This Tartine Recipe is Peak Spring on a Plate

There are some special afternoons that you want to hold close to your heart and remember forever. No one looks at their phones, wine glasses are refilled one after another, and somehow no one moves from the table even after two hours have passed. This is how I remember the day Camila Marcus joined me and a group of friends for lunch in her backyard to celebrate the release of her cookbook. My reclaimed kitchen.

We had been trying to make it happen for weeks, and when it finally happened on a warm spring day, the afternoon was everything we had imagined. We laid out platters of food on an outside table, served everything family style, and lingered in that easy, slow way that only happens when the food is simple and the company is everything.

It was a menu that felt like spring. Cold pea gazpacho was passed around in a small bowl. Fennel salad. Rose dark chocolate bark for dessert with coffee. Natural wine and sparkling water. And everyone kept talking about this tartine after that.

The chef behind the recipe

For those who aren’t familiar with Camila Marcus, she’s one of those cooks who makes everything effortless and thoughtful. Her approach to cooking is easygoing and intuitive, based on a deep appreciation for the seasons and the farmers who grow her ingredients. She is also the founder of waist~boneher direct-to-consumer brand creates comfort foods inspired by California’s bounty. I’ve known Camila for several years and always look forward to the opportunity to cook together. And these tartines perfectly represent her philosophy on food.

The recipe is taken from her cookbook. my reclaimed kitchenand her description of them is perfect: the ultimate chef’s snack. Equal parts creamy and crunchy, it’s made with seasonal ingredients. There are no rules and no fuss at all.

What takes this tartine recipe even further?

With food this simple, the beauty is in the restraint. The last thing we want to do is take that place and complicate something because all the elements are good. That means the bread is important (thickly sliced, fried in a good bakery in avocado oil until golden and crispy). Tomatoes are the key (find the best heirlooms you can get your hands on). And the secret ingredient that takes this to the next level is blue cheese, which is frozen, shaved into thin slices, and melts like a lacy ribbon on warm bread.

The roasted beet tartine (a thick spread of yogurt or cream, topped with golden beets and finished with toasted pepitas) has a slightly more surprising ingredient. Beetroot and fresh cream have always been my favorite combination, but the contrast with the crispy fried bread felt like something completely new. Cool and creamy texture.

some tips for success

Serve these as a starter, as a lunch, or, let’s be honest, as a snack that once you start, you can’t stop and it becomes an entire meal. Tomatoes taste best when they’re at their peak, so keep these things in mind as we head into summer.

We made these in a large cast iron pot and continued to make them in batches. (You won’t believe how much the simple touch of frying the bread elevates these tartines.) And when it comes to crème fraiche, remember Camilla’s rule that the more is more. Keeps tartines luxurious.

Pea gazpacho and a simple fennel salad are perfect for making a spring lunch around these. Add the cool pink drink to your bottle to help freshen up your afternoon and make it last as long as possible.

This recipe is from Camila Marcus’ cookbook. my reclaimed kitchen.

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