galatoire's!

You guys...while in New Orleans, I had one of the best culinary experiences of my life. Read all about it here!!!

My five days in NOLA left me so inspired. Unfortunately it has been a busy week since getting back, but I hope to have some new recipes ready for you soon. Until then, welcome to Galatoire's!

blueberry scones with lime glaze

I hold a firm belief that berries + citrus are one of the best combinations ever. Right up there with caramel + sea salt, peanut butter + banana, tomatoes + pasta. It's a shame that their seasons are opposite each other, with citrus at its height mid-winter and berries abundant mid-summer. That won't stop me, though. Be it berry jam, cobbler, tart, or muffin...it will involve lemons, limes, or oranges.

Also, I am a big fan of scones. If they are the right scones, that is. No dry, crumbly, lumps that turn to paste in the mouth for me. I like them softer; closer to the product of a marriage between scone and muffin. Easy to grab and eat in the car on the way to work, without the spray of crumbs across the lap when you arrive. 

These particular scones, made moist with buttermilk and bright bursts of blueberry, still hold a hearty texture thanks to the white whole wheat flour. I like to think that makes them a healthy breakfast treat, even if all that whole grain goodness does is cancel out the sugary glaze drizzled over top (shhh...just let me have that...please?). If you'd like an even fluffier texture, substitute all-purpose flour for the white whole wheat. And be careful not to overmix your dough, keeping in mind the same principles applied in biscuit-making...work fast and keep your ingredients cold. 

Happy Monday, friends! Have a lovely week.

Although they are best day-of, these scones can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

Blueberry Scones with Lime Glaze

makes 8 scones

Scone Ingredients

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour for a fluffier texture
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar (I used turbinado), plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Glaze Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2-3 tsp lime juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375*.  Spray a baking sheet with oil or cover with parchment paper.
2. Mix buttermilk with egg and extract in a large bowl.
3. Add flour, baking powder, lime zest and salt to a large food processor. Pulse until blended.  Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles course bread crumbs.  Add sugar and pulse again until blended.
4. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. Add blueberries and carefully fold them into dough.
5. Turn out dough on a floured board and give 5-6 careful kneads, just until well mixed and cohesive, trying not to crush too many of the berries.  Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls before flattening into disks about 4 inches wide.
6. Bake on prepared baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until medium brown.  Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the glaze, mix the confectioner's sugar with 2 tsp of lime juice. Use a spoon to blend together into a paste, adding more lime juice a bit at a time until the glaze is spreadable.

bella terra 2011!

A happy Monday to you all! Let's kick off April with an exciting announcement...bella terra is back!  But this year, I've been lucky to have the opportunity to share a bit of space in the green house at Maple Hill Farm, home of the local food hub. if you're not familiar, the local food hub is a community supported nonprofit working to strengthen and secure our local food supply by supporting small, family farms, increasing the amount of fresh food available to our community, and inspiring our next generation of farmers. I am proud to be part of a community that supports such an organization, and thrilled to have the opportunity to share images of their beautiful land and facilities with you on the AHPhoto blog!

This Spring, Summer, and Fall I will be sharing images from my time at the farm with two girlfriends, Emily (local food hub) and Stephanie (flavor magazine) as we grow food for our home kitchens. Most of the seedlings we've started out at the farm will be planted on a little plot I am sharing with these friends, but some will come home to live and grow in my backyard garden. I am planning to share the bulk of the place and detail photography at AHPhoto, and the final dishes and recipes that result from all of that hard work here on bella eats. I hope it won't be confusing, and will try to keep it simple. Let's just see how it goes.

For a recap of my 2009 garden: bella terra | 2009

For images of our first 4 weeks on the farm: bella terra | weeks 1 and 4

So, are any of you gardening this year?  If yes, what are you growing?