I love the Fourth of July. Everything about the holiday is seeped in awesomeness for me. Hot dogs? Bring on the Hebrew Nationals and cover them with literally every topping available. Watermelon? I'll even eat them with seeds. Parades? I would go to a parade everyday if that was an option. Fireworks? Bring it. If I could find anyone left in the city who would go to the Mall with me on the Fourth I would be there right now, camping out amid the tourists who are looking for the Cherry Blossoms (sorry, you're a little late) and fighting for a spot with a vendor who specializes in FBI t-shirts and stunna shades.
As a kid the Fourth meant the Palisades Parade in the quaint DC hamlet that tricked me into thinking I was raised in a sleepy small southern town. As an adult things haven't changed much. If I find myself in DC, I'm usually back at the Palisades Parade giving out candy and stickers (now I know why Santa is always so jolly) while shilling for a local candidate. But afterwards I usually retreat to a more "adult" activity like sneaking out onto illicit rooftops and drinking wine out of a Nalgene with 100 of my closest friends.
This year won't be too much different except that instead of the parade I'll be mattress shopping (girl's gotta sleep), packing for my impending move and spending time with my grandmother who is in from Texas (hi Nini!) before sneaking out onto a rooftop with my girls. Because baby, I can't miss the fireworks.
What to make for a pre-Fourth celebration? Apple pie you say? I hope you give me a little more credit than that. For one, I'm not the biggest fan of pie crust. I don't mind making it and I certainly won't mind eating it, but to me, there really is nothing better in the summer than fresh local fruit topped with butter and sugar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But since I have trouble picking favorites from the bevy of beautiful fruit laid before me at the market, I threw them all in. You of course can just pick one or two and go with it.
Like the United States of America, this recipe is both an original and a fruit salad (tell me I'm not the only one who went to liberal schools and learned we're more like a fruit salad than a melting pot). Come on fruit, let your colors burst. But please, whatever fruit you choose, serve this crisp with vanilla (or ginger) ice cream, it's the American way.
Red, White and Fruit Crisp
Filling Ingredients:
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl throughly combine prepared fruit with lemon juice and zest, sugar and tapioca. Pour contents into deep pie pan. Put aside until topping is ready.
Slice butter into 1/2 inch cubes and pulse with flour, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and salt in Cuisinart until combined. Remove contents to large bowl and using your finger tips (or if that grosses you out a wooden spoon) combine oatmeal and almonds with mixture until nice and crumbly. Distribute topping evenly on top of fruit.
Bake for 45-50 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (after 35 minutes I put foil on top to ward off any chance of burning).
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
As a kid the Fourth meant the Palisades Parade in the quaint DC hamlet that tricked me into thinking I was raised in a sleepy small southern town. As an adult things haven't changed much. If I find myself in DC, I'm usually back at the Palisades Parade giving out candy and stickers (now I know why Santa is always so jolly) while shilling for a local candidate. But afterwards I usually retreat to a more "adult" activity like sneaking out onto illicit rooftops and drinking wine out of a Nalgene with 100 of my closest friends.
This year won't be too much different except that instead of the parade I'll be mattress shopping (girl's gotta sleep), packing for my impending move and spending time with my grandmother who is in from Texas (hi Nini!) before sneaking out onto a rooftop with my girls. Because baby, I can't miss the fireworks.
What to make for a pre-Fourth celebration? Apple pie you say? I hope you give me a little more credit than that. For one, I'm not the biggest fan of pie crust. I don't mind making it and I certainly won't mind eating it, but to me, there really is nothing better in the summer than fresh local fruit topped with butter and sugar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But since I have trouble picking favorites from the bevy of beautiful fruit laid before me at the market, I threw them all in. You of course can just pick one or two and go with it.
Like the United States of America, this recipe is both an original and a fruit salad (tell me I'm not the only one who went to liberal schools and learned we're more like a fruit salad than a melting pot). Come on fruit, let your colors burst. But please, whatever fruit you choose, serve this crisp with vanilla (or ginger) ice cream, it's the American way.
Red, White and Fruit Crisp
Filling Ingredients:
- 2 peaches, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 cups blueberries, washed and devoid of stems
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons uncooked tapioca pearls
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon crystalized ginger (optional)
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds (or your choice of nuts)
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl throughly combine prepared fruit with lemon juice and zest, sugar and tapioca. Pour contents into deep pie pan. Put aside until topping is ready.
Slice butter into 1/2 inch cubes and pulse with flour, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and salt in Cuisinart until combined. Remove contents to large bowl and using your finger tips (or if that grosses you out a wooden spoon) combine oatmeal and almonds with mixture until nice and crumbly. Distribute topping evenly on top of fruit.
Bake for 45-50 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (after 35 minutes I put foil on top to ward off any chance of burning).
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
