Original German First Aid Kit from the Bus!

A couple of random photos of my super rare first aid kit for the Bus that needed a home online. Normal blogging to resume shortly

Easy Fruit Tart

We have managed to scrounge a ton of food from trees and bushes in empty lots in out neighbourhood.

Clockwise from top: Apples, Plums, Pears, Apples

Like, seriously, Look at these pears!

Small wild Plums

These apples were wormy, but  so delicious

Pears!

Much of it has been turned into jelly, or eaten, or gifted to neighbors and strangers but some of it has been turned into fruit tarts. A fruit tart is my Go-To recipe for any short-notice gathering. Warm from the oven, it's like heaven, and it's really easy to make, and hard to screw up.

You will need pears, apples, apricots, or peaches, a cup or two of sugar, butter, vanilla. and some ready-made puff pastry.  This recipe works best in a cast iron skillet, but you can use any oven and stove top safe pot or pan. Don't be afraid of burning it, really let the caramel turn and get dark.

Peel and Core a Bunch of pears, and set them face down in a pan with a cup or two of sugar  

Sprinkle a teaspoon of vanilla  Over the top

Stick it on the flame, and cook those bad boys on high heat

Once the sugar begins to liquify, skewer some butter on a fork

And rub the butter around the sides of the pot. Be generous! 

Realise you have left your Puff pastry out too long, and now it won't unfold. Get more puff pastry from the freezer. 

Cook until all the sugar is a dark brown, and starts to smell a little bitter. You can add a teaspoon of water if you need to ensure even cooking

Cut your Puff pastry into a circle slightly larger than the surface of your pan

Use a fork to make little stripes around the edges

Tuck in your little fruits, being careful not to touch the caramel and burn the crap outta yourself.
Cut an X in the top to allow steam to escape, and stick it in a 350 Degree oven until the pastry on the top puffs and browns.  Usually takes 35-50 minutes.

Remove from oven, and let it cool for ten minutes, and then flip it upside down onto a serving platter of your choice. Forget to take a picture of the finished produce in your haste to eat it. Enjoy with fresh cream, chilled fruit puree, or ice cream. 

Just another day at the beach

Back at Belle Isle beach today. Got to see the lifeguards actually do their thing, I was really impressed.

When not watching lifeguards, we found one of these guys! It's an Eastern Spiny Softshell turtle!

Eastern Spiny Softshell turtle on the banks of the Detroit river

Just another day in paradise.

Belle Isle Beach

I took the kid for a swim in the Detroit river today, at the Belle Isle Beach just across from our house. There were lots of other kids to play with, the beach was meticulously groomed, and the vibe was chilled.

 

The beach is staffed with a number of friendly, adult lifeguards, who were competent and highly experienced, but sadly, were not using best practices for life-guarding. So watch you own kids, alright? 

I would definitely add it to any list of things to do in Detroit with kids. We had a great afternoon, and plan on returning tomorrow.