Hello, everyone!
I hope you’re enjoying the start of Spring. Or, if you’re in Ontario you may be impatiently waiting for it to start like I am. We even had an ice storm recently—in late-April (!!). Mother Nature, are you drunk? Someone needs to tell her it’s almost May. We did get some warmer weather for a few days last week but we’ve gone back to single digit temps this weekend. Brrr. At least it’s not snowing, so there’s that.
Since we’re skipping Spring this year, I’m now ready for Summer….AKA Strawberry Season. If there’s one fruit that screams summer to me, it’s the lovely strawberry. When I tell someone that I bake pies, the first thing I usually get asked is: ‘What’s your favourite kind of pie?” It’s so hard to choose, but if I was gonna choose my ultimate fave is strawberry balsamic.
But I also love lemon pie (without meringue #thankyouverymuch), especially if it’s combined with strawberries. I made this luscious lemon tart last week (during our Ice Storm–Ugh!) and after just one bite, I forgot all about the nasty weather outside at the time. This pie tastes like summer… on a plate.
A few years ago, I worked at this Italian restaurant and the pastry chef often made this incredible lemon pie with sliced strawberries and a coulis drizzled on top. She was a wonderful baker and really inspired me to start baking. I loved her lemon pie and I would often enjoy a slice with a glass of vino after a busy shift. So when I finally learned how to bake, I came up with my own version of her wonderful lemon tart. Now it’s one of my favourite summer desserts.
So we’ll get to this lemon pie recipe shortly, but first let me tell you a bit about my recent trip. Just scroll down to skip my ramblings if you just want the recipe. But then you’ll miss some cute puppy photos and some awesome waterfalls…just sayin’.
I didn’t get much ‘recreational’ baking in during Easter as I went away for the holiday (and the week following), and I had quite a few pie orders leading up to Easter. A big thanks to everyone who ordered pies from me for the holiday. I really appreciate the business. You guys are the best! xo
I did manage to squeeze in one Easter pie before leaving town to share with friends: a Peach Pie with brown butter, maple and cinnamon. I know, it’s not exactly the typical Easter flavour, but the design more than made up for it. Because nothing says “Happy Easter” than Darth Vader with cute bunny ears, right?
The force is strong with this pie. Won’t you join me on the Dark Side with this yummy pie? I can keep going, but I’ll spare you the endless Darth Vader quotes hehe. Impressive, most impressive. Ok, Ok….I’m done.
So… after visiting family and friends for Easter, Billy and I did a short detour through Upstate, New York before heading home. I’ve been wanting to go to Ithaca for a long time, but somehow this town kept eluding me every time I was on a road trip in the area.
Ithaca is a small town just south of Syracuse and is known for its spectacular gorges and waterfalls. The slogan for the town is clever and quite fun: ‘Ithaca is GORGES!”. It sure is. If you like waterfalls (who doesn’t?), you will love with this town.
Can you believe this waterfall (at Buttermilk Falls State Park) is a 5-minute walk from our hotel on the main drag? Not too shabby at all
We lucked out with the weather on this trip. While the week leading up to Easter was cold and snowy, it warmed up right in time for the holiday weekend.
It was a balmy 14 C! It felt like spring.
It was perfect for hiking, waterfall-hopping, walking with the pup, touring the odd brewery & cidery and just enjoying the amazing scenery.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn which is just a short drive from downtown. It’s also pet-friendly and they don’t charge a fee (which is rare). When we mentioned to the friendly woman at reception (who works the overnight shift) that it was our first time here, she gave us lots of great tips and recommendations. She said if we only have time for one waterfall, we should definitely should do Taughannock Falls. So that was first on our list for tomorrow.
I woke up feeling refreshed after the best sleep I’ve had in a long time (I was really lacking sleep during my pre-Easter bake-a-thon). Billy and I enjoyed a delicious breakfast and coffee in the lobby and then we set out for Taughannock Falls. These Falls aren’t right in Ithaca, rather they’re in Ulysses–a town which is just a short (15-minute) drive away.
It was a perfect day for a scenic drive. I couldn’t wait to check out my first waterfall here in the Finger Lakes area.
When we arrived, there were a few trails to choose from but we decided on the North Rim trail. It wasn’t overly long, about 3/4 of a mile, which was perfect since our pup couldn’t handle a really long hike, especially on such a warm day. She’s older now (14!) and although she’s in good shape, she does get tired easily and all that fur can make her quite hot–especially if it’s sunny. She did quite well though and only needed the occasional ride when she started lagging behind.
Billy and Mittan both enjoyed the beautiful trails and one of them stopped to sniff an awful lot.
The best surprise about these Falls? They’re actually taller than Niagara Falls!
