"It's all about the temperature of the pastry-that's the challenge," she explains. Luckily, after a lifetime in the kitchen-and this past year spent visiting the Marion Square farmers market every weekend to collect fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses-she's got it down to a science and is ready to share her knowledge. It shouldn't be a hard sell. From pear with Roquefort to panna cotta with roasted figs, Tart Love has, as she says, "a tart to satisfy every soul." (Kinsey Gidick, "Quick Bite: Queen of Tarts" Charleston Magazine 20111001)
Who doesn't love a bit of puff pastry? American chef Holly Herrick was trained in France and covers everything from lavender buttermilk to peach, pancetta and chèvre.
(Kate Watson-Smyth
The Independent 20111010)
The form mandates the function and filling of tarts, Herrick says. 'I like to think of it as matching the right shoe with the right dress.'
For example, for one of her tarts in which apple slices overlay each other like dominoes, a rectangular pan works best. It would be tricky cutting through the fruit and crust in a round pan, she says. As for crusts, Herrick offers her simple "master" recipes for both sweet and savory doughs and a number of tips for working with them.
(Teresa Taylor
The Post and Courier 20111026)
Holly amplifies the marriage of her southern roots with her culinary training in France to produce recipes that take the best from both worlds. There's a decadent Lavender Buttermilk Tart---a little bit Provence, a little bit Charleston. There's a Tuna Nicoise Tart as well as several tarts using sweet potatoes. Technique sometimes French, ingredients sometimes southern. The combination is sublime and works for American cooks who can easily find the ingredients she uses."
(Hillary Davis
thebestcookbookslist.typepad.com 20110731)
When it comes to food, Holly knows what she is talking about. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, and even lived in France for a while where she was introduced to the wonderful world of tarts. This is a beautiful cookbook. The photographs were taken by Helene Dujardin, who is from Charleston, also. I became acquainted with her work when Pioneer Woman featured her. When I think of tarts, I usually think of things that are made in tart pans. But this book also has all types of things made with pastry ...
I made this dessert today, fueled by the fact that I received this book in the mail yesterday. It was sent to me by Holly Herrick, the author of this gorgeous cookbook. She graciously provided the book for us to give away to one of our lucky readers, and she has even signed it. This book was just released this past October.
Leo and I became familiar with Holly when we lived near Charleston, SC. Holly was a restaurant critic and wrote a weekly column for the Post and Courier Newspaper. At the time, Leo and I thought that she had the dream job. We tried our best to eat in every restaurant in Charleston. We couldn't do it because there are so many good restaurants there. Leo gained 30 pounds the first year we lived in Charleston!
Since then, Holly has gone on to write several cookbooks such as Southern Farmers Market Cookbook, and The Charleston Chef's Table Cookbook. Her most recent book, Food Lovers' Charleston and Savannah-A Guide to the Best Restaurants, Markets, and Local Culinary Offerings will be in bookstores within a few days and is available now on Amazon.com.
When it comes to food, Holly knows what she is talking about. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, and even lived in France for a while where she was introduced to the wonderful world of tarts.
This is a beautiful cookbook. The photographs were taken by Helene Dujardin, who is from Charleston, also. I became acquainted with her work when Pioneer Woman featured her. When I think of tarts, I usually think of things that are made in tart pans. But this book also has all types of things made with pastry such as these delicious looking crab canapes and these eggplant and cream cheese tapenade tartlets made with puff pastry this pot roast pot pie and this phenomenal looking tomato tart!
So before I could possibly give this cookbook away, I had to try at least one of these recipes. And since I'm looking for a dessert to serve Christmas Eve, I chose to make this. Who can pass up a recipe using this?
So this afternoon, I made my tart. Holly has some very precise directions for making your own pastry. She recommends using White Lily flour and very cold Land O' Lakes butter.
Here's my homemade pastry in the tart pan! Holly has a video on her website here that shows you how to transfer your dough to the tart pan. It really helped me. I added the Nutella mixture into the pan and baked it for 40 minutes. I did substitute pecans for the hazelnuts in the recipe because I have a lot of pecans!
And out of the oven came this delicious looking thing! Leo declared that it was indeed delicious. It's very chocolaty and not very sweet. I will definitely have this on the menu Christmas Eve. Holly, Leo took this photo of me just for you!
This tart is Lucy approved!
So if you'd like your own copy of Tart Love so that you can have this recipe, or if you have someone on your gift list that would love this cookbook as a gift, then enter our giveaway. We will pick a winner Friday night, Dec. 16 at 10 pm, EST, in order to get the book in the mail quickly. The giveaway is limited to residents of the US. All you have to do to enter is:
Become a follower of our blog through Google Friend Connect or become an email subscriber or both. And if you are already a follower or subscriber, just leave a comment telling me so. You do not have to have a blog to enter the giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post and include your email address so that I can contact you if you win. I'd like to thank Holly for donating her wonderful cookbook for this giveaway, and thank you for visiting the Cottage at the Crossroads today.
(Jane
cottageatthecrossroads.com 20111213)
My father is a framer. He takes art, already remarkable in and of itself, and envelopes it in details that you didn't realize were missing from the original piece until they appear. His eye catches ingredients within the piece-a paint brush swath of color; sunshine bouncing around a photograph of a child; or the assumed real spectrum of hues in an otherwise black-and-white image-and accentuates them in his choice of matting and materials, which ultimately give the art its due.
