Blueberry Pie by Dad

  My dad made a pie! He has made this recipe for years and years and it has never disappointed. Just a pure blueberry taste. No fancy modern flavor combination, just a classic pie recipe that you can always use. So when i asked him to be the baker on a post, since he is the man who taught me to bake, he of course said yes. His choice on exactly what to make, I just kept bothering him during baking going, wait don't move your hands at all and would photograph. Luckily he is very used to it, always helping to hold up a reflector or shake some powdered sugar for a photo.

 All of the family always loves his crusts for pies, so flaky and never tough. When I finally sat down to carefully watch him make it and loon at the recipe, one thing shocked me. There is NO butter in the crust! It is shortening. My first response was 'Dad! What are you doing?!?!?' no butter in the whole recipe, oh dear I thought, but it is amazing tasting. So give it a try, the shortening works for this recipe.

I had him handwrite the recipe, so I would have a copy forever and it would truly make it his 'post.' Well, I just told him write it very legibly. So if you have any questions about it, I'll type it out if you guys can't read it or something, but it seems legible to me.

 That you all for caring so much and leaving such nice comments and emails about the many changes my life has been going through lately. Everything has gotten a whole lot better and I'm happy now. When I tried to bake and take photos during that kinda awful week everything would come of awful. I made a couple pies but the crusts would just crumble when I rolled them out even when I would use the same recipe that had always come out perfect before. I could even be bothered to take photos of the process or end result, I was only baking because my family would ask for something or fruit was going bad and I didn't want to waste. Your mood really does really effect the end result of baking, you could try to make the recipe exactly like it says but if your heart is not in it, it doesn't come out right. At least for me. Luckily things are good, fingers crossed it will last, and so there will be many more frequent posts to come. 

 

These are all film photos, obviously from the borders, which I included on purpose. Sometimes a cut of frame at the top, the rough black edges that slightly curve, I just love that aspect of film. So just the black is on purpose for anyone going, doesn't this girl know the crop tool? But its a bit more cinematic, no?

Stone Fruit Tart

I am always on the search for the perfect little pastry that reminds me of the patisseries in Paris. After wandering around bakeries and cafes in fancy little towns, and still not finding something that would satisfy me, I decided to make my own. I hadn't really found a good recipe before that really made my mouth water. But then after seeing this recipe, from a book on Paris nonetheless, I knew I had to make it. 

It is seriously amazing. The crust has just a hint of almond and the crisp of a sugar cookie but still the texture of a tart crust.  The filling! The fruit! It all just works. 

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

Blueberry season. I wish I lived somewhere where I could go pick blueberries. I remember picking blackberries as a kid when I was in Michigan. I loved getting my little fingers deeply stained and see my Great Grandpa snacking on the berries while picking, saying 'Well, they want you to sample!' And my Dad not eating a single one until they had been properly weighted and bought.

Maybe I can pick berries near me. I went last summer to some little patch of farms about an hour away, but it was not magical at all. The berries were all sundried, of the ones you could find, it was swarming with people and in the blistering sun with little shade. I will have to do some research but I don't think I will find my little countryside berry picking dreamland here. If only my 'We have to go to Michigan this summer' to my Mom almost everyday, didn't work. She said maybe in November.....

So my dough came out sticky, very sticky. I ended up having to use a lot more flour than it called for. But luckily it did not make them dry or hard or anything that could have happened. 

Chocolate Blackberry Cake

Urgh, whenever I go to edit a post that is already published, I accidently click "Save as Draft" and all the info gets deleted. Rewriting all the words now. Anyone know how to get that info back?? Please help lovely internet friends.

So I made this cake for my sister's birthday. So Happy Birthday Natalie. Even though we seem to never be able to have a conversation that doesn't end in one of us storming away, give each other dirty looks all the time and it seems like you will always see me as your annoying little sister, you are still my sister. So I will take the time to make you a proper birthday cake.