Time flies
and a recipe for a summer fresh asparagus tart before it’s too late
“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”
Anne Shirley, in Anne of Green Gables, L.M Montgomery
In the realm of positive thinking, tomorrow is always the place of possibilities. In Tomorrowland, we’ve gotten the promotion, gone on the trip of a lifetime, lost the weight, written the book. We’ve achieved the lofty goals we’ve set out for ourselves.
More practically, tomorrow is as clean and true as a blank piece of paper. We will get up on time, arrive early, finish what we started. As Anne optimistically thinks, tomorrow is about sailing through without mishap.
In a word, tomorrow is perfect.
The reality, of course, is that everything happens today, in the here and now. And as we get older and time passes more quickly, we might think differently about what we’re striving to accomplish, what we’re spending our time on today, to bankroll tomorrow. After all, tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.
Counting down when time flies
It won’t surprise you to hear that, the older we get, the more time seems to fly by. It’s like we’re watching the grains speeding through the final moments before an hourglass is spent.
There’s an increasing body of work that’s studying how the passing of time affects our motivations and ultimately, the goals we set. A Stanford study from 2018 found that as time becomes scarce, there may be an increasing sense of urgency to use it wisely. As the study states, the passing of time “intensifies the time pressure to realize important, emotionally meaningful goals.” Less learning Spanish, more giving back. Bucket lists of a different sort.
Finding joy in today
There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to Love, Believe, Do and mostly Live.
— Dalai Lama
In the end, how we spend our time shifts in the moment and with the temporal landmark. A birthday, the calendar turning from one year to another, a new home/job/relationship—all are opportunities to reevaluate how we are spending that precious coin called life.
No matter how fast the clock seems to be racing, we can take joy in the moment. As the Dalai Lama says, today is the right day. Love every minute of it.
Asparagus lemon quiche
From Baking with Dorie, Dorie Greenspan
serves 6
Today, now, before all the early summer asparagus is gone, is the time to make this simple and delicious tart. Trust Dorie Greenspan to come up with a few simple twists that make this one particularly good. Adding bits of fresh lemon—rind and all—give a sprightly flavour, while the sour cream actually cuts back on the richness of the cream
Note: Crusts that are partially baked (also known as blind baking), prevent the filling from making the bottom soggy. To partially bake a crust, head over to The Kitchn for a full tutorial.
Ingredients
One 9- to 9½-inch tart shell, homemade or store bought, partially baked and cooled (see Note)
8 stalks asparagus trimmed
1½ teaspoons unsalted butter
2 small shallots or 1 small onion, finely minced
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
One ¼-inch-thick slice lemon (including rind), cut into slivers
2 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup minced mixed fresh herbs, such as mint, chives, basil, or dill
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese
Olive oil for brushing (optional)
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the tart pan with the partially baked crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 3 minutes—less if the asparagus are thin. They should not be completely cooked. Lift the asparagus out with a slotted spoon into a colander, run under cold water and pat dry.
Cut off the asparagus tips to 3-inch lengths. Slice the remaining asparagus stalks in half lengthwise if they are thick, or leave them. Cut them on the bias into slices about ½ inch wide.
Put a small skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When it melts, add the shallots or onion and cook, stirring, just until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and scoop into the crust, spreading evenly over the entire surface. Scatter the lemon slivers and sliced asparagus stalks evenly over the crust.
Whisk the eggs, cream, sour cream and herbs together in a bowl until just blended. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the mixture into the crust. Arrange the asparagus tips (cut side down if you’ve halved them) decoratively on top of the filling.
After the quiche has been in the oven for 20 minutes, take it out and sprinkle on the Parmigiana. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the custard is set—a tester will come out clean—and puffed. Transfer to a rack and, if you like, brush some olive oil over the top, using only enough to give it a gloss.
Serve the quiche when it’s just warm or has come to room temperature.