Rhubarb pie

[ Rhubarb cake, rhubarb pie, rhubarb compote, rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb - there's never too much rhubarb! ]











My grandmother had a huge rhubarb growing in her garden. And as me and my sister were little girls we used to eat a lot of it! With sugar only :)

What shocked me some time ago, was seeing a clip in Jamie Oliver's School Dinners show, where he showed a bunch of UK schoolkids (about 11 of age) different vegetables and fruits to recognise. And when he picked up the rhubarb, no-one knew what it was! This was more than sad...

One sunny evening, after a long workday, i arrived home and received a gift from my neighbour Kaja - it was rhubarb from her summer-home's garden. You can imagine my happy big smile at that moment (and the little head filled with all kinds of ideas instantly!). The next day i decided to start baking, finally.

I had to go to hairdresser's that day (and i never show up there without a cake!) - so this pie was dedicated to my girls Aili and Irina. Having bought a new product - Blueberry flour - some days before, i decided to think of a way to experiment with this in the same pie.

Traditional Shrove Tuesday Semla

[ We've ate semlas on every Shrove Tuesday as long as i can remember. ]

For the first time in my life i decided to supplement the tradition - by making the semlas for my family by myself.

Instead of traditional simple ones i added some good stuff in the dough - candied orange and dried cranberries (extra to the cardamom that is already in the original recipe). I also decided to add some cottage cheese there, and of course - i tripled the amount of sugar :)

So i baked 26 buns and fed all my loved-ones, family and friends, men at work and neighbours.

Black currant and ricotta cake

[ My mom makes the best ricotta cake ever! ]

My version of ricotta cake is a slightly tuned one - with black currants and a gelatine top.
Our family gathers around my parents' dining table today, as it's an election-day and my uncle is also in the city. So - we have another good reason to have a feast!

Again i've promised to help out with baking a cake.
The cooking took place yesterday late-evening (what else do young people do on saturdays?). It was around 10 PM when i finally arrived home, unpacked the goods, turned on the music and melted the first amount of butter..

When i finally finished the whole process and put the freshly baked cake in the fridge for overnight, it was 1 AM. There was a clear indication of satisfaction on my face :)

Õnn peitub pisikestes asjades!

[ Mul on uus puuvilja-vaagen! ]

Tutikas kaup Vabriku tänava kaltsukast. Roostevaba. Originaalis peaks ta täitma küll hoopis teist otstarvet... Õigesti vastanut ootab maitsev auhind! Päikest päeva!

Prantsusepärane Sibulapirukas

[ Minu sõprus sibulaga on alles noor. ]

Selle piruka retsepti leidsin ühel reede pärastlõunal kabineti ukse taga vanu ajakirju igavusest lehitsedes. Samal õhtul lubasid Mari ja Hanna külla tulla ja ajapuudusest tingituna pidin piirduma millegi kiire/kerge valmistamisega.

Naised sadasid uksest sisse tunde varem, kui esialgu plaanis oli. Ja nii otsustasin neid toidu tegemisel ära kasutada - sibulahakkijatena! Pean tunnistama, et rõõmsad nad selle üle ei olnud. Aga tempo tõusis ja kuidagi moodi jõudsime selle kilo sibulaid kuuma panni jaoks ette valmistatud.

Alles siis sain aru, et sibulapiruka ettevalmistuse osa ei ole kaugeltki mitte kiire töö. Hakkimine, hautamine, maitsestamine, hautamine. Tervelt tunni jagu mässamist (mis tavaoludes ei ole mulle ei võõras ega vastumeelne). Klaasist veinist sai kaks ja selleks ajaks kui pirukas ahju läks, oli seegi tühi.

Ettevalmistuse algusest oli möödas kaks tundi, kui pirukakesed lõpuks ilmavalgust nägid - ilusad kuldkollaste servadega jumalikult lõhnavad kakud :) Ja süüa ära terve pannitäis neid hõrke ampsusid, ei olnud kolmele preilile mingisugune probleem!