Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Fruit Tart with Friends (Rainy Day Bakery)

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey friends, for the best Get Sleepy experience, be sure to check out our supporters feed Get Sleepy Premium for our free listening weekly bonus episodes and access to our entire catalogue. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make the free version of this show possible. Hey friends, welcome to Get Sleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. As always I'm your host Thomas and I'm so excited to have your company tonight, because we'll be returning to one of the coziest places we know, the rainy day bakery. On this glorious late summer day, the weather can't quite make its mind up. Rain is in the forecast, but the sun occasionally peaks through the clouds.

Starting point is 00:01:09 cast but the sun occasionally peaks through the clouds. And as always, the bakery is warm, the ovens are on, and Lily is whipping up some special treats. If you haven't heard all of the other stories in this rainy day bakery series. Don't worry, you can still listen to this one tonight and return to the earlier episodes anytime you'd like. All our rainy day bakery tales were written by our amazing head writer, Shady Grove. We're truly blessed to have her, and I hope you all agree. Our trips to Lillie's bakery are a real hallmark of Get Sleepy, and each and every visit is a soothing triumph, courtesy of Shady's wonderful imagination and skill for storytelling. So thank you Shady. If you're enjoying the show and would like to hear even more episodes, or completely add free, we'd love for you to try and get Sleepy Premium.

Starting point is 00:02:16 You'll have access to our entire catalogue of over 600 stories and meditations, including extra long episodes like stitched versions of our rainy day bakery series. And as I say, it's all completely ad-free. Plus every Thursday you'll receive a weekly bonus episode exclusive to the premium feed. Tomorrow night, Vanessa will be reading our story about two teenage friends enjoying some good old fashioned arts and crafts time in a seaside town. The first seven days of your premium subscription are free, so why not join us on Premium tomorrow night. For more information on all of our plans visit GetSleepy.com-support or just follow the link in the show notes. Thanks so much. Now then, before we begin our story and return to the rainy day bakery. Let's take a few moments

Starting point is 00:03:30 to relax and get settled. I think that routine and familiarity can really help us in finding comfort and relaxation. Our visits to Lily's bakery are all about that. As we follow our protagonist, going about her usual daily tasks, serving her regular customers their favourite treats, and all with a gentle friendliness and camaraderie. So give yourself a moment to relax into bed, in whichever way suits you best. For many of us that will involve taking a few deep breaths, feeling calmness washing over you with each long exhale. For others it may help to scan through your body, relaxing each muscle one at a time. Or perhaps your mind is often busy at night, so visualizing your thoughts as puffy clouds drifting through a lush blue sky may help you relax.

Starting point is 00:05:16 Know that you can spend as much time as you need, letting go of the day and transitioning into rest. Meanwhile, enjoy the coziness of Lily's homely bakery, eventually drifting off to sleep whenever the time is right. So now, let's join Lele in the bakery as the rain The late summer shower, patters heavily on the pavement outside. Dense rufulates of water cascade down the bakery windows, shining gold as they catch the sun, which peeks out behind large puffy clouds. out behind large puffy clouds. It's one of those days where the weather can't seem to make up its mind, Lily thinks to herself, as she wipes her hands on her apron, just like me. She smiles, looking down at the white flowery handprints, now decorating the aprons front pocket. The cinnamon rolls are done, the first batches of bread and cookies are cooling. Now what, Lily wonders.

Starting point is 00:07:26 A berry pie, a vanilla cake, may be accusted. Nothing feels quite right. All morning, the sky has alternated between rain and shine. A sudden downpour will leave behind puddles which glisten like fiery pools when the clouds part, and the sun comes out in all its summer splendor. But then, just moments later, the clouds will gather in the sky once more, casting shadows on the ground. The air grows chilly,

Starting point is 00:08:27 and the rain starts again. Ever since she came in this morning, Lily has been watching the playful weather from the comfort of the bakery, relishing the beauty of the changeable sky through the bright rain-spattered windows. Shamus arrived early today, shaking out his umbrella after getting caught in a downpour. Even though he carried it tucked inside his raincoat, his newspaper needed a few minutes to dry out. By the time he was sipping his coffee and eating his cinnamon roll, the sun had appeared. The edges of the sight he smudged paper drooped a bit as they dried, but that didn't bother Shemus. He chuckled, saying, the news is still the news, damp or not, before setting it aside in favour of another bite

