Fresh Tart

This pretty recipe is via my friend Zoe Francois, she of Zoe Bakes and Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day. Not only is Zoe one of the coolest, funniest chicks on the planet, she's a total rock star these days, traveling the country with her co-author Jeff Hertzberg, MD, promoting their latest book, Artisan Pizza in 5 Minutes a Day (see the book's insanely delicious pizza party video, which I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in, below) as well as taping an appearance on The Cooking Channel, probably as I write this sentence.

Zoe posted a pavlova recipe on The Cooking Channel site last week, in fact, and I was so smitten with her beautiful photographs - and the promise of a gluten-free dessert! - that right away I asked if we could do a version for here. Zoe graciously agreed and suggested lime curd with white chocolate and tropical fruit. OK! Oh my goodness, tender meringues the color of the snow we don't have, filled with zingy lime pudding...a perfect mid-February treat in my book.

I made them for a post-Super Bowl treat yesterday and made our guests very happy. You could serve them as a Valentine's Day treat and make your true love very happy. Everyone is happy when Zoe's pastries are in the mix!

Recipe for Pavlovas with Lime Curd at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

Artisan Pizza in 5 Minutes A Day Pizza Party, filmed/produced by the AMAZINGLY talented White On Rice Couple:

Minnesota Food Bloggers heated up a frigid, Minnesota morning by hosting our first educational event on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at Minnesota History Center. Bloggers, farmers, food advocates, chefs, journalists, and concerned eaters gathered to view the morning session of the live TEDxManhattan: Changing the Way We Eat webcast.

The morning session's focus was sustainability. After the viewing, Minnesota Valley Country Club executive chef, Tour de Farm founder, host of In Search of Food, and local food advocate Scott Pampuch spoke to the group about the evolution of his thoughts, menus, and purchasing decisions at his restaurant Corner Table. Scott then joined a panel discussion with Barth Anderson of Fair Food Fight, Debbie Morrison of Sapsucker Farms, and myself, moderated by Brett Olson of Renewing the Countryside, to continue the conversation as a group.

See the event summary at Minnesota Food Bloggers. An overview video of the webcast, panel discussion, and reception is below.

TEDxManhattan: Changing the Way We Eat Viewing, Panel Discussion & Reception from Minnesota Food Bloggers on Vimeo.

My polentaaaah recipe at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.