Sweet Summer and a Blueberry Tart

I am back from Summer’s Leave of Absence.  Yep, I had zero desire to write on this blog, as that would require me sitting down, formulating thoughts, writing, re-writing.  Certainly not going to happen in the heat with all my kids home, and my sister’s kids and no air-conditioning.  And I can’t waste even one precious second of summer’s dripping idleness.

I have just looked through the many hundreds of pictures we took these past few months, and wanted to share some of my favorite Summer times.  All these pictures are nostagically generic- you’ve been there before.  I picked them to bring you back, to those sweet memories of Summer’s heat.

Summerness

First day of Summer is when it's hot enough to get wet. These days, city water parks are all the rage. Remember laying on the hot cement to get warm?

(:

Summer reminds me Freedom isn't Free

Big fireworks are great, but there's nothing like holding a showering torch. Whoot!

Snakies. It's a fascination... like popsicles.

Sunny parades, on the curb

The best view of the parade. Long live Candy Parades and cinnamon taffy.

Summer is when the clowns come out.

A Summer's test of courage... and trust.

Swim lessons! Goggles are so cool.

Summer's comraderie

The Roman baths of Summer

Motoring up the ridge line to see the view.

A time to breathe the best air in the world

Like moths to the light. I'm bored! Can I play Spore on the computer? "No." Please, mom! "No!"..... OK, Fine, but only for 30 minutes." (Three hours later... still playing) Ahh, summer.

Lagoon, Six Flags, Boondocks... smell of asphalt.

I remember every year getting my face painted at the Utah Arts Festival. I loved it.

Summer brings trips to...... places. Like Kennecot Copper Mine. This is one of the tires used on a gravel truck- big as a house!

Cabbage seeds sent home from the elementary at the end of their "plants and living things" unit. They worked- we were all amazed.

So much time in the summer..... time to just do anything.... right Eli and Max!?

Punchdrunk

I'm ending with this one, because me and my kids on a lake, in a river or at a beach is my ultimate ideal of Summer.

Summer is full of good food.  I can’t leave off my epitaph without a favorite dessert, which is……….  the blueberry tart.  Ohhhhhh, you are in for a treat today!   It doesn’t look like much, but that’s the power of perfected simplicity.  It has a buttery, shortbread crust filled with cooked and fresh blueberries.  The process of the cooking, turns the blueberries into their best “blue” flavor and served with a dollop of fresh whipped crème…. It’s a pleasure.  This is a little gem of Summer.

First had this at a skincare home party put on by a darling neighbor in Carnation.  She picked the blueberries from her inlaws bushes.  I was pleasantly surprised, it was so good.  A full year later, I asked for the recipe when my sister, Jaclyn was visiting Carnation and we had picked 12 pounds of exceptional blueberries from Remlinger’s fields.  Again, it didn’t disappoint.

The recipe comes from the cookbook:  Albertina’s Exceptional Recipes- Albertina Kerr Centers.  A collection of recipes served in restaurants where all proceeds go to children’s care centers.  Albertina’s was originally an orphanage.

Blueberry Tart

Crust:                                                      

1 cup flour

¼ t. salt

2 T. sugar

½ cup cold butter

1 T. white vinegar

Filling:

5 cups blueberries, divided

2/3 cup sugar

3 T. flour

½ cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened for garnish

To make crust, combine flour, salt and sugar.  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle vinegar over the top and mix in until ball starts to form.  Gather into a ball.  With lightly floured fingers, press into a greased, 9 inch spring form pan, about ¼ inch thick and extending up the side one inch. (this takes a little time)

To make filling, put 3 cups blueberries into the crust.  Mix sugar, cinnamon and flour.  Sprinkle evenly over berries.  Bake on lowest rack in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and gently stir sugar mixture into berries.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes until crust is brown and filling bubbles.

Remove and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of berries.  Cool and serve with whipped cream.

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