Starting point is 00:09:50 of his cinnamon roll. Rose stopped by quickly. No time to chat today, she said, stamping her boots on the mat with a refillable mug in her hand. She was dog sitting for a neighbour and had to go and play with her four-legged friend while the sun was still out. Lily smiles now, recalling these little conversations. The weather here certainly has its own personality, just like all the residents she thinks. And being in such a small town, it's often what people talk about. Nobody here is surprised by the rain. Stormy days are a given. And yet, people always have a few moments to spare, to chat about what kind of rain's favourites.

Starting point is 00:11:30 The unpredictability, the interplay of light and shadow, the bright glorious sun, and the moody towering clouds. These are what make this rainy place so special. Not to mention, late summer days are perfect for making one of Lily's favourite treats, fresh fruit tarts. Summer is the season for fruit, and a tart is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing of all fruit desserts. She sighs, picturing the sweet juicy fruit, the thick rich cream, the crumbly buttery pastry. Each tart is a work of art, the glossy berries and fruits cut to perfection and arranged in an intricate and colourful pattern. Fruit tarts take a lot of work, but they are so worth it, Lily mes. Her eyes come to rest on a bowl full of peaches and nectarines from Quincy and Marner's orchard. The last of the wild blueberries are in the refrigerator and she just picked up a few cartons of plump, ripe strawberries from the market.

Starting point is 00:13:32 Glancing around, she spots a couple of kiwis trying their best to blend in with the wooden cutting boards. The fruit tart it is then, Lily thinks. After all, why pick just one flavor to work with when you can have them all? She pulls out one of her recipe books. It's a large, three-ring binder with typed and turned-written recipes tucked into clear, protective sleeves. Lily flips through the pages, enjoying the sound they make as they swish against each other, until she comes to the fruit tart.

Starting point is 00:14:34 She mentally takes off where all the ingredients are. The first stop is the pantry. Carefully she gathers flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, sugar, and the jar of vanilla beans. Next, she finds the eggs, milk, apricot jam, and butter. Then Lillie chooses the freshest peaches, nectarines, berries and kiwis, and sets them on a plate, so none of them attempted to roll away. Finally, she pulls out all the utensils, pots, pans and dishes that she'll need, along with a little sack of dried beans. meat, along with a little sack of dried beans. She's been meaning to purchase a set of ceramic pie weights for blind baking, but hasn't gone around to it yet. So today, her bag of trusty dried beans will have to do.

Starting point is 00:16:11 She'll begin by making a pastry cream, so she slides over the glass jar of long dark vanilla beans. Once the lid is unlatched, it comes open with a slight pop. Lily reaches her fingers into the jar and select Sabine. She closes the jar to preserve the others, and then finds a small knife under cutting board. Lily applies gentle pressure to the knife, sliding its tip lengthwise down the thin vanilla bean. She doesn't press so hard that the bean is cut in half, just enough that it opens the topmost layer. Once the bean is split, she uses her fingertips to spread out the sides, so it resembles a flat leaf with slightly curl edges. It almost looks like a prowl and stern. Then she flips her knife over and scrapes its flat edge along the inside of the beam, releasing the seeds.

Starting point is 00:18:03 Clumped together, they are almost a fine paste. Looking at the tiny flecks of black, she thinks of creamy vanilla ice cream, served over a warm peach cobbler. But that's for another time she reminds herself. Maybe when the weather gets a bit colder. She'll have to be sure to get a few more peaches from Quincy and Marner from Quincy and Merna before summer truly comes to an end. When they first talked about growing stone fruit like peaches, plums and nectarines, most people raised in eyebrow. It's far too rainy and damp to sustain such delicate fruit trees. Just wait and see, Manor said with a smile to anyone who looked even a little skeptical. as the weeks passed, neighbours started seeing construction happening in their large back clopped. They cleared the tangle of weeds and brambles but left the berry bushes along the perimeter.

