Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches and Lemon Scones with Maple-Blueberry Fool
Made high tea today for donors attending the Family of Hope Tea at the Alberta Children’s Hospital; wee sandwiches with the crusts cut off, lemon scones with berry jam and cream, my Mom’s nut balls, vanilla bean meringues and lemon curd tartlets. I made it home (through rush hour) by 5, but after milling about with the neighbours out front it was suddenly 6, and so we had the last of the egg salad for dinner.
Egg salad, in my opinion, must be eaten on soft white bread, spread with soft butter. Crusty bread and rolls are the natural enemy of egg salad, causing it to squirt out the other end upon biting. All teas must have small sandwiches, and among them must be egg salad and cucumber (I did mine with chives and fresh mint from the garden), but plain old egg salad, though I love it, seemed dull. So along with the mayo I stirred in a bit of curry paste (powder would work as well), a handful of finely chopped red pepper, tore in some cilantro and snipped in some chives. It was pretty fine, if I do say so myself. Luckily, having made a batch using 18 eggs, there was enough left over.
For dessert – now here is an example of how a few sad leftovers quickly reassembled turned into something that when you describe it sounds downright fancy – I had a few extra lemon biscuits (or scones – pretty much the same thing – scones tend to be sweeter and denser, with an egg added, but these are sweet too – scones without the density and egg?) and a bit of whipped cream, but no berries save for frozen wild blueberries. So I thawed them with a drizzle of maple syrup and swirled that into the small dish of leftover cream, which had sort of deflated after several hours, and then got a bit watered down from the juicy berries and maple syrup, and made a kind of fool, albeit a sloppy one. A sloppy fool on a flaky bun. You are what you eat, I guess.
Large-Batch Lemon Biscuits/Scones
I used a small biscuit cutter to make mine, but the open end of a tomato paste can is perfect. Or for square scones, which look very cool, simply cut them into squares using a pastry cutter or knife. If you like, add fresh or frozen blueberries as you stir the milk into the dry ingredients – if they are frozen don’t thaw them, or they will turn your dough greenish and wet.
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup butter, cut into chunks (I used roughly a third of a pound of butter for each of three batches – it doesn’t have to be exact)
1 cup milk, plus a little extra for brushing on top
coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)In the bowl of a food processor (or a large bowl), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter and pulse or work with a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers until the mixture is well combined and crumbly, with bits of butter no bigger than a pea – you want to leave some larger bits, rather than blending it completely – the larger chunks are what will make them flaky.
If you used a food processor (this is my favourite way) – dump the mixture into a bowl. Add the milk and stir just until you have a soft dough (you may need to use your hands). Pat the dough out about 3/4″ thick and cut into small rounds with a biscuit cutter, glass or open can rim, or a knife. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, spacing them an inch apart. If you like, brush the tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 30-35 biscuits.
Header update: Thanks, really, for all your input. The cookies were a place holder really, I didn’t want to spend too much time on this if the consensus was a big thumbs-down. I thought I’d use this template and do up several with different images, and then add some sort of plug-in to make them automatically rotate. Or change it altogether. Or something.
Any thoughts on a different tag line? Some of you may have mentioned in passing that it’s stale and cookbooky, which is definitely not what I want to portray. You all know this site better than me even, being on the other side of the screen.
It’s difficult to encapsulate yourself in a graphic design format, particularly when a) you’re not a graphic designer and b) you can’t figure out this stupid new computer program. And yes, it had occurred to me to call an artist/graphic designer friend (and I’ve had some offers- thank you!) for help, but I wouldn’t want to presume that dinner might be a fair trade for their time and skill. Plus – graphic designers all have their own sense of style too. What if they don’t jive? I’ve worked with many (not friends!) that came up with things I just didn’t like, or that didn’t quite grasp what I wanted. Of course, I don’t even know what I want, except that it be hip/fun/current/usable as a header with elements that could be used on their own for a logo. Like a header transformer. I would hate to not like what they do, or be ultra high-maintenance and force them to do a dozen different things and then go back to the first, or change my mind and do something completely different. I don’t want to be one of those people.
One Year Ago: Tim’s Everything Bagel, Old Cheddar Cheese
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May 28 2009 08:07 pm | cookies & squares and eggs and sandwiches
Sarah on 28 May 2009 at 8:20 pm #
Hmmm, I did like the old header a lot, very crisp and clean and yet “foodsy” too (there’s a new word…) but the new one is good, too. I used to have a blog which always had a picture of cupcakes on it, and I changed the picture according to the season (Flickr “cupcake search” rules!) you could always have one picture of food that you rotate for the seasons/holidays (Xmas, halloween, easter etc.) The tag line I’m not wild about, my first thought was it’s a bit Nigella-ish, beckoning with a whipped cream laden finger…you need something a little sassier in my opinion, or maybe something funny that W has said about food?? (Feel free to use the title I was going to use for my line of black velvet oven mitts: “Too bitchin’ for the kitchen.”)
JulieVR on 28 May 2009 at 8:23 pm #
Or: bite me?
Avery on 28 May 2009 at 8:44 pm #
How about something like…
“DINNER WITH JULIE : kitchen diaries”?
