True Blue for: Layla, Blueberry pie and the 4th of July! Two years ago, I would have been going bonkers getting festivities and food ready across six different restaurants. Today, I’m setting up a lemonade stand with neighbours and baking blueberry pie for kids. See that smile? That’s one happy Mama!
Life changed drastically when I found out I was pregnant with Layla. I literally put the brakes on everything. No cooking professionally, no writing, no nothing. Why? Well, because three years ago everyone I loved passed away: my Mom, Stepdad, Grandpa, and our two daughters late second term. I was at the top of my game professionally which, thankfully, was all-absorbing but, I was walking through emotional quicksand. So I left my work as an Executive Chef for six restaurants and hopped on a plane to India after loosing my Mom and second daughter within a 3 week period. And I spent some time far, far, far away from stress, grief, depression, pain, anger and all those yucky feelings that go along with loosing your family.
When my husband came to meet me in Delhi, we both had this incredible sense of relief. It was so liberating to leave our emotional baggage at home and reconnect. We lived it up completely treating ourselves like Moguls and rode elephants through castles, made wonderful friends, ate the most delicious food I’ve ever had and came home happy, well rested, and much to our surprise – pregnant!
When I found out the good news, I knew that cooking professionally was not going to be an option for the duration. My doctors also said: no more cooking. No more standing for 12 hours a day, no more stress, no more adrenaline rushes – basically no fun and I spent nine whole entire months on modified bed rest. Yes. Nine months. I know, sounds like a holiday and it was for the first two weeks but, from there on out it was pure torture. For a person who was used to running 5-10 miles after a full day of cooking, being imprisoned to a sofa was brutal. I watched so many episodes of Law and Order that my husband was convinced our daughter was either going to be a lawyer or a serial killer! I did not write my blog. I did not cook. I did not read books or better myself in any way. I just zoned out on murder mysteries. It’s really all I could do to get through it.
But now, here we are two years and nine months later, almost to the date, with a gorgeous little girl who is the best little Sous Chef a Mama could have. Layla brings so much joy and love into our lives. Our cup runneth over…
And she loves to bake! She likes to mix, sift, roll out dough and pop whatever we’re making into the oven. And of course she loves to eat up her creations with extra whip (whipped cream apparently goes with everything). I am so happy to be her Mama. She is pure sunshine. And this is, by far, the most demanding job I’ve ever had.
So yes, my priorities have shifted. My ambition has mellowed (sightly). I’m a Mom! But that’s not to say that I still don’t have my finger in the pie, I consult for restaurants and enjoy the challenge of designing menus and fine tuning operations. It’s fun. I love it. I’m good at it. And I still get to snuggle my Little One and be there for her and all of her firsts.
And this Fourth of July definitely had a lot of firsts – our first lemonade stand! Our first bake sale! Our first blueberry pie! And I guess my first post in almost three years. Whew, well, if fireworks were an emotion, I certainly would be one heck of a colorful show this 4th. Thanks friends, family and long time readers for all the support over these last 15 years. This is certainly one new adventure and I’m hoping to bring family and fun back to the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 4 pints blueberries (if your pie dish is deep you might need more, check by pouring the blueberries into the pan and if they come up to the top then it's enough)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 pinches cinnamon
- 1 lemon, juiced (if your blueberries are not acidic add a little more lemon juice)
- Two pie crusts (pâte brisée)
- 2-3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 egg yolk, whisked for glazing crust
- 1/4 cup cream
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preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it into edges. Trim dough to a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Roll out remaining dough on a sheet of parchment and place on a baking sheet. Using a star cookie cutter, cut little shapes out leaving about 1/2-inch in between each and a 2-inch border all around. If desired the punched out stars can be placed on top of the crust with just a little water on the back of each. Chill all until ready to use.2. Place blueberries in a large bowl and add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon juice; stir to combine and crush about 1/2 cup of the berries. Spoon mixture into the pie shell. Dot with butter. Remove dough carefully from parchment and place over blueberry filling. Fold the top dough over the bottom and crimp all around using your fingers to press both layers of dough along the edge to seal. Flute as desired.3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Brush surface with egg wash, being careful not to let it pool.4. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with whip!
Oh my, Amy, oh my. There are no words.
I always wonder when longtime bloggers suddenly stop posting but 9/10 times, right? it’s just that life got busy or something work-life-blogging-got-boring-etc pedestrian stuff.
And then — YOUR story. Does Layla mean Gift of God?
All the best, blogging or not, as you re-define and reckon with yourself, your life, your need, your family.
Awww, thank you so much Alanna! Your sweet note made me tear up! That means so much to me. I’ve been wanting to re-start this blog for awhile, but for the last year, I’ve been like: where do I begin? So much has happened??!! And every time I would sit down to try and focus, a certain Little Some One would distract me. Then, yesterday, it all sort of came together. I’m excited to be a Mommy Blogger lol! And yes, Layla certainly is our little gift from God 🙂
Welcome back Chef!
It was an eye-opener to see there was a new entry to read, and it’s so good to see you back with a bang with your little blueberry.
I hope that the lemonade stand was a smashing success, and here’s to more adventures of Les Pommes d’amour
Hiya Wattacetti! Thank you! The lemonade stand was a huge hit and I believe a new tradition. Our kid crew ate most of the items for sale, but our “Uncle Sam’s Lemonade and Champagne” concoction kept the adult neighbours in good spirits!!!
Wow, what a surprise to see you pop up in my RSS feed! So many changes in your life, and you look so happy!
Hi Alison! Thank you! I know it’s been a long, long, lonnnnnng time! Looking forward to this next chapter and THANK YOU for your comment and for keeping me around these many years 🙂
What a rough stretch of stress and personal loss! Going back to the days when you were learning to be a sous chef in France, you always had the best stories to wrap around recipes and cooking instruction. That still has not changed. You will have great stories to tell your daughter as she grows up.
Hi David! Thank you! Yes for a stretch there, I was beginning to feel like I had a not-so-golden-Midas-touch. I’m putting together a funny memoir about that time in Paris, so hopefully those stories will still be around for Layla in a more in depth readable format, I just finished the first draft (it’s only taken me 15 years)! Thank you so much for keeping me in your kitchen!
I was just thinking about you the other day. I’m sorry to hear about your tragedies. It’s horrifically sad. So great about Layla. Hope life is back on track.