Plum Tarte Tatin Recipe : Say Hello to Autumn with a Seasonal Dish

The heating went on in our house yesterday... Is this really the end of summer? How do we feel? Nostalgic already for the long days full of sunshine, trips to the beach and spontaneous jaunts for ice-cream? Or kind of ready to light vanilla candles, drink hot spicy teas and get cozy? Whatever the case is, we should learn to enjoy the beauty of the current situation... And that situation is... PLUMS! They're everywhere and they're sweet. 

Why not celebrate with a good-bye Summer, hello Autumn party? The last hurrah to say goodbye to Summer before we officially welcome Autumn with all her scents and flavors. 

Plum Tarte Tatin

275 g sugar
125 g butter (cubed)
1 egg beaten
200 g flour
100 ml water
500 g plums, halved with pits removed
powdered sugar

plastic wrap
tart form (22cm) buttered

Prep/Cook 
Add 75g of sugar, the butter, egg, flour and a pinch of salt to a bowl and kneed them together into dough. (Not too long, otherwise it may loose elasticity.) Wrap the dough into plastic wrap and put to rest in the fridge for half an hour. Meanwhile melt the rest of the sugar with water over low fire till it starts to resemble light caramel. Pour it over the bottom of the tart form so it covers the bottom completely. Lay the plums cut side down onto the bottom of the tart form. Warm the over till 180C. Roll out the dough. Lay it over the tarte form paying attention to tuck the edges over the form just a bit. Bake in the over 20-25 minutes. Let it cool and then carefully turn it right side up onto a large plate.

Serve
Finish it with powdered sugar. Serve it with sour cream mixed with lemon juice or with a ball of vanilla ice cream... 

(Recipe loosely translated: Original source) 

And if you're inspired to accompany your plum tart with en entire seasonal French inspired menu head over to Mimi Thorrison's absolutely magical blog Manger for a dinner menu straight out of the lovely countryside in Medoc, France...

(Photo via) 

• • •    LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Nature knows best what and WHEN it's good for us! 

Get everyday adventure ideas @LiveLikeYoureTraveling  

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LLYT Challenge : Delightful Eating

You know how while traveling you taste foods you may eat everyday but for some reason they taste so much more delicious!? A lot of the times we just rationalize that everything always tastes better on vacation because we're usually outdoors, the sun is shining, and we just had a dip in the sea. Of course that's a big part of it, but also certain foods taste better because at those locales they're fresher, locally produced, homemade or organic. But does this now mean we can only really enjoy our food for a few weeks a year? Is there no way to gain the same kind of enjoyment from eating year round? Well obviously this is unacceptable and we here at OTSP blog want to do something about it! 

View fullsize

Few shots of delightful eating during our trip to the Loire Valley, France. 

Inspired (or I should say motivation renewed) by my recent success of dinding a fantastic source of delicious liquid gold, or olive oil, this challenge will be to upgrade EVERYTHING my family eats to achieve equal satisfaction. I want to be delighted every time we sit down for a meal and not just when we're on vacation. So join us as we kick off the next OTSP challenge! 

• • • 

Live Like You're Traveling : #DelightfulEating

Let's break this up into three steps. The first being to simply figure out what you eat on a weekly basis. I started by looking in my fridge, pantry and thought about what food we eat every day resulting in this nifty diagram for myself to follow so I can see clearly what needs upgrading, or "delightification".   
 

Step 1: Identify your staples.  

In the fridge:

Milk
Yogurt
Butter
Juice/drinks
Cheese
Mayonase
Sandwich meats
Meat
Fish

In the pantry:

Bread
Cereal
Honey
Jam
Fruits/Vegetables
Tea
Coffee
Olive Oil - Replaced! 
Spices

Step 2:  Raise the quality of ingredients.

I currently buy most of my food in my supermarket or my local health store. I usually buy the organic option but I don't pay too much attention beyond that. There are farms near me and I always wanted to figure out what I could be buying directly from them... 

Things I'll be researching for this step and sharing in the updates to follow: 

• How to source locally 
• Cooking with what's in season  
• Specialized grocery store vs. the supermarket. (Mu-Hsien immediately tipped to shop the "perimeter" as processed foods tend to congregate in the middle sections of the store.) 
   

Step 3: Try Making Your Own.  

My mom used to make cottage cheese at home! My grandma pretty much made everything at home. Perhaps I can transition some simple things to 'home production'? Ahhh... I'm already imagining freshly home baked bread enveloping my family as they sit down for a Saturday morning breakfast... And a tall, dark, and handsome Italian barrista serving us cafe lattes from just milled coffee beans while singing "con te partiro"... (Oh gosh, did I say that last one out loud? How completely inappropriate for a happily married, pregnant lady.) 

- - -  JOIN THE CHALLENGE!   - - -

Is there something you've been meaning to improve about what you eat? What are your tips for delightful eating? 

