I bought several cookbooks in December, some for my birthday and others for Christmas (great excuses to get things I want for me!) and I’ve fallen in love with ‘In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite’ by Melissa Clarke who writes for the New York Times Dining Section.
And that romance started long before I even attempted my first recipe. Melissa dedicates her book…
To My Parents.
Who taught me firsthand
Just how deeply food means love
That touched me. That is exactly what food means to me. I would feed the world if I could. Feeling a bit under the weather? Just let me know and I’ll have a pot of Chicken Soup with Dumplings on your doorstep within hours. I can’t help myself…it’s just who I am and how I care for those I love.
I was the mom the neighborhood kids would come to knowing there would always be something good to eat and if not…I would whip something up for them. My daughters always brought friends home from college for the weekend and I won’t kid myself, they were all here for the promise of a good meal! Now that my children are grown and on their own; they still call and invite themselves and friends over for meals and I love having them. Last year I helped my youngest daughter’s best friend make the first cake she had ever baked (she’s 24). Not the first she had baked from scratch, no, the first time she had ever baked a cake at all and she was so excited to be able to give it to her Dad for his birthday. I was equally excited that I was there to help her.
After reading Melissa’s dedication I continued on through the Acknowledgments and the Introduction and I sort of forgot that I was reading a cookbook, I mean I was actually caught up in the reading more than the recipes! Melissa shares a lot of childhood memories and though she had experiences I did not, much of the nature of those experiences resonated with mine. Crazy I know but I find that this cookbook is a novel of sorts. A story of food, yes, but also a story of family and Melissa’s experiences and I’ve been reading the prefaces in sequence, excited to get to the next ‘chapter.’ The other night it occurred to me that it was high time I actually considered making something from the book!
As circumstances would have it I had just received a box of Meyer Lemons from a friend I’ve met on Twitter, the sweet and generous Kim with Rustic Garden Bistro. Another sweet friend of mine,Deb from Smith Bites, had received a box too and her husband Rod so accurately dubbed them ‘A Box of Sunshine.’ The first couple of days I just had them sit as close to me as possible on my desk so that I could enjoy the amazing aroma. I’m making arrangements now to go live with Kim and Barry (shh, don’t tell, they don’t know yet!).
My first inclination was to make my favoritist (don’t judge; it is too a word in the dictionary of Barb) lemon dessert, Lemon Bars, but I wanted to add a twist. I made some Rosemary Shortbread this past summer with rosemary from my garden and just LOVED them so had considered putting the two together. The rosemary ‘tree’ that I bought for Christmas was still going strong so I really wanted to use some of it before that changed and I knew providence had struck when I saw this recipe of Melissa’s combining both. I won’t deny…I love my lemon squares SO much it was a tough call to try another version but I’m glad I did!
The top layer of lemon curd is richer and makes a thinner layer of topping in relationship to the crust as opposed to my version which is the opposite with more topping and less crust. The lemon curd was more intense than I’m used to, especially with the Meyer lemons so this was the perfect pairing and I just loved the combination of my rosemary, my new BFF (well, in my mind!) Melissa’s recipe with my other BFF Kim’s home grown lemons; it was a match made in Heaven Twitter!
I certainly hope you try these and love them but more than that, you really need to buy this book and become a part of the family!
(Note: Any clicks to Amazon from this site are linked to the author’s Amazon account.)
Lemon Curd Squares with Rosemary
Ingredients
For the Shortbread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus additional for top
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
For the Lemon Curd
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
- Pinch Kosher Salt
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan.
Shortbread
- Combine flour, butter, both sugars, rosemary and lemon zest in a food processor.
- Pulse until mixture is a crumbly dough.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake the shortbread until golden around the edges, about 40 minutes
Lemon Curd
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest and salt.
- When the shortbread is ready, remove it from the over and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Pour the lemon curd onto the shortbread base and return the pan to the oven.
- Bake until the topping is just set, about 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
These look fabulous… Sounds like a great book!
Oh, and I have to say that I am totally jealous of the rosemary “tree”… I tried to convince hubs that I needed one, but he didn’t seem to think I would use all of that rosemary. Clearly, he was wrong.
what are you going to trade her for the meyer lemons? i think she should get to keep your cane when you’re all done with it, which better be soon. ps- rosemary + lemon kick serious ass.
I would happily ship this cane to any lucky recipient but in truth it has become both a useful pointer and a dog corraller (?) so despite not wanting it to be my third leg…it might have to stay!
I love lemon squares with herbs, I use lavender with lemon all the time. But I will absolutely try it with rosemary. They look delicious!
I made a lavender lemon martini this past summer Kate. To. Die. For. I should experiment with lavender in these too.
Just in time for my citrus craving. These squares look refreshingly creamy. Now I have to have Melissa’s book.
Love the book Ken; even without the recipes!
It sounds like a great book, I always love when cookbooks are more than just recipes, when you get the personal stories with the recipes it’s always a pleasure to read and makes you feel more connected with the food you are making.
Exactly Sylvie; some of my favorite recipes are family heirlooms; I often wonder if it’s the recipe I love or the memories associated with it!
This sounds so good! I’m going to pick this book up on your recommendation. I am not a big fan of cook books normally, because the stories are missing. This sounds perfect. The best of both worlds!
You will love this one then…let me know what you think of it too.
Barb, I hope you will we have some to taste test tomorrow for us. Rosemary and lemon goes so well together.
Cake for tomorrow is baked.
Kirsten
I love lemon bars and hoping I’ll be sampling some soon ;). I am already salivating Barb.
What a wonderful post about this book. And that combination of lemon and rosemary…lovely.
I first used rosemary in a shortbread and was amazed at how much I loved it in a cookie. This took it to new heights!
OMGoodness, rosemary in shortbread base and Meyer lemon curd what a combination! Love lemon squares!! Like how the book and stories resonated with you!! That is very sentimental and doubly meaningful!
Beautiful lemon bars!!! Nice lookin’ lemons, too. :P
This is one cookbook I don’t have (yet); sounds like I need to get my hands on it because I’m a sucker for storytelling. (Big reason why I LOVE Dorie’s latest book.)
Have a great weekend!
[K]
Could not…no; would not have happened without you. I still have a couple of lemons left and they are hard to use…I will miss them. Thanks so much Kim; you’re beyond sweet.
I am in love with this book! I read it at night like a good novel. Now I just need to get busy in the kitchen and start making some of her recipes. These look delicious!!! Love rosemary!!!
Exactly Renee…glad I’m not alone!
I’m going to make this as soon as possible and I know, without a doubt, that I’m going to love it! I love using herbs in baking and rosemary is just about my favorite. Combine that with the lemon curd and…wow!!! Fantastic.
It seems like everyone is making lemon curd these days, I’m going to have to get my little paws on some meyer lemons. Your rosemary “tree” is gorgeous, I don’t think I would have ver thought to combine the two flavours.
Never in a million years would I have thought to add rosemary to lemon squares! Your squares are lovely (love your rosemary tree too) and your photograph of them is great. I enjoyed your story and thought it was so nice that you helped your daughter’s best friend bake her first baked good ever. I’m sure she was very proud of the cake and hopefully she has been baking ever since!
I’ve seen that cookbook and it looked phenomenal! Love these lemon squares, Barb!!!
I can wolf down lemon curd by the spoon so if I make these they’ll be gone in no time at all.