I like fall. I really do. The foliage, pumpkin everything, finding (more) excuses to have friends over for hot toddies. . . I think everyone on the block is getting into the fall spirit, because for the past two days, the whole neighborhood has smelled like sage. But after the Polar Vortex of winter 2014, I am NOT looking forward to those colder months. This will be my sixth winter since leaving California, and I'm still not built for anything below 40 degrees or so. I have decided that the only way I'm going to survive this winter is by building in some fun activities to keep me distracted from the slush.
In the few months I've been living in Wicker Park, my roommates and I have found a pretty amazing group of neighbors. . . We all live in a six block radius and get together for various neighborhood activities: walks in the park, farmers markets, dinner parties. I'm trying to orchestrate a weekly or biweekly Saturday morning brunch or Sunday supper. The first Sunday supper took place last night at a dear friend's apartment. Between the homemade mushroom ravioli, the perfectly grilled chicken, and the (ahem) several bottles of beautiful wine, I have a hard time picking a highlight of a truly lovely meal. That said, I was proud to have finished off the evening with this lovely tart:
I made this one other time in about 2009 or 2010 when I first moved to New York, and while it's pretty time consuming, it is seriously worth the effort. The pate sucree crust tastes like a Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookie, and the almond filling is rich and fragrant. I had some seriously ripe pears to top it off, which gave it the perfect autumnal touch. If you've got friends you want to impress (and a few hours to spend making a gorgeous dessert), give it a try. It's seriously delicious.
Recipe is here: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/02/pear-and-almond-tart/
In the few months I've been living in Wicker Park, my roommates and I have found a pretty amazing group of neighbors. . . We all live in a six block radius and get together for various neighborhood activities: walks in the park, farmers markets, dinner parties. I'm trying to orchestrate a weekly or biweekly Saturday morning brunch or Sunday supper. The first Sunday supper took place last night at a dear friend's apartment. Between the homemade mushroom ravioli, the perfectly grilled chicken, and the (ahem) several bottles of beautiful wine, I have a hard time picking a highlight of a truly lovely meal. That said, I was proud to have finished off the evening with this lovely tart:
I made this one other time in about 2009 or 2010 when I first moved to New York, and while it's pretty time consuming, it is seriously worth the effort. The pate sucree crust tastes like a Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookie, and the almond filling is rich and fragrant. I had some seriously ripe pears to top it off, which gave it the perfect autumnal touch. If you've got friends you want to impress (and a few hours to spend making a gorgeous dessert), give it a try. It's seriously delicious.
Recipe is here: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/02/pear-and-almond-tart/
