One of the gardeners' great laws of attraction~
If you have peonies in bloom..surely it will rain~
Today was a deluge..a fierce downpour this morning..lasting most of the morning.. ..around 2.30 the sun peaked out....but amidst dark ominous clouds..
only for it to disappear..and the rain began again..
Like the Itsy Bitsy spider song;)
After a day of rain..some peonies start to droop...but the others..perk up and are so striking in a garden..like huge cotton candy balls♥
I know they are fleeting..like lilacs..like everything we love..in a garden..almost.
Some things stay longer..
thank goodness for them;)
I made little Sablés Nantais for tea today..
half a recipe again;)
they are easy ..here is the full recipe..if you want to make half like I did just halve the proportions w/ a scale..the egg? Just mix up..weigh..use half..a scale is a must in a baker's kitchen.
I wanted to try this particular recipe for the coconut addition..I had never tried.. with coconut..
La Recette~
250 grams of flour
50 grams shredded coconut
120 grams of butter
150 grams of sugar(I use my vanilla sugar)
1 egg plus 1 yolk for the glaze..(I use my caramel syrup I made)
1 tbsp milk
1 vanilla bean(I used my vanilla sugar)
zest of one lemon
1 envelope of baking powder..Dr
Soften the butter in the microwave..mix in butter until creamy and homogenous.
Add flour..coconut , baking powder and finely zested lemon rind
Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds..incorporate them in your mixture
Add egg and milk and combine with your hands untilyou have a smooth dough..if your dough is too dry..add a bit more milk..(I did not need any more milk..in fact my dough needed a bit of flouring when I cut my cookies)..
Make a disk..wrap in cling..refrigerate an hour..
Roll out to 5mm..brush the egg yolk that you have mixed wih some milk for the glaze..(I made half w/ galze..half w/out)..place on parchemnt..(I freeze mine for a few minutes to retain shape and printing..)
bake in a pre-heated 200C oven for 15-20 minutes..keep an eye on the browning of the glazed ones..
I would not hesitate one moment to add a bit of coconut flavoring..as I found the coconut was almost imperceptible.
Father's Day weather announces poorly:(
Really ,so far this weather ..this June weather..has been.. well wet.
The boys football has been rained out so many times~
I chopped my very mature 4 Korean Lilacs..that intersperse yews and hydrangeas ,down to about 2 feet..in front of our porch..
it will take some getting used to until they branch out ..from lush and lovely to bare branches..the new roof..metal..makes snow slide down..the heavy snow had broken a few branches..and the blooms were less substantial..every time we cut back things..they really GROW back..hopefully these will..looks so different:(
next..the magnolia..is going..:(
and a whole patch of hydrangeas and lilies..for garlic I think~
in the plans at least.Just so backbreaking these projects!~
Grateful to be able to do it though~Always full of gratitude for what we can do.
So Korean Lilacs..Miss Kim..very different from reg lilacs..
PS Re the lilacs I cut ..chopped ..
This is the side back garden one and I can't get to it this year..so I won't trim and see what happens..usually I clip every bloom.The 4 front ones..are chopped to the bare bone bottoms.
That's why my fingers are crossed..The voids they make unreal.
Could we do a little trade? We'll take some of your rain and clouds and give you some sun and heat. It's, what I call, stinking hot here in Carolina, near 100, for days on end. I think your peonies are magnificent, rain or no rain, so... pretty!
ReplyDeleteA mix of you and we:) Would be idyllic..
ReplyDelete:)
I love peonies Monique! are absolutely beautiful and yours pictures are stunning!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gloria.I know we love the same flowers;)
DeleteAll the pictures are so pretty. Peonies and hydrangeas are my favorites. I think. Still flooding rains, the power went out today when a squirrel bit the power pole, and on and on. Your beautiful post makes it better. Guess I'll do a lot on the internet for the next few days.
ReplyDeleteWe are just listening to the news..and all your rain..those squirrels..you know how I feel about them:)
DeleteYour personalized cookies are lovely. When you bake, do you plan to do it?
ReplyDeleteWe dined outdoors last evening as it was beautiful weather. Now today, it's wet and overcast. We have an awning on our deck, so I drag my potted plants under it if it's going to rain to keep them looking pretty.
You know I love peonies, and I just bought a new one. It smells so good, and different than the others.
Enjoy your week! xo
With this recipe the baking powder distorts the words a bit..everytime there is a leavening agent..the cookies are less clear..I know you love peonies..you shared that great refrigerator tip..must do again before it is too late..!
