Just a Little Tart

Need an excuse to come out and run trails?

After Wednesday evening's trail run at Komoka, we were treated to home made fruit tarts, made from scratch by Mel.

I had the pleasure of a berry tart over the popular peach tarts.

Now all we need is a liquor salesman with free samples.

Do you run for Cheesecake?

I do!

From a recipe from my Burlington Running Club newsletter.

I tried this and served it to the group after a loop of Fanshawe Lake Trails, and other than drooling and sugar educed euphoria, I think it was a winner. 

Here is the recipe:

Crust:

1 cup chocolate wafers or biscuits

3 tbsp butter

Filling:

3 pkgs cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 sgs white chocolate, melted

3 sqs semi sweet chocolate, melted

2 tbsp raspberry or orange liqueur

Glaze:

8 sqs semi sweet chocolate

1/4 cup butter

2 tsp vegetable oil

Crust: 

Combine crumbs and butter, press onto bottom of an 8" spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Filling: 

In a food processor or electric blender, blend cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition.

Add vanilla.

Remove 1/2 of the batter to another bowl. Stir melted white chocolate and liqueur into this portion.

To remaining batter, blend in melted semisweet chocolate.Pour dark batter onto crumb lined pan, spread evenly.

Spoon white batter carefully over top, spread evenly. Bake at 425* for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 250. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes longer or until center of cake is just barely firm. remove from oven and run a knife around sides; let cool completely before removing sides. Refrigerate for at least an hour before glazing.

Glaze:

Melt chocolate with butter and oil over hot water, stirring until smooth. Place the cake on rack over waxed paper. Dip spatula in glaze and smooth over sides of the cake, making sure to smooth out bumps and fill holes, if any. Pour glaze over entire cake. Bang rack several times to smooth. 

For the vegetarians in our group you can add lawn clippings or tree bark, but remember most of us have a primal lust of sinful deserts.

I thank my trail running friends, Nancy, Mel, Jeff and Denny for being my guinea pigs on my first try at this cheesecake. 

I was going to take a picture of them, but they said they needed to run another 40 km to burn this off. 

August 3, 2013

This is part of the group of 35 runners who showed up on Saturday at Komoka Trails.

One would almost think the turn out was larger than usual because there was Champagne and Mars Bars as we do at the season end run in October, but there wasn't, so I guess its just because we are such a pleasure to be around.

You will note two woman in jeans in the front row who Bill Wheeler picked up on the trail. (one of them was about to go on her ass on the slippery boardwalk portion as the group were attempting to pass and Bill grabbed her and saved her from a bruise or two)

They were from Ohio and were visiting friends in London for a girls weekend and came out to walk the trails and were probably wishing they could have come for coffee with us at Angelo's after the run rather than go back to shopping and drinking wine with 'The Girls'.

OK, I may be wrong.



Summer is Here!

A cool Saturday morning at Westminster Ponds.

2013 Race Sold Out

SOLD OUT
Waiting List Available
http://vulturebaitrace.com/register.htm#wait-list

History Lessons on the Trails

London’s first Recognized Heritage Tree

Located in Westminster Ponds Environmentally Significant Area, the majestic White Oak is estimated to be well over 250 years old. 

It towers 31.5 metres skyward and its enormous trunk is 471 centimetres in circumference. It received heritage distinction under the Trees Ontario Ontario Heritage Tree Program, which identifies and records the location of heritage trees in the province.

“Heritage trees are identified and assessed based on their age, size, appearance, and most importantly their cultural and historical significance,” says Robert Keen, CEO of Trees Ontario.

 “We’re aware of references to this tree as far back as 1793, when Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe and his wife camped at Westminster Ponds before hiking to the forks of the Thames." (now there's a guy showing a lady a good time)

The Series starts and we can be thankful for Canada's Health Care

The opening of the 2013 Series proved to have had a few of us testing the law of gravity at Meadowlilly Trail.

I of course fell, but that is to be expected, Don tested his landing technique early on in the run as well.

 Cathy Q did a face plant and almost rolled down a ravine, I think she was counting stars the rest of the day.

But leave it to Eric to get all the attention, as he fell and hit his head causing a nice trickle of blood, but it was his dislocated finger that got him a leasurly afternoon sitting at the hospital. Granted I am sure the story grew by the hour, as he had Doctors and Nurses in awe of his trail running skills.

Twenty people were out for the opening day, a few we have not seen since October, so spring must really be here.

This Saturday is Fanshawe Lake Trail, so who knows what will happen there, but it will be fun.