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a travel company exploring the intersection between people, food and and the world we live in

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Pear Bardaloue

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My Dad loved pears.  I had made this tart for him a few years ago and had purchased the ingredients to make it for him again over the winter break of 2012. He passed away that Thanksgiving weekend. Over the holidays, I made it in his honor and invited the local branch of our family to share it. They loved it, and I know Dad would have, too.  Adapted from Larousse on Pastry.

Pear Bardaloue
Easier than you might think and absolutely gorgeous. This fragrant dessert is redolent of pears, almonds, autumn, and good friends.
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Ingredients
  1. TART SHELL
  2. ==========
  3. 7 tbsp. butter
  4. 1-1/4 c. sifted flour
  5. A pinch of salt
  6. 2 tbsp.. sugar
  7. 5 tbsp. ice cold water
  8. ALMOND CREAM
  9. ==============
  10. 1/4 c. butter
  11. 1 small egg
  12. 5 tbsp. sugar
  13. 7/8 c. ground almonds
  14. PEARS
  15. ======
  16. 10 to 12 canned pear halves (about 4 cans)
Instructions
  1. PREPARE THE CRUST: Cut the butter into very small pieces. Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the salt, the sugar, and the butter. Quickly rub in the ingredients with your fingertips. Add some water to form a dough. Knead until supple. (It should be neither too sticky, nor too soft.) Dust your work surface with flour, lay the dough on it and flatten it with the heel of your hand. (Do not knead at this stage.) Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
  2. WHILE THE DOUGH IS RESTING: Cut the butter for the almond cream into pieces and allow to soften at room temperature.
  3. Drain the pears and cut lengthwise into thin slices.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  5. PREPARE THE ALMOND CREAM: Break the egg into a bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat by hand until you obtain a smooth cream. Beat in the ground almonds.
  6. Roll out the dough and place in a 9-inch tart shell Pour in the almond cream. Arrange the pear slices on top.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool slightly before turning out.
  9. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
  1. This pastry crust is best when created by hand (not in a food processor). If you are pressed for time or just don't want to work the dough with your hands, try the Pate Brisee recipe elsewhere on this site.
  2. If the tart has cooked for 30 minutes and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - but the almond cream filling is not golden brown - try sprinkling a little sugar on the cream (not the pears) and using a crème brullee torch - very lightly and briefly - to brown the top.
Adapted from Larousse on Pastry
Adapted from Larousse on Pastry
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Pate Brisèe au Sucre

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This recipe is adapted from French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes by Linda Dannenberg.  I found it at William Sonoma, loved it, and proceeded to test every recipe on my loving and appreciative parents.  It’s great for fruit tarts and travels well.

Pâte Brisée au Sucre
Serves 8
The milk and sugar in this recipe make a sweeter, flakier version of the classic pâte brisée which is great for fruit tarts. This version uses less sugar (1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup) and less than the full 1/4 tsp. salt.
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Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  2. 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, very cold
  3. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. salt
  4. 1/8 tsp. baking powder
  5. 1/3 c. sugar
  6. 4 tbsp. (1/4 c.) ice cold milk
Instructions
  1. Cut the butter into 7-8 pieces.
  2. Place all the ingredients except the milk in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
  3. Process until mixture has the consistency of coarse meal (5 – 10 seconds).
  4. With the machine running, pour the milk through the feed tube one tablespoon at a time in a steady stream. Stop processing before the dough forms a ball to ensure tender, flaky pastry.
  5. From the pastry into a flat (1- to 1-1/2" high) disk.
  6. Wrap the disk in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.
  7. Roll out & arrange in tart pan.
  8. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another hour.
  9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  10. For a partially-baked tart shell, Bake 8 minutes in the center of the oven. Remove weights and foil and bake for 2 more minutes.
  11. For a fully baked shell, Bake 8 minutes, remove foil and weights, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown all over.
  12. Cool on a wire rack before filling.
Notes
  1. TIPS
  2. Makes one large tart shell; or 1 small shell and 2-3 tartlets; or 8 tartlets.
  3. In a warm climate (or during the summer), when it’s difficult to keep things cold, try keeping butter frozen. Use a strong knife with a wide blade to cut it into pieces.
  4. Un-rolled pastry can be frozen. Remove from food processor, flatten into a disk about ½” to 1 “ high, enclose in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before freezing. When ready to roll, place pastry in a second plastic bag in the refrigerator to defrost for 1-2 hours before rolling. The second bag captures condensation, protecting the dough from becoming soggy.
  5. Once pastry is arranged in the shell, press the rolling pin across the top to achieve a perfect edge.
  6. Before placing in the oven, pierce the shell with a fork 2-3 times, cover with foil, and place pie weights (or beans) on the foil to keep the pastry from bubbling. Remove foil and weights when placing the tart back in the oven for a fully-baked shell.
  7. For a savory tart shell, eliminate the sugar.
Adapted from French Tarts by Linda Dannenberg
Adapted from French Tarts by Linda Dannenberg
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

4-Grain Cinnamon Pancakes

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My favorite recipe for delicious, healthy pancakes! The ingredient list below uses half the sugar, salt, and honey and twice the cinnamon recommended in the original recipe.  Adapted from the Joy of Cooking.

4-Grain Cinnamon Pancakes
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 c. whole-wheat flour
  2. 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
  3. 1/2 c. cornmeal
  4. 1/4 c. rolled oats
  5. 1 tblsp. sugar
  6. 2 tsp. baking powder
  7. 1/2 tsp. salt
  8. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  9. 1 tsp. cinnamon
  10. Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  11. 1-3/4 c. milk
  12. 4 tblsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  13. 1/8 cup honey
  14. 3 large eggs
Instructions
  1. Preheat a skillet. (Regular-sized for pancakes; or for flapjacks, use a crepe or omelet skillet.)
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients to mix.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
  5. Mix until just combined.
  6. Spoon (or ladle) batter onto hot, buttered skillet.
  7. Cook until top of each pancack is speckled with bubbles and some bubbles have popped. Lift pancake, butter skillet again and cook pancake on other side until underside is lightly browned.
  8. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200-degree oven while you finish cooking the rest.
Notes
  1. VARIATIONS
  2. - Thinly sliced apples and raisins added directly to the batter before cooking;
  3. - Pears and pecans;
  4. - Summer fruit;
  5. - Serve with maple syrup, more cinnamon & thinly sliced orange rounds for garnish.
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Food & Architecture

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Wherever you go, local architecture (or its absence) sets the ambience. On Miami Beach, the New World Symphony projects live performances outdoors with astoundingly high-quality sound – perfect for a picnic! In the off-season, look for family-friendly movies as well as performances by New World Fellows and guest artists.

Sailing & Food

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If you’re sailing around the world, you’ve got to eat, right? With the Volvo Ocean Race starting in October 2014, look here for stories on what it takes to feed a crew of 8 to 11 travelling up to 6,776 miles per leg, over 11 legs, on this epic adventure.

Pictured here… Puma, leaving from Miami to Lisbon during the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race.