Hope all the Canadians reading this post are having a Happy Thanksgiving this weekend! The second Monday of October has been designated as Canadian Thanksgiving, not sure why, but we’ll take a holiday in October any day of the week!
We used to spend Thanksgiving at the cottage, often inviting my dear Mom and her hubby Geo, but since her passing in 2005, we’ve been invited to my brother’s cottage in the Muskoka. It’s quite a different life-style than ours to have a cottage in Muskoka. For example, you needn’t do much grocery shopping in the city because you can get everything and anything you need for the weekend in one of the well stocked grocery stores; in comparison, last time I forgot Parmesan Cheese and I was even going to settle for the powdered prepackaged cheese but our little shop didn’t even have that, so we had to drive an hour to find it! You might wonder why it’s so different in the Land of the Thousand Lakes (our cottage area) and Muskoka. Well, let me tell you. It’s because Hollywood has descended on Muskoka and while we have 1,000-2,000 square foot cottages (93-186 square metres) (ours is about 600 square feet), Muskoka boasts 10,000 and 20,000 square foot cottages (930-1860 square metres) with helipads and landing strips! There is name dropping in Muskoka whereas we just talk about the dear we may have seen on the back road driving in. Goldie Hawn has a sprawling cottage on the same lake as my brother. We’ve never really been close to it, but apparently people think it’s ok to moor their boat and hop out to look around. She has security. My SIL spotted her in their local grocery store, where you could order Sushi grade tuna for the weekend (I’m lucky to get mac and cheese at ours). Steve Martin visits Martin Short who also has a nice place down the road on my brother’s lake. I heard that Steve Martin is very kind and hands out business cards that prove you’ve met him: “this certifies that you have had a personal encounter with me and that you found me warm, polite, intelligent and funny” and of course he signs it. Martin Short’s wife once ran after my brother while he jogged down the road in front of their place to warn him that there have been bears seen that very morning! So you see, while we hob nob with the dear, chipmunks, bunnies and beavers, the folks in the Muskoka’s hob nob with the rich and famous.
My brother’s family is down to earth and their cottage is much more modest than those around them. They are generous to a fault and we always eat well and drink copious amounts of wine when we visit. We’ve had balmy 24°C days and on the very same weekend, we’ve had snow flurries! But it’s always a relaxing weekend to connect with family and take long quiet walks around the lake.
Although I didn’t make this galette for the Thanksgiving weekend, it dawned on me that it would be the perfect sweet for afternoon tea or dessert after a big turkey dinner. I used the lavender sugar that my dear friend Barb (Profiteroles and Ponytails) brought up when they visited us at the cottage this summer. It just made this dessert that much fancier! Thanks Barb.
Apple Rhubarb Galette with Lavender Sugar
Serves 6-8
The Galette Pastry Recipe comes from Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Galette pastry
- 1/2 c Rhubarb
- 3 Apples, chopped into equal-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp all purpose unbleached flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tbsp egg white for brushing pastry
- 1 tbsp Lavender Sugar for garnish
Directions:
- Combine the apples and rhubarb and dust with the spices, sugar and flour, coating evenly
- Roll out the galette pastry to about 10cm or 3 inches larger than required. Fill centre with the fruit and turn up the sides to form the galette.
- Brush pastry with egg white and bake for 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown and fruit is soft.
- Remove from the oven and dust with 1 tbsp Lavender Sugar.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
The rhubarb came from our dear friend’s Monica and Rae’s garden in Toronto. I still have some in the freezer, it will be a welcome taste of summer in mid-winter!
[…] recipe and knew I had to try it. Of course, all the ingredients were available because of the Hollywood connection, unlike our cottage stores which are run by deer and […]
LikeLike
Sorry, Eva, I’m too late here to wish you a happy Thanksgiving, but I hope you have had wonderful time. The galette looks delicious. I like the idea to pair apples with rhubarb (so obvious, but I don’t think I have ever tried this combination!).
LikeLike
Thank you kindly Sissi. I wish I could take credit for apple and rhubarb combo but it’s quite common here in Canada.
LikeLike
Hello Eva, It’s nice to hear your Thanksgiving went well. I think that apple pie goes so well with this season – more so than pumpkin.
LikeLike
Thanks Zsuzsa, being of European descent, I didn’t sample pumpkin pie until I met JT and to be honest it’s never been my favourite. Apple is always a welcome change and it smells so delicious as it bakes.
LikeLike
Happy thanksgiving! This galette looks great! The lavender is such a perfect touch.
LikeLike
Thanks Sarah, welcome to my blog.
LikeLike
I made some lavender shortbread biscuits with a jar of lavender sugar. They were such a sensation. Hope you had a good holiday.
LikeLike
Great idea David, what an elegant shortbread that would make! Thank you for the suggestion.
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving Eva! What funny encounters, lol!!! Never a dull moment I bet 🙂 Steve Martin sounds like a lovely person.
LikeLike
Hi Minnie, thank you for your lovely comment.
LikeLike
I love lavender all the way…
i’m craving this kind of sweet bites on my afternoon tea break…
LikeLike
Hi Dedy, thank you for your kind words, the lovely thing is that it’s not overly sugary which I’m sure you would appreciate!
LikeLike
Hehe what a funny story about Hollywood descending there! I wonder if one actor bought a place and then everyone else followed? And how hilarious are Steve Martin’s cards?
LikeLike
Thanks Lorraine, I’m not sure how it all started but Martin Short is Canadian so he would have been well aware of the cottage area. You’re most likely correct, plus as I mentioned to Charlie, Canadians in general are a very respectful bunch, we quietly recognize but try not to interfere after all they are on private time up north!
