It was three years ago that I learned my friend T. had cancer. She called me on a Saturday, as I was about to leave for a volunteer commitment.I was, to use a word I learned from my friend F., gobsmacked. It made me teary all day, and when someone snapped at me at my volunteer job, I nearly burst into tears. You know that feel you have of tears welling up behind your eyes. It burns and you ache.
I will be quite honest with you, my dear friends. That is how I feel today. Sadly, many times we learn in life that opportunities turn out to be traps.
So allow me to rerun this post from Dec. 5, 2006:
"There is no escaping life's ups and downs. Sometimes after a day of bad news or unpleasant situations, it's good to come home and shut out the world and burrow under a warm quilt.
The best food for these occasions is something a bit homey and rustic, maybe made from odds and ends and whatever you have on hand.
This rustic tart is such a dish. You can make it with your favorite pie crust or even use a pre-made crust.
Rustic Walnut-Apple-Pear Tart
3/4 cup chopped walnuts1/8 cup Splenda-brown sugar mix
2 tablespoons butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup sugar or fructose
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
dash cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat pie crust into tart pan, rolling back the edges and doubling before crimping.
Sauté chopped walnuts in brown sugar and butter. Pour into tart pan, spreading them onto the bottom of the crust in a layer.
Mix sugar, butter and spices in large bowl. Toss apple and pear slices in this mixture. When thoroughlyy coated, later the slices into tart, atop the walnuts. Drizzle remaining sugar and butter and spices on top. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, until crust browns and filling bubbles.
Serve with whipped cream or even yogurt or enjoy it plain. You could even top it with a strussal-type topping or one made of walnuts, sugar and butter.
It's gooey and a little chewy. The sweetness is tempered a bit by the lemon peel.
Note: I used the pears and apples I had on hand, but I recommend Golden Delicious apples and Bartlett pears. The dessert is very crumbly when cut — but it's supposed to be a casual dessert for, say, a weekend at home. So don't worry about impressing anyone, just enjoy it!"
T, by the way, is well again. I will have lunch with her tomorrow.
13 comments:
Oh, what a wonderful happy ending! Give her a long hug, one from you and one from me! The apple dessert looks great!
Thanks, Gayle. I am thankful to have her in my life.
Those kinds of calls wake us up to how precious every moment is. They remind us of what's truly important and what the fluff is - and how much of what we think is important turns out to be fluff.
But dear friends lie at the core of what is important. And your tart looks like the perfect comfort food for such times.... and the photo on top looks like an Old Master's still life!!
I am sorry that your day was a dark one. The "opportunities turn out to be traps" happened to me a few month back when I was the attempted victim of an art scam. Someone e-mailed saying they wanted to buy four of my most expensive paintings. I was naive enough to believe it... until I Googled the name. The first entry was "art scam." I'll spare the details, but suffice it to say my heart sank into my stomach. However, I am wiser now than before and very thankful that no money changed hands in the process.
I hope that you will feel less sad later than you do now and hopefully wiser. The tart is a definite comfort. And I am so glad that your friend is well now.
Christi
Toni and Christi, thanks for the kind comments that allowed me to wake up to a better day.
I am glad your friend is better and hope your mood is lifted by good wishes coming your way. The tart sounds wonderful and your still life does look like an old master.
Thank you, Penny. It is one of my favorite photos.
Oh this looks good -- I'm going to make an apple pie today to take to a lunch (unfortunately I have no pears) but I do have plenty of walnuts. I'll probably put them on half of it as kids are involved and for some reason they don't seem to like walnuts much.
Glad to see you are still posting!
Hi Mimi,
Well, everyday is so different... Be happy with friends!
Anne
My secret: I always use maple syrup in my apple pie.
Thanks, Betty - I am happy to see you are still out there, too. I don't have much time anymore.
Anne, thanks for that secret - a perfect addition to a Canadian pie. I will try it and report back.
The best comfort food for me are chocolates any food recipe that has chocolate or cheese on it.
My comfort foods are pastries, cakes and deserts. Also roasted meats are delicious. I, saying this made myself really hungry.
Happy endings are good and so are great friends~they are few and far between. The dessert is fit for a queen~
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