There is something magical about Camont. I had a feeling when I first met Kate over dinner with Pim. Pim had a sparkle in her eyes when she talked about Kate’s little haven in Gascony. Over dinner, Kate talked about making Apricot and Thyme Tart in the summer at Camont. I was immediately ready to pack my bags.
We had no idea what to expect as we boarded the train to Agen. The ride was picturesque, rolling green hills, dotted with vineyards and castles tucked away. Like a fairy tale. Once we arrived in Agen, we grabbed a cab, which we found out later no one does when they come to Camont. The drive was short but our anticipation was heightened as we turned the corner, saw the rustic sign Camont and recognized the farmhouse from Kate’s site.
The welcome was warm, like family we have not seen in a long time. Bacon, Kate’s fearless companion gave us a sniff and a bark. Kate’s sister, Stephanie was visiting and greeted us with open arms. As well there was Betsy who is an old friend of Kate’s from Boulder and Erika and Chris, who are there in Camont until November. The only person missing was Kate. And our friend, Dominique. This is when we found out, no one ever takes a cab to Camont.
We spent a glorious week bonding with Kate, Erika, and Chris. As well as many other’s who were in and out for the week (more to come on that). One of the many things we loved about Camont was the laughter that was enjoyed every day. Everyone really came together as one and enjoyed each other’s company. It was nice. It was comforting. Most of all, it was loving.
One rainy day, Kate came home with a crate of fresh apricots. The first summer apricots. I have fond memories of apricots being eaten, ripe, warmed by the sun and just plucked from my grandmother’s tree. This was the next best thing, perfectly picked and ready to be devoured.
That same rainy afternoon, as the clouds were slightly parting and the sun was just peeking through, Ericka and I decided to bake apricot tarts to photograph (more on that later) as well as for that night’s dessert. Erika worked her magic on the pastry crust, which was outstanding and I took over the apricots. I wanted to keep the tart simple by using what we had right there. I seasoned the apricots with a little sugar, fresh lemon juice and thyme from the herb garden outside the kitchen door. We had enough dough to make one large tart and two small ones. The larger one had a slight layer of frangipani under the apricots. The second one had a layer of fresh creamy goat cheese under the apricots with a generous drizzle of honey over the top and the third had a layer of creamy goodness made out of a deep dark brown sugar that was mixed with the leftover goat cheese and frangipani, covered with apricots and more honey. Each was baked until golden brown and then finished with a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Easy. Delicious. Very Gascony!
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Apricot and Thyme Tart
Ingredients:
your favorite pastry dough
enough fresh apricots to cover the bottom of your tart pan
a handful of fresh thyme
1 lemon juiced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup almond flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
How To:
Heat oven to 400.
Generously butter the tart pan.
Line with the pastry dough.
Wash and pat dry the apricots, then cut in half.
Wash the thyme and pat dry. Pull the tender leaves off of any hard stems.
Combine the apricots, thyme, 1 tablespoon of sugar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Gently toss with your hands and then let sit.
Combine almond flour, butter, and sugar. Using your fingers mix well until crumbly.
Add the egg and stir well until combined to form a paste.
Fill the tart shell with the almond paste.
Cover with the apricot halves.
Sprinkle with a small amount of sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
Let cool for 10 minutes.
Serve.
Eat.
What a magical place! I’ve dreamed of visiting Camont ever since the first time I found Kate’s blog. So glad you both are having such a wonderful vacation! And, that tart looks insane!
How wonderful. I’d love to visit Kate in Gascony.
I can still taste those sweet tart and hear the laughter. Come back soon! our peaches are just ripening!
I love the idea of goat cheese & apricots. The texture with the brown sugar tart crust must be out of this world. If you’re interested, there’s a 5-course dessert and port/madeira pairing presented by Battledish & Sally’s After Dark on Jul. 13. Each dessert is being specially paired with the dessert wine, so it should be delicious. Here’s the link with details: http://dessertdishcrawl.eventbrite.com/
Cheers!
Such a n00b! I logged in to iGoogle, but can’t open the recipe. Is there another link?
Oh boy…this looks really beautiful, Denise! You can almost taste those apricots (Funny I just baked with apricots on my site as well). I’m curious about your time spent with Kate and can’t wait to hear more about it in person.
Oh darling. Last year we went for a road trip through Gascony territoir (from Marseille to San Sebastian, Spain passing through Arcachon amongst other lovely cities and towns) and it was gorgeous. I think that region is a bit underestimated by non French travelers (which is perfectly fine for me).
And OMG, that apricot tart. Bella, nothing says more Vive la France than a rustic apricot tart like yours. I love it.
Can you send me two slices of it please?
xo
Lovely photography and article, but like Basia, when I click on the link I end up at my own documents in google documents. How odd. Wondering how that happens and not being able to get to the recipe. any suggestions anyone?
You guys seem to have had a fab time! The place looks lovely. And the tarts, even more delicious.
What a truly gorgeous tart and a wonderful experience in Gascony. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!
i’ve never been a big fan of apricots but having it super fresh and ripe last weekend with salami, feels like i’ve turned a new leaf. the apricot tarts look amazing! love the pairing with thyme.
What a wonderful tart. We have recently returned from a week with Kate and what a glorious week it was. I would love to get the recipe, but the link doesn’t work. Any chance of re-posting the link, Denise?
Thanks for the beautiful photos too.
Hello Fiona, Isn’t Kate one of the most special women you have met? And Argen is wonderful; miss it so much. Thank you for letting me know that the link was not working – I have reposted this easy and delicious recipe for you. Enjoy!
The apricot and thyme tart looks fabulous. I am glad you had a good time in Camont.