DeleteI plan my baking when we are going to our families or when they come here..or if I want to make something special and need a special ing..but 90% of the time it's spur of the moment.I like to try different rceipes and often;)
Most of the tme I halve..unless I know the Litttles across the street would love..Caroline runs..to keep in shape so doesn't want a whole lot of baked goods:)
Ahhhhh the Peonies! Splendid!
ReplyDeleteYou must show us before and after of the shrubs....
More rain coming for us!
Love the petals scattered about! What an artist!
Cheers!
Linda :o)
Sun at last!here..Oh you don't want to see..the branches:(
DeletePerhaps in the fall, then??
DeleteYour peonies are just beautiful! I got mine cut just before it rained here!!!
ReplyDeleteGood ! And I don't know if you know about Debbie's tip ..you can cut unopened buds..wrap well..and refrigerate for later bloomings:)
DeleteAnd there I thought peonies were just for beauty. I'm putting some up immediately.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Enjoy them♥
DeleteIt is so true, the peonies look perfect and then it pours. At least you got some indoors to enjoy. Mine are gone and the roses and clematis are blooming now. Please put some photos up of your cut lilacs. Mine are too tall and I tried to prune last year so I would not lose the blossoms but I had hardly any. I thought if you cut them back hard you would have to wait years to see blooms again. 1/2 recipes are perfect here too unless I am gifting some. The weather will be cooler and less humid, maybe I will squeeze in some backing along with some gardening.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry ..the ones I cut are Korean Lilacs..not like a reg.lilac at all..I may in fact not get blooms next year..the bushes were now 5 foot balls each..they bloom on the last years growth..so usually now..I trim off all the flowers and trim the branches a bit..so they are still huge green balls..I have taken them down to not one branch..all branches..so it looks like i have 4 dead 2 ft plantings..:(
DeleteI have a few at the back..one on the side..and a standard..have to cut the blooms off one..is too big and I will leave it..I will add that photo..I can't get to all the braches because it's at the back of a perennial bed:(
I cannot say these were my best cookies..especially for imprint;) But the taste is ok..more coconut though!
Monique, your peonies are beautiful with the beads of rain and also in the sunshine. How fortunate you are to have peonies growing in your garden. Much too hot here in TX, but I buy cut ones in the market to fill our home with their fragrance. They are one of the prettiest flowers as they open and spread.
ReplyDeleteThe tea cookies look delicious. Do have a special tea time every afternoon? I love that tradition!
Uusally it is in the afternoon..less in summer..At 11.15 AM we have a café au lait time;) Because we drink green tea in the morning w/ breakfast.
DeleteI was so envious to see Trader Joe's selling bouqutes of peonies! You will not see that here in a grocery store..love that TJ's
Love the Jardin sign in the rain. If that is your house in the distance, it is charming. Like Chris said, it is stinking hot here and we are on our way to Florida for a few days; not the smartest place to go this time of year. Hope your Father's Day weekend turns out sunny Monique.
ReplyDeleteThe house in the distance is my neighbours house..this year we had all the side trees cut hedge height as they were becoming forest like :( Too tall..so now we keep them all hedge height there..
DeleteGreat neighbours on both sides..hope they never move..
I know your trip is not a pleasure trip..:(
Your peonies are beautiful! It is hot here in SC....temps in the high 90's. We are getting afternoon rain showers here and there.
ReplyDeleteAlways so pretty in the Carolinas..no matter what the weather:)
DeleteBeautiful peonies. Just curious - what kind of cookie cutter did you use? Did you cut out the cookie out and then stamp it?
ReplyDeleteI used the Brigitte cookie cutter.the original ..it's the first one I ever bought that had letters to personalize...both steps are done in one..you can find knock off versions on Ebay too.many!.
DeleteLas galletas, estupendas, pero las fotos....qué maravilla!!!!!!!!!! Qué flores, preciosas.
ReplyDeleteBesos
lagalletarota.blogspot.com
Thank you Rosa..
DeleteOohhh, bad timing of the rain. More often than not a heavy rain ruins the daffodils when they bloom. And it doesn't do my calla lilies any good either. Just the hazards of nature I guess. We are experiencing record low rainfalls here in the Pacific NW. I think it's going to be a long dry summer. Lovely photos, Monique.
ReplyDeleteToday was nice..the weather is all over the map..everywhere..too much rain..not enough..
DeleteLovely photos and the sign is striking! I never tire looking at your beautiful gardens. The peonies are so elegant and beautiful. I don't have any..I always forget until I see someone growing them.
