TARTE AUX FRAISES & A FOND FAREWELL TO STRAWBERRY SEASON

Since becoming a non-professional baker, I've come to realize that some fruit are "in season" during different months of the year, depending, of course, on where you live. For example — strawberries. I say "for example" as if there are others, but as it is the most significant, it is the only example I'm giving. Strawberry season not being in sync with other parts of the world is my biggest disappointment. In Japan, strawberries are sold during colder months (usually starting around December and peaking around March), whereas in the U.S. or European countries, I hear that strawberry season is during the warmer months usually starting around May and peaking in the summer. Well, in my past B.B. (Before Baking) days, this fact was insignificant to me and went unnoticed. I enjoyed strawberry season the Japanese way, enjoying the sweetness of them indoors, while wearing a sweater. Just for the record though, the thought that 'strawberries would taste even better outside in the sun' (perhaps a summer picnic?), did cross my mind more than once. I must've known deep down in my heart. Now, in my current A.D. (After Discovering) baking days, summertime is torture. I read wonderful blogs with beautiful photographs, and the 'spring & summer recipes' sections of lovely cookbooks only to find them dotted with delicious-looking recipes using lush, ripe strawberries. And then there is Instagram . . . It is all truly maddening.

It is May now (this post was originally written then, so kindly forget that it is July for a moment), and it is time to say goodbye to strawberry season here in Tokyo. The cartons of red at the local grocery store are getting fewer and fewer, and unless you have kind relatives living in the coutryside that will send you fresh strawberries, it is time to choose your last cartons of the season. Well, that is exactly what I was doing the other day when I found some very appealing, smallish berries with the stems still attached. Perfectly pretty and perfectly rare. A good combination in my opinion, and they even turned out to be flavorful. One carton disappeared over a single french toast breakfast, but with an idea in mind, I went back for more. One of the recipes that makes being deprived of strawberries during summertime such a disappointment for me is tartelettes. They appear quite often in my references, and it's what makes me ending up with a deep feeling of need for the wrong things at the wrong time of the year. To fulfill this craving in May would be the next best thing to fulfilling it in July or August. And so, the grand finale for this year's strawberry season was realized: 'tartes aux fraises à la rustique' — a little sooner than summer, but at least not in the remains of winter.

* { tarte aux fraises, pâte sucrée adapted from : miette by meg ray with leslie jonath, crème pâtissière adapted from : the little paris kitchen classic french recipes with a fresh and simple approach by rachel khoo }
— continue reading for the recipe

CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE & CHOUX À LA CRÈME

Once upon a time, I was not interested in crème pâtissière (pastry cream). I liked desserts which included this crème, but I had never given any thought to what a good crème should taste like, because I was far more interested in the shell, the crust, the vessel that surrounded it. But as any normal baker/food blogger/pastry addict should realize, one day it dawned on me that if I wanted to make all these amazing sweets with all my beloved crusts, I would have to learn to make the filling as well . . .

This is how my search for the perfect crème pâtissière began. And until I started the search, I didn't realize how picky I was. (Some pastry addict I am.) It seems, the pâtisserie I frequent (and sells the best choux à la crème in my opinion) uses the best classic crème pâtissière (again, in my opinion), so that was what I was looking for. And anything other than that tasted . . . well, wrong. So bracing myself for the journey, I dived head first into a sea of eggs, milk, and vanilla beans, and after quite a few egg cartons later, miraculously came up for air with the winner.
And trust me, one of the things that every pastry addict (or baker. or food blogger.) should have is a perfect crème pâtissière recipe. And even if you are none of the above, it's still good to have one, because you never know when you might want to seduce someone with a perfect chou à la crème. (Is there a better way to seduce someone than with a good sweet?)

This crème pâtissière (which is adapted from The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo) is a very classic version, and once you learn how easy it is to make, you'll want to try more than just choux à la crème; strawberry millefeuilles, strawberry tartlets, strawberry trifles . . . (I'm thinking spring is a lovely time for crème pâtissière) the possibilities are endless. Just make sure that you make enough because I tend to run out, especially when I'm making choux à la crème.

* { crème pâtissière adapted from : the little paris kitchen classic french recipes with a fresh and simple approach by rachel khoo }
— continue reading for the recipe for choux à la crème