Rhubarb Raspberry Sauce

I was introduced to the lovely taste of rhubarb by a friend in Butte, Montana in 2006.  We were at a Farmer's market, and she bought some.  We decided to munch on it while we were walking around, and I was immediately hooked.  All this, despite the fact that my Mom grew rhubarb in her garden probably every year.  I have tried to make up for all the time I spent not eating rhubarb by consuming it en masse every summer.

This go-round, we've taken some rhubarb and boiled it up with some raspberries in a simple syrup and then pureed it to serve over ice cream.  It was amazing, and (bonus!) it took about 20 minutes.  You can easily use fresh or frozen rhubarb and raspberries.  It's tart and sweet and tastes like summer.  You also get the benefit of saying that you ate vegetables for dessert.  Wins all around.

This particular recipe was located and immediately appropriated from Gourmet Magazine, by way of Epicurious.

When life gives you lemons...make a Lemon Tart!

Lemon tarts have never been my cup of tea. That's probably not the best way to start this post, but it's the honest truth. But, it just so happens that lemon tarts are the very most favorite dessert of a certain Bengali gentleman. So, I decided to go for it and make him one for a special occasion. It was a runaway success. Just between you and me, I think that this tart is so good, it just might change my mind about tarte au citron, as the French call it. The great part about this tart is that you don't have to mess around with cutting cold butter into flour. It's a melted (and browned) butter tart shell that is just to die for. You can also make the tart shell well in advance, if you like, and keep it in the freezer until you're ready to use it!

I got the recipe from David Lebovitz who is an American living in Paris and a prolific dessert cookbook writer. Reading his blog is kind of like watching the movie Chocolat, impossible to get through without really craving delish sweets. So, consider yourself warned. It's amazing. But, without further ado, I will get to the recipe:

Nut Tart

Well, less meatatarians, this is my first post about baking, and it's a dang good recipe. I found it while trolling around the blogosphere at a lovely and wonderful blog called Fragrant Vanilla Cake. (How can you NOT love something with a name like that?). The author over there seems to be some kind of wizard in the baking arena, and I have yet to find something on that blog that doesn't make my mouth water.

So, on to the specifics. I am a big fan of pecan pie, but this takes things to a whole different level. It's got pecans, sure, but also pine nuts, pistachios, cashews and almonds. That combined with a truly amazing almond and vanilla-scented shortbread crust? A total home run.

This tart was part of the going-away celebrations of a certain Bengali gentleman. He will certainly be missed while he is away.

Check out the recipe here. I have nothing more to add because it was just fantastic.

Until our next dessert,

ceh.