Sweet Celebrations

The past few weekends, I have gotten the chance to celebrate grand occasions in some of my dear friends' lives. Love. Babies. Birthdays. You know, the sweet stuff.

These moments of pause to truly celebrate the sweetness of life have nourished me much by reminding me of the sweet stuff and of the supportive community of friends that I am so lucky to have.

What better way to celebrate the sweet stuff than with sweet stuff....

...like a chocolate coconut cake, for example.

Chocolate Coconut Cake
adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

For a double layer cake:

2 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. coconut milk
1 c. coconut milk plus 1 c. water
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Non-vegan buttercream frosting:

1 lb. butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4-1/2 c. almond milk (regular milk or soy)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil two 9-in. cake pans with coconut oil.
2. Sift together dry ingredients.
3.Melt coconut oil in a saucepan so that it is liquid consistency. In a separate bowl, combine coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in melted oil.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Mix until smooth (but very thick).
5. Spatula into oiled pans and bake for 26-28 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
1. Beat butter until creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar in small amounts. Continue to mix until fluffy.
3. While still mixing, add vanilla and milk. Mix until you can't stop licking the beater. Slather in between layer and on top of cake.

Its official...

Okay, I cannot deny it anymore.
The sun is rising later and later. 10pm daylight is a thing of the past.
And most blatantly, my pumpkins are turning orange.

Yes, folks, fall is upon us!

I think fall is my favorite season. Leaves turn brilliant colors and make footsteps noisy with their crunch-crunch. Hot apple cider and pumpkin-flavored everything abound. The crisp mornings are perfect for a run. Scarves and hats become standard dresscode. Candycorn! Harvest celebrations. Salmon return to the Northwest rivers en mass. Fall is fantastic!

That said, can't we have a few more hot hot days that necessitate a swim in Lake Crescent? I want to wear t-shirts without layers. I want more raspberries and apricots. I want the sun to wake me up too early. I am a creature of light; as much as I love all that fall is, I never get over the more and more absent sunshine.

Okay, perhaps I'm being a tad dramatic. After all, I know your Midwesterners out there have been waiting oh so patiently for respite from the swelter of this past summer. And our tomatoes and peppers are just starting to burst with color and girth and make our neighbors jealous---i mean excited for what we will share. And the cloudless sky has been quite diligent in her appearance lately.

Alas, I say, "Fall, you're dropping hints that you are en route and I am thrilled to greet you once again, but let me wipe the sweat from my brow and the tomato juice from my chin for just a bit longer."

Devil's Shoelace Custard Pie

Trailing blackberries (Rubus ursinus)--I may have mentioned--are one of the most delicious native berries in the Pacific Northwest. They are kind of like nature's sweet tarts. However, you have to work to get them; they are so tiny that you can pick for well over an hour and end up with only 2-3 cups. Also, they are prickly; they like to vine hither and dither all over the ground. During harvest, a trip and fall into a spikey mess is quite possible (hence the name devil's shoelace). That said, they are SO worth the trouble.

I've had my sights set on making a trailing blackberry pie this year. I was telling my dad about this vision and he started to reminisce about all of the fruit pie's that his mom, my Grandma Arlene, would come up with. My grandma continues to hold the "bestest cook award" in my life. Although all of the grand kids are adults, she and my grandpa keep the cookie jar full for our visits and make sure no one leaves their home underfed. Oh, and did I mention her homemade catsup?

So, of course, when my dad spoke of pie, I knew it wasn't just pie. It was custard pie. I can't say that I've had a lot of custard pie in my life. My memory of custard is of something akin to ice cream, but richer, creamier, and often served with strawberry shortcake . However, I knew my dad wouldn't steer me wrong.

Custard pie filling is quite simple--like most delicious things. Its a mixture of cream or milk, eggs, and sugar. My dad was also excited about the idea because of our access to super farmfresh eggs and creamy raw milk here on the ol' Olympic Peninsula. That settled it, trailing blackberry custard pie!

It was no mistake. The rich creamy custard went perfectly with the tart little berries. I have no doubt that custard would compliment most fruit pies. So, hop to it. Thanks, grandma!

Devil's Shoelace Custard Pie
inspired by Ray and Arlene and adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 pie crust (prebaked for 8 minutes at 450 degrees)
1 1/2 c. trailing blackberries
4 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups of cream or whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly beat eggs with a fork. Then, stir in sugar, vanilla, and salt.
3. Gradually, stir in milk until mixture is thoroughly combined.
4. Spread berries in prebaked crust and set pie pan on the oven rack--this will minimize spillover.
5. Pour filling into pastry shell over berries. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 1 hour or chill in fridge.
7. Yum.

Bountiful tasties...

Behold the passion of garlic!

On Wednesday, I got some lovely produce from the Port Angeles farmer's Market that inspired a "The Pacific Northwest is so awesome in the summer" celebratory meal for Justin's return from the backcountry. Our beets and potatoes or not quite ready for the picking, but I got some Red Norland potatoes and beets from Christie Johnston; along with fresh dill and celery from Nash's and Lazy J Farm. Although I'm not farming right now, I love to support these amazing - mostly female powered - delicious makers.

For the meal, we ate:

Baked dill-schmeared spring chinook (salmon)

Roasted potato/beet salad

Trailing Blackberry custard pie

Roasted Potato/Beet Salad

a small armful of red potatoes
two red beets
5 cloves of garlic (minced)
a handful of fresh basil
3 green onions (chopped)
olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Cut potatoes and beets into rustic chunks
2. Toss potatoes, beets, and garlic in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat the mixture. Add about 2 TBS. of vinegar.
3. Put coated veggies on a baking sheet and roast until soft and brown.
4. Toss roasted veggies with onions and chopped basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chill in the fridge. Enjoy.