Tuesdays with Dorie: All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie & Allred Orchards in Provo, Utah

Fall is the time for apples! Not those bland apples you buy at the grocery store that have been sitting in chillers for 9 months, but those apples that have been picked at an orchard just down the street from where you live.

The second I read that Emily of Sandmuffin chose All-American, All-Delcious Apple Pie for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. I knew I was heading over to my local apple stand. I love the apples that come from Allred Orchards in Provo, Utah.



I decided that I'd ask the Allred lady that helped us which type of apple she likes to make pies with. She said she preferred Jona Gold. So we rolled out with those. I figured that even though I didn't pick a variety of apples like Dorie suggested, that I did pick an apple that is a cross between two apples: a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious.



The result was wonderful! It made one of the most delicious apple pies I've ever made or tasted!

Everything that Dorie asks you to do in the recipe pulls together and becomes this apple-wonder! I mean the zest of full lemon combined with the nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar was so delightful. It honestly was so flavorful and a bit complex. It definitely wasn't one of those one-note pies. Some bite you'd get lots of lemon and buttery flavor, then the next you'd get the richness of the apple and hints of fresh nutmeg. Then others you'd devour the buttery crust with the perfect texture that comes from the apple combo and tapioca. It truly was a great apple pie. Everyone that tried it loved it and I think it just may make an appearance at this year's Thanksgiving dinner.

Be sure to check out the leave your link post on the Tuesdays with Dorie site where you'll find many more apple pie posts.



And as for Allred's Orchards, if you are near be sure to stop on by. They have several varieties of apples that are crisp and delicious. I'm going to stop by again this week for more apples to make Dorie's Apple Cake for French Friday's with Dorie. Allred's also makes some great apple juice!




Allred Orchards
2109 North University Avenue
Provo, Utah
(801) 377-0748

Travel Bug Becky: Lobster Rolls at Red's Eats

I'm sorta weird about seafood. I have a hard time eating it when I'm not near the ocean. I'm sure it's fine but I just like it better when I know it's fresh. Case in point---the craziest and insanely delicious lobster dish I had this summer at Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Maine.

Get ready for this....check it out! (See photo below!) Isn't that insane! It's a lobster roll. Never heard of it? Me neither. And chances are, if you're from a land-locked state like I am, you haven't either. A lobster roll is a type of sandwich filled with lobster meat. Traditionally a lobster roll contains fresh cooked lobster meat on top of a grilled hot dog bun, or similar roll. They say that the lobster meat is on top of the roll because these buns are cut from the top opening instead of the side.

 

 Depending on the location you get your lobster roll, the filling may be prepared a number of ways. But traditionally it will contain fresh cooked lobster meat that is either tossed with mayonnaise with maybe diced celery, scallions or in my case...nothing but sweet, flavorful drawn butter! Some places even serve it with lemon juice or lettuce.

I loved the way Red's Eats served theirs up...just a load of fresh, chilled lobster meat on a warm toasty bun. I guess you could call Red's lobster roll purists. I loved the contradiction of temperatures. Then Red's leaves it up to the customer to add in extras. You can order a side of mayo and sprinkle celery salt and other seasonings on at a little fix-ins table.

But what Red's is really known for is the size of their darn lobster roll. It contains more than one whole lobster in each roll! You can't even find the bread underneath all that lobster.  


 

Honestly it's a ton of lobster! I had to start out with a fork to get some weight off the bun before I even dared pick up the roll. Red's Eats serves up some of the best lobster I've ever had in my life. And although I did love it...I was a bit overwhelmed. I had to get my dear husband to help me finish up the extra lobster I didn't expect.

 

If you're ever in Maine. Head on out to Wiscasset. It's worth every penny...and the wait in the hour-long line. Red's Eats is famous for a reason. You'll love the food and the service was impeccable. I had no idea it would be as wonderful as it was. Don't be worried that you won't find a seat, there is always one available and you just can't beat the beautiful location. Oh, and make sure you grab a whoopie pie for dessert. A local company named Cranberry Island Kitchens make them and they are good! If you can't make it there anytime soon, check out their new cookbook, "Red's Eats: World's Best Lobster Shack."


Red's Eats
41 Main St
Wiscasset, ME 04578
(207) 882-6128
Yelp Reviews


More posts about my travels:
The Brunswick Inn (Brunswick, Maine)
Desserts in South Dakota
California Cupcakes (aka I finally tried Sprinkles!)
Bear Lake Raspberry Shake
Back from Paradise

New York City - Subway Route Shirts

It's Saturday and I'm in my housework/chill clothes. One of my most favorite T-shirts of all time is the New York City Subway Route one and I have it on right now!