While they aren’t as big (or as famous) as Niagara, these Falls plunge 215 feet down to the river bed whereas Niagara is about 167 feet. We didn’t get to see it from every angle as it was too long of a walk for the furry kook, but the hike around the falls was simply amazing. The cliffs around the falls stretch out to a whopping 400-feet above the gorge!
The view from above wasn’t too terrible at all.
Our little pup was getting hot and she decided it was time for a swim. Um…nope, that’s a lonng way down to the water, my friend. I’m glad we kept her on leash for the hike or I’m pretty sure she would have kept trying to go over the edge of the canyon to jump into the water. We met quite a few dogs along the trail and luckily they were all on leash–for their own safety.
We had a fabulous walk along the trails and the pup kept up for most of the walk. She just loves being in the forest.
We do, too!
On the way back to town we decided to stop at a Cidery to do a bit of taste-tasting. Finger Lakes Cidery make a variety of ciders here plus it’s an organic farm where they grow an assortment of fruits and veggies.
I loved the atmosphere here and the wood is just stunning. Our bartender, Nick, was very friendly and welcoming. We were very impressed with this place.
We were also very happy to learn that they allowed dogs in the tasting room. We’d planned to sit outside with our cider as we didn’t know they were pet-friendly but it had cooled down a bit so we were happy to sit indoors. So was Mittan, especially because she smelled lots of delicious food in here.
The ciders were delicious and possibly the best I’ve had in a long time. Don’t worry, these weren’t all mine. I’m not a huge drinker, as most of you know, plus I was driving so I just had a few tastes of each of their offerings.
We enjoyed them so much that we bought a couple of bottles to take home.
Since we were feeling a bit peckish after our walk, we decided to grab a snack here. They’ve got a appetizers and light meals available on their menu so we opted for the sharing platter. Everything on the appetizer board is made right here on their farm. The honey, jams and cheeses were all delicious.
The next morning, we headed to Cornell– the Ivy League University located right here in Ithaca. It’s a beautiful campus, complete with waterfalls! You can’t really go anywhere in this town without coming across a waterfall. I wish my university campus looked like this. I’d probably wouldn’t have gone to class as much though (hehe).
The waterfall is a two-minute walk from the campus museum. Parking options aren’t great here, even on the weekend, so we didn’t do a huge walk.
We walked across the suspension bridge and got a better view of the waterfall. This bridge reminded me of the Capilano bridge in Vancouver–albeit a lot smaller.
After a tour of the campus, we headed to Buttermilk Falls for an afternoon hike. This was another beautiful spot for a walk and the falls can be seen right from the parking area (these are the Falls that are within a short walk of most of the hotels!). So if you aren’t overly mobile or you’re travelling with young kids or the elderly, you can see these Falls right from the road.
It was a bit cooler today so Mittan had an easier time on this hike. It was more uphill though, so it was a bit steep at times but it wasn’t overly hot so that helped. It was a great workout and she enjoyed the hike up the mountain. We stopped a few times for a break and photos.
Cute pup and a pretty waterfall? Not a bad way to spend an afternoon at all.
After the hike, it was beer research time! We headed downtown to Liquid State Brewery. My guy works at a brew pub back at home, so we always enjoys checking out other breweries on the road.
We weren’t overly impressed with the service but the beers are really good. I had a small cider since I can’t drink much beer (unfortunately), but I did taste a few of them and I really loved their Double IPA.
Someone was pretty tired a long day of hiking and sightseeing. As soon as we got back to the hotel later that night, she was out like a light. This breed (Tibetan Spaniels) are born watchdogs. Originating over 2,000 years ago in the Himilayan mountains of Tibet, they were bred and owned by Monks who used them to guard their monasteries. These dogs would sit on the walls and bark to alert the Mastiffs hanging out below if they saw anyone approaching. They say Tibetan Spaniels basically have two ‘jobs’: watchdog and bed warmer. She excels at both. These dogs have got to be super tired if they dare close their eyes and stop watching you (ha ha!).
On the way out of town the next day (I really didn’t want to leave!), we stopped at Dulce Delight–a little cafe/bakery near Ithaca College. It’s off the beaten-path so you’ll feel like you’re out in the country here. Such a wonderful spot to enjoy a coffee…with a view!
They offer a huge selection of amazing breakfast sandwiches (including gluten-free options—YAY!) and yummy-looking pies and treats galore.
We had to try at least one bakery and sample treats while in Ithaca, so Billy had the Chocolate Croissant. If I could eat gluten without repercussions, I would have inhaled this when he wasn’t looking. HA!
I wish I could have tried some of her pie (silly gluten) as the owner, Maria (who we met and is super friendly!) came in 2nd in a Pillsbury Pie Contest with her ‘Slice of Apple Spice’ pie.
But her chocolate cheesecake is amazing. YUM!
