Loaf:
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1/2 cup Lemon Curd
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon vanilla
juice of 1 lemon
Glaze:
1/2 cup icing sugar
juice from 1 lemon
In a bowl, add just enough lemon juice to make a glaze.  Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf ( still in pan ) and allow to set.
Berries:
2 cups or more mixed berries – sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Place berries in bowl and sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a day before using ; stir several times to ensure sugar has dissolved. You could gently crush some of the strawberries to release some of their natural juices which will help the maceration process.
Topping:
whipping cream
Lemon Curd
lemon zest for garnish
I used a 2:1 ratio of whipping cream to curd.  Whip cream until stiff but not dry; gently fold in lemon curd until well mixed. Refrigerate.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy; then add the eggs one at a time. Beat well and then add the lemon juice, zest, lemon curd, yogurt, vanilla, and beat another minute or so until well blended.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder; then add this flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine until just mixed.
Butter a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan and spoon the mixture into the pan.  Bake for about an hour or until set. Use a skewer to test for doneness. It is fairly common for a crack to form on the top.  If the top is beginning to brown too quickly, cover with foil while the loaf continues to bake. When done, remove loaf to a baking rack and cool.

Serve slices of the loaf with the macerated berries, topping and lemon zest.

Story and Photo by Gloria Woolridge

It is spring!  It seems that summer passes quickly here on P.E.I., so the thought today is to plan ahead to make the most of the season before it actually occurs.

How?  Schedule a recurring appointment for a weekly mini vacation into your iPhone or Smartphone this summer. A mini vacation is a few hours set aside in your regular routine to stop.  Yes, stop – long enough to enjoy the weather, think happy thoughts, and allow yourself to simply be.  Taking time to do this will increase the likelihood of having lots of treasured moments to reflect upon, rather than seeing little more than a blur when you look back at your summer.

Cost and preparation is minimal; the reward, great.  We tend to rush around allowing our schedules to be dictated by the tyranny of the urgent: family, work, appointments, and daily responsibilities. We tell ourselves we are going to sit on the deck to relax and before we know it, those few precious hours we thought we had somehow have disappeared, and it is time to go to bed only to get up and do it all over again the next day.

May I suggest a mini vacation spot?  The Gardens of Hope at the P.E.I. Preserve Company is one of my choice spots to take a lawn chair or a blanket for a mini vacation.  Getting in my car and driving there is doable, and it is a way to relax without the constant visual reminder of laundry, yard work, or giving in to the temptation to answer e-mail.

There is something very refreshing about being surrounded by flowers, green grass, water, and silence that refreshes and recharges the spirit.  That atmosphere of peace, the visual of beautiful birds and flowers (this year the butterfly houses will be active, and feeling the wind on one’s face – all those things that activate our senses are truly something Mastercard© cannot buy!

After a bit of solitude, take a walk around the property, through the woods, and mosey down to the P.E.I Preserve Company and order a cup of tea or coffee along with a snack and enjoy it without interruption.  While you are enjoying it, take a few moments and reflect on all the things for which you are thankful as this mini vacation is a worry-free, thankful zone.  The neat thing is, the more you consciously cultivate an attitude of gratitude, the more things you will find for which to be thankful.

You will be amazed at how this practice will enrich your summer.  The owners of the P.E.I. Preserve Company have worked hard to provide a TOB (thing of beauty) for Islanders and visitors alike.  Enjoy what they have created, plan your time wisely, and have lots of mini vacations this year!

Schedule.
Follow through.
Relax.
Repeat.

Ingredients

3 cups romaine lettuce, sliced and chopped
3 cups baby spinach leaves, torn
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/3 cup thinly sliced or chopped red onion
4-6 strips bacon
1 mango, peeled, sliced and chopped (optional)
Garlic Mango Dressing
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans… or your favourite

Directions

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain, place between paper towels and set aside until cool.
I like to use a combination of Romaine and baby spinach, but use whatever lettuce you prefer.
Crumble the bacon and combine with all other ingredients, except the pecans.
Toss with the Garlic Mango Dressing.  Garnish with pecans.  Enjoy !

Ingredients

12 frozen tart shells
Bake as per instructions and cool on a wire rack.

