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Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Yesterday

 Yesterday actually was an amusing day. You couldn't tell that from my slogging determination to lay the park to rest! I also had a very short shopping list to fill.

Today is far too late to remember what was on my list. I can say, the list was divided between Dollar General and Kreigers. The former plebeian, the latter more esoteric.

Oh, wait, I just remembered two crucial parts of the list. Cornstarch and paper towels, if I could find them. My last roll of a three roll pack of paper towels is essentially gone and no replacement at Dollar General the last several months.

Cornstarch, that essential of our grandmother's cupboard, came from Kreigers, which I found when I stumbled again on my crostata recipe, last spring. And I had five peaches to turn into peach crostata sooner than later.


I pulled into the left lane to turn left for Kreigers when suddenly my head swiveled to check all my lanes, and I pulled back into the right to go to Dollar General first, and then complete the square back home.

Sometimes the covid shallowness of my life just needs a kick in its ass. I reversed my route!

Way at the end of the Dollar General aisle, a single pack of toilet paper graced the stack of empty shelving. Par for the course, and I continued along. On a whim I swing right into the baking supplies aisle, looking slowly up and down. All the way, up and down.

Why? Obstinance. You cannot buy spices at Dollar General. You cannot buy buttermilk. But, might as well look. At the very end, on the left, top shelf, box after box of cornstarch. Out of my reach, of course.

A man was stocking shelves at the other end of the aisle. "Young man..." said I, and he came and reached me down  the most important purchase on my list. I only bought one one pound box. That could be a mistake, since the first was used since May, and does not have the requisite two tablespoons of cornstarch left in the box!

Continuing to the back of the store, I stopped and stared at the package obviously enclosing twelve rolls of tp. Either the separation between top and bottom was indistinct, or this was the only package of paper towels I've looked at since March. Literally the only package, since floor to ceiling and left to right, it was the only thing on the shelves. And, six rolls, not two. 

Into the cart, through checkout and home, to have half a tomato sammie for lunch, and get on with my peach crostata.


Hot water bath and cold water plunge, and the skins slipped right off. These weren't cling free stones, but the peaches cut easily away. The slices filled the measuring cup right up to the four cup mark. I was on such a roll I used brown sugar. Praline, yes! One went into the oven, one the freezer, ready to bake.

I set up the cooling rack and watched the oven carefully. I like mine baked to a nice shade of chocolate/peanut butter! The timer rang and I still left it two more minutes.

I reached both hands into the oven. I didn't pull out the rack. It sort of sticks and I need to find out how to solve that. I also did not have a solid grip on both handles of the pie plate. 

I rose to standing, lifting my arms a bit more, reaching to the right to put down the plate.  The pie plate slipped through my fingers, did a complete somersault and landed. On the floor. The pie plate landed, unhurt, on its bottom.

The crostata landed folded in half, like an omlette.

A big spatula in each hand, I beat the five second rule. By a lot.


It didn't unfold as neatly as it folded, and I've snacked on the crusty deliciousness of the missing edge. It is the best peach praline crostata I've ever made!


42 comments:

  1. Good catch!!! 5 seconds always saves the day!

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  2. An EXCELLENT catch. Which I fear I could not emulate.
    And it looks delicious. Again. Of course.

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    1. No, no, no, I did not catch anything. I leaned back while it all landed on the floor. Then I walked over to the stove, to the utensil container, picked the two largest spatulas, pulled up the chair and leaned over, slid the spatulas under from each side and returned much of the crostata to the pie plate. A couple more scoops and all was back where it started. Then cleaned off the floor with a wet towel. And then I did something else.

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  3. Good for you with that catch! Looks yummy!

    Betty

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  4. Sounds yummy! Will have to find some ripe peaches!

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  5. Lol. Thank heavens for that 5 second rule.

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  6. I've got a peace cobbler in the oven. The southern kind which Truvie gives the recipe for in Steel Magnolias. Sort of. I would have made your crostata but I didn't have a pie crust and don't want to make one. It will do.
    I'm so glad that you were able to salvage that beautiful pastry.

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  7. I am glad you didn't get burned!
    To my amazement, I saw at Shaws, containers of Chlorox wipes, one per customer!

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  8. Shook up or not that certainly look just right to eat. Love the crusty sugary look to the pastry.

