I nearly entitled this post, “Happy Birthday Dear Blog”, for that’s what it is today. Two years ago on August 9th 2007, I first put the virtual pen to the virtual paper and told the world about my obsessive quest to find the perfect chocolate brownie.
Far from counting down the days to this second blogoversary, I only realised it was nearly time to celebrate when I published my last post about our candyfloss activities and was diverted into looking in the archives. I actually got a bit confused and thought we were further into August than we were, so I nearly added a postscript saying something like, “Oops, I’ve missed my birthday!” It just goes to show the addling effect of summer holidays on my brain!
This is the part where I should wax lyrical about all the things that have happened here in this last year … the culinary triumphs (had to get that in for you, Dad 😉 ) and lessons learned. When I look back however, this year has been as much about people as it has been about recipes and food. It has been a year filled with the excitement of meeting face to face with friends I’ve met through this blog … Rose Levy Beranbaum, Melinda and Jeannette. It has also been a year in which I’ve travelled the world virtually, from Canada to America, the Caribbean to Azerbaijan, getting to know the most wonderful fellow food bloggers on my journey.
This blog has become more than just an online record of recipes. It is a true sharing of experiences and point of connection with my family and friends.
In celebration of this second year of A Merrier World, I’d like to leave you with the most wonderfully sublime, dreamily ethereal lemon tart I’ve ever tasted. I’ve made it several times since I first found Ellie’s recipe on A Kitchen Wench. Yesterday, I made it again for friends who came to dinner.
It’s a tart to die for.
It’s a tart to sink your teeth into, to roll around your tongue and drift away on the smooth, lemon custard of its filling. I can feel my mouth watering as I write, so please excuse me while I go to drool over a slice of the real thing!
amerrierworld.com 
Sue
/ August 9, 2009Happy Blogiversary To You! Happy Blogiversary To You! Congratulations!
What a gorgeous tart. I make a similar one from Maida Heatter’s book of American Desserts. The only difference is that when the tart is completely cooled, she pours an apricot glaze (boiled, sieved, apricot jam thinned with COGNAC!!! Yum!) over the top and it is sooooooo beautiful and has such a gorgeous sheen that I always do that now. Try it next time.
Your blog is lovely, Kate. Keep going and I’m so glad I’ve made your acquaintance…cyberspatially, at least.
Jules
/ August 9, 2009Happy Blog Birthday! The lemon tart looks delicious and is one of my favourite puddings.
Aimee
/ August 10, 2009Congratulations!! A milestone for sure and your gorgeous lemon tart looks like perfect way to party!
Jeannette
/ August 10, 2009Congratulations Kate, on reaching the second year of your blog! And what a lovely tart to celebrate with, I think I’ve mentioned before I love anything lemony, so this will go on my list to try. I’ve looked at the recipe, the only point missing is what size of tin to use, yours looks like it might be an 8 inch but Ellie’s look as though she used individual tins, what did you use?
Lovely pictures of you and your family on Rose’s website, I still look back with immense pleasure on that special day in Devon, what a memory! Just waiting with impatience now to get my copy of her new book.
amerrierworld
/ August 10, 2009Ooo, that apricot glaze sounds lovely. Thanks, Sue 🙂
I think it is my all-time favourite pudding now, Jules!
Thanks, Aimee 🙂
I used my middle-sized quiche dish, Jeannette – I’ve just measured it and it’s 9 1/2″ diameter. The amount of filling fills this dish perfectly. I think I’ve used smaller dishes in the past as I do remember making a few tartelettes with some left-over filling. I find Ellie’s pastry recipe difficult to get into a large dish – I usually end up rolling it out into as big a piece as I can manage, transferring this into the dish and then patching it all up with bits of the dough. I call these tarts, “rustic” 😉 .
Melinda
/ August 13, 2009Really? Two years old already! My, that went fast. Conblogurations, and cheers to many more!
Your lemon tart looks so good! I love lemon desserts. I also like the sound of the apricot cognac glaze that Sue suggested. Sounds really good.
I had a delicious lemon posset (I really hate the posset name. Conjures baby urps in my mind, not usually very nice. But I digress…) at a restaurant that was topped with a cherry compote. The cherry and lemon together was fantastic. I wouldn’t have put them together but it was superb.
So glad we got together this year. It was such a fantastic day. My goodness, it really was! We still have a date in the near future in Bath, I hope. Cheers x
Cynthia
/ August 24, 2009I was asked to deliver a message – your blog wishes to let you know that it is extremely pleased with the gift of this lemon tart.
Happy anniversary!
amerrierworld
/ August 24, 2009Ha! Baby possets! You really know how to sell a recipe, Melinda 😉 ! And yes – Bath – definitely a possibility next summer holidays, if not before then 🙂 .
Why, thank you Cynthia (and blog!) 🙂