stone fruit tea cake, and how you can have my favorite book

Yes!
The girls are back in school, and it won't stop raining, and it is possible that I've never seen as many beautiful peaches as I have seen in the last few weeks. Seen? Let me be more precise, caressed, admired, adored, EATEN.  Things all feel a little buzzed this week in a good way, like there are tingles in the air, and exciting events about to happen. Rosie started first grade, and although she had a hard time finding a place to sit at lunch on the first day (I only cried once, Mommy), she reported that today was much better. She's been multiplying things.


I must admit that on weeks like this, I may be guilty of dropping everything to make a cake.

The cakes come about partly because although I am not a housewife, I always seem to want to be on the first week of school. Because there is something deep and satisfying about feeding the family love through this transition. Joey comes home from his new preschoolers sparkly, and exhausted, and all at once inspired and slightly terrified, I think. He wants cake too.

I have decided that right now if you ask me, my favorite cookbook in the world is a little book called Rustic Fruit Desserts. It's a bit like a love affair that I've been denying all along, because I've written about it many times and sung its praises. It's just that I've been resistant to thinking that such a small book would be my favorite, or a book on such a limited topic. Even more, I don't even like fruit desserts. None of it makes sense.
I love this book so much. When fruit comes into the house, I go directly to its perfect petite binding. I look up the ingredient in the index, and then I usually have to start baking then and there. This makes me feel hungry, and inspired and instantly propelled to bake.

I also feel compelled to give this book away. I've bought copies for friends, and I've lent my copy out. I get that way with books--I think Joey's worn off on me that way. Come in and have a conversation with Joey about graphic novels, and you will walk out of here with a stack of books up to your chin.

I can't help it. It's that kind of week. You guys are just too fantastic. I'm giving this book away.
I know another copy will come my way someday.  I'll be ready. But this one? I'm sending it to you.
Despite it's constant use, it is in surprisingly good condition. There might be a few butter stains here and there, and yes, I've made a few notes. I write in pencil, so I'll let you erase them if you don't agree. I think slightly marked up cookbook is better than a new one any day, wouldn't you agree? This cookbook has lived a life.

So let's do it like this, shall we? If I were to ask you today, at this moment, what your favorite cookbook is, what would you say? I'd love some new recommendations. I'll keep it open until Monday night, the 12th. Then I'll choose a winner, and the book is on it's way to you. It will be right in time for apple season! Remember that apple rhubarb pandowdy? Page 16.

And if you aren't the lucky winner, you can still have cake.  This might be one of my favorites from the book yet. The dough is simple and shortbready, the method is deeply satisfying, and it will work with any stone fruit that you have rolling around where you are. And then, of course, you have an excuse to invite a friend for tea.

Stone Fruit Tea Cake
adapted from Corey Schreiber and Julie Richardson, Rustic Fruit Desserts

makes one 10-inch cake

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped stone fruit (can be frozen)
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (or you can use granulated sugar, if you like)

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Cream 3/4 cup of the butter with the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric beater. You want the mixture to be extremely light and fluffy, and this will take 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the mixture from the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and combine with a few strokes of a spoon just until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and wrap it tightly. Put it in the freezer for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a ten inch cake or tart pan. Divide the dough into two equal portions, and pat one of them into the bottom of the prepared pan. You don't have to be fussy about getting the dough to the edges--if there are some gaps, the dough will expand in the oven.
Spread the cut fruit evenly over the dough. Then, break up the second half of the dough into tablespoon-size pieces, and spread them evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle with turbinado (or regular) sugar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool before serving.

stone fruit slump

We're all a bit silly around here this week. The end of the summer, perhaps, the changing of the air pressure--who can explain it? Or maybe it might have something to do with the ruby orbs so recently hanging on our little wee plum trees.


We planted our orchard two years ago- nine trees of various persuasions in the front yard. I loved them so completely and immediately that I started to feel like when people asked me how many children I had, I should answer "two... and nine fruit trees." I sang to those trees, caressed their leaves and watered them with the perfect trickle at the root for the perfect amount of time.

About six weeks later, blessed by a friend who was taking pity on our poor neglected marriage, we went to Montreal for the weekend- without the girls. We gave them both a quick kiss on the head and we were off, but not before I gave detailed instructions on the care and love of my nine little trees. My friend followed my requests to the letter, and I know that there was no way that she could have prevented the massacre that occurred while she and the girls slept.