Before heading home, we stopped by the famous Moosewood Restaurant which is located downtown. The popular cookbook by Mollie Katzen (the ‘Moosewood Cookbook’) was based on a collection of recipes served at the restaurant in Ithaca, NY. It was my very first cookbook so I was pretty excited to check this place out.
We had a wonderful trip and I’m so glad I finally made it to this little town, especially since it’s been on my list for several years. If you’re driving through upstate NY, I definitely recommend spending a day or two (at least) here in Ithaca. Lots of hiking & sightseeing, and tons of great restaurants and wineries to check out as well. Ithaca is located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State, which is now a popular wine route. It’s only about 4 hours from Ottawa, and roughly the same distance from Toronto.
Now…if you made it through this post, you deserve a piece of lemon strawberry tart!
Lemon Strawberry Tart
A rich and delicious lemon tart with fresh strawberries
Ingredients
Ingredients
- One 8" pie shell---homemade or storebought baked.
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice freshly squeezed lemon juice is best
- 3 teaspoons lemon zest
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup* optional, but delicious
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1/3 cup strawberry coulis/sauce* optional but a great addition
- Whipped Cream
Instructions
Instructions
-
Bake the pie crust as per your package or recipe instructions. You're blind-baking so you'll be filling the crust later on. Allow the crust to cool completely.
-
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the lemon juice and zest together just until hot. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
-
Place eggs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl and whisk together.
-
Slowly drizzle the cooled lemon juice into the eggs/sugar/salt mix, this tempers the eggs so they don't curdle when you add the warm liquid.
-
Place the mix back onto the stovetop (using same saucepan) and cook the custard until thick--approximately 6-8 minutes.
-
Add butter to the saucepan and stir thoroughly to mix it in as it melts. Strain, if desired (not necessary but will help remove any clumps or egg bits) and allow to cook.
-
Pour pudding into cooled pie crust, cover and place in fridge for at least 4-6 hours (or overnight). When pie is cooled and thick enough to slice, add fresh strawberries on top and garnish with coulis or sauce and whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
Thanks for reading, guys! Do let me know if you try this pie and I hope you enjoy it.
I’m going away again in late May (heading to NB) so I’ll be sharing more adventures with you shortly. Have a wonderful week!
Hugs, Dana xo
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
What a yummy looking tart…I’m a huge fan of lemon and strawberries together too. And, can we just talk about your dog? THAT FACE!!! Such a cutie!!!
Pies & Prejudice says
aawww thank you so much, Colleen! I just love that combo and they’re so great together in this creamy pie. My little dog is quite the little traveller, she LOVES the car. So she comes with us travelling as much as possible. She’s such a trooper. Thanks for the kind words. I can’t wait to try your veggielicious soup and loved seeing your Smurfs posing with your soup haha Have a great day 😀
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Awwww love all these pictures!! Looks like an awesome trip and one tired pup!! And of course your pie looks luscious and amazing! Yummmmmm
Pies & Prejudice says
thanks so much Kelly!! We had a wonderful trip and the pooch loved it as well. She’s such a roadtripper, she just loves being the car. oh yes I love the lemon/strawberry combo, it’s so yummy and perfect for summer 😀
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
DANA! I love Ithaca! I went to school in Syracuse and used to have a shirt that said “Ithaca is gorges”–it was my favorite workout shirt for years :). Your pics remind me that I haven’t been back in years and I need to fix that. It sounds like you had a great trip and this pie sounds divine! I think you know just how much I love lemon desserts. I’m working on a pie to post next week (fingers crossed) so I’m going to try channeling your creative abilities. Have a great week, my dear!
Pies & Prejudice says
That’s awesome, Kelsie! I didn’t realize that. I think you had mentioned before you went to school in NY but for some reason I thought it was NYC. Isn’t Ithaca amazing? That’s great you were so close while in Syracuse. I hope you get back there for a visit one day. Maybe do a couple days in Syracuse visiting old friends and then a weekend in Ithaca. I’ll meet you there! haha Oh yep, I know you love your lemon. Thanks girl, I love the refreshing tart taste too and it’s so good in anything…esp with strawberries and other fruit. Looking forward to seeing your new pie, my fingers are crossed for you– even though you don’t need it. All your creations are amazing. I can’t wait to see it…wohoo! Happy Thursday, lovely! 😀
Bill says
Both pies look delicious though I find Vader disturbing with bunny ears. Picnic table by the waterfall is the perfect place to eat pie.
Pies & Prejudice says
thanks Billy! I’m glad you managed to get a piece of both pies….even though it was touch and go for awhile as the pie slices kept disappearing to share with everyone haha. Oh yes Darth is definitely disturbing but he sure looks cute. We should have brought a pie on the hike haha Such a great trip and weekend with my two favourite kooks! 😀