Summer and its Gifts — L’été et ses richesses
Summer.
Some people like it hot and dry, some like it hot and humid, others prefer it cool — I have not heard anyone yet ask for rain though, even amongst members of P.’s Irish family.
Me?
I am looking forward to Indian Summer, already — in Boston, they are amazingly beautiful. La chaleur, not my cup of tea, if you ask. I prefer it dry and moderately warm. Quite picky, you might say?
Yet, I can acknowledge that summer has the gift to provide a lot of beautiful produces, fruit and vegetables. Plenty of fresh colorful ingredients to make tasty, colorful salads, like this Crunchy Vegetable Salad, salade de légumes croquants.
Or to prepare seasonal fruit desserts.
Do you know anyone who would complain about this?
Pas moi.
I am especially fond of this time of year when we finally see Apricots show their face. I never resist them.
Although I have not found the best ones yet, those eaten simply by the piece, juicy and sweet, making a mess after the first bite, I have already managed to cook them in a delectable clafoutis. Apricots are really a whimsical and difficult fruit to have right. Too ripe and they suddenly have an unpleasant taste of fermenting alcohol. Still hard and you feel as if you were eating a piece of sour plastic. I am sure that you might not believe me, or add that you have heard this before, but I will say it nonetheless: it was the best clafoutis that I ate in a while. Not the most beautiful one. Not the most presentable one. But so memorable. So much so that I have decided to make a second one tonight.
To enjoy the richness that summer has to offer, beside the heat. And while there are no recipes attached here, I hope that you will not mind. I could not wait to share my Apricot Happiness before I am done with the writing.
Technorati Tags: Food Styling, La Tartine Gourmande, Food Photography, Apricot Clafoutis, Chestnut Flour, Gluten Free Baking, French Dessert
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So much wonderful things and lovely dinnerware! I want I want!
Comment by Jerry — On July, 17th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Do I mind? Quite the opposite.
Being as far north as I am it is impossible to get a good apricot or peach or nectarine. The latter is my absolute favourite and my mouth waters just to say its name!
A gorgeous post for a gorgeous fruit.
Comment by Wendy — On July, 17th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Bea, I wish could take one of those snow peas right off the computer screen and bite it, your salad looks so crunchy, colourful and appealing:-)
Comment by jennie — On July, 17th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Bea, apricot and chestnut is one of my favorite flavor combinations, but quite unusual over here. Lovely to find the clafoutis on your site today, and yes, there is nothing like a good New England indian summer!
Comment by Figs Olives Wine — On July, 17th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
“sour plastic”
hahaha! now that is very colorful and descriptive. and too true!
wonderful photos - quite enough to hold me over until the recipe appears!
hope you enjoy your second batch this evening.
Comment by chanelle — On July, 17th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
These pictures are absolutely wonderful. Looking forward to reading more!
Comment by Heidi — On July, 17th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
yummy!
Comment by YOYO's Food — On July, 17th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
beautiful as usual!
Comment by leonine19 — On July, 18th, 2007 at 1:28 am
Elle me plait réellement beaucoup cette petite salade ….
Comment by Fabienne — On July, 18th, 2007 at 1:41 am
dommage que tu sois si loin…. j’en ai deja vendu 650 kg ! Abricots du Valais ! les meilleurs en Suisse. Mon frere a un enorme champ…. et m’a confie la vente !! Aie aie mon dos!
Je t’en aurais bien offerts !
Je me rejouis de ta recette
Comment by corinne — On July, 18th, 2007 at 2:03 am
delicious post!
Comment by Kat — On July, 18th, 2007 at 3:17 am
After such a healthy crunchy, fresh salad, it will be toally justifiable to indulge in your wonderful clafoutis! So glad we get to see the pics while waiting for the recipes…getting those tastebuds going..Love your photos, they speak of summer.Ronell
Comment by Ronell — On July, 18th, 2007 at 4:20 am
Gorgeous food! I have some apricots now (imported…there are no apricots grown here) so I can’t wait to try something like this!
Comment by joey — On July, 18th, 2007 at 7:46 am
Totally perfect Béa right down to the handles on the stainless! All the yellow and the green is so perfect in the salad. And oh my yes the apricot is devine.