LikeLike
lavender sugar? Its too good to be true! what a great flavor combination. Your brilliant my friend
LikeLike
Hi Jessica, the lavender sugar was such a treat and paired very nicely with the apple and rhubarb without being too perfumey or over powering.
LikeLike
Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving, my friend!!! Your galette looks amazing…and how lucky to have some rhubarb to add to the apples :
LikeLike
Hi Liz, I’m still thinking about that pastry you posted about, it looks and sounds absolutely amazing! My friends were very generous to bring me the rhubarb, it’s such a treat with apples and makes for a very autumnal dessert.
LikeLike
Love the snow flurries shot! Isn’t it amazing how changeable the weather can be and, as you say, often in the same weekend. You sure have had a gorgeous fall though — very similar temps to northern CA actually. I suppose that will change but still, perfect Thanksgiving weather. I hope it was a great weekend Eva — sounds like you have lots of fun with your brother and his family. It’s so nice that you have remained close over the years – precious really. Your galette sounds wonderful — full of contrasting flavours and textures and I’m so intrigued by Barb’s lavender sugar – what a beaut!! (I get all excited about novelty ingredients like that).
LikeLike
Barb does indeed have a knack of zeroing in on some very special ingredients!
Yes, we did have a wonderful time at my brother’s cottage, it was great fun to spend time with the kids (although my nephew Jack spent the entire time either sleeping or face buried in the computer! — ARGH! Teenagers!) But I did teach Annie to knit and we made the most hideous neon coloured cookies!
LikeLike
Sounds like fun to me! (I’m diggin’ the neon colour :)) and as a mother of two teenage boys, I know all about the darn gadgets!!
LikeLike
If I was a celebrity I probably would have heard of this lake area but as it is, you have introduced me to a new part of the world. It sounds very interesting! I think Steve Martin is incredibly talented. It sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving xx
LikeLike
Hi Charlie, I love Steve Martin too and I think he is rather clever handing out those business cards. Canadians in general are not a pushy nation, so most likely celebrities are not often approached because we respect their privacy (in general terms).
We did have a lovely thanksgiving…now we’re excited about halloween!
LikeLike
Wishing you a happy thanksgiving Eva. Gorgeous recipe… love those snow flurries. Seems so romantic!
LikeLike
Thanks Lizzy, ah yes, the very first snowfall is always so romantic. Although by mid March and snow piled up to my shoulders does rag on the nerves!
LikeLike
What a great idea to save some rhubarb for winter in the freezer. Genius! And I can just smell this delicious dessert. The lavender had to be a beautiful addition. Happy Thanksgiving!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Kristy, it was a tasty and the aromas while baking were out of this world.
LikeLike
I think it wonderful that your Brother’s area has been “discovered”, Eva, but, I have to say, I soo prefer your cottage. I like my neighbors to be four-legged rather than celestial. Yes, it can be a bit of a hassle if you forget something but I bet you’re a master at “making do” — and you’ve a wealth of stories to prove it. 🙂
I hope your Thanksgiving has been special, Eva.
LikeLike
Oh John, you are such a sweetheart! Thank you. Your comments always make me smile.
LikeLike
Apple Rhubarb Gallete? I am so down to making this. Will now pencil it into the calendar.
LikeLike
Thank you for your comment Janet and welcome to my blog. I am interested to see how you will adapt the galette dough to gluten free, I have friends and family who are gluten intolerant.
LikeLike
I’m thinking about Eva, I’m thinking…. 😀
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Canadian. I would certainly enjoy a slice of this lovely apple and rhubarb pie … if I had any room left after what would probably be a pretty terrific meal. Oh well, there’s always the pre-bedtime snack with a glass of tea.
LikeLike
Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving Maria. I would have loved to share a slice of this tasty treat with you.
LikeLike
What a wonderful setting for Thanksgiving! This is one of the places I know I will travel to visit one day. I think this is the setting for many movies as well, isn’t it? It just seems like the quintessential Thanksgiving and Fall locations. Add in Steve Martin and it’s a winner in my books, he’s probably one of my favorite actors. The galette crust seems quite different from some I’ve seen, I love how it looks to “puff” up and make a prettier crust! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Eva! xx
LikeLike
Hi Barbara, thank you and yes indeed I believe there are many movies filmed in Muskoka. It is definitely worth a visit although I must say, it doesn’t hold a candle to the mountains out your way. The area around Muskoka a very rocky and much of the highways had to be blasted out of bedrock. Hope you had a marvellous Thanksgiving with your family too.
LikeLike
Wishing you a happy thanksgiving. An da piece of pie in the afternoon while watching snow flurries sounds perfect – wherever you are x
LikeLike
Thank you so much Claire. This was quite a nice weekend, no flurries this time around! In fact, we were out on the boat on Saturday!
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
I wish my freezer were larger so I could have stored some summer fruits and veggies…your rhubarb galette looks fantastic, Eva. Lavender sugar is such a fine touch.
LikeLike
Thank you Angie, a stand alone freezer is something very North American I think Angie.
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving! If I lived there, I would probably carry with me, at all time, a pad and pen to collect celebrity autographs, just in case I encounter one.
But honestly, I would prefer to hob nob with the deer, chipmunks, bunnies and beavers, than with the rich and famous.
Yes, I see the lavender flowers.
LikeLike
Hi Norma, it’s the one thing I forgot this weekend but no worries as we didn’t see any big stars other than a few in the sky! There were, however birds and chippies!
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving! I’d be glad if someone told me there were bears frolicking where I was running. I suppose each one of those famous people are ordinary people underneath the celebrity. I like the cards from Steve Martin. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Maureen, the bears in these parts are actually quite dangerous and for some reason they are now unafraid of humans which is always scary! I had my eyes peeled for a celebrity sighting but alas, none this time!
LikeLike