From the category archives:

Pies, Tarts and Cakes

Three Apples You Ought To Know

November 2, 2008 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

Just 14 miles south of Pittsburgh, there’s a rural wonderland called Trax Farms. When I pulled in, I was awed at the sheer size of the place, which includes greenhouses, the better part of a full grocery store, and heaven-to-behold, a local wine outlet where you can actually buy wine. But I was there for the apples, in preparation for the Pro-Am Apple Pie Contest next Saturday. Fortunately, Trax has 16 acres of apple orchard – which works out to about 2500 trees.

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Strawberry-Balsamic Rhapsody, Part One*

August 16, 2008 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

If you take too few of these cupcakes to a party, fights could very well break out. These beauties combine two of my favorite ideas, cake and the tangy, assertive blend of ripe summer strawberries and sweet balsamic vinegar. I don’t think there’s any better way to bring out the flavor of the berry than this particular combination.

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Winter’s Last Stand at the Fruit Stand

April 13, 2008 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

There’s this little thing called “winter” in the ‘Burgh. It lasts from November until early April, and features gray skies, gray branches, gray goop dripping from the skies, and an unfortunate number of gray moods. Fortunately, in the produce section it’s the season of orange, lemon, kiwi and banana. In my world of self-imposed restrictions [...]

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February Challenge: Make the Sweets Yourself

February 5, 2008 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

Here’s the ingredient list for a Twinkie: Enriched wheat flour, sugar, corn syrup, water, high fructose corn syrup, vegetable and/or animal shortening (containing one or more of partially hydrogenated soybean, cottonseed or canola oil, or beef fat), dextrose, whole eggs, modified corn starch, cellulose gum, whey, leavenings (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), salt, [...]

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Pear and Bleu Cheese Tart, Easier than Pie

November 19, 2007 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

I am NOT the first person to adore the combination of pears, blue cheese and nuts. I know that enjoying this melange means that I have impeccable taste. I’ve had it on salad, on bruschetta… so I’m actually surprised that I had not yet had it on a dessert myself until now. But why not? [...]

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Taking on the Urban Apple Festival

November 8, 2007 Pies, Tarts and Cakes

If you have plans this weekend that do not include apple pie, it’s time to come down with a cold. This weekend is the Slow Food Pittsburgh Urban Apple Festival, featuring the Pro/Am Pie-Baking Contest and none other than yours truly in her first pie-baking endeavor (second if you count the test run).

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