Easy Summer Desserts

The last thing any home chef wants to do during hot weather is bake. Yet there's something about homemade desserts that finishes a meal . what to do. Have a no bake treat.   . They easy to assemble  and even easier to eat.

The thought occurred when reading about Eton Mess, that quintessential English dessert the other day in David Tanis' A City Kitchen in the New York Times Food section on Wednesday. This is a fun and easy make, taking store bought meringues and breaking them  and then mixing then with freshly whipped cream and another mix or mess of  strawberries and rhubarb. The only effort is prepping the berries and stalks, marinating them in lemon juice , sugar and water to get rid of the rhubarb's bitter taste. They can be layered with the meringue , cream and fruit to make the Aussie favorite Pavlova, named for the great Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova. Eton Mess can be varied, Try blueberries or more more tartness blackberries. Take advantage of the season and add a cup or two of chopped peaches or even better - pitted and sliced cherries. Many home chefs have paired the last with chocolate chunks for an even decadent dessert. Use chocolate meringues too, if you can find them. If you can;t find meringues, make them yourself using egg white or aquafaba - bean water.

Trifles are also easy desserts that can be made in an elegant deep dish bowl or even in a dessert dish.it's kind of like an ordered Eton Mess with layers. Start with a bought angel food cake and then cut it into chunks, Layer with cream and then a layer of strawberries or blueberries. Repeat a second time and chill. A colorful one is a blend of different berries ,using raspberries and blackberries. A fun decadent one is a blackberry trifle with blackberry brandy soaked pound cake, layered with freshly whipped cream and crushed blackberries.The all time favorite, tirimisu, is really a trifle of sorts. An easy one involves layering coffee soaked  lady fingers with sweetened marscapone cheese and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Truly easy desserts are American at heart. Think of the chocolate logs, a marriage of chocolate wafers and Cool Whip (or fresh whipped cream if you want to put more effort into it. ) Vanilla wafers can be layered with canned pineapple chunks and cream for a tasty, tropical treat. Vanilla ice cream can be subbed in for the cream for an even cooler treat.

Desserts can still be made in the heat of summer. Just go the easy no-bake route and create tasty treats and decadent desserts. All without the fuss or muss of a hot oven or kitchen.

Flavor From The Garden

It's amazing what the garden - or even farmer's market - can yield up. There's a world of flavor, and not necessarily from the usual veggies and herbs.Look to the allium family and  herb flowers to zing up a late Spring meal

That was the theme of both Melissa Clark and David Tanis 's columns in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Ms. Clark's  A Good Appetite featured leeks and Spring onions in a gratin. Green garlic and scallions also add bite to this anchovy spiked bread crumbs, butter and cheese dish  She gives advice about what to look for in spring onions, taut skins, If the outer layer is brittle , that means the onions are on their way to being mature  - what we see in the stores. Spring leeks are tasty - try them on toast or in soups yet a pain to prepare. They are loaded in dirt - thanks to farmers leaving them in the ground over the winter and piling more soil on them. The leeks are harvested in the the Spring when they 're sweetly flavored. They should be halved before washing and thoroughly washed, especially to remove any dirt clumps.

David Tanis tries another garden sprig in his A City Kitchen column.  He gives us the recipe for herb flower butter. It sounds delicate and lovely yet it packs quite a punch . An herb blossom tastes much like the herb itself. His recipe includes thyme blossoms along with the bright yellow mustard flowers.These can be found in any field along with chive blossoms, clusters of pale violet hued spheres that may look dainty but have the taste of sharp, raw onion. For more oomph, add both Djon and whole grain French mustard. There's also chopped dill and thyme added to unsalted butter. He smears it on sauteed flounder fillets but it can also be added to hot egg noodles for a lovely side with chicken or added to zucchini or scrambled eggs. Another suggestion is spreading it on garden party cucumber sandwiches too. Add borage and geranium leaves to butter balls for a festive dinner party treat.

Look to the backyard and fields for inspiration and flavor. Try a trio of Spring alliums for flavor or pretty herbal flowers for color. Either way it's a nice way to change up everyday ingredients.