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  9. What a glorious save! Congratulations! I bet the taste with the brown sugar is wonderful! And good job on finding what you needed at the Dollar Store! For me that is a hit and miss shopping trip.

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  10. hari OM
    ahahahahah... not to compete, but father managed to land half of the cheesy scrambled eggs on the floor from his plate tonight. It was back up in my hand and on his plate before he even realised it was gone... I stewed rhubarb yesterday. Time to make a crust. YAM xx

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  11. I'm off to make meatballs. But I have to say, the upright crostata is the prettiest thing.

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  12. Very exciting! I'm glad it turned out okay.

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  13. what is it that makes it Praline? Simply using brown sugar instead of white? then I've been making Praline for years :)
    Glad you saved it from the floor so quickly, it's far too yummy to waste.
    With things like cornstarch etc, I always buy two packs instead of one. Yesterday I needed fine breadcrumbs to make more schnitzels for my freezer, so I bought two packs. And today I'll buy two more, for next time, because when I shopped last week there weren't any packs at all on the shelf.

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  14. I can't believe that paper towels are still difficult to find. We're back to full shelves of it (and TP here); however, I haven't been able to buy canadian bacon for my breakfast sandwiches the last two times I've been to the store. Pretty weird, since I only go about every 2 weeks. I love anything with brown sugar, so this would be delicious, floor visit or no. I'm glad you could salvage it!

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  15. It is certainly the best peach praline crostata I've ever seen. Nicely done, Joanne.

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  16. I can see I'm going to have to try a crostata when peaches come in. Not yet. Yours look too good not to make.

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  17. Well actually it was a good days you accomplished your main goal. For me that would be a very special day is sheltering in its place here makes doing much of anything away from home a struggle

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  18. I didn't realize some were experiencing a paper towel shortage. I wonder how widespread it is.

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  19. If you don’ have buttermilk, you can add lemon or vinegar to milk and, voila, you have buttermilk. I have never tried it but have read it somewhere.

    Glad you saved the day and your lovely crostata. Ice cream on top would have hidden any imperfections.

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  20. That tomato sandwich looks very satisfying. And peace crostata is something to dream about. sorry about the mishap but it sounds as though you didn't lose much and nothing broke!

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  21. Peach, though a peace crostata is something to think about.

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  22. Here is a three-second rule. Do not always really count.

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  23. "Sometimes the covid shallowness of my life just needs a kick in its ass. I reversed my route!" That, Joanne, is a very good start to fight the effects of corona!
    Lucky you got the paper and the corn starch - and the peaches look delicious (think of Garfield, who said, as a cake slipped down: I"t is still the same cake!" and scratched it up (though you had the luck that it only fell halfway!)

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  24. Tomato sandwiches are my favorite. That peach crostata looks delicious. I usually don't buy peaches because I'm the only the only that eats them and they go bad. This might be worth a try.

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  25. What a brilliant blog post. And that peach tart, as we would call it, looks wonderful.

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  26. I was worried about your famous handled pie dish there for a minute, broke into a mild sweat. I am so glad you saved that day. And you make a dollar store trip into such an adventure!!

    XO
    WWW

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  27. Attractiveness is important when you are serving guests. But when you are eating it yourself all you need is for it to taste good.

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  28. While fixing my supper of salad with cold roast beef, I accidentally tossed the beef into the dog’s dish on the counter waiting for fat and gristly bits. Fished it out and ate it anyway. AOK so far. Cheers.

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  29. that does look yummy, flipped, folded, and scooped off the floor notwithstanding. and good score at the dollar store and eliminating one stop. we need paper towels too. I had to get the half roll out of my workroom for the kitchen.

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  30. "Sometimes the covid shallowness of my life just needs a kick in its ass. I reversed my route!"

    Yes, I get that. So sorry to be so delinquent in my visits here. Never a disappointment. And, I'd eat that crostata even if it had gone 6 seconds on the floor.

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  31. The five-second rule seems almost quaint after the last few months!

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  32. Great foods often arise from accidents. My folks reminded me every single birthday that I was an accident. Brother was born Jan. 1951, and I was born Dec. 1951.

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  33. ha! I love that 5 second rule!

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  34. Oh no I think I would have wept when the pie landed on the floor but I'm glad you were able to save it, and even more glad it tasted really good!

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