Category Archives: baking

Books and bakes #21: The Quiet Zone and butter tarts

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The bake

It’s still summer, but fall is in the air, which means I’m about to get serious about baking again (along with making soup and drinking hot apple cider and wearing cardigans). Last week, there were a couple of days when the temperature dropped low enough to wear a light sweater while outside. And, so, I had the urge to bake something–something that didn’t even have a summer fruit in it.

I’ve made these butter tarts from Little Sweet Baker a few times, so I knew the recipe worked well. They are a real treat! I know some people have strong feelings about whether butter tarts should include raisins or nuts, but I prefer them plain. These are so simple to make. A bonus? The recipe makes enough pastry for two batches, so you can stick the leftover dough in the freezer, making it even easier to whip up a dozen of these babies the next time you have a craving.

The book

I’m just over the halfway point in The Quiet Zone: Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence by Stephen Kurczy. Kurczy is a journalist who spent time in Green Bank, West Virginia–a town that limits radio frequencies that could interfere with technology used by astronomers at the Green Bank Observatory. This quiet zone has attracted people from all over who are looking to live differently, including those wanting to be off the grid and “electrosensitives,” who say technology can make them physically ill. It’s these people who Kurczy spends time with that drew me in. However, I am curious to see what the final conclusion will be. Does technology cause us more harm than it helps us? And how much can we participate in today’s society without it? (Also curious to see if I’ll decide to throw away my smartphone after I finish reading. But I doubt it.)

Books and bakes #20: A Town Called Solace and blueberry peach pie

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The bake

I don’t know if it has anything to do with aging, but I find that the older I get, the more excited I am about local produce. In Ontario, blueberries and peaches are both in season. As you may remember from my last post, I’m into peaches in a big way. So I was all set to make a peach pie. But seeing as I had picked up some Ontario blueberries from the market, I thought, why not look for a recipe that uses both blueberries and peaches? That’s how I came to make this blueberry peach pie from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

The pie turned out heavenly–a little taste of Ontario summer in every bite. For the pastry, I used the recipe from Canadian Living that I have used so many times before and that I know I like (both to work with and to eat). The hardest part of making this pie is peeling all the peaches, which really isn’t difficult at all, just a little messy. This is definitely worthy of making again.

The book

I’m about a third of the way through A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson, which I started reading last night. The novel was recently long-listed for the Booker Prize. To be honest, I’d heard of it before it made it to the long list, but it didn’t really catch my interest. However, when I returned The Guest List to my mom last weekend, she lent me this one.

Set in a small town in northern Ontario, the novel alternates between three perspectives: Clara, a seven-year-old girl whose teenage sister has recently run away; Elizabeth, Clara’s elderly neighbour who has gone into the hospital and has asked Clara to look after her cat; and Liam, a stranger to the town of Solace, who has moved into Elizabeth’s home. I’m not quite sure where the story is going to take me, but it has certainly lured me in.

Books and bakes #19: The Guest List and peach crumb bars

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The bake

Peaches are one of my favourite fruits–quite possibly my absolute favourite. But let me clarify that the peaches must be local and perfectly ripe. Biting into a peach that isn’t in season is a different experience entirely. So when I heard Ontario peaches were out this year, I grabbed a basket as soon as I could.

The thing is, while I love peaches, eating a perfectly ripe peach can be a little tricky. Or at least I haven’t mastered the art of it. They are so deliciously juicy that you basically have to eat one over the sink. (It’s worth it, but it’s just not ideal.) Luckily, there are so many things you can do with peaches. You could make a cobbler or a crisp, slice them up and eat them with some whipped cream or ice cream, dice them and toss them into pancakes or muffins. You can grill them and/or add them to a salad. Did I mention I love peaches?

Last year, I made these peach crumb bars from Brown Eyed Baker after buying a few too many peaches that I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat before they went bad. But this year, I bought the peaches specifically so I could make these bars. I liked them that much! The shortbread crust and topping provide an excellent balance to the peach filling. Try to stop at just one.

The book

I gave The Guest List by Lucy Foley to my mother as part of her most recent Christmas gift. I had heard such good things about it, and I know my mom enjoys a good thriller just as I do. And I guess a part of me knew she would be willing to lend it to me after she’d finished it, which she has.

The story is about a group gathered for a wedding taking place on an island off the coast of Ireland. There are multiple perspectives told in the first person, but smartly, the author begins each chapter with not only the name of the character whose perspective we’re getting, but also includes their role in the wedding. It really helps keeps everyone straight. I am about a third of the way through, and the tension is building. I can’t to see where the story goes.

Books and bakes #18: The Wild Laughter and banana chocolate chip muffins

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The bake

As I mentioned in my last “books and bakes” post, I haven’t been baking as much since it has gotten hotter. However, I had three overripe bananas sitting on the counter, staring at me. I usually make banana bread when I have overripe bananas, but I decided to do something different this time. OK, who am I kidding? These muffins are just banana bread baked in a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan. It might not be a different flavour, but it’s a different shape! That still counts as changing it up. Plus, I used a recipe that was new to me (favourite banana chip muffins from Taste of Home).

I was a little skeptical of the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips; it seemed a bit stingy. I went with it, though, and I found the ratio between chocolate and banana bread to be on point. These muffins were flavourful, moist, and light–perfect to pair with my afternoon cup of tea.

The book

I just finished The Wild Laughter by Caoilinn Hughes. This slim family drama is set in rural Ireland in 2008 and centres around adult brothers Cormac and Hart and their parents. The family farm that Hart is supposed to take over is struggling and his father’s health is rapidly declining. And then Cormac and Hart’s father makes a request of his sons that could have devastating consequences for the entire family.

I enjoyed how Hughes illustrated the complexities of familial relationships, particularly between the parents and sons, and especially between the brothers. Alongside all of this, there is so much humour, making the heavy parts of the story much lighter. To be honest, I wasn’t drawn into the book right away, but when I did get into it, I was very into it. And that almost makes me want to go back to the beginning to see if I might get more out of it now.

Books and bakes #17: Heaven and lemon blueberry yogurt loaf

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The bake

I haven’t been baking as much lately, and it’s all because of the changing seasons. When the weather is nicer, I want to be outside more, and I can’t say I love turning the oven on when I’m already sweating. Also, I have been eating a lot of ice cream, so it’s not as though I’ve needed to satisfy my sweet tooth with some baked treats. But I did feel the urge to try this lemon blueberry yogurt loaf from Jo Cooks the other day. The yogurt, along with the lemon syrup, made it so wonderfully moist. The glaze added even more lemon flavour with a bit of sweetness to balance it out. (But I do wish I’d made the glaze a little bit thicker.) The result was a light cake bursting with flavour that wasn’t too sweet. I recommend it for late spring or early summer evenings when you want to take a break from all of the ice cream you’ve been eating (although I’m sure a scoop of vanilla alongside a slice would be quite delicious).

The book

I recently finished Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, a short coming-of-age novel translated into English from the original Japanese. The book centres on a 14-year-old boy called “Eyes” by his bullies (a reference to the protagonist’s lazy eye) and describes the isolation and torment he experiences. The boy becomes secret friends with a schoolmate–a girl who is also being bullied. The two friends never speak in school and communicate primarily through letters and by occasionally meeting in private. The depictions of the bullying can be quite intense–it might be quite triggering for some people. Reading about the trauma these two young teens endure was difficult, to say the least. There is a lot of pain in this book, but there is a lot of beauty, too. I particularly liked the relationship with the boy and his stepmom. And, honestly, I am just in awe of any writer who can provoke so much feeling in a reader with such a short work.