puff

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Fresh Pear Tart! Even if you are only slightly crazy about pears, one taste of this beautiful caramelized fruit dessert will have you boasting of connections to Le Cordon Bleu. The secret to making this incredible tart is baking it in an iron skillet; first on the stove and then in the oven. 
FRESH PEAR TART
Ingredients:

1 sheet of Puff Pastry

6 ripe pears; peeled, cored, and sliced

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Place the butter in the iron skillet on the stove. As it melts, add the sugar and arrange the pears carefully to look appealing when the tart is served “bottom up”. Increase the heat and cook gently until sugar is caramelized. Sprinkle in the cinnamon. Once the sugar has turned golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and gently lay the puff pastry over the fruit. Be sure it fits snugly to the pan. Place the skillet into the oven. Bake 15-20 minutes until the pastry crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before turning upside down onto a serving platter. Cut and serve warm. Add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for the finishing touch. Smile lovingly and say, “It’s just a little something I made with all my heart!” ❤️

Puff is Alive in Shangri-La

Across a single lane bridge, where posted signs kindly ask vehicles to limit seven at a time in one direction, is a mystical land where time stands still for peace and love to thrive. Some refer to it as a Shangri-La with lush green valleys, cascading waterfalls, and towering mountain peaks. Others recall a 1960’s tune about Puff the Magic Dragon living “by the sea in a land called Hanalei”. Islanders simply know it as the North Shore where some of the best waves make surfing a daily ritual. Main Street is quaint and laid back with organic eateries, specialty shops, and barefoot hippies everywhere. Rustic galleries feature hypnotic psychedelic art inspired by creative painters. Multi-faceted crystals, beaded pearls, and hand-crafted jewelry complement tie dyed sarongs and loose fitting fabrics that flow like mist with every step. And people are happy, in a carefree-sort-of-way. Who wouldn’t be content in a place where sandy beaches are sun-warmed, pebbly soft, and white as powder? Brief rain showers are followed by vibrant rainbows that light up the sky before dissolving into radiant sunbeams. Is it a magical place? Listen to the song lyrics, then plan a visit to Hanalei and decide for yourself.