1 and 1/4 cups Lime Curd
1 and 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons icing sugar
1 lime, for zest and lime wedge garnish

Directions

Whip the cream at high speed until it starts to thicken (about 5 minutes), along with the vanilla and sugar.
Fold the lime curd and the desired amount of lime zest into the whipped cream mixture with a spatula and fill cooled tart shells. Chill for 2 hours in refrigerator and then top with additional whipped cream if desired.
Garnish with additional zest and small wedges of lime.

Ingredients

3 – 4 pounds peeled potatoes
2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. ground thyme
chopped chives , fresh or dry
1 pound bacon
salt and pepper

Directions

Thinly slice potatoes.  Line a pie plate or casserole dish with bacon, leaving half of each slice of bacon over the edge of the dish.  Layer potatoes, a generous amount of cheddar cheese, chopped chives, salt and pepper to taste.  Repeat until you have four layers. ( Sprinkle first layer only with ground thyme.)
Pull bacon ends up over top.  Pie should be about 4 -5 inches thick in the middle.
Fasten centre with a skewer.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 2 hours covered with foil and then an additional 30 minutes uncovered.

Serve with Maple Bacon Sauce by combining…
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon crumbled bacon bits

Ingredients

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups Wild Blueberry and Lemon Preserves

Directions

Mix together the softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer until well blended. Add the egg and egg yolk and continue to mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until the dough comes together.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Take about 3/4 of a cup of the dough mixture and set it aside. Press the remaining dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. It is very easy to work with this dough. Spoon the preserves into the crust and use a spoon to smooth across the bottom crust. Using your fingers, break up the remaining crust mixture into small pea sized pieces;  I rolled the little pieces between my fingers and dropped them along the outer edges of the tart, leaving the center section of preserves uncovered.

Bake the tart in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until it is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to come to room temperature before serving. To store, simply cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days. Allow to return to room temperature before serving.

An option is to serve with a dollop of lemon curd whipped cream.  For 1 cup whipped cream use about 1/2 cup lemon curd, or to your preferred taste. Just whip the cream until stiff, but not dry. Gently fold in the lemon curd. Refrigerate covered until ready to serve.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic,minced or 1-2 teaspoons garlic flakes
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 to 1/4 cup white sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup Raspberry Vinegar
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

Blend with hand blender or whisk until just combined ; if blended too much, it will become too thick to pour.

Most days this is my preferred morning tea; I love this tea.  Darjeelings, a region in India is revered for producing what some call the Champagne of Tea.

Produced in the Himalayas, Darjeelings are grown in the shadow of Kangchenjunga, the snow capped mountain said to be home of the Hindu God “Shiva” -the Destroyer.  Darjeeling means land of the Thunderbolt and it is in fact the weather, combined with the attitude, soil and bright sunlight that result in an incomparable beverage.The 3 Main Times of Year for Producing Good Quality Darjeelings

1st flush - Springtime harvested teas from late Feb. to mid April. The young leaves yield a light tea with generally intense muscatel with ‘point’. A gentle afternoon tea.

2nd flush  – Harvested in June, these teas are more fully developed. The liquor is bright and the taste full and round excellent muscatel. A superb afternoon tea that is especially good with scones and raspberry preserves.

Autumnal - Not always available depending upon the weather, they are typified by a round taste and coppery liquor. Excellent as a breakfast tea with milk.

Castleton Estate Darjeeling is grown near the town of Kurseong in the Darjeeling district of northern India. Castleton is one of the top estates in Darjeeling and consistently produces top teas – and not surprisingly obtains the top prices. It was first planted by Dr. Charles Graham in 1855 and is named after a building in the area that looks like a castle. The building originally was built and owned by a money lender in the region; the building still stands today. The original name of the estate is Kumseri.  The major method of transportation to Darjeeling is road (very treacherous) and a narrow gauge railway. In world terms the railway is almost considered a toy railroad system. The narrow gauge does not support large engines or carriages; also the steep inclines necessitate a cog system to prevent to trains from rolling backwards. Despite all the difficulties that must  be contended with, the area produces some of the finest teas.

This Castleton Estate tea grade is FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) and is grown at an altitude of  4200 – 6300 feet above sea level. It manufacture type is Orthodox and its cup characteristics are wonderful muscatel highlights with delicate strength – the hallmark of a premium 2nd flush Darjeeling. The infusion tends light liquoring with subtle astringency and classic muscatel character. A joke among tea aficionados is that “FTGFOP” stands for “Far Too Good For Ordinary People”.

