september birchbox review

Posted on September 27, 2013 by anisa

September Birchbox

So it’s the tail end of September and I’ve finally gotten around to sampling and reviewing all of the products I received in my September Birchbox. I got some great products this month! I was unfamiliar with Paula’s Choice and Coastal Scents – and you know I love discovering new brands! I was also really excited to try a new hairspray, especially Serge Normant’s, because I love his dry shampoo. This month I also wanted to try something different and include photos of how a product looked on me when I tried it in order to provide a better review. I hope this makes the reviews more useful to you!

Birchbox – Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hairspray

Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hairspray: There’s two kinds of people in this world – those who use hairspray properly, and those who do not. Then, there’s hairspray like this that is almost impossible to use improperly. Part of my product test was to over-spritz my locks to see how the buildup would feel after, say, 2-3 styles. Drumroll please… there was literally no buildup. I used this in a variety of applications, from setting an updo to making my bedhead work-appropriate. I got great definition and a strong hold, but my hair remained touchable and impermeable by the San Francisco wind. Check out my photo below for the bedhead application – I used hair oil to smooth out some of the frizz and a few sprays of the Serge Normant, et voila!

September Birchbox – Ruffian Lacquer: Hedge Fund

Ruffian Nail Lacquer – Hedge Fund: This lacquer is amazing. The formula is thick and pigment rich, and the bottle design makes the brush very easy to control. I needed only 2 coats to create the look below, and the lacquer set very quickly. I painted my nails before bed and did not wake up with the dreaded sheet crinkle texture on my nails.

Hedge Fund Mani

My mani stayed intact for approximately one week with no chips, which is something of a miracle given how much I cook. Did you know that Ruffian is actually a fashion brand, and that this lacquer is their debut beauty release (available exclusively at Birchbox). These gents are also the geniuses behind the Ruffian Manicure – also known as the half-moon mani. Check out my tutorial over here to score a salon-status Ruffian Manicure at home.

Coastal Scents Neutral Mirage Palette

Coastal Scents Neutral Mirage Palette: So I feel pretty bad admitting this, but I’m really skeptical of eyeshadows that come in giant palettes… especially from brands I’ve never heard of. My skepticism was totally shot down. The texture of the shadow was smooth, like what you would expect from your department-store shadows. The pigment was rich and the shadows all applied very well to my lids (it didn’t cling to one section of my lid and refuse to blend out). I created the below look using colors from my sample (and black liner and mascara). This look stayed in place until I removed it at the end of the night. While the palette is probably too big for my on-the-go lifestyle, this would be a great, affordable investment for someone who wants a ton of colors to play around with and who doesn’t live out of a suitcase/car.

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Look

The color is a little off (crappy lighting in my room), and you can go ahead and ignore my sloppy brows, please. I used the yellow gold on my inner corners, the orange over my lid, and layered the sparkly brown over the matte brown in my crease for some subtle drama.

Dr. Lipp’s Original Nipple Balm for Lips

Dr. Lipp’s Original Nipple Balm For Lips: This sounds NSFW but it’s totally PG. Dr. Lipp originally created this product for nursing mothers to sooth any post-feeding discomfort, like chafing or dryness. The brand later discovered that this little balm worked miracles on lots of dry areas, including lips and cuticles. The formula has a texture and consistency more similar to Vaseline than lip balm or lotion, and you need the tiniest amount to cover your lips. It really did work a miracle on my moisture-starved lips. My only complaint is the ease of application. I had a hard time getting the product out of the tube, and found it a little too sticky for on-the-go application. I always has some excess residue on my finger and often didn’t have anywhere to wipe it.

Paula’s Choice Resist BHA 9

Paula’s Choice RESIST BHA 9 for Stubborn Imperfections: Well, that’s a mouthful. To be honest, I had really high hopes for this product (it arrived during a terrible skin-week for me). I didn’t see much benefit from it. I applied the serum-like-stuff 3 nights in a row, exactly as instructed. Maybe my pores looked a little smaller, but my skin didn’t feel any smoother, and my blemishes certainly didn’t calm down. This wasn’t a good addition to my beauty regimen, but perhaps it could be to yours! If you do give it a try, I’d be curious to hear how it worked for you.