When we returned from our weekend of romantic city living, the carnage was heartbreaking. Tender young tree bark peeled from the narrow trunk, graceful branches gnawed off at the joint, remaining limbs going every which way. The deer had gotten my orchard.

I knew that I should have put up a fence, but it was just so expensive. Even more, what would the neighbors say! I bombarded the ground around the trees with every strange repellent that people suggested- irish spring, human hair, pee, garlic. Nothing could keep them away, and I was afraid that my dear baby trees would never live to bear their first fruit.

Somehow, eight of nine survived the summer. They all looked pretty sad, but when I finally decided to put up a fence, I could have sworn that they perked up a bit. Indeed, my fence does not make me a favorite with my neighbors (honestly, one asked if I was keeping prisoners in there), but I say, Temporary! If the fence can protect these now-teenage trees for just a wee bit longer, the day will soon come when you can pick an apple as you walk by. I imagine endless fruit, fruit for all!

This week, there is just a bit of fruit on those adolescent trees, but every life-filled sphere makes us giddy. Last year, we got two plums, and this year there are more! The plums have the most lovely bloom on their surface, and of course Joey stole the first plum from the tree, took his paintbrush to its dusty outer, and gifted me with this image:


And so when it came time to decide what my offering for summer fest would be this week, the plum itself decided. It said, "Stew me on the stove, marry me with nectarines, and let's call it a slump!"

The slump is, of course brought to my kitchen this summer by my very favorite little book, Rustic Fruit Desserts. I have learned so much from this book! Of slumps, and grunts, and pandowdies. Of buckles, and cobblers, and fools. As I stand in the midst of my lovely little trees and I dream of the fruit to come, I know that I will be ready with this perfect book at my side.



A slump is a steamed pudding, a dessert for the day that you can bear the stove top but not the oven, a day when stewed fruit with buttermilk dumplings is just the thing.

I know! It is such a day! Onward!


Stone Fruit Slump

adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts, Corey Schrieber and Julie Richardson

for the fruit filling:

4 1/2 pounds mixed plums, nectarines, or peaches, pitted, and sliced into one-inch slices

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

for the dumplings:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup cold buttermilk

Make the fruit filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Toss the sliced fruit in with the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Stir in the lemon juice, then transfer fruit mixture into a large skillet or dutch oven. Let stand for fifteen minutes.

Bring the fruit mixture to a low simmer, stirring occasionally and gently. Simmer for two minutes, then remove from heat.

Make the dumplings: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom together in a bowl. Add the butter and toss until coated. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the mixture until crumbly. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Spoon the dough over the fruit, evenly distributing it in about eight servings. Return the pot to the stovetop and bring to a low simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid, and continue to simmer for about twenty minutes, or until dumplings are puffy and cooked through. Remove the cover and let sit for fifteen minutes before serving.

And with such a worthy topic as stone fruit, I cannot even imagine the glorious summer fest submissions that lie ahead! Oh, love is surely a ripe peach, fragrant and fleeting. Here are just a few lovely treats from this week's line up.

Sara at Cooking Channel: Savory Stone Fruit recipes.

Todd and Diane of White on Rice Couple: Riesling Poached Pluots.

Margaret at A Way to Garden: What is stone fruit, anyhow? Plus: Clafoutis batter revisited.

Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Ginger and Vanilla Poached Peaches.

The FN Dish: Paula's Perfect Peach Cobbler.

Alison at Food2: Peachy Party Foods.

Kelly at Just a Taste: Peaches & Cream Cupcakes.

Liz on Healthy Eats: Puttin’ Up Peach Pickles, Compote and More.

Food Network UK: How to Poach a Peach.

Judy of Divina Cucina: Chocolate Amaretti Baked Apricots.

Cate at Sweetnicks: Blueberry Peach Smoothies.

Paige at The Sister Project: A Summer Fruit Whatchamacallit (not a pie, not a crisp, but delicious).

Marilyn at Simmer Till Done: Cherry Apricot Pie with Ginger-Almond Crunch.

Alana at Eating From the Ground Up: Stone fruit slump.

Caron of San Diego Foodstuff: grilled peach parfait and coconut peach gazpacho.

The Gilded Fork: dossier & recipes featuring peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, cherries, almonds, coconuts.

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef: gluten-free peach-blueberry buckle.

Tara at Tea & Cookies: Making Peach Jam.

Tigress in a Jam: nectarine preserve with summer savory and white pepper.



And you know how it goes now... your turn!