{ Show Us + Tag it ‎‎#DelightfulEating #OTSPchallenge } 
on INSTAGRAM or leave a blog POST LINK or PHOTO in the comments below.
Photos may be selected for our Challenge Pinterest board:
 

IDEA119 : Bake the Easiest Lemon Tart Just Like the One in Normandy, France

Let me tell you a story about my search for the perfect lemon tart recipe. It all started last summer in Normandy, France where we went on a family vacation. My dad and brother joined from New York, Vito's mom and brother with his girlfriend made us a merry little group of eight. We stayed in a lovely town by the sea called Saint Aubin sur Mer, where time didn't hurry, tourists were not many, yet there were plenty of things to do and see. It was a delicious week of family bonding, discovering the sites and of course eating as many pain au chocolate for breakfast as humanly possible (well, maybe this last one was just my personal achievement).

We stayed at a camping (Cote de Nacre) a ten minute walk from the seaside promenade lined with sunny colored villas, happy little cafes and restaurants. Our mornings consisted of sightseeing, and afternoons in the pool or at the beach and of course no day went by without promenading up and down by the sea.

Walking from Cote de Nacre camping to the beach. 

Pastel villas along the promenade in Saint Aubin sur Mer. (Mo has just two settings, run or sit.) 

But back to the lemon tart...  as you can imagine a family of eight including one 1.5 year old boy and one 13 year old boy there is always someone ready for a snack (or a 5 course meal).

Dinner on the promenade.

On one such occasion we stopped at a cozy cafe with cream colored furniture, nautical prints and walls lined with book shelves giving you a feeling of a sea side day lounge. Lemon tart was the first thing we saw on the chalk board menu and that was enough of a suggestion for all us to order a round. The tart was incredible! The lemony filling was creamy with sweet and tart flavors in perfect harmony. The crust, a wonderful companion, perfectly yummy yet not trying to compete jealously with the filling for attention. The tart was so delicious that we immediately ordered seconds nervous that the cafe might not have enough! Thankfully they did, so there was no need for violence. And since that moment I've been looking for a recipe that will reunite me with my perfect lemon tart...

My brother reclining after the lemon tart and Nutella crape. 

Until finally! I have come across this recipe on Julia's blog.  She in turn found it in a newspaper article about a German illustrator who lived in Lisbon for a while. This illustrator upon tasting this tart at a rowdy summer backyard party asked the cousin of her neighbor, a certain Anita, for the recipe. She then illustrated the recipe which Julia transcribes on her blog. (In English thankfully.) 

So there! A recipe found via our global neighbor Julia, from literally someone's actual neighbor (well cousin of said neighbor) has made its way to me in The Netherlands! AND! What has set off this world wind recipe search? Why a visit to a little seaside town in France called Saint Aubin sur Mer... Now tell me we are not all connected. :)

• • • 

If you are like me and have been searching for an easy way to make lemon tart feel free to raise your hopes high.  Real high! This tart does not require intimidating baking thermometers, high scores on your math tests to perform calculations involving heat, altitude, timing, and egg yolk temperaments. There are two, JUST TWO ingredients for the filling. Condensed milk and juice of 2 lemons, ok 3 if you count lemon zest. That's it!!! The crust? The easiest ever, and you don't even have to have your butter at room temperature. I hate it when recipes call for that, when I want to bake, I must bake right then and there before inspiration leaves me and I can't wait for princess butter to arrive at room temperature. (Excuse me, I'm an Aries, it's a biological fact that I can't wait for stuff.) 

Now I'm not a baker and trust me when I say, you can't do this recipe wrong. I did have to look up how to beat egg yolks stiff on youtube because I wasn't 100% sure of the right way to do it. I know my grandma did it by hand with a fork but after 2 minutes (ok 15 seconds) I gave up and looked it up on youtube.  Here is the video, listen to the nice Italian lady all the way to the end, that's when she tells you how to make your egg whites really stiff.  

Lemon Tart 
Recipe: on Julia's blog.
 

Saint Aubin sur Mer, Normandy, France.
Stay at: Camping Cote de Nacre  (Groups)

Eat at: Wherever speaks to you on the promenade, however for dinner you should make a reservation, and of course lemon tart and other deserts at Aux Bains des Mots.

To do: Visit the town of Cabourg on market day and eat lunch on the promenade, bring your swim suits for when the inevitable desire strikes for a dip in the sea.  Normandy is also the land of apple brandy, do visit Château du Breui, a Calvados distillery and a historical manor house. 

Sight see: Saint Aubin sur Mer is a great base for discovering Normany. Not to miss  Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery Memorial. Visit the UNESCO heritage site, the medieval monastery Le Mont Saint Michel.  

Take home: a bottle of Calvados. Hemingway would have approved.  

Now, what have we conclude from all this madness? 

• • •    LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

You might find your lemon tart exactly where
you didn't think to look for it.

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is to post a comment, like below or pin on Pinterest! ~ For more ways to Live Like You're Traveling, follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA112: Cultivate Tranquility with a Japanese Matcha Tea Ritual

Initially I was drawn to Matcha for it's astounding health benefits. Anti-aging, cancer-fighting, stress-reducing, weight-loss aid, superfood status. It blows away other green teas when comparing EGCG antioxidant levels (137 times the amount of EGCG as other infused green teas!)  