ReplyDeleteThe same for poppies and planting more bulbs... One of our neighbors grows peonies and sells them at the Farmer's market. They don't seem to last long after cutting. We need more rain. We did get a thunderstorm recently. The cookies look so good and the recipe seems easy enough. Have your tried adding your recipes to Key Ingredient? Enjoy your day.
Not yet..been occupied.. but I will definitely look into your suggestion from your blog..always so helpful!
Deleteso so beautiful, i was anxious to see your peonies and i'm glad you were able to get pictures even with all the rain you are having. and that huge pretty lilac, wow
ReplyDeleteThat's why you hear me bemoan my monochromatic winter;)
DeleteThanks Jenni.
Exquisite!
ReplyDeleteOne picture is better than the next!!
Like your art:)
DeleteOh Monique, your photos are quite simply gorgeous. I love peonies. They are almost my favourite of my favourite flowers. I thought we had planted peonies, but we didn't. We planted double poppies, lol DUH! I have never heard of or seen that variety of lilac. I am always learning something new about gardens from you. I hope you were able to get your infestation crisis under control. We spotted mildew on our apple tree this week and had to do some really mega pruning. I know, not a good time of year for that, but one must do as one must do! Your sables are so beautiful. But everything you bake is beautiful. Just like you! xoxo
ReplyDeleteYou have the best pair of rose colored glasses;)
DeleteDisappointed with the sablés..should have known better w/ the baking powder..
I knew it and went ahead..anyways..
Sorry about the apple tree..pruning..always changes the look..gratefull most times nature heals itself with time:)
So, true, so true! My peonies are all leaning over, heavy with another rain we had early this morning. Next year I need to support them differently and earlier. The days of sunshine have been few here as welll. The grass is very green at least :) I fear for the mosquito population now. Poor drought-stricken California would love some of this rain. I will keep my fingers crossed for your lilacs and also your Father's Day forecast :) We had a dwarf lilac at the corner of our house and it grew so big we had it removed. Did you harvest your garlic yet or does that come later? I harvested my very first radish in the container planting! Beautiful sables and I spy the Downton ladies :) I will miss them!
ReplyDeleteGreat eye;)
DeleteStonewall Kitchen purchase..couldn't resist..left Mrs.Patmore there..was torn.
I have to rethink my peonies..they are the focal point of that bed..and once they are done..not much is left..I was in my neighbours garden yesterday..she loves to garden like I do..I think too much of one thing is not good anymore..
She has small perennial gerenaiums..EVERYWHERE..but not just in one area..breathtaking.
She really is a great gardener.
Her husband had just mowed his lawn..it looked all pretty and sparkley to me..
I know..they get huge those lilacs..that is why I took the drastic measures with the front ones..
FD forecast still not good..
I will miss the ladies too..
Have you watched Friday Night Lights? An older series on Netflix?Good.
Susan..forgot re the garlic..
DeleteThis week I have cut the garlic scapes..I have read that it is necessary so that the bulb isn't drained of any force..because letting the galic scape bloom would deplete energy to the bulb..so I have nice scapes in the fridge..
I now wait for the leaves to turn yellow and I should be good to go..
I will post ..so far it has been my best success as far as growing edibles this year apart from Borage and of course lovage..happily a perennial spinach from Italy has done well I will gather seeds..Fred will show me how..some of his did in fact grow back..
It is a different spinach..
I know what you mean about the peonies. So much valuable property for such a short bloom season (which of course brings rain :)) Are your neighbor's geraniums the same as Roxanne or Johnson's blue varieties? That sounds beautiful! Sadly we don't have Neflix. I'd love to try it one day though. Can't wait to see the garlic!
DeleteVos pivoines sont tellement belles, et d'une couleur si vive !
ReplyDeleteQue de douceurs ~
When we lived in Michigan, we had a yard full of lilac bushes like that one. All colors. Just loved it when they were in bloom and the fragrance was divine. I'm jealous. (think I have mentioned this before)
ReplyDeleteRe: rain. Wish we had some down here! It's as dry a summer as I can remember. And hot. But that's not quite so unusual. :)
Happy Weekend, Monique...rain or not!
My favorite: the first photo!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe photo through the rainy window is gorgeous.... And your peony photos, ahhh so beautiful. The last of the peony at my house were picked this weekend, I forgot to stick some in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteThose peonies are gorgeous. We cannot grow them here-it is just to hot.
ReplyDeleteI know rain can bend the peonies down to the ground but your photos with the raindrops on them are beautiful.
ReplyDelete