celebrating three years, sending postcards & making easy fruit crisp from the garden

july 2018

a good midsummer to you, dearies!

each year, i celebrate both a birthday and an anniversary for my slow fashion label. the birthday is in december, the month i officially launched my brand site. the anniversary occurs each july, the month i decided to actually pursue my vision, by registering the name, securing a web domain, opening up business accounts, and setting up a p.o. box!

three swift years have passed since darling dearie was born. i can't believe how the time has flown and how my business has grown since it's inception! currently, i'm excited to be experimenting with a new marketing campaign of gorgeous 5x7 tactile postcards which feature various images from my website and instagram account. i even have custom branded postage for stateside mailings!

if you would like to be added to this mailing list,  please do provide your physical address and i will do so! you may be assured, your information will never be shared with anyone else. these lovely postcards are excellent for introducing friends to my slow-fashioned garments and oddments, that is, unless you choose to keep it for yourself. i'll be the first to admit they do make beautiful and excellent bookmarks!

now that we are well into the midst of summer, it's fresh fruit season. which means a parade of pies, cobblers and crisps! my mum owns an acre of country-like property, smack dab in the middle of the city. i am so fortunate to have grown up on this beautiful urban parcel of heaven. in addition to an array of heirloom roses and a variety of perennials, there are mature and bountiful cherry, apple, plum and fig trees on the property, as well as harvests of rhubarb, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, marionberries and golden raspberries for us to gather.

we have been enjoying the season's bounty with a fruit crisp that is easy enough to make any night of the week. it's made even easier by simply baking it up in a small cast iron skillet. sometimes, there may be just enough fruit collected for a small helping for each of us. at other times, the fruit basket overflows and i'll choose a larger skillet to bake up the lot. this recipe works beautifully with everything from berries to stone fruit, to apples and pears. the dry ingredient measurement ratios below for the filling can easily be modified, depending on the quantity, and ripeness, of the fruit on hand.

quick cast iron fresh fruit crisp

fruit filling

• 4 (or more) cups of fresh fruit

• ⅛ - ¼ cup flour

• ⅛ - ¼ cup sugar

• dash of ground cinnamon - optional

• 1 tbsp. orange juice

crisp topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (not 'quick cooking')

• ½ cup flour

• ½ cup dark brown sugar

• 1 stick (½ cup) butter - cold

gently toss fruit with flour, sugar, cinnamon mixture. add orange juice, toss again and pour into an appropriate sized cast iron skillet or cast iron dutch oven.

mix dry crisp topping ingredients in a large bowl. add cold butter and use a pastry knife (see picture) cut butter into the mix until the butter is small and pebbly throughout. pour crisp mix on top of fresh fruit.

place in a hot oven, about 450° F for about 25 minutes, or until fruit is bubbling and crisp topping is sufficiently golden brown.

remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes to half an hour before serving. serve with a scoop of vanilla or your favorite flavor of ice cream.

dearies, it's rare to have any leftover crisp at our house, but when we do, it's an excellent treat warmed up the next morning for breakfast!

until my next missive-

xoxo

darling