Matcha is a premium form of green teas traditionally used in Japanese Tea Ceremonies. There's extra care in it's culitvation process as it's grown in the shade. This causes a greater production of chlorophyll, also adding to its brilliant green color. 

Unique to other teas, Matcha leaves are steamed and ground immediately after picking. Instead of just consuming a portion of leaf infused phytonutrients, the ground form allows you to benefit from the nutrients of the whole leaf! And because of omitting the oxidation process, it prevents the bitter taste, leaving a smooth, vegetal flavor with a lightly sweet aftertaste.  

• • • 

Since digging in to the use of it in tea ceremonies, I am now left with a much deeper curiosity for its rich tradition. Tea ceremonies are elaborate and poetic affairs that are meant to cultivate harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.  

Every detail has symbolic meaning. From the purposely non-ornate tea houses and what's housed inside to calm the senses, to every ritualized gesture in cleaning the utensils. There is a complexity to the etiquette, showing great respect to the manner in which tea is poured and sipped. Now although I may not go as far as  studying the art of Chudo (Tea Ceremony) I AM inspired to introduce another expression of being present into my day to day. Although I already enjoy tea rituals whether in the morning or after dinner, learning about this Japanese art form intensifies my own connection during this process. It is truly yet another example of when, what you put into something is directly related to what you get out of it.

• • •

Before I share a modern adaptation for Matcha, let's take a moment to prepare our minds and channel the tranquility often found in Japanese rock gardens. I sat by this one, a view just steps from a tea house, which instantly brought a sense of calm. One can't help but notice the extreme care that must have gone into the raking. Drawing from that sensibility...now let's make some tea :)

Japanese Matcha Tea Ritual

Take your time. (Even if this only takes a few min.) Every action in making the tea can draw you deeper into the present moment.

Materials 
• Organic Matcha Powder
• Whisk & small bowl

Modern Preparation
1 - Pour a little less than a table spoon of Matcha powder into a bowl (1 tbsp per serving)
2 - Heat water til boiling (1 cup per serving). Set aside to cool for a few min. (optimum temperature for the water is ~175F/80C.
3 - Pour 1/3 cup of water into bowl with matcha and whisk quickly in a zig zag motion until a layer of foamy bubbles cover the top. Should only take 10 sec.

Serve
Pour whisked matcha into a cup and fill the rest with more hot water. Final direction is the most important :)...Take it in. Relish in the fact that you're doing something good for yourself or others!

For a fuller Japanese tea experience...
Learn more about Matcha benefits, discover what a full tea ceremony might entail, watch an insightful video demo, or explore collectible items below: Organic Matcha, Chashaku (matcha bamboo scoop), Chasen (matcha bamboo whisk), Chawan (matcha bowl).

 • • •   WHAT ABOUT YOU?   • • •

What's your favorite daily ritual?
What's your current go-to healthy drink?

Get everyday adventure ideas @LiveLikeYoureTraveling

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IDEA108: Refresh Your Drink Selection with a Homemade Cranberry Drink

I have a bit of a confession to make. I’m kind of a control freak. 
What? It’s not cute? You’re right actually, it’s not cute at all, but at the same time wanting to have control is a pretty common affliction. The key is to not go morphing into a monster trying to control things that are outside of our sphere of influence. (I’m bad at that, that’s why I don’t allow myself to watch the news.) Anyway, today we’d like to share with you a way to establish total control in at least in one area of our lives! Sugar. No, I’m not calling you sugar, I’m suggesting to take control of your sugar intake!

One huge way to cut out unnecessary sugar is to stop drinking all kinds of sugary drinks which is exactly what we find on the shelves and in the fridge sections of our stores.  Sugar seems to be the second ingredient, after water, in most drinks. What I used to do is  simply water down all juices and drinks I bought, but that sneaky little move would also water down the taste…Well, you know the good ol’ saying “If you want something done right, do it yourself” and that’s exactly what we have for you! A super easy cranberry drink recipe. (I’m not even sure it’s legal to call it a recipe since it’s so easy).

Homemade Cranberry Drink

Ingredients
• 250 g (about half a pound) or cranberries. I used frozen this time, but fresh is best.
• 1 liter (or 1 quart) of boiled water
• Sugar or honey to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

Prep/Cook
Boil the water and add the cranberries. Let if continue to cook over medium flame for just 3-5 minutes, long enough to hear the wonderful crackling sound of popping cranberries. Turn of the heat and put all the berries into a sieve then squeeze the berry pulp out with a table spoon through the sieve. Then add a bit of sugar or honey. I personally like a tarter taste so I only add 3 table spoons of sugar to this entire recipe.  Squeeze out a lemon for that extra kick and you’re done! After it cools, store it in the fridge.

3 Ways to Serve
Now here is the fun part, you can drink this hot like herbal tea. Or cold with a few ice cubes. You can even add it to a cocktail! We hope you will enjoy experimenting with your homemade cranberry drink!

*Follow us on Pinterest and find more great ideas on our board: First Sip!
 

• • •   LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Some like it tart!

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is to post a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For more ways Live Like You're Traveling, follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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about 11 years ago

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about 12 years ago