The warmer temperature lately has been a lovely welcome to June. It seems like May literally flew by. I can’t even remember what has happened this month. A long weekend getaway, we listed our house, I’ve been out of school for about a month now. Maybe the fact that I don’t have to keep track of what day it is helped the month slip by.

Speaking of our house, we officially accepted an offer. We listed it at the beginning of May, and last weekend we accepted an offer. We were really happy with the price we’ve set it at, and we’re happy to get very close to it. At first they wanted to move in, in two weeks! Um, hello, not happening. First of all, it’s a very important week coming up, well day really. My birthday, it’s next Tuesday. And then, the week after that is my official grad ceremony, and of course graduation party. So, there was no way I was moving and packing up our condo in two weeks while all that was happening as well. When we countered we extended the date for the end of the month, June 25th. That was better situated for us. So, as of Wednesday next week we will know for sure if we have sold, once the subjects are removed. We are both quite happy that it went so fast, only four showings, so we can rest assured we (read: Adam) won’t be stuck with two mortgages come November ;) . For the interim we will be staying at my Moms, thankfully they have a big house with lots of room, and Adam’s parents for the 5 months before we officially move into the new house.

The day we accepted the offer, I also went for my graduation photos. It didn’t seem real until I placed the cap on my head, and donned the official gown. It brought me back to my grade 12 graduation, as the photos were taken at the same photography studio. But, it’s real! I’ve confirmed my attendance at my convocation ceremony, and rented my gown. As if I haven’t paid the university enough money, I had to pay to rent a gown for a couple hours, on a time limit, to attend my grad ceremony. Oh well, it will only happen once! I’m not sure if there is a grad ceremony for when I finish my teaching program next year or not. My mom has also planned a party to celebrate with our friends and family that I’m looking forward to. I think 6 years of university deserves some acknowledgement, and a few drinks.

Something that has also been happening this month, the appearance of fruit. It’s the cusp of the fruit season and everything is growing bursting through the ground. A few weeks ago I posted a photo of a giant rhubarb plant at Adam’s parent’s home. Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it is more often found in sweet dessert recipes than savoury. His mom needed to pick the very large, towing plant and gave me some to bring home, as long as I baked her something with it of course ;) One of my favourite combinations is strawberry-rhubarb. Delicious in a pie, hand pie, or as individual galette’s like I’ve done here. We had Adam’s family over for dinner, his mom and dad, sister, brother-in-law, and our sweet little niece, so I thought I would made a small galette for each person.

You can really sub any fruit for the filling, blackberry, blueberry, apple, peach, peach-blackberry, apple-strawberry, etc etc. So many fruit combinations.

Individual Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes
Adapted from: Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts

Pâte Brisée

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

1. Pulse flour and sugar in a food processor (or whisk together by hand in bowl). Add butter, and pulse, or use pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture, pulse (or mix with fork), until the mixture begins to hold together. If it seems too dry, add another 1/4 cup of water, 1 tbs. at a time and pulse again.

2. Turn out onto counter, and wrap in plastic wrap tightly, chilling for about one hour, or overnight.

Galettes

• Chilled Pâte Brisée
• 1 1/2 pounds trimmed rhubarb, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups granulated sugar

1. Divide dough evenly into 8 pieces ( I made 6 slightly larger ones ). On a lightly floured surface roll out each piece into a 7 inch round, 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. arranging several inches apart.

2. In large bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, cornstarch and sugar.

3. Cover each round of dough with a heaping 1/2 cup mixture, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the edges over the filing, leaving the opening in the center. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until firm.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush edges with egg wash, one egg beaten, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. bake until crusts are golden brown about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake until juices start to bubble and run from center, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let cool and transfer to wire rack.

These are also delicious warm from the oven, topped with ice cream. Maybe with the Honey Ice Cream from last week!

Apparently February is Apple Month. BC Tree Fruits created this event as a way to encourage us to support local growers, orginiating in the Okanagan. The event began back in 1960 and has been celebrated every February since. It is also BC Tree Fruits 75th Anniversary of the Okganagan orginization. I’m lucky to be able to visit the Okanagan every year and vacation in Osoyoos, and have written about my love for local produce and fruit grown in the interior here

Apples are not only delicious, they are healthy. I like to pretend desserts such as Apple Pie are a ‘healthier’ choice, because it contains fruit. Of course eating an apple on it’s own is healthier, and can be just as satisfying.

My personal favourites are Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Royal Gala. I love a crunchy apple, and prefer them straight from the fridge. Of course most often you will find Granny Smith in baking due to their tart taste and hard texture, which become softer and sweet once baked. Perfect in pies and other desserts.