That’s all for this post! Until next month

ruffian manicure tutorial

Posted on September 27, 2013 by anisa

OMG I’m so excited. This is the my first tutorial, and while I know the image quality could be better (sorry… got home way later than anticipated and totally lost the natural light…), I think I’ve devised a really easy way to get a salon-grade Ruffian manicure! Once you get the basics down, you’ll be all set to start creating enviable nail art complete with embellishments, ombre, and whatever other trends strike your fancy.

For this look, I used Essie’s Twin Sweater Set and Color Club’s Birchbox Exclusive Put a Pin in it. While this particular tutorial unfortunately does not feature a Ruffian lacquer (Birchbox only sent me one, okay!), you can check out my Hedge-Fund mani on my September Birchbox Review post to see how I used it.

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step One

Step One: Lay out all of your materials. You’ll need a base coat, top coat, 2 complimentary polish colors, scissors, and a magazine to protect your table (not pictured).

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step Two

Step Two: Cut one slit in ten of the reinforcement labels. Do this while the labels are still attached to the paper backing. The slit should cut all the way through the ring, leaving you with an expandable circle that can be adjusted to fit any size nail bed while yielding a consistent edge.

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step Three

Step Three: Prep nails with base coat and let dry 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully apply the labels. Unless you have very slender thumbs, you’ll need to expand the circle slightly. Do this by pressing down the center of the label, then gently pulling each side out as far as you need to in order to make the label hit the edge of your skin. Press the edges firmly to ensure a crisp line. I created slightly smaller rings for my fingers by overlapping the edges. If the label wrinkles (it probably will on your thumb) just use your nail or cuticle pusher and smooth it out. I like to leave about one label-width between my cuticle and the bottom of the label because it creates a thin, elegant line that elongates my short nail beds. If yours are longer, you may want to leave more space to create a wider half-moon.

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step Four

Step Four: Apply two coats of your first color. Remember that proper application begins with a small dot in the center of your nail, which you gently push back so that it almost touches your cuticles. Then, sweep out toward each side to cover completely. Unfamiliar with this technique? Check out this awesome post from Lacquerized for a detailed explanation.

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step Five

Step Five: Carefully peel away the label. By the time you finish painting the second coat on your last digit, the first digit should be just set enough to peel away the label. You cannot leave the label on your finger until the polish is totally dry – doing so will cause the label to lift your polish right off. And this is why I like these rings so much: I was able to grab one side and lift straight up while rotating my finger in the opposite direction, which gave me a crisp, clean line.

Birchbloggers Ruffian Manicure Tutorial Step Six

Step Six: Apply two coats of your second color. This is the time to be extra careful and extra detailed in your application. You want to push the brush back on your nail so that the second color bumps up against the first color. Removing the label will have left a ridge where the first color ends, and you want to push your second color up to that point. You should be able to feel the ridge through the handle of your polish brush, so make sure you go slowly and even the most unsteady hand will still get a perfect Ruffian Manicure.

Step Seven: Top with topcoat and pat yourself on the back.

gameday snacks: open face breakfast sandwich [week 3]

Posted on September 22, 2013 by anisa

My world totally changed when I moved to New York for college: I no longer had to wake up at 9:45 to catch the first Sunday game. I quickly realized the pitfall of getting to sleep in was having to stay parked on the couch until late in the night, which often led to some academic sacrifices… (usually my econ homework.) 6 years and a full-time job later, my sleep patterns are completely different; these days I consider myself lucky if my internal clock lets me sleep past 9 on the weekend. I’m back in California now, and over the last 2 years, I’ve found myself not only bright eyed and caffeinated by kickoff, but also very well-fed. These breakfast sandwiches have become a Sunday favorite of mine, and I really wish I’d made them in college instead of hitting the Starbuck’s drive-thru every week.

Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

There are 3 things that make this breakfast sandwich different from – and better than! – your go-to pickup:

1) Homemade bread (just plan ahead and bake it off on Saturday).
2) Slow-cooked scrambled eggs (yes, fried eggs are traditional. But do you really want to deal with runny yolk while you eat over your lap?).
3) Using bacon fat instead of butter (no additional required).

Note: I said this was delicious, not healthy/low-fat/low-carb/diet/etc. It’s Sunday, it’s early, and I presume you enjoyed your Saturday and need some help feeling human again. No? Then you’re doubly entitled to indulge a little since you were so responsible last night. Still not buying it? OK, see the recipe notes for both a vegetarian and a healthier alternative. Just please, please, please make your own bread.

Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

Note the bread to filling ratio on this beauty: the bread is sliced just thickly enough to support the weight of all ingredients and is neither cardboard thin nor Texas-toast thick. The ingredients are assembled in a way that keeps the sandwich intact, even if eaten with one hand over a napkin. The cheese layer on the bottom melts and forces the bacon to stick to it, while the weight of the eggs pushes the bacon into the aforementioned sticky cheese. Don’t worry about the eggs sliding around – they adhere to themselves after they’ve set, so once you’ve got the breakfast sandwich assembled, you should be good.

Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

gameday snacks: open face breakfast sandwiches [week 3]

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

yield: 4

gameday snacks: open face breakfast sandwiches [week 3]

ingredients

Bread boule - 4 slices (homemade or from a good bakery. You can bake your bread the morning of or the night before.)
Cheese of your choice - 8 deli-size slices (I used American)
Bacon - 8 slices
Eggs - 8
Salt
Pepper

instructions

Mise en place, and read this recipe all the way through.
Crack all eggs into a large bowl and season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Beat lightly with a fork or whisk and set aside.
Fry up your bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Depending on size, you may need to do this in 2 batches.
Drain the rendered fat into a heatproof vessel and wipe out any residue (do this after each batch to avoid burning).
Allow the pan to cool by removing it from the burner it was on while you complete the next step.
Brush one side of each slice of bread with bacon fat and set aside, brushed side up.
Return the nonstick skillet to the stove and set over low heat.
Add 1 TBSP of reserved bacon fat to the skillet and swirl to coat.
Pour in eggs, and immediately start stirring with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon.
Cook over low heat until the eggs are just barely set. They may look a little runny, but they'll continue to cook while they're assembled and kept warm in the oven.
Transfer the eggs to a large bowl and wipe the pan clean of any egg residue.

To Assemble

Place 2 slices of bread fatted side down in the same skillet over medium-low heat.
Add 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of bacon to each, then top with one fourth of the scrambled eggs.
Cook just until the cheese melts, then carefully transfer to a 200 degree oven and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Notes

These can be assembled 30 minutes ahead of time and kept warm in a low oven if the eggs are slightly underdone. To make this vegetarian, use soy bacon and brush the bread with softened butter. To make this healthier, replace the cheese with avocado and use tomato in place of bacon; toast the bread and assemble.

http://whiskandheels.com/kitchen/open-face-breakfast-sandwich

Dare to be different! Try different cheeses (the deli will generally sell you anything they put on sandwiches), different breakfast meats, and different flavor profiles. Let me know what combinations you come up with!

september sample society box review: box c

Posted on September 20, 2013 by anisa

This post is so much later than I intended it to be! I meant to post last Friday when I finished playing with my new products, but my schedule got the better of me. Better late than never, right?

This month’s Sample Society box was pretty good! It contained 4 skincare items and one bonus accessory (which was, coincidentally, my absolute favorite item in the box).

