Monday, July 12, 2021

Hummingbird and poptarts

Yesterday was the first sighting this year of a hummingbird. In the butterfly bush next door. My heart literally leaps when I see her, that slight movement that catches my eye, then a few minutes of watching as she feeds here and there around the bush before flying straight up over the roof. No pictures, no chance!  We see few hummers, and only once did I ever see two at one time.

Then, as if that weren't enough, the first monarch butterfly of the year suddenly showed up. This year we've seen very few butterflies so this was a banner day for spotting nature, right from my sofa. The butterfly bush flowers just opened, so they wasted no time.

It was the universe rewarding my finally sharpening the knives. It's the noise of the sharpener that puts me off. But the three main ones are done. Friday is a Misfits box day, so I need them sharp for prepping vegetables.

But I did have what may become a biannual Junk Food Bake. In April 2019 I blogged about making poptarts, the only junk food I've ever been interested in. And yesterday I thought I'd make a batch again.


This is my translation of Jack Monroe's English recipe. She's a wonderful person, activist, humanist, writer, cook who understands poverty, just admirable. She also knows the mental health value of the occasional foray into making junk food amidst healthy eating.

First I had to make the jam, since as you may know, it's a pastry event with jam inside.


Blueberry jam, small quantity, another Jack Monroe idea, small quantity of jam rather than masses, because you might have a small quantity of fruit and sugar.

Then the pastry, cooled for an hour before rolling out


Cut into rectangles using the bench scraper


Then spreading the jam, and closing the sandwich. Pretty artisanal compared to the machine made shop ones.


And sealing the edges. 350°f for 15 minutes.


P
ink icing once cooled. And a text to Handsome Son to mention them in case he would like to visit and sample one. Shameless, me.

This will do it for the next couple of years!



14 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Haven't tried one yet. But I'll claim they're breakfast food. Like a Danish..

      Delete
  2. Mmmm, those poptarts look delicious! It's always a magical event to see a hummingbird or a monarch butterfly!

    ReplyDelete
  3. never thought about making pop tarts. I have an old recipe from my grandmother, maybe my great grandmother, apricot turnovers. haven't made them in decades.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like a recipe we should know about.
      Making poptarts and cutting the dough, all that, is exactly like preschool except you can eat your results.

      Delete
  4. I love the humming birds! We have a feeder outside our glass door and have many beauties come to it. I don't have the flowers they like but they seem to enjoy the feeder.
    I love pop tarts too, but rarely allow myself to buy them. Yours look delicious and I'm sure much better for you than the store ones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're lucky to see the hummingbirds in the plural. They're pretty rare here, even at feeders.
      I just tested a pop tart. Yes, pretty good.

      Delete
  5. Last year I was hiking in the mountains above Boise, at about 7,000 feet, in the midst of a floriferous display of wildflowers. I stopped briefly behind a boulder, heard a buzz, and there was a hummingbird investigating my red pack. How cool was that! Even more amazing - she then - very briefly - perched on the brim of my sun hat. All I could see was her tail and her hind toe curled around the edge. Yes - practically magical!

    We haven't seen a monarch in years, despite adding several milkweeds to the garden. You've topped us there, you lucky bean!

    Chris from Boise

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great experience. I did once have a hummingbird investigate a little red wool felt bag I'd hung in the tree with possible nesting materials for wrens. Encounters are so brief you really have to be ready or you miss them.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Knife sharpening is akin to nails on blackboards and metal spoons on metal bowls, all of which make me cover my ears and pray for it to stop. As for pop tarts - haven't thought of those since the kids left home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You get my aversion to knife sharpening.
      I never gave Michael pop tarts, so he's quite happy that he's getting a sample next time he's over. Probably thinking about time!

      Delete
  8. They still look almighty sweet. But, some knives are sharpened.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The dough has no sugar, so the sweetness is moderated. A bit.

      Delete

Thanks so much for commenting. I really appreciate your taking the time, and taking part. Please read the comments and see if your question is already answered!