Tasty Easter Breads

with Easter comes an array of traditional and delicious foods. One of the oldest and and flavorful is the egg bread. This is either a braid or circle studded with brightly colored Easter eggs. usually it's the centerpiece for many a holiday table. the bread was the subject of an article by Dave Tanis in today's New York Times Dining section.The City Kitchen columnist creates the most traditional bread possible.He adds the Old World blend of currents and raisins along with dried cranberries,and almonds.for added aroma he throws in caraway and anise seeds.As for the eggs, he recommends putting them in after the dough's second rising.Braiding is pretty easy but if you're making a few, then sticks to loaves and circles. Easter bread can be a L natural too.To start with you can dye the eggs in beet juice, onion skin and turmeric for a more natural color.Instead of white flour try whole wheat flour instead. You could also vary the recipe too with honey instead of refined white sugar.Sub in more nuts in place of the raisins and currents too.There are also recipes for dairy free holiday breads too.Cinnamon is also used for flavoring instead of the dried fruit. Easter is a tome of sweet treats and old traditions.Bake a bread studded with colored eggs to celebrate this.Whether decadent or healthy it is a true holiday gift.

Reclaiming Quiche

Quiche is one of those foods that goes through waves of popularity. It was hot from t he Sixties to the Eighties and then fell out of favor. Some restaurants serve it still as do grocery stories, however' the recipe is so far from the original, that's it not really quiche. That's about to change. Some new recipes are emerging that restore the dish back to all its' Gallic glory.

It was the topic of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. City Kitchen by Dave Tanis. Mr. Tanis explores true quiches, those light , eggy pies with even lighter and crispy crusts, These are the closest f not the exact of what French groceries sell as well as what is made in homes. What makes them lighter is what they're baked in. Most Americans bake kitchens in deep dish pie plates. Don't!This ruins the texture. Bake any quiche in a shallow dish with a removable bottom.This ensures a creamy filling with a slightly unctuous or oild texture.

Mr. Tanis gives some good recipes Of course he includes the classic quiche Lorraine,..However instead of the usual ham he suggests bacon along with Gruyere instead of the usual Swiss.There is also a tasty crab meat one that;s seasoned with fresh tarragon and chives. The trio is rounded out by a quiche with herbs and goat cheese.It has scallions and thyme along with parsley. There is a double surprise of lemon zest and the goat cheese placed at the quiche's bottom. These are great for not only Sunday brunches but for a Saturday night dinner too.

Qucihes made right are wonderful. Use these recipes with the proper baking equipment to create a true Gallic tarte salee or savory quiche. It's like tasting the best that France has to offer

Wintry Twists On Two Old Favorites

Winter can be a time for experimenting with favorite foods. There's nothing like tweaking to create a new or better dish, one that is satisfying for  dinner.  Yesterday's  New York Times Dining section does just this. it offers a really interesting spin on chili and also on a summer classic  - fennel. They're a variation of their classic selves  and variations that liven up chilly grey days.

The first is a lamb chili. Melissa Clark decided to add this usually Middle Eastern meat to the classic Mexican in her A Good Appetite column, She added some Gallic flair by using white beans , as they do what French lamb stews as opposed to the usual red ones.Also more jalapeno was added to give the mild meat some bite. Cumin and coriander were also thrown in, perhaps a nod to the meat's strong Eastern Mediterranean background. She served it not with sour cream but with yogurt made form ewe's milk. The result was a chili both earthy and light .

The article directly below it, David Tanis' City Kitchen was about that all time summer fave fennel. Fennel is a great licorice flavored root, perfect for dipping in a vinaigrette. Here he bakes it, in a fennel al forno. He briefly blanches the chopped root and then bakes it with Parmesan,  and mozzarella cheeses along with peperoncino, garlic and surprisingly enough fennel seed to accentuate its' sweet , resonant flavor.It's  the perfect dish for vegetarians or as a side to any chicken or pork loin. Remember that any vegetable - and not just fennel can be made this way. You can try an onion or even a potato al forno for something different.

One classic dish and one classic root get comepletely different twists. The result may sound shocking but in fac they're delicious.Creating these new dishes are a perfect way to chase away culinary winter doldrums.