Sample Society September Box, Box C

Summary of contents:
BioBliss Lock It In Serum for Face and Eyes
Deepa Gurnani Scroll Clip in Gunmetal Grey
MD SolarSciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer
Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
Arcona Cranberry Toner

This month, I’m reviewing my Sample Society box in order of favorites:

Deepa Gurnani Scroll Clip in Gunmetal Grey

Deepa Gurnani Scroll Clip: Omg. Obsessed. This clip is gorgeous, unique, and in my favorite color palette. The beading actually perfectly matched a navy dress I have, and I really wish I’d insta-d a photo so I could post it here for you to see. From a functionality standpoint, the hardware on this pretty little hairpiece was also a big win: it held my thick hair exactly where I wanted it to on the first try. I stayed out later than I should have and when I got home, my hair was still perfectly pinned. I’ll be investing in more from Deepa Gurnani this fall!

Arcona Cranberry Toner

Arcona Cranberry Toner: This. Smells. So. Good. Toners and facial mists have been my latest beauty obsession, so I was really excited to try out another toner in my sample society box this month. I also loved that I’d never heard of Arcona, which meant I got to research the brand! They’re a LA/Hollywood company that doesn’t use any icky ingredients in their products – which is incredibly important to me. I don’t put crap in my body so I definitely don’t want it on my skin. This toner not only smelled fantastic, but also absorbed quickly into my skin and left me with a very matte finish. I think it actually helped my moisturizer penetrate my skin too, because my moisturizer sunk in more quickly than it ever has before (a big plus since sometimes I think my pillow is getting more moisturized than my face).

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser: Suki is another fantastic all-natural line, and I just learned that in addition to their skincare line, they also make cosmetics. I’ve tried this product before, and I was so happy to get another sample. The sugar gently exfoliates while the lemongrass oils provide a serious kick of happiness and sunshine (and moisture). My skin felt clean, soft, and supple after I rinsed off the foamy lather. I primarily use a Clarisonic brush for exfoliation, but I love to have a high quality exfoliate on-hand for overnight trips. I highly recommend this to everyone, but especially sensitive skin types. It’s SO gentle.

MD SolarSciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer

MD SolarSciences Daily Anti-Aging Moisturizer: I wanted to love this moisturizer, but I just didn’t. It went on very easily (a pea-sized dollop covered my face and neck), was very lightweight, and boasts a lot of positive changes, such as fine-line reduction, boosting skin’s radiance, and sun protection. Unfortunately, the formula just didn’t play nice with my daily foundation – it left a pretty tacky finish and prevented my CC cream from ever really sinking into my skin. This moisturizer also carries a pretty hefty price tag. Because I get a lot of the same benefits from my BB/CC creams and my nightly moisturizer, I wouldn’t invest in this. But, if you’re blessed with skin that makes you feel beautiful while totally bare, I could absolutely see justifying this as your daily product – especially since such a small amount goes a long way.

BioBliss Lock It In Serum

BioBliss Lock It In Serum: This one just didn’t do it for me. Instead of helping the absorption of my moisturizer, this serum actually kind of prevented it. I had to wash my face a second time and reapply just my moisturizer because my face felt so sticky. Upon re-reading the suggested use, I noticed that the recommendation was to use serum on top of another BioBliss product. I would have like to try both together to see the intended results.

So there you have it! Not my favorite box overall, but I definitely got some awesome products this month. Do you subscribe? What did you get in your box?

gameday snacks: mac and cheese cups [week 2]

Posted on September 15, 2013 by anisa

Welcome to week 2! This week brings another handheld twist on a classic pasta dish that I hope you’ll all enjoy: mac and cheese cups. As I’m sure you gathered, this week’s recipe is a little more heavy duty than last week’s… it got really cold all of a sudden and I felt like I needed to make something warm and comforting to ease myself into the shorter, cooler days.

Humble Mac and Cheese Cups

I like to call these my humble mac and cheese cups. There’s no aged gouda, truffle butter, or prosciutto in this recipe… and guess what? It’s still really, really good. I’m generally pretty spendthrift when I cook, but it’s especially important to me to keep the gameday series recipes very affordable. Hosting football Sunday should be fun, not a huge budget hit! You can find everything you need to make them at one store (but probably also in your pantry and fridge), so instead of chasing down ingredients, you’ll be prepping for friendly trash talk.