Comment by MyKitchhenInHalfCups — On July, 18th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Love the tart bakeware! Is that the one with the handle? The food are so colourful and inviting. I can’t wait to have my week off next week to do just food styling and photography!!!
Bea, I would love to do a prop swap with you anytime! Will even trade in my apron…
Comment by Mae — On July, 18th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Salads and apricots … that is what we are indulging in these days, too. Fresh apricots from the farmer’s market, plump and sweet and sunny-juicy. And we either buy bags of pre-made organic salads with edible flowers (so pretty) or we buy our own greens and go to town. Ideal for these hot summer days.
Cheers!
Comment by almost vegetarian — On July, 18th, 2007 at 11:55 am
You can tempt us with your picture whenever you want.
Comment by Rose — On July, 18th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Béa… Tu nous tentes tres tres fortement… J’espère que tu vas publier la recette du clafoutis. Bises!
Comment by flo — On July, 18th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
We are in the middle of winter here in Australia, and have had some of the coldest weatehr in 20 odd years this week. I miss summer!
Comment by Lisa — On July, 18th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Oh, Bea! This is beautiful! I need me some of this darling clafoutis!
Comment by Ellie — On July, 19th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Apricot clafoutis…sounds divine to me!
Comment by veron — On July, 19th, 2007 at 7:32 am
C’est vrai que c’est la pleine saison des abricots, juteux et sucrés à souhait. Ce week end je me lance dans une version allemande du crumble : le streusel aux abricots
Comment by Florence — On July, 19th, 2007 at 8:25 am
It seems the apricots in the Pacific Northwest just don’t stand up to those I can get in France…I’ll miss that this summer but I’ll make up for it with American goodies!
When I can in France, I make a great apricot tart with “poudre d’amandes.” I’m sure chestnuts go very well with it too — I like the summer/winter juxtaposition.
Comment by Betty C. — On July, 19th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
Ha, I asked for cold and rain in my blog just this week. No more Summer for me.
Your clafoutis looks wonderful.
Comment by peabody — On July, 19th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Thanks Jerry!
Wendy, thank you. So you want summer eh?
Jennie, maybe one day it will be possible
Figs Olive Wine, ah nice to hear. It is a great association, isn’t it?
Chanelle,
Heidi, thank you.
Yoyo, once again, thanks
Leonine, merci beaucoup.
Fabienne, tant mieux.
Oh Corinne, tu me fais tant envie là! Dommage que je sois si loin effectivement. De bons abricots, c’est si précieux.
Kat, thank you.
Ronell, thank you as well. I think I beat my record of making clafoutis this summer.
Joey, great, I now need to post the recipe, don’t I?
Tanna, thank you.
Mae, no handle no, but a removable bottom. Loved it too. Good to know about the trade
ALmost vegetarian, oh yes, the best of summer indeed.
Rose, nice to know
Flo, oui je dois la publier. Je le ferai bientôt, promis.
Lisa, oh I wish I could give you some of our heat. I am so done with it.
Ellie, wish I could share it.
Veron, to me too!
Florence, ca a l’air d’une superbe idée.
Betty, oh I so much know what you mean. I noticed the same thing. Fruit like apricots are not the same, and I just do not know why.
Peabody, so hot in Seattle as well??
Comment by Béa — On July, 20th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Légumes croquants?
C’est très americain, mon choux!
; )
Comment by david — On July, 22nd, 2007 at 11:00 am
vite, vite la recette !! Je mange mes abricots tous les jours et la il doit m’en rester une 10zaine…..
Comment by corinne — On July, 24th, 2007 at 9:25 am
What a glorious looking salad! Is it possible to get the complete ingrediant list?
Comment by Carol — On July, 24th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Carol,
In the salad, the list of vegetabkes is: green beans, yellow zucchinis, radishes, arugula, fava beans and snap peas. I used fresh tarragon, parsley and made a vinaigrette with walnut oil.
Comment by Béa — On July, 24th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
[...] want to be making the most of the new seasons gifts? In fact, here and here and here. And here. Which turned out far better, in it’s shallow quiche pan than mine in a casserole, but I can [...]
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