I have the #1/red line shirt, it's the train Adam and I had to take back to our studio when he was doing his internship in New York City. Fond memories...Oh how I loved the subway. If you are a NYC lover or know one, this would make a great gift this Christmas! I myself think I'll also be buying some of these ornaments!

Other New York City posts:
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
New York Food Memories: The Shake Shack
A Story of The Rockefeller Tree
Eliza Jumel Room - Morris Jumel Mansion
International House, New York City

French Fridays with Dorie: Spicy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

I had a brief 12-hour moment where I decided I was going to skip out on this week's French Friday's with Dorie recipe...

Then, I chatted with my dear sister (who is also cooking and baking her way through Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook, Around My French Table) and I realized I had to make it. We decided we'd cook together each week and in a way, I didn't want to let her down. Plus, dang-it-all, I wanted to make this delicious-looking soup.



So, I headed to the store, bought beautiful ingredients like fresh basil, cilantro, star anise and white peppercorns and started up the old soup pot. The result was a delicious, spicy, lightly creamy and brothy soup with tender shreds of flavorful chicken and perfectly-cooked egg noodles.

This wasn't my first experience with pho-style soups. My home-town of Orem, Utah got a Pho noodle house in 2009 and I very much enjoy it. But um...cough cough...I hate to say it...I prefer this recipe! And I just love that I can enjoy it in the convenience and beauty of my own home. (Note: I know that this recipe is a twist on the classic pho ga...) I sorta had an ah-ha moment tonight. I heard a little voice in my head say "You can make better-than-restaurant-quality meals...and could eating at home possibly be more enjoyable than going out? ...yes, YES indeed!"

I have to preface these thoughts with the fact that I'm a huge propenant of family dinner. But I also have to let you know that my husband and I are a couple of mid-twenty, childless, new-restaurant seekers who love a night out. And you should for sure know that I am more of a baker than a cook. Hence, the whole reason I'm doing this whole "commit yourself to making a new recipe once a week for six years thing..."

Back to the soup. It was so easy to make! I didn't make any changes to the recipe except I added two whole stars of anise. I just love that flavor. I also added thin slices of jalapeno to my garish list among fresh basil, lime wedges and bean sprouts.

The only thing I wished I would have done different was invite another couple over to sit and enjoy this warm soup. I could see the four of us just sipping away and chatting all night! Thanks for another keeper, Dorie! I can really see myself making this soup often. It's officially on the fall and winter soup list. Make sure to see how the other bloggers liked it on the Leave Your Link post.

Next week:  Hachis Parmentier
Last week: Gerard's Mustard Tart

Tuesdays with Dorie: Fold-Over Pear Torte

It's late night and I'm just getting to blogging about this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. What the! It's been forever since I haven't been way ahead of the game. And I'm really starting to get sick of these nasty nighttime photos. But I guess it doesn't really matter because the result of the Fold-Over Pear Torte chosen by Cakelaw of Laws of the Kitchen was excellent.

The beautiful and rustic-looking torte is sitting on our counter, still warm and the entire house smells of pears, custard and hints of almond and lemon. What a beautiful thing. When I read that this dessert had pears in it, used Dorie's 'Good For Almost Everything Pie Dough" recipe and was formed in a springform pan...I had to make it.



We loved this pear torte. The only changes I made to the recipe were swapping walnuts for pecans and then using extra vanilla instead of rum. It turned out perfect. The look of this dessert is so unique. The crust is great: golden, rustic and flaky. Each bite produced a different experience. Some bites you'd get pear and almond, then the next you'd get a hint of lemon in the custard with the apricots...just wonderful




There you have it: Fold-Over Pear Torte. Give it a try. Snag the recipe from Cakelaw's blog or better yet, go out and buy the award-winning cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours. It's a real keeper and someday in the next two years or so, I'll be able to say that I've made every single recipe from it! Until then, I'm off to bed.


Next week: Caramel Pumpkin pie
Last week: Double-Apple Bundt Cake
One year ago: Allspice Muffins
Two years ago: Pumpkin Muffins


Click here to see all the tarts I've made.

What is Black Cocoa Powder?

I think I discovered what a little bit of heaven would be like when I visited the King Arthur Flour store in Norwich, Vermont. Holy cow, you would have laughed if you saw me. I spent an arm and a leg and didn't care one bit. I actually did have some discipline--I had a really funny method of shopping. I started out going through each isle and corner of the store grabbing whatever I thought I would want. Then at the end of the trip I played "this vs. that" and eliminated about 50 percent of the items in my cart to fit my pre-planned King Arthur Flour Baking Store budget. It was awesome!

One of the items I came across was black cocoa powder. I had heard about it from my Baked: New Frontiers in Baking cookbook, but had never really seen it on any specialty store shelves in my local stores. Naturally I had to purchase it.