Mac and Cheese Cups

While I think these mac and cheese cups are fantastic just as the recipe states, I urge you to experiment with your own unique additions – especially if you have leftovers to use up. I will personally be making these with bacon in the very near future. You could also crumble up leftover (cooked!) burgers – beef or turkey – pulled pork, hot dogs, sausages… you get my drift. If you would serve it with mac and cheese, it will probably taste good in the mac and cheese.

Mac and Cheese Cups

The one thing in this recipe you really should not experiment with omitting is the chive garnish. These little cups are rich, and they need a fresh, clean component to round out the flavors.

Mac and Cheese Cups

One more thing: don’t pack your mac and cheese into the muffin tin wells by pressing the tops down. They look mass-produced and far less appealing when the tops are flattened. By contrast, I really love the way the noodles look when they’re allowed to fall into the cup however they slide off the spoon – it reminds me of diving into a big bowl of mac and cheese!

gameday snacks: mac and cheese cups [week 2]

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 40 minutes

total time: 50 minutes

yield: 12

ingredients

8 oz dry elbow macaroni
2 TBSP butter (salted or unsalted)
2 TBSP all purpose flour
1 C whole milk
4 oz American cheese, shredded
8 oz medium cheddar, shredded
2 TBSP finely chopped chives

instructions

Mise en place, and read through the entire recipe.
Cook pasta according to directions on box, but reduce boil time by 2 minutes. For example: my box instructed 9-11 minutes boil time, so I pulled my pasta after 7 minutes. This is important! If you cook the noodles to a true al-dente, you'll get mushy mac and cheese cups after they bake off in the oven. Underdoing the noodles slightly at this point ensures al-dente mac and cheese cups.
Drain and set aside. Return the same pot to the stove over medium heat.
Melt butter, then whisk in flour and cook until the flour is totally saturated with the butter, about 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. This is a roux! Not as hard as you thought it would be, huh?
Add about a quarter of the milk, whisking vigorously to try and eliminate any lumps.
Slowly add in the rest of the milk, still whisking continuously.
Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of the spoon, and leave a bare section on the pot for a few seconds when the spoon is dragged across the bottom of the pot. This should only take another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and turn off stove. You do not want to heat the cheese any more than the hot milk and noodles heat it, as you'll risk breaking the emulsion (and you can't fix that).
Transfer drained pasta from the colander to the pot and stir to coat the noodles completely in the bechamel.
Add cheese, a handful at a time, to the pot and stir to combine. Repeat until all the cheese is added and you've got a homogenous sauce mixture. It's going to be really, really thick, and this is a good thing because it means the mac and cheese will hold their cup shape after baking.
Spoon the mac and cheese into a lightly greased muffin tin. If you use a standard muffin tin, you'll get 12 cups; a muffin tin with mini wells will get you 24 bite-sized cups. You'll need about 2 TBSP of mac and cheese to fill the standard size muffin tins - I measured mine by scooping out heaping soup-spoonfuls and gently sliding the mixture into the wells. A few bites may have been lost in the transfer process.
At this point, you can either bake the cups or refrigerate them. DO NOT refrigerate your mac and cheese and expect to transfer it to the muffin tin at a later time. It will be too hard, and you'll end up breaking all of the noodles in the process. If you choose to bake off later, just lightly grease a sheet of tinfoil so it doesn't stick to the tops of the mac and cheese cups
Bake at 375. If you do not refrigerate and you're using standard size muffin tins, this should only take 10-15 minutes. Mini tins should take 7-10 minutes. If you do refrigerate and bake off later, this will take 15-20 minutes for standard size, and 10-15 minutes for the minis. You're not looking for any deep browning, just cheesy, bubbling goodness.
Let stand 10 minutes after removing from the oven. This is critical - this is the time it takes for the cups to set and hold their shape.
If you have a small, offset spatula, use it to remove the mac and cheese cups from the pan. Otherwise, use any non-serrated knife (gently) to get the cups out.
Garnish with the chopped chives, and enjoy!