You can celebrate Apple Month by buying local BC Apples from your grocer or local food market.

Also, some tips when it comes to Apples:

• If you can, buy local, and/or organic
• Always wash apples thoroughly before enjoying as many apples are sprayed with pesticides, or peel the skin for baking.
• Store in refrigerator crisper at a low temperature and high humidity. ( From the BC Tree Website)
• As apples emit ethylene, a naturally occuring gas that encourages ripening, keep them in a plastic bag to prevent them from speeding up ripening of other produce items. ( From the BC Tree Website)
• Apples are easier to peel when they’re cold (but keep in mind, most of the fruit’s remarkable nutritional value is found in the skin). ( From the BC Tree Website)
• Wait before washing. Don’t wash your fruit until you’re about to eat it. Washing strips away some of the skin’s natural protection. Soap is not recommended for washing your fruit, just clean running water. Scrub it with your hands or a soft brush ( From the BC Tree Website)

Here are some of my favourite recipes including Apples that I’ve made in the past:

This Rustic Spiced Apple cake is perfect for an afternoon tea. It is dense without being overly sweet and rich. The apple are dusted with cinnamon and placed on top of the dough like a dimply cake. Perfect on its own and is one of my favourites // Recipe Here

This Skillet Apple cake is rich in flavour with a crumb crust. Studded with chopped Apples and topped with Apple slices // Recipe Here

An Italian dessert an Apple Crostata differs from an Apple pie in that it is baked free form, not in a pie dish. There is also the addition of egg as well as lots of sugar in the dough, which makes it denser and richer than pie crust. But just as tender. You can also make smalled individual Crostata’s // Recipe Here

You can’t talk about Apple Desserts without mentioning the most famous one. Traditional Apple Pie. A lightly sweetened cinnamon sugar Apple filling tucked between no-fail flakey buttery crust. Perfect on its own, or à la mode // Recipe for Pie Dough and Filling Here

This past weekend Adam and I went down to the states for a few days. The end of summer is nearing, and I have only a couple weeks before school starts again. So, we’re trying to cram in as much as possible these next few weekends! Including … going to VEGAS this weekend! So so excited. We’ve both been a few times before, but this time we’re going together! :)

We (read: I) have already scoped out all the yummy restaurants I want to eat at!! I was a little sad to find out that Restaurant Week in Vegas starts the day we leave! However, we will be able to have lunch before we go at one of the participating restaurants. It’s sort of the like the dine-out Vancouver, where restaurants prepare set course meals for different price points, 20$ for breakfast, 30$ for lunch, and 50$ for dinner, all about three of four course meals.

We’re definitely going to hit up Mon Ami Gabi, after passing by it several times before and lots of reccomendations, LAVO for dinner one night at the Palazzo (maybe we’ll spot a celeb!), and our Restaurant Week lunch at Todd English’s Olives at the Bellagio. Let’s hope all that walking counteracts the delicious food we’re going to eat ;)

Have you been to Vegas?? Anything we should check out? Or restaurants to visit??

On to the pie. Adam and I also went berry picking this past weekend, for Blackberries at a field near my house, and then picked up some blueberries on the way home. We also stopped for a little breakfast at a cafe in my hometown, and to catch up on some news.

My mom also happened to buy us a large flat of blueberries. Our freezer is overflowing with berries! I already wanted to make some sort of pie with the blueberries, so the more the merrier.

I have also wanted to try out a lattice topped pie! I did this one rather quickly, but I think it turned out pretty good! Next time I’ll take a few more minutes to make sure they are all the same width etc.

I ended up making a mini one for us, and gave the larger pie to my mom to bring home. She said it was the best pie they ever ate! (I’m sure she’s a little bias haha) but I gotta say, it was pretty #$%@ good! I used whole wheat flour, and it was still really flaky crust!! And the filling was soooooo goooooooood!!!! If you have blueberries lying around, make this now! Summer calls for pie.

Mini Pieeeee!

Bakeaholic’s Blueberry Pie with Lattice Crust

{filling from Dorie Greenspan Baking from My Home to Yours slightly adapted}

• 5 Cups Blueberries
• 3/4 cup raw organic sugar (or regular)
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Squirt of lemon Juice
• 1/4 or 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, for egg wash

Whole Wheat Pie Dough {as I have used before here}

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 16 tbsp. ( 2 sticks ) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 6 tbsp. very cold water

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.
2. Shape the dough into a ball, cut in half, and wrap both pieces in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Can leave it overnight.