So what the heck is black cocoa powder? Black cocoa powder is exactly what it sounds like black, cocoa powder. To be more exact, it's a super-rich, super-dark, Dutch-processed cocoa powder that is super-alkalized. You can use it in any recipe that calls for regular cocoa powder as long as you get your leavening agents down correctly. It's just much stronger and may possibly need more attention. (I highly recommend reading the links I provided below.)

King Arthur recommends that you use black cocoa powder with regular or Dutch-process cocoa powder for best results. I think the main reason they suggest to mix black cocoa with another type of cocoa powder is because black cocoa powder contains a significantly less amount of fat than other types of cocoa powder. So use caution, because this could yield a drier product. If you do want to use straight black cocoa powder make sure to increase the fat in the recipe. However, I've seen that many blogging bakers who love use it as is, by itself, in many recipes. But using black cocoa by itself in any recipe is not for the faint of heart. You've got to be a dark chocolate lover to go straight.

The only problem is I can't decide what to make. I hear black cocoa powder is perfect for  black forest cake, brownies and especially homemade Oreos. I'm thinking I really need to make something festive for Halloween! Something like chocolate cheesecake or Brooklyn blackout cake.


Help me decide what to make. Leave your ideas in the comments section. I'd love your input.

Other posts about or including black cocoa powder that you will like:
The Wonderful World of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder by Luna Cafe
Mostly Vegan Recipes using Black Cocoa Powder by Bunnyfoot
Cocoa Powder FAQ: Dutch-Process & Natural Cocoa Powder by David Lebovitz
Adventures with Black Cocoa by Jenny Bakes

French Fridays with Dorie: Gerard's Mustard Tart

I want to go to France. Ideally within a year. But until then I am quite content eating the French food that I am learning to make from Dorie Greenspan’s new cookbook, Around My French Table. This week our group made Gerard’s Mustard Tart. You can learn more about the recipe and its back story on Dorie’s blog, here.

I found this tart very unique. I decided to make the tomato version since I had just received my CSA order of my favorite heirloom tomatoes from Jacob’s Cove. I couldn’t resist.


Aren't these tomatoes beautiful? I seriously have never tasted better ones.

 
I found the whole concept of the mustard tart intriguing. I would have never thought of this myself. Our entire house was filled with the beautiful smell of this eggy-mustard custard filling.

One of my favorite things about Dorie's cookbooks are her anecdotes. She spoke a lot of mustard in this one. Apparently mustard is to France as ketchup is to America. Very cool. And a mustard jar is a common wedding gift in France. I love it!

 

Here's my tart and limping rosemary sprig. Oh how I love rosemary. It added such a great woody flavor. I love these inside-the-oven shots.

 
All done! Such a lovely dish. This was my first time making Dorie's savory tart dough, too. It was delicious.

 
This mustard tart was our late-night dinner. I paired it with spinach splashed with balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and kosher salt and pepper. It was perfect. The tart was so light, almost delicate yet had such a pronounced mustard flavor. The spinach salad was the perfect balance. One piece was perfect...maybe the French are teaching me portion control too!

Happy Friday!

Travel Bug Becky: The Brunswick Inn

I love to travel and I figure it's about time I share my adventures with you. I've been blessed these last few years to travel to some wonderful places; everywhere from Tahiti to Mt. Rushmore, Orlando to Jackson Hole, Houston to Disneyland and most recently New England. I'd like to introduce a new series of posts titled: Travel Bug Becky. Here we go!

My husband lived in New England for two years while he served a mission for the Mormon Church. He fell in love with the people and the area. We've been dying to go back for years and recently had a chance to head back there for 10 wonderful days. We spent our time in Upstate New York, Boston, New Hampshire, Vermont and ended the trip in Maine.

One of the only requirements I had for the trip was that we spend a night at a bed and breakfast. I had never done so and figured a quaint New England town would be the perfect place to experience a bed and breakfast for the first time. 

Adam came across The Brunswick Inn in Brunswick, Maine. It had great ratings, fit in our budget and travel schedule. Plus, it was seriously in a great location and absolutely charming.  It's located right off the village green and is steps away from the local farmers' market, shops, restaurants and Bowdain College.

I had nothing but a perfect experience at The Brunswick Inn. We stayed there the last night of our trip and it really was the perfect ending to our New England vacation. The evening we drove in from New Hampshire it was pouring rain. We pulled right up to the inn. It was dark, but the inn was lit up from the inside along with the lamp posts leading to their small parking lot.

We parked and rushed to the doorway. To our surprise, we were met halfway by The Brunswick Inn's innkeeper, Eileen. She had a giant umbrella and helped us inside. She introduced herself, set us all up and then asked us if we'd like to come back downstairs and she'd have some dinner suggestions prepared for us.

