11/20/09 Galette

Grownup dinner at friends' house tonight! What a treat; my Dad's lady love has two daughters, one of whom lives in Sunnyvale (an amazing irony as Dad and his lady are in Massachusetts) with her husband. The other daughter lives in Massachusetts and was visiting here with her husband, so the Sunnyvale daughter invited Dave and I for dinner with both couples. Their house is absolutely beautiful, fabulously decorated, the landscape gorgeous -- so inspiring. Plus they're just really, really, really nice people.

But, the Massachusetts daughter was a pastry apprentice in a bakery and is a very serious home baker; and the California daughter's husband is a chef. So when I offered to bring dessert, I wasn't about to pick up brownie bites from Safeway. I'd planned to make a flat apple tart that I'd made recently, but it wouldn't be easy to transport, even cut into pieces. I decided to make a regular tart, which then turned into a galette -- not realizing until I was too far committed that a galette is made freeform on a baking sheet, with no pan. This was harder than I expected, not to mention that my time to make up for mistakes got seriously curtailed yesterday.

This really needs to into to my food blog, but despite the challenges, my first attempt at an apple galette came out really well! (If not exactly round.)

Unfortunately, I forgot the creme fraiche I was planning to bring. The hostess ran out and got some heavy cream, which her chef husband whipped up quickly, and it was a perfect addition.

We had a wonderful dinner and wonderful evening -- and not too much talk about Alzheimer's.

To my dismay, our longtime favorite sitter Peggy must have moved -- her cell phone number was answered by someone else, and she didn't answer her email (though it didn't bounce). Fortunately, Tonya came through with a sleepover for the kids. And I came through with everyone's favorite stuffed animals.


I might just make that galette again for Thanksgiving.

11/20/09