutes in a preheated 350* oven. Let cool.

 

FRANGIPANE:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup ground raw almonds
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Process sugar and almonds in a food processor until fine. Add butter a tablespoon at a time, processing after each addition until smooth. Add remaining ingredients...continue to blend until velvety.


Pour Frangipane filling in the center of cooled crust and top with fresh peeled peach pieces. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake

in a preheated 350* oven for 30 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 325* and continue to bake until the crust is a golden brown and the fruit is cooked.

 

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Here she is...our favorite Golden girl. Frangipane!

 

Cafe Frangipane!

 

 

Fresh:

Orange Juice  bright & cheery 3

Mimosa  orange juice, Prosecco 7

Fruit Shake  blended fresh fruits + yogurt, skim milk & almond milk 6

Yogurt Parfait  seasonal fresh fruits, strawberry or vanilla yogurt, frolic of granola 8

Jam & Bread: cracked wheat sourdough toast with First Chair Jams & Colorado honey  4   w/ banana 5

Smoked Salmon capers, diced onion, Humboldt Fog goat cheese, cracked wheat sourdough toast  8

 

 

Baked:

Frangipane almond cake baked with seasonal fruit w/ vanilla yogurt  4

Muffins  apple cinnamon streusel, banana oat nut , lemon blueberry  4

Granola  pecans, craisins, fresh fruit, milk or nonfat yogurt 8

Irish Oatmeal  brown sugar, walnuts, bananas, lowfat milk 8

 

 

Griddle:

Served with Real Maple Syrup

Oatmeal Pancakes fluffy, wheat flour, oats 9, with blueberries or bananas 10

Bonnie’s Buckwheats with bananas 10

French Toast grilled thick egg bread topped with fruit 10

 

Panini:

Blue Pig & Fig  ham, Mountain Gorgonzola, fig preserves, baby greens  11

Chamonix  salumi, coarse grain mustard, Gruyere, cornichons, baby greens  11

Parisian  turkey, coarse grain mustard, Morbier cheese, baby greens 11

Portofino  tomato,  basil pesto, Brie, baby greens  9

Cortina   prosciutto, coarse grain mustard, Fontina, baby greens 11

Sweet Jane prosciutto, Humboldt Fog, mango chutney, baby greens 11  

 

 

 

Novo French Press Coffee 4

Novo Brewed Never-ending cup of Joe 4

Espresso 3

Cappuccino 4

Tea 2

Hot Chocolate 3

Milk 2



"There is much, much pleasure to be had in a simple thing, perfectly made." ~Nigel Slater Ripe