Bonne Bouche

Pie in the Sky

Recently we were traveling up in the Sierras and had the chance to eat some simply delicious pies. The first pie we sampled was deep inside the Devil's Postpile National Monument's Red's Meadow.

If you are ever up this way and have just hiked 5 miles in flip flops at 8 months of being pregnant, please reward yourself with a nice slice of freshly made boysenberry pie a la mode at the Mulehouse Cafe.

A picture of Ronald Reagan up here with Red and the boys from way back when. Now that was a solid and freshly made slab of pie. Yes indeed BUT the best pie hands-down is up a twisting and winding road into the Sierras further south. A trek and definitely off the beaten path but so worth it.

The next day upon multiple recommendations, we headed down towards Convict Lake to Rock Creek Lakes Resort Cafe to get what is deemed the best pie in the Sierras.

Seriously.

We were told about this place by 3 different people- all locals- 2 in Mammoth Lakes and 1 being the lady who ran the Mulehouse Cafe in Devil's Postpile. We took this to be the truth as Rock Creek Lakes is nearly an hour's drive away but it was on our way south back home so we determined to try this pie in the sky.

We were also told to get there by 10:30 am at the latest or don't bother as the pies sell out.

They sell these pies which are baked fresh each morning at a teeny lunch counter with only 7 stools and one table in a the smallest of cafes up a winding road into the mountains.

It could be very easy to miss and we had a bit of trouble finding the right turn off but eventually got it right (partly due to the fact that everyone for miles around knows this place and helped to point us in the right way).

We were told to turn right at the old wagon.

On a sidebar, the campsites up in this part of the Sierras is fantastically gorgeous and we determined to come back when we can and do some camping.

I was crushed to see my favorite pie ever- Rhubarb- was already sold out. A super nice gal sitting to my right got the last slice and she graciously offered me her last few bites. I know that sounds crazy but that is how it is up there. I took her up on it and man, oh man, was it ever delectable. While we sat, a few more pies sold out.

We got a slice each of the Loganberry and the Chocolate Chip Pecan. The Cheddar Pear wasn't ready (set) yet.

Look at these slices and prepare to drool:

We would have gotten a whole pie to take home to LA but they only sell by the slice due to high demand. No wonder Sunset Magazine wrote them up and even gave a recipe for their Peach Pie. I may have to try to make this. The crust is amazingly delicious. Both Matt and I gobbled our slices down.

Best pie ever.

1 Rock Creek Rd.; (760) 935-4311

Spiced Pear & White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle

I couldn't resist trying to make the delicious pear & white chocolate concoction on the cover of the holiday issue of Bon Appetit.
We have a dinner party to attend tonight for Thanksgiving Day and I will be bringing this along with an oyster dressing.
Here is the results (pre-powdered sugar sift)-

It really was alot of fun to make and if its as tasty as I think it will be, I will make it again!

Here is the White Chocolate/Spiced Pear Tiramisu Trifle recipe for you (courtesy of Epicurious, Bon Appetit's wonderful website)

Spiced Pears:
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
2 cups pear juice or pear nectar
1 1/4 cups sugar
12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
4 1-inch-diameter rounds peeled fresh ginger (each about 1/8 inch thick)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
5 large firm but ripe Anjou pears (3 to 31/4 pounds), peeled

White Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse:
7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped
1/3 cup poire Williams (clear pear brandy)
1/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 8- to 8.8-ounce container mascarpone cheese*
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Trifle Assembly:
3 3-ounce packages soft ladyfingers,** separated
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
White chocolate curls
1 tablespoon powdered sugar    

               

       

Preparation

       

For spiced pears:
Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until pears are just tender when pierced with knife, about 35 minutes. Transfer liquid with pears to large bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to plate. Boil poaching liquid in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain into 2-cup measuring cup; discard spices in strainer. Cool. Cover and chill pears and pear syrup until cold.

For mousse:
Combine white chocolate, pear brandy, and 1/4 cup water in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth (mixture will be very liquidy). Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard bean. Transfer white chocolate mixture to large bowl; gradually add mascarpone, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cool mascarpone mixture until barely lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture in 4 additions. Cover and chill white chocolate mousse until set, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Pears and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

For trifle assembly:
Cut pears lengthwise in half and remove cores and stems; cut halves lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Arrange ladyfingers, rounded sides down, in single layer in bottom of 12-cup trifle dish (about 8 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep), covering bottom completely (using about 15 ladyfingers). Drizzle 5 tablespoons pear syrup evenly over ladyfingers. Using small offset spatula, spread 1/3 of white chocolate mousse over ladyfingers, making layer slightly thicker around outer edges of dish to allow mousse to be more visible (center of mousse layer will be thin). Starting at outer edges of dish, place pear slices in single layer with curved edges against sides of dish atop mousse, covering completely. Repeat layering of ladyfingers, syrup, mousse, and pears 2 more times. Cover with fourth layer of ladyfingers (some ladyfingers and pear slices may be left over). Drizzle ladyfingers evenly with 5 tablespoons syrup. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate trifle and remaining pear syrup separately.

Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups whipping cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup pear syrup and beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, transfer cream to large pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes all over top of trifle, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Garnish with chocolate curls. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Sift powdered sugar over trifle just before serving.

* Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.
** Available in the bakery or bread section of some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

TEST-KITCHEN TIP: To make chocolate curls, place one 3 1/2-ounce bar of high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina) on a plate and microwave on high at 5-second intervals just until slightly softened, but not hot or beginning to melt. Using vegetable peeler and starting at one long edge of the chocolate bar, shave white chocolate into curls. If the shaved chocolate breaks into small shards, it's not soft enough, so place in microwave again for a few seconds. If the chocolate becomes too soft, let it stand at room temperature or chill briefly until it firms up a bit.