This was so cool! I was so incredibly impressed with the personal service. She recommended a restaurant called Back Street Bistro. It was just our style and holy crazy, we loved it. (More on that later.) Let's talk about our room.



We stayed in Room #6. I loved everything about it. The color scheme, the decor and really all the details.

 

Don't you love the candles in the fireplace? They also placed various local publications for Maine and New England that I just loved to browse.

 

I was also slightly obsessed with the colonial desk. It contained a history of The Brunswick Inn, a list of local restaurants with the owners menu recommendations and then the menu for their breakfasts. And um...I may or may not have worn the fuzzy white robe around. ;)

 

On to more details. I loved that they had their own soap boxes in the bathroom. I snagged this for a little momento. Isn't it pretty?

 

Staying a night at The Brunswick Inn includes a full-service breakfast the next morning. This just made our stay even better. I woke up thinking my experience was complete and then we had this delicious breakfast. They have a counter in their bar area that has fresh local fruit, homemade granola and these chocolate chip scones made by the owner. I would love the recipe for the chocolate chip scones because they were some of the best I've ever had. I think we even grabbed a few for the road.

 

You also have the option to have a warm breakfast in addition to the options at the bar. The morning we were there they were serving maple french toast. The picture doesn't show the toast drenched in the local syrup but boy oh boy it was delicious.


The Brunswick Inn was a highlight of our New England trip. It gave me a great first impression of bed and breakfasts. The innkeepers were so hospitable; they had such wonderful recommendations for activities and food. We've already decided to stay there again.

If you are planning a trip to Maine, make sure you make The Brunswick in part of your stay. You won't regret it!


The Brunswick Inn
165 Park Row
Brunswick, Maine 04011

brunswickbnb.com

info@thebrunswickinn.com
Toll-Free: 800-299-4914
Testimonials

Tuesdays with Dorie: Double-Apple Bundt Cake

Hello fall! Hello apples. It's September and apples are in season. I am ecstatic for fall baking and feel like this was a great way to kick it off.

This Double-Apple Bundt Cake makes the perfect fall treat. It has a deep moistness full of apple flavor. I love that it uses fresh grated apples and delicious and rich apple butter. I had never grated apples for a baked good in my life. What a cool technique, they really melted into the cake and added extra moisture.



To try this cake out for yourself grab the recipe over at Lynne's blog Honey Muffin. Make sure to check out the Leave Your Link post on the Tuesdays with Dorie site. I'm sure you'll see lots of fun variations and pretty pictures.

Next week: Fold-Over Pear Torte
Last week: Tarte Fine
One year ago: Split Level Pudding
Two years ago: Carmel-Peanut Topped Brownie Cake

French Fridays with Dorie: Gourgeres

The day has arrived! French Fridays with Dorie is here.

I feel like a new part of me is about to emerge. I'm nervous. I'm anxious. And I'm incredibly exciting to embark on this journey to learning how to cook French food. I automatically begin to reminisce about the beginning of my Tuesdays with Dorie baking journey. I have honestly become a better baker and more knowledgeable woman in the kitchen. I laugh when I think back to August 2008 when I joined TWD. I really had no idea what I was getting into, I was just looking for a new hobby and a way to become accountable. Now, I have loads of knowledge, great go-to baking recipes and lots of new baking friends.

Okay, back on track.

This week's French Friday's recipe was selected by Dorie herself! She selected the very first recipe in the book, Gorgeres. Basically it's a cheese puff. I'll admit I was super intimidated, but I knew it wouldn't be impossible. Dorie has a way of pulling you into success. Her recipes are clear and she gives great tips. I even leaned to my mom for a little support. Growing up, when my family would decorate the tree for Christmas my mom would make homemade cream puffs, which is obviously what these are since both are a Pate a Choux.

The result?

Holy cow, delicious cheesy Gorgeres. I used a local Gruyere from Rock Hill Creamery in Cache Valley, Utah. It is a delicious cheese! (You can find it at Harmons.) One of the coolest things about this recipe is that it was done in less than an hour! I can see why Dorie whips this up for her friends all the time.

Make sure you head over to the Leave Your Link post on the French Fridays with Dorie site, that way you can see view the results of over 100 people who participated this week! Dorie is also baking with us and has posted some behind-the-scenes shots from the Around My French Table photo shoot. Check it out!

Before I sign off, I have to express more love for TWD and FFWD. I am so delighted that I've got some friends in real life joining me on FFWD: my sister Erika, who I grew up baking with, and a family friend Chelsea. I'm so excited for them to be on this journey! I am just so happy they have joined, I've gained so much from Dorie's books and these groups that I can't wait to see how they like it.