Ok… I suck at this.
Erica B. on 28 May 2009 at 9:49 pm #
dinner with julie: inspired. messy. delicious.
or (for W) dinner with julie: no pants required
hehehe… ok now I know why I don’t have a job in advertising
Carolyn on 29 May 2009 at 3:16 am #
I don’t mind ‘come into my kitchen’, but I can see Sarah’s point. How about something like ‘adventures in my kitchen’.
As one other wise responder said the other day, it’s your blog we love, and generally skip over the header, so whatever you come up with will be fab.
Heather on 29 May 2009 at 4:17 am #
Kitchen adventures?
Pat on 29 May 2009 at 4:54 am #
“Welcome to my kitchen”? “Step into my kitchen”? “From Kitchen to Table”?
Dinner with Julie: “From start to finish”
Dinner With Julie: “From beginning to End”
The creative gene skipped my generation!
Robyn in Mountain on 29 May 2009 at 5:08 am #
I still love what you have done, Julie. The colour, the cookie graphic, etc. There is something warm and kitcheny about it. And yes, cookies are part of dinner. Of course, there is still that kerning to be done. Maybe that is what is throwing people off. Why change Dinner with Julie, it’s your identity and it works well? If you really think you need a change, how about One Smart Cook? But then again, why mess with perfection? Happy Friday!
rea on 29 May 2009 at 5:31 am #
“come on-a-my house”
the eartha kitt version of the song is terrific although rosemary clooney is okay, too.
combined with the photos of your neighbour’s merchandise of kitchy retro aprons?
Barb on 29 May 2009 at 5:50 am #
Come in if you dare?
BettyC on 29 May 2009 at 5:50 am #
Dinner with Julie….always an adventure
Simple, yet very Julie as we never quite know what to expect, which makes it all perfect.
bluejeangourmet on 29 May 2009 at 5:53 am #
I love your site, but did you just call a scone and a biscuit basically the same thing?!?!?!?
it’s my duty, as a Tennessee native, to feel shock & horror at such a statement
bluejeangourmet on 29 May 2009 at 5:54 am #
okay, on second thought, maybe we’re having a language moment? is this a matter of semantics?
erin on 29 May 2009 at 6:34 am #
I like Avery’s suggestion – ‘kitchen diaries’, since that is a very accurate tag line. Or how about a play on ‘It’s just food’, but the opposite – so ‘It’s not just food’ or ‘It’s not just about food’, since we get to hear all the stories that go along with the food.
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 7:08 am #
Kitchen Diaries is GREAT. (Avery, you don’t suck at this!) But unfortunately it’s the title of one of Nigel Slater’s books.
June on 29 May 2009 at 7:10 am #
What about “set your table” …or “the table’s set”..”grab a fork” I mean, it is “Dinner With Julie” so the assumption’s already made that you’ve been in your kitchen
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 7:15 am #
Ha! That would be an ironic one considering how seldom I set my table.. more like “Willem, grab some forks!”
steph on 29 May 2009 at 7:33 am #
I honestly find “come into my kitchen” a bit “spider to the fly”-ish. Love the font though. I like the idea of a kitchen diary or foodie journal. Either way, I’ll be back!
Sara @ Our Best Bites on 29 May 2009 at 7:34 am #
The picture of those lemon scones on FG made my tummy happy! They look divine!
June on 29 May 2009 at 7:37 am #
mmmm”feisty forkfuls of food & fun”.ffff
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 7:47 am #
Yes, I concede that there are differences between biscuits and scones – scones are denser, sweeter and tend to have an egg in them. But for the sake of this recipe they are interchangeable! There isn’t a very clear line between the two, particularly at Calgary coffee shops!
Kathy on 29 May 2009 at 7:49 am #
I love June’s tag line.
Clea on 29 May 2009 at 8:02 am #
Julie,
why don’t you have a header contest?
that way, you can see if anyone encapsulates what you want, and you can have a disclaimer that you can choose none if there aren’t any you like.
i’m pretty sure dinner would be a good prize for anyone, especially the readers of your blog.
Kathy on 29 May 2009 at 8:12 am #
Julie, I love reading your blog! I feel like you are trying to get people to try different things and mix it up from their regular Wednesday night chicken. How about: “Dinner with Julie – Taste This!” ? Good luck finding your brand.
mmac on 29 May 2009 at 8:18 am #
Love the play on “it’s not just food” but how about a positive spin on it, like “it’s more than just food”
Or is there something you can adapt from the Laurie Colwin quote.
I’m a big fan of words in three, as Erica suggested too.
I bet this would be totally fun for you if it wasn’t on deadline … (when on deadline, “bite me” starts to feel about right)
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 8:40 am #
Like that too, but the producers of my TV show, It’s Just Food, may not like it so much… It’s not just food” and “it’s more than just food” sounds like I’m making fun of the show!
sigh.
Jessica on 29 May 2009 at 8:43 am #
Hi Julie,
This is a little off subject, but I’m trying to order One Smart Cookie from your website. (I tried to buy one at the Chapters here in Red Deer a few weeks back, but they were sold out – good for you!) Anyway, when I click on the book, it takes me to PayPal, but once I’m logged in there, I can’t figure out how to navigate back to your website to order it, though it looks like there are a few other places I can order it from.