Notes

This is a really thick mac and cheese, which is what allows it to keep it's shape after baking. If your milk mixture is thin, there's a possibility that you didn't cook your roux and milk long enough for it to thicken.

Adapted from Fifteen Spatulas and Allrecipes

http://whiskandheels.com/kitchen/mac-and-cheese-cups

peach plum tart

Posted on September 11, 2013 by anisa

#humblebrag: This is the most beautiful creation to come out of my kitchen. And I’m really, ridiculously, excited to share it. (Don’t worry, it tastes really good too!)

Hi, I’m beautiful. My name is peach plum tart. I taste really good, too!

Before I get started, a few things:

I promise, I do make more than pies and tarts. As of late, I’ve just found it incredibly soothing to make pie crust and tart shells. Something about cutting butter into flour and smearing it to create those coveted layers relaxes me just as much as an hour of hot yoga. I’ve also really been enjoying experimenting with subtle recipe variations that yield different textured pastry; an egg really can make all the difference in the world! Please stick with me and you’ll get your cupcakes and cakes very soon!
OMG there’s still delicious summer fruit at my favorite farmer’s market. I feel obligated to find as many ways to consume it as possible. If you don’t live in an area without a lingering summer and you’re already into apple season, then I’m sorry. But also consider checking out my recent post on freezing fruit so that you’re not left out next year!

Peach Plum Tart

OK, so: let’s talk peach plum tart. Why that combination? Because that’s what tasted really good at the Frog Hollow Farm booth. The peaches were sweet, summery, and tender-but-firm, making them ideal for baking. Super soft peaches tend to fall apart, which is fine for a double-crust pie, but not great for a tart that should be showcasing the beauty of the fruit. The plums provided a great tart (no pun intended) contrast to the sweet peaches. As you can see from above, the color of the skin and meat of the peach and the plum also look beautiful together. That said, I see no reason why you couldn’t make this tart with all peach, all plum, or even with nectarines! Go with what tastes fresh and delicious, and you’ll have a fantastic final product.

Peach Plum Tart

You might be wondering, “Do I really have to make a tart crust from scratch?” The answer is YES. First: it tastes way better. Second: it tastes way better. Third: tart and pie pastry are different. Pie crust should be more like a croissant or a puff pastry, with defined, flaky layers. A tart shell should be more tender than flaky – more similar to, say, a shortbread cookie. So, you can’t use pre-made pie dough from the supermarket for this. Scared of making pastry at home? Don’t be. It’s easy – I’ll walk you through it! You do not need a food processor: just invest in a $10 pastry blender and you’re good to go.

Peach Plum Tart

Another important note: there will be some juice drippage if you do not refrigerate! That said, it’s fairly minimal and slow-moving. You’re not going to cut into this and have a runny mess all over your board. The above was after a good 20 minutes of shooting… and I was bad and cut into a still-slightly-warm tart. I couldn’t help it.

Peach Plum Tart

peach plum tart

prep time: 2 hours

cook time: 1 hour

total time: 3 hours

peach plum tart

ingredients

For the Pastry

1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/4 C vanilla sugar (granulated is fine if you don't have vanilla sugar)
1/4 tsp table salt
9 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to begin)
2 egg yolks

For the Filling

2 large plums (appx 3/4 lb)
2 large peaches (appx 3/4 lb)
1/4-1/2 C granulated white sugar (use less if your fruit is very sweet, more if it's very tart)
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch

instructions

Mise en place!

