Happy Food Day!

Today is Food Day, a nationwide celebration and movement for healthy, affordable and sustainable food spearheaded by the one and only Jamie Oliver.  Love this guy and all that he does to improve food for kids and adults everywhere!

How can you celebrate Food Day? 

• Take the #EatReal quiz to see how your eating habits stack up
• Check out the Food Day recipes cards and cookbooks, with delicious creations from chefs like Dan Barber & Rick Bayless
• Enjoy a healthy, home-cooked meal using fresh, local ingredients

We are having friends over for a mid-week dinner of roasted broccoli and shrimp, (a great recipe I promise to post soon) and another rustic apple tart as we eat our way through that bushel of local apples. 

What will you eat tonight?  Do share! 

Rustic Apple Tart

Here are four good reasons why you should bake this apple tart: 

1. It's a recipe from the charming new kitchen memoir, My Berlin Kitchen, written by a favorite food blogger and loose acquaintance.
2. There is something perfectly fall-like about a bubbling, baked apple dessert.  
3. It's free form, making it a pleasant, less fussy alternative to the traditional pie.  
4. If your fridge looks anything like ours, below, it uses up a bunch of apples. And this photo was taken AFTER I baked!

So get peeling! I promise your just sweet enough tooth will thank you.

Rustic Apple Tart
Courtesy of The Wednesday Chef

Ingredients
Dough

• 1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes  
• 3 to 5 tablespoons of cold water

Filling

• 2 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and sliced (do not through out scraps) 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 to 5 tablespoons sugar, depending on your sweet tooth

Glaze

• Apple scraps
• 1/2 cup sugar

Tools

• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap
• Pastry brush OR paper towel

Directions

• Put the flour, sugar, salt and butter cubes for the dough in a food processor bowl.  Pulse a few times, until the butter is broken up into lima bean size pieces
• Drizzle in the cold water one tablespoon at a time, processing or mixing as you go until the dough just holds.  You may need more or less water depending on your climate
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, and quickly gather into a 4-inch-wide disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days
• Heat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a floured work surface again.  Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll it out (turning over if you like) until its about 14 inches round.  Since it will be a rustic tart, an ovalish shape is fine
• Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Crowd as many apples as you can in concentric circles over the dough, leaving a 2 inch border. Fold the dough over the edges of the apples, leaving an open middle
• With a pastry brush or folded up paper towel, brush the butter over the apples and exposed upper crust. Top with a little sugar
• Slide into the oven on the center rack, and bake for 45 minutes, rotating halfway through
• Meanwhile, start the glaze by dumping the apple cores, peels, sugar and any leftover apple chunks in a sauce pan. Add water until the apple bits are just covered. Bring to a boil and cook for up to 30 minutes.  Strain the liquid, discarding the trimmings.  Return the liquid to the pan, and reduce until syrupy.  About 10-15 minutes
• When the tart is finished, pull off the parchment paper and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Brush the glaze over the apples and enjoy warm or at room temperature

Stephen Ritz: A teacher growing green in the South Bronx

One of the most inspirational videos I have ever seen. Please watch this amazing Ted Talk by Stephen Ritz as he shares how he is revolutionizing the idea of local food at a South Bronx school. I just adore it. Go Green Bronx Machine!

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.

For more #local food and vegetables news like this, feel free to follow my twitter handle @laurenlocally.

September Foodie Pen Pal

After a month hiatus, I am back as a foodie pen pal.  I was a little disappointed in myself because the box I put together for my own pen pal was a tad lack luster. I had roasted up some of Uncle Steve's Granola for a homemade treat, then right as I went to ship realized it contained wheat germ and my pen pal was gluten free. Out of the box it came. Rats! Luckily, I received a wonderful box from my own sender to perk me up. I will absolutely pay it forward with an extra special box in October.

The highlights of my September Box:

1) This recipe, from my penpal's daughter, a NV State Fair 2012 entry... How cute!
2) Gluten-free corn bread from Red Mills, can't WAIT to try it!
3) Lemon cookies and jasmine green tea, for curling up by the fire.  Love that.
4) Saving the best for last, Lettuce Mesclun Seeds!  I have been meaning to plant vegetables in our MTK garden forever, and this is JUST the sign.  Can't wait to try my hand at gardening in the spring.

Want to be a Foodie Pen Pal?  Sign up here.