Road trips and fruit tarts.
The drive from Chicago to Louisiana is approximately fifteen hours long. Fifteen hours of singing along to The Who, Wilco, Talking Heads. Fifteen hours of stiff necks and lemonade Vitamin Water and giant bugs fluttering their way toward a violent, bloody, gut-gushing death on my '07 Honda Accord's windshield. Fifteen hours of naps, minor squabbles with the fiance, a rough draft of possible wedding guests, and a run-in with the Arkansas State Police for speeding (just a warning, whew).
And of course, there was the road trip food. Looking back, I'm thinking that maybe I should've taken a few photos of what we ate during those thirty total hours on the road. But then again, maybe I don't want to remember the pork rinds, and the Bugles, and the dill pickle-flavored potato chips, and the Gardetto's garlic rye chips, and the Sonic burger and tater tots, and the McDonald's breakfast, and the Arby's dinner...
On road trips with my family, when we drove to Florida every few summers, my mom would always pack a cooler of fruit, sandwiches, homemade jerky, and other non-crap foods. I considered packing a cooler for this trip, then decided against it. Because it's not really a road trip if you get home and your car isn't littered with empty potato chip bags, Coke bottles, and cold french fries. Right? Right?? OK, now I feel kind of gross.
So instead of reminiscing on all the junk food I just consumed, I'll think about fresh fruit. Perhaps in the form of a delicious tart.
Jenny made this tart for Mother's Day. Sweet, fresh, light, with a crust like a giant cookie. And a recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.
That's right. The same Paula Deen who makes fried butter balls. She also makes a lovely fresh fruit tart.
Pick a fruit, any fruit. Jenny chose strawberries and blueberries. (I played a key role in the tart-making process by slicing the strawberries.) Paula uses a homemade lime glaze, but after skimming through the 129 comments on the recipe, Jenny found that most people advised against the glaze. Instead, she used warmed apricot preserves.
If you're planning a party or cookout for Memorial Day weekend, you might want to make this tart for dessert. I bet it would be a nice, refreshing end to a day of burgers, brats, chips and dip. This one is even red, white, and blue.
If you're going on a road trip this Memorial Day, pack some fruit. Or pork rinds. Whichever you prefer.
Find the recipe for Paula Deen's fresh fruit tart here.
And of course, there was the road trip food. Looking back, I'm thinking that maybe I should've taken a few photos of what we ate during those thirty total hours on the road. But then again, maybe I don't want to remember the pork rinds, and the Bugles, and the dill pickle-flavored potato chips, and the Gardetto's garlic rye chips, and the Sonic burger and tater tots, and the McDonald's breakfast, and the Arby's dinner...
On road trips with my family, when we drove to Florida every few summers, my mom would always pack a cooler of fruit, sandwiches, homemade jerky, and other non-crap foods. I considered packing a cooler for this trip, then decided against it. Because it's not really a road trip if you get home and your car isn't littered with empty potato chip bags, Coke bottles, and cold french fries. Right? Right?? OK, now I feel kind of gross.
So instead of reminiscing on all the junk food I just consumed, I'll think about fresh fruit. Perhaps in the form of a delicious tart.
Jenny made this tart for Mother's Day. Sweet, fresh, light, with a crust like a giant cookie. And a recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.
That's right. The same Paula Deen who makes fried butter balls. She also makes a lovely fresh fruit tart.
Pick a fruit, any fruit. Jenny chose strawberries and blueberries. (I played a key role in the tart-making process by slicing the strawberries.) Paula uses a homemade lime glaze, but after skimming through the 129 comments on the recipe, Jenny found that most people advised against the glaze. Instead, she used warmed apricot preserves.
If you're planning a party or cookout for Memorial Day weekend, you might want to make this tart for dessert. I bet it would be a nice, refreshing end to a day of burgers, brats, chips and dip. This one is even red, white, and blue.
If you're going on a road trip this Memorial Day, pack some fruit. Or pork rinds. Whichever you prefer.
Find the recipe for Paula Deen's fresh fruit tart here.
Gorgeous, gorgeous tart! Paula has redeemed herself with this fresh fruit recipe.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I used to take those long drives to visit family out of state and we never packed a cooler (except filled w/cold sodas)! Our regular roadtrip menu was Planters Cheese Balls, Goldfish and a requisite stop at McDonald's for their Filet o' Fish (which I never eat except at this time). Hmmmmm . . . I think it's time for a drive . . .
Absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAnd now I want a ROAD TRIP!
You've got me hankering for a road trip, too. I love long car rides with Jim, even though there's always a few minor squabbles (a perfect time to do it, since it's pretty lame to stay mad at each other when you are enclosed in a little box together, side by side.)
ReplyDeleteFruit tarts and pork rinds for me. :)
Beautiful photos of the tart. And if I was to litter my car like I did before I got married my husband would shoot me! (cuz yeah, the chip bags and the empty coke cans...)
ReplyDeletetangled noodle - thanks! isn't it horrible how fast food and junk food is a must on road trips? horrible...and kind of wonderful, too.
ReplyDeleteshannalee - go for it! just watch out for those state troopers.
caviar and codfish - you know you've really found someone when you can spend 15 hours in a car with him and still want to hang out afterward. :)
mrs. L - thanks! my fiance's car is messier than mine, even without the road trip trash!
ReplyDelete