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I've been away from my blog and your blogs for four months. Sometimes I get so busy with teaching and life that some of the things I enjoy most get set aside temporarily. Or some little thing happens and I just get on another plane for a while. Four months ago, I turned 65. Always ready for the next challenge, I went to my doctor and asked for a really good checkup. I was told that I need to get my cholesterol down or consider medication. That's not good news for someone who loves food, making bread, belonging to a cheese-making group, making ice cream (not just ice cream, but "gelato!"), etc., etc. I sulked for a while, protested, not ready to join the "high-cholesterol" crowd, not ready to give up my soulmate bond with Paula Deen and butter. I set out to see what I could do for myself to get my numbers down--probably nothing since it runs in my family--but I got on it. In the last four months I've lost 30 pounds, all my numbers are down some and I actually do feel 10 years younger--at least! I have not stopped eating good food. I'm eating good HEALTHY food in small amounts and often. I'm exercising and staying active. My blog emphasis will shift a little toward healthy recipes that I've tried and loved and seasonal foods. I have given up butter and cheese (not forever, of course), but I haven't actually missed those since there are so many other good foods out there to eat. I'm returning to blogging with a recipe that I tried today to use some of our beautiful jewel currants. And you'll notice that in this recipe are butter, eggs and cream-which of course I don't eat anymore. This recipe can be found at
delicious days. I used it just as it's written. I mixed flour butter, confectioner's sugar, egg yolk and salt for the crust. After chilling the dough, I cut it into 5 equal pieces and rolled each one out before fitting it into a buttered 2-piece tart pan.
After baking and cooling the shells, I filled them with fresh currants
Then I mixed the eggs, brown sugar and cream and poured over the berries and back in the oven to bake again.
After the tarts were cooled, I sprinkled confectioner's sugar over the top and enjoyed my first Fresh Red Currant Tart!
The crust is really good. If you like the fresh tangy flavor of red currants, this is a good recipe.