I was reminded of his process and results when I flipped through Holly Herrick's Tart Love: Sassy, Savory and Sweet, a cookbook devoted entirely to tarts, which she calls "an open-faced skinny kind of pie pies' sleeker, sexier culinary cousin." The book captivated me like one of my dad's projects always does, forcing me to stare for a while, take in the details and reconsider everything I already know. She takes combinations of ingredients-some classic, some original-and frames them with pastry, either savory or sweet, showcasing flavors and textures in ways that never crossed my mind. Until I saw them.
Herrick creatively spins what's already apparent, in season, available. Take her description of Vanilla-Dipped Pear and Chocolate Tartlets, for example:
"In these delicious, vanilla-drenched tartlets (there is even vanilla in the pastry!), the vanilla-cinnamon-poached pear halves nestle into virtually flourless chocolate cake pillows of deliciousness."
Photographer Helene DuJardin's stunning images draw the art out of recipes like Plenty of Thyme Parmesan and Black Pepper-Encrusted Summer Squash Tart or Tomato Tart a la Margherita or Strawberry 'n' Cream Dream Tart.
The imagery from Herrick's clear, professional instruction convinces me of my own ability to create a finished product as lovely as Panna Cotta Tart with Roasted Fresh Figs in Balsamic Honey Sauce. The four pages dedicated to the technique of perfecting pastry are as enlightening and helpful as any hands-on course I've taken or work I've done. Since she builds her recipes off of two tart doughs, Master Savory Pastry and Master Sweet Pastry, taking the time to read and learn ensures that the frame crust is as good as it can be.
After all, a shoddy frame will ruin the most perfect art.I'd love to share a copy of Holly Herrick's Tart Love with an interested reader. Tell me in the comments who you'd gift it to (yourself included!) during this holiday season and why. I'll get the copy to one lucky winner before December 25th.
If you're looking for other gift ideas for cooks in your life, here are seven suggestions.
(Tara Mataraza
crumbsomykeyboard.com 20111214)
In this book Holly de-mystifies the art of the sweet and savory pastry crust. Her writing is simple, to the point and well thought out. You will feel the need to make tarts every minute. These pastries exude elegance, but in reality they are very doable. Besides, I love the fact that you can make stunning designs on the top ... Tarts are perfect for all kinds of entertaining from showers to brunches, tea parties and more. Could you imagine bringing out a stunning Vanilla-Dipped Pear and Chocolate Tart (featured on the book cover) at your next family gathering? Please don't wait until then. Make one for the weekend. You will be very glad you did.
(Marla Meredith
Family Fresh Cooking 20110926)
The Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef has produced a volume that's just as savory to look at as the tantalizing tarts you'll soon be serving up. Herrick deftly takes the intimidation out of tart making, simplifying the process by offering up two master pastry recipes - one savory, one sweet - that form the foundation for 50 glorious one-crust works of art. With a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients and Herrick's step-by-step guidance, you'll quickly become "Queen of Tarts" in your own kitchen.
(Libby Wiersema
Florence Morning News 20111019)
Holly's book Tart Love Sassy, Savory and Sweet is everything the title describes. It is filled with stories of what inspired her to become a pastry chef, and the people who inspired her along the way. Holly has included recipes for tarts and tartlets, both savory and sweet, as well as savory pies, pot pies, quiches and pockets. (Vivian Boroff
BookEndBabes.com 20120210)
Queen of Tarts
Holly Herrick's latest cookbook 'Tart Love' is an adventure into the history of the tart and its many cousins. With a focus on freshness, she unites soulful southern ingredients with chic French refinement. In doing so Holly creates miniature pies with a flavor and character that's as diverse as her abounding culinary resume. After so many months in the world of these tiny treats she eventually dubbed herself the "queen of tarts" and when you explore this delicious tome you'll agree the nickname fits. Stumble into her latest wonderland of easy-to-follow recipes and you'll be able to fill a piecrust for any occasion!
(
The Local Palate: Food Culture of Charleston 20110901)
I love the book! Besides the beautiful pictures and recipes, what is needed to make a good tart, basic tart recipes with step by step instructions and tips are given on the first 8 pages of the book. Then you just dive into the world of tarts. Of course, I had to start with Nutella Tart. I have made it twice in a month. I also made Sweet Potato Tart for Thanksgiving meal as well as an appetizer from the book. Sweet potato tart was very well received on Thanksgiving and I will give the recipe for that soon as well. (Ilke Erdogan
Ilke's Kitchen 20121125)
Wonderful photos of Chocolate Hazelnut Tart, Raspberry Crème Brûlée Tartlets and Vidalia Onion Tart are so inspiring, and with Holly Herrick's guidance you can make tarts that look as beautiful as those in Tart Love. Show off your baking skills so many different ways by the perfect placement of fruit in the Strawberry 'n' Cream Dream Tart, the crimped edges of the Roasted Tomato & Garlic Tart with Fresh Marjoram & Fontina not to mention irresistible flavor combinations like Rhubarb & Apricot and Peach & Pancetta with Chèvre. When it comes to tools, techniques and ingredients Herrick believes that simple is best. With her advice you'll master perfectly flaky pastry and turn out simply delicious sweet and savory treats. Color photos.
(
40 Years The Good Cook 20110727)
If you're thinking tarts are just for dessert, Herrick's book will open a whole new world for you. She starts with two manageable master pastry recipes - one sweet, one savory - and builds the book around them. There are more than 50 original tart recipes - appetizers, main courses, side dishes and, yes, desserts. Who would have dreamed of Lowcountry Boil Tart, Feisty Fried Shrimp and Grits Pockets, and Tomato Tart a la Margherita? The Sage Green Apple and Aged Cheddar Tart is at the top of my list to try as well. (Ann Thrash
Charleston Currents 20110906)