And the egg salad looks REALLY good.
mp on 29 May 2009 at 9:38 am #
Here is my brainstorming on your tagline. I like the “with” lowercase rather than all caps. Cheers!
DINNER with JULIE
come into my kitchen
welcome – pull up a chair
lean in and learn
join me in my kitchen
make yourself comfy food
an everyday look into my kitchen
a glimpse into my kitchen
peer over my shoulder
a daily kitchen experience
sharing my kitchen with you
sharing kitchen experiences
KelleyK on 29 May 2009 at 9:49 am #
Here’s my 2 cents –
Julie’s kitchen
Julie’s kitchen chronicle
Julie’s kitchen – dinner etc.
Julie’s kitchen – no reservation required
Julie’s kitchen – seat yourself
Dinner with Julie – seat yourself
Julie Van Rosendaal
Kathy on 29 May 2009 at 10:20 am #
Hi Julie, another suggestion for a tag line – taken from “book club”
Results not typical.
robin on 29 May 2009 at 10:56 am #
does there have to be a tagline at all? can’t it just be dinner with julie and some pics? i think the present header combo (aside from agreeing with sarah about the funny nigella comment over the headline) is somewhat texas like… red and blue and stars… i don’t know if you want to give off that impression or not.
Avery on 29 May 2009 at 11:45 am #
Well… I suck at coming up with original ideas, I suppose! How about…
DINNER WITH JULIE: megabytes in my kitchen
(Get it? Get it?) ; )
Manon from Ontario on 29 May 2009 at 12:33 pm #
Julie, this is way to much fun, your readers are so creative and funny.
You are such a generous person, and very funny, I think your title should reflect who you are as a chef, a person and writer.
Take a minute to stand back and feel your mission, your goal for this blog, and you will find your inspiration.
I love this blog, and you
MFO
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 12:46 pm #
How about: talking with my mouth full?
Of course Dinner with Julie is probably enough – but everyone seems to have a tagline!
mp on 29 May 2009 at 12:51 pm #
Wouldn’t it be “typing with my mouthful”
I like it!
Sarah on 29 May 2009 at 12:53 pm #
Okay, one more idea: If you’re looking for great food related quotes, the website thinkexist.com has lots (you can search under subject) and also the golden oldie Silver Palate cookbook has a lot of food quotes…you might see something inspirational…my fav food quote, although it would be too long as a tag for your header: “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” –JRR Tolkien
heather on 29 May 2009 at 2:43 pm #
ahhh those scones look divine! i never thought of adding a fool-type topping/filling. the combo of blueberry and lemon is definitely summer.
cheers,
*heather*
Kathy on 29 May 2009 at 3:29 pm #
I thought of two more in the car. Really it seems I have nothing better to think about LOL.
Kickin’ ass in the kitchen…and beyond!
or
Dinner with Julie….without reservation.
Like someone else suggested great idea to turn it into a contest and the winner gets whatever is offered next on Free Stuff Fridays!
JulieVR on 29 May 2009 at 3:33 pm #
ooooh… or – no reservations!
Avery on 29 May 2009 at 4:52 pm #
Isn’t that Anthony Bourdain’s book?
Avery on 29 May 2009 at 4:53 pm #
No, wait… that’s his tv show… he was Kitchen Confidential… nevermind…
Vivian on 29 May 2009 at 5:15 pm #
“…more than food”
“…food plus”
“…my happy whirled”
“…super sustenance”
“…super foodstuff”
…duh
Rosalie on 30 May 2009 at 7:59 am #
I think your tagline has to succinctly represent what your blog is all about:
Sharing makes the meal complete
Food, conversation and friends
Looks like a beautiful day ahead.
r.b.
Melanie on 30 May 2009 at 2:05 pm #
My impression (and why I love your site) is that it’s food as life and life as food. You really show how the stuff of life is thoroughly mixed with how/when/what we eat and to really celebrate every moment!
PattyCake on 30 May 2009 at 2:06 pm #
Julie Van Rosendaal
Cooking Confidente
Dawn on 30 May 2009 at 2:12 pm #
Kitchens are for family and friends…..come on in.
PattyCake on 30 May 2009 at 2:16 pm #
Oops! I think it’s confidante.
Jess on 31 May 2009 at 3:24 am #
I like “From the Kitchen to the Table”
JulieVR on 31 May 2009 at 6:48 am #
But what if my table is IN the kitchen?
nora@ffr on 01 Jun 2009 at 11:53 am #
i just love this egg sandwich.. tasted good!! thanx for sharing
Sprout on 04 Jun 2009 at 6:46 pm #
Hi Julie,
I’m a first time poster, long time follower of your blog (and a huge fan!). I just bought your book ‘Starting Out’ a couple of weeks ago and I was struck by something you said in the introduction about the saying “you are what you eat” about how it was a cultural/emotional/social thing rather than just a nutritional thing. How true! So for a tagline, how about a take on that…
‘I am what I ate’
or “we are what we eat”
Thanks for the great blog!