For the Pastry

In a bowl large enough to make the pastry dough, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Add the butter cubes and toss so that they're fully coated by the flour. This will make it easier to cut into the flour by preventing your pastry blender or food processor blade from sticking.
If you're using a food processor, transfer to the processor bowl. If you're cutting by hand, proceed to do so. Pulse or cut until the butter is the size of small peas.
Lightly beat the egg yolks, then stream into the processor using the feed tube, or sprinkle over your work bowl. Pulse or continue to cut with pastry blender.
Now it's time to use your hands. The dough will be slightly crumbly at this stage; pick up the chunks and smear between your fingertips, then allow to fall back into the bowl. This elongates the butter which will create some layers in the pastry once baked. Your fingertips will also ever so slightly melt the part of the butter, which will help bring the dough together.
Pick up a chunk of crumbles and squeeze together. If it holds its shape, you're ready to move on to the next step. If not, keep working it with your hands. If it's really, really dry, add 1 TBSP ice water.
Press the dough into a 9 inch round tart pan with a removable bottom, making one even layer. Make sure to press it in against the sides so that the pastry has a clean lines
Transfer to the refrigerator and chill while you make the filling

For the Filling

Cut your fruit into even wedges. My fruit was large, so I quartered it, then cut each quarter into 3 wedges
In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch with a whisk.
Add fruit, and toss gently to coat completely.
Add lemon juice and lemon zest, toss again.
Let fruit macerate (marinate, but fruit-specific) for 30 minutes, stirring gently after 15 minutes

To Assemble and Bake

Preheat your oven to 425
Arrange the fruit however you like in the tart shell! I went skin side up and made a rose pattern, but this is a time for you to experiment and get creative.
When you're done arranging the fruit (and don't feel obligated to shove it all in there), pour any juices over the top.
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes on the middle rack
Drop temperature to 375 and loosely cover tart with aluminum foil. The foil will help trap steam and create the juicy stuff that surrounds the fruit. Technically speaking.
Remove the tart from the oven when the juices are bubbling, this should take another 30-40 minutes under the foil.
When remove the tart from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 1-2 hours to help the fruit set up, then return to room temperature to serve.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

To make vanilla sugar simply add 1-2 vanilla beans to a jar of sugar. Continue to refill sugar as you use it. I use pods that have been scraped of their seeds for this; it allows me to use something that would otherwise be discarded. If you make a custard and you put the pod in with the seeds, just rinse and dry thoroughly before adding.

http://whiskandheels.com/kitchen/peach-plum-tart

Please let me know how this recipe works for you!

[tt&t] how to freeze your summer fruits

Posted on September 11, 2013 by anisa

First Tips, Tricks, & Techniques post! And it’s a good one!

I want to share something really earth shattering: you can have summer fruit all winter long if you use your freezer properly! But how, you ask? Simple. Here’s a collection of wisdom shared by Alton Brown on various episodes of Good Eats. Go forth and freeze! (your fruit, that is.)

Blueberries: lay them flat on a sheet pan and freeze until rock hard (2-4 hours). Transfer to a freezer bag for long-term storage.

Strawberries: hull them, and then same as above. But they’ll probably take closer to 4 hours to freeze solid.

Peaches: these ones require more effort. Blanch (drop in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then shock in an ice bath to prevent cooking) and gently peel the skin away once cool enough to handle. Or, wrestle with your peeler and get really frustrated. Dice the peaches into a quarter to a half inch dice and toss with sugar (you’ll need about one cup of sugar per pound of peaches). The sugar prevents the peaches from becoming soppy shells of their former existence once they’re thawed. It doesn’t make the peaches sweeter on the inside, it just protects them on the outside. Transfer to freezer bags, then lay flat on a sheet tray to freeze through. To use: thaw and strain, if desired. If you’re making a pie, keep the liquid and reduce the sugar in your recipe by one third to one half depending on taste. If you strain the peaches, keep the sugar syrup and find another way to use the sweet, peachy goodness. A cocktail would be an excellent application. I’ll post a recipe soon!

whisk and heels

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Author Archives: anisa

september birchbox review

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ruffian manicure tutorial

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gameday snacks: open face breakfast sandwich [week 3]

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september sample society box review: box c

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gameday snacks: mac and cheese cups [week 2]

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peach plum tart

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[tt&t] how to freeze your summer fruits

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