2nd flush Darjeelings are typified as being more complex and fuller in the cup than the 1st Flush varieties, which tend to be a little greener and lighter.  Darjeelings are considered among the rarest and most prestigious of the black teas. The best grades are the whole leaf types with lots of ‘tip’. This tea is the grade F.T.G.F.O.P. (finest tippy golden flowery orange pekoe) and is in the upper 10 percentile of Castleton’s quality.

Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling 2nd Flush TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flavoury Orange Pekoe) is an estate tea. The estate is located in the “Kurseong North” valley, established around 1865 as Bara Ringtong. During the 1930’s the garden was owned by Mr. Bagdon who lived in London but visited the tea garden regularly. He had two daughters. The younger daughter named Margaret; who when she saw the tea garden fell in love with it, hoped one day she would have an opportunity to return. Sadly she fell ill on board ship during the return trip to England and died soon after. In her memory, her father changed the garden’s name to Margaret’s Hope. It is believed that she visits the estate bungalow from the western side, coming through the main guest room and leaving from the study through the verandah to the tennis courts. Many guests have claimed to have felt and even seen her apparition gently looking over them as they sleep.

The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus) accounting for the green leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘secondflush’ (end May – end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.

Ringtong Darjeeling Tea is a blend of teas from different estates. Top quality tea is used to create this blend.

Darjeeling Tea Available at Preserve Company:

Castleton

Margaret’s Hope

Ringtong

Brewing Methods

Hot tea: This tea is best enjoyed using 2-3 heaping teaspoons for a 6-cup teapot. Allow the tea to steep for 3-5 minutes, remove the leaves and pour. We do not recommend adding milk or sugar since this can mask some of the intrigue and subtle nuances of this vintage tea.

Iced tea:  (to make 1 liter/quart):  Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].

Ingredients

3 – 4 pound chicken, giblets removed ( brined – optional )
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, cut in half, crosswise ( Do not remove skin )
3-4 carrots ( cut in chunks )
2 onions, quartered
2 parsnips ( cut in chunks )
3-4 medium sized potatoes ( quartered or halved, depending on size)
fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs
salt, freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

3/4 cup Lemon Curd
juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Brine the chicken the day before, if choosing this option. Remove chicken from the brine. Rinse under cold water, pat dry and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
If not brining the chicken, rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat the outside dry.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon curd to loosen it. Add the lemon juice to the curd and whisk to combine until smooth. Set aside.

Salt and pepper the the central cavity of the chicken and stuff with the lemon halves, garlic head halves, fresh herbs. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken or tie the wings down to the chicken’s sides.

Place the onions, carrots, parsnips and potatoes in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, thyme or rosemary and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top, breast side up.  Brush 1/4 cup of the lemon curd mixture all over the chicken. Salt and pepper again. Place roasting pan in center of oven. Roast uncovered for 40 minutes, checking the bird every 15 minutes. If skin is browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. After an additional 30 minutes, brush another 1/4 cup of the lemon curd mixture all over the chicken.

Ovens vary. I usually roast a chicken this size about 90 minutes. To be sure, use an instant read thermometer. Stick the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast, without touching a bone. ( If not sure, push thermometer in to the bone and then pull it out halfway.)You need to check both thigh and breast.  Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 165 degrees F.  I’ve cooked chicken to 170F and even 175F without it becoming overdone, so it’s best to stay on the safe side.

Brush with a little or all of the remaining lemon curd mixture, cover with tinfoil and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

1 and 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup Red Pepper Jelly
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper
metal or wooden skewers

Directions

Slice the chicken breasts crosswise into four or five 1 inch thick strips.   In a small mixing bowl, combine the Red Pepper Jelly, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Marinate the chicken strips in 2/3 of the marinade for about thirty minutes. Reserve 1/3 of the marinade in a small dish to brush on the cooked chicken.

( If using wooden skewers, soak prior to using. You could brush each with a little oil before broiling brochettes.)

Position one of the oven racks up high, so that a baking sheet with a rack on it will allow the brochettes to be within a few inches of the broiler element.

Fold each strip and insert a skewer so that it goes through the strip twice. Thread several strips on each skewer without crowding too tightly. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top of the sheet. Place the skewers evenly on the rack.

Broil the brochettes, turning every 3-4 minutes so they cook and brown evenly, for a total of 10-12 minutes.  Cut into a thick piece to ensure meat is cooked and not pink.

Brush cooked brochettes with remaining marinade, using a clean brush. Serve over a bed of your favourite rice.