Fruit Buckle

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup ground almonds 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted room temperature butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Fruit: peaches, plums, apples or any suitable fruit
• Lemon zest from 1 lemon 4 tbsp cinnamon sugar

METHOD:

1.
Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a 9” pan. Cream butter, add sugar. Beat well, add 1 egg at a time.

2.
Add vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl, measure all dry ingredients.

3.
Add to butter/egg batter in the mixer. Pulse to blend, do not process too long or bater will be tough.

4.
Pour batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle batter with lemon zest, place cut fruit face down into the batter.

5.
Sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar.

6.
Bake for 50 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

F: Can you tell us about Grace & Company?

DV. Grace & Company Ltd is a specialty boutique, located in one of Winnipeg's most established neighborhoods. We specialize in European goods, curated by me and offer exceptional service to all our customers.The boutique is very eclectic and serves as a lifestyle destination for those hard to find things we all crave.

F. What made you decide to open your own shop?

DV. Throughout my extensive travels I have found unique shops and experienced incredible service which Winnipeg did not have. A close friend of mine suggested that I open a one of a kind shop that would combine all the favourite products and personalized service under one roof. Grace & Co is the extension of me- it’s a very special place that allows me to curate items and make customers happy.

F. How have you been keeping during this challenging and unprecedented time with COVID-19, and how are you adapting post-lockdown?

DV.Well it’s been a challenge for sure. During COVID-19 we concentrated on our online presence, adding many of our items online, it was a tremendous amount of work but you have to keep going.

We have been blessed to have had a great response and following of our valued customers during this time. We are now reopening, cautiously making sure our customers are comfortable and safe.

We offer private shopping appointments as an option and have reduced our hours, we are open Tuesday to Thursday 10-4 PM. Honestly all we can do is our best and hope more customers come and visit us.

We have taken all the precautions by installing a glass shield at the check out and sanitizer at the door. We continue to complement our bricks and mortar store with the online store.

We love what we do and hope to continue.

F. Can you describe or give tips on the best places to eat, drink, source ingredients in your local area post-lockdown?

DV. My favourite food is Japanese and the best place to eat in the city is Yuijiro Japanese Restaurant (1822 Grant Ave).

Tried and true for dinner is Deer + Almond (85 Princess St), offering delicious homestyle cooking that’s great for sharing.

A must for brunch is Clementine (123 Princess St), offering unique breakfast foods and a great atmosphere.

F. Is there a specific dish that you would make using any of our Falcon products? If possible, please do share the recipe?

DV. It would have to be the Prep set and the Pie set. I have been using Falcon Enamelware for the past 10 years, long before I opened Grace & Co. I use the Prep set to make just about anything and use it most nights to make dinner. I especially love the colander.

The Pie Set I use to both bake and prep as well as to serve on the table. I love the traditional British pie shape and the depth of each pie dish.

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