Guys, I’m a little ashamed of this post. We’re getting a little Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. And a bit Semi-Lazy with Maria Noel. I am currently spending my final day in San Francisco visiting my BFFLs Nikki and Jacob. We have been here since Thursday night and packed in some sightseeing and lots (lots) of eating since then. I got dessert snacks at Miette, Tartine, and Bouchon Bakery, among other places. We’ve hit up Mexican, Italian, and Indian joints. We visited a farmers’ market and got amazing strawberries and grapefruit, the quality of which won’t be seen in Ohio for several months. I’m basically in heaven.
Phillip and I decided we would make a homemade meal for Nikki and Jacob on our last day here since they were generous enough to open up their futon to us and drive us all over the place. The funny thing about cooking in their kitchen is that they have not built up the store of kitchen equipment that we have in the five years Phillip and I have shared a home. No pie plates, no rubber spatulas, no food scale (gasp!)
They have recently purchased a food processor, so I decided to make a shortbread crust with Walker’s shortbread cookies. I pressed it into a disposable aluminum pie tin and stuck it in the oven for ten minutes or so. When it came time to take it out, I grabbed what I thought was an oven mitt to take it out, burned my fingers, and dropped the pie tin, sending cookie crumbs all over the oven. Woops. Turns out their “oven mitt” is actually a pot holder and isn’t so well padded.
We made a trip out to Target, where Nikki purchased a proper oven mitt and I got them a zester as a house-warming gift. Necessities! I also picked up a pre-made graham cracker crust because I was just not having it anymore. I have a little bit of guilt about it. But I figure I’ve made enough from-scratch crusts in my day to deserve a cheat every now and then.
Once the zester was acquired, there were no other bumps along the way. I mean, their whisk is actually a hand-mixer attachment and approximately half the size of a normal whisk, but these things work in a pinch. The filling really only requires a saucepan, which is good because they don’t have mixing bowls yet.
I’m a little embarrassed about these photos. I didn’t really try. I don’t have my props and my window and I don’t have time to figure these things out. It’s a mess. But I’m on vacation. Give me a break. The most important thing is that I have had a fantastic time this week hanging out with my friends who live an entire country away (cry!). And despite the pathetic photos, this tart still made Nikki moan inappropriately and do a sexy pose with it.
Source: siftandwhisk.com (defunct blog)