Starting point is 00:19:45 Every day people would walk by and mana always told them the same thing. Just wait and see. Soon a large but short rectangular frame went up, similar to one you might see around a vegetable garden. Then, tall domed ribs arched like silver rainbows over the rectangle. And a little while later, a covering was stretched over the whole thing. It looked almost like a greenhouse. Manor and Quincy explained that it was called a high tunnel and it could be used to protect and grow plants that otherwise might have a hard time surviving in this kind of climate. Last summer was the first season the trees bore fruit. And they were so delicious, Lily remembers happily.

Starting point is 00:21:12 There's nothing better than a fresh peach. Turning back to the task at hand, Lily pours the milk into the saucepan and begins to heat it. Her mind drifts as she stares it gently, waiting for tiny bubbles to form on its surface. She looks up at the fairy lights twinkling cheerfully. A man sits in the corner sipping a hot chocolate. Lily didn't recognize him when he came in to order his drink. He must be from out of town, she thinks. Perhaps he's visiting friends or family. Or maybe he likes traveling to small, tucked away places. Delicate bubbles begin to show around the edges of the saucepan. Lily continues to stir the warm milk. The rain has started up again. She hears the rhythmic tapping on the window pangs and watches puffy grey and white clouds roll over town.

Starting point is 00:22:57 The tapping grows heavier as a cloud passes overhead and then lighter as it drifts away. She moves the wooden spoon around the saucepan in gentle circles until bubbles appear across the whole surface of the milk. She then removes it from the heat. Next, she whisks together egg yolks and sugar. Then adds a pinch of salt and some cornstarch to thicken the mixture. Slowly she pours a thin stream of hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking as she goes. The ribbon of white falls gracefully into the bowl.

Starting point is 00:24:11 When it's combined, she pours all of it back into the saucepan and heats it once again. She feels the pastry cream thickening in the pan as she continues to whisk it gently. With every stroke, she notices it from the heat and adds in the vanilla. Specs of black into mingle with the yellow cream. It looks absolutely delicious, but it's not ready yet. Lily pours it into a bowl, covers it, and places it in the refrigerator to cool. Now it's time to make the crust. She gathers the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder and carries them to her large stand mixer. This appliance is the pride of the bakery.

Starting point is 00:25:54 Lily uses it several times a day, always pausing for a moment to admire its sleek and shiny exterior. to admire its sleek and shiny exterior. It's larger than one you might find in a household kitchen, as it can hold enough dough or batter to make double or even triple batches of some of her favorite treats. Lily runs her hand over the mixer, feeling the call metal beneath her fingertips. She gives the mixer a friendly pat. We've made quite a few things together over the years, haven't we? She whispers. Lily pulls out measuring cups and spoons. She drops trunks of butter into the bowl of the mixer and then pours sugar over the top. She secures the metal paddle on the arm of the mixer, and it wears to life. Lily loves the sound it makes, as it creams together the butter and sugar. It gives off a sort of wishing noise, somewhere between a buzz and a hum. The sound gets louder and softer as the paddle spins through the sweet contents of the

Starting point is 00:27:59 ball. Before long, the mixture is creamy and fluffy. She cracks an egg into it, pausing the paddle for a moment to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then it begins to wear again and the mixture turns from off-white to yellow as the egg is incorporated. She adds vanilla and salt, and then uses a whisk to combine the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. This she spoons into the wet ingredients bit by bit until it's fully incorporated. until it's fully incorporated. The last spoonful lands with a dry plop on the edge of the paddle, sending a small plume of flour into the air.

Starting point is 00:29:34 It dasts the mixer and lily skin with fine white particles, a bit like fresh snow. Once the dough for the crust is finished, she turns off the mixer and uses the spatula to scrape any remnants of the paddle. Then she rolls the dough into a ball, wraps it and places it in the fridge to cool beside the pastry cream. For the next couple of hours, giggling with delight. The man in the corner gets a refill of his hot chocolate. Lily asks if he wants whipped cream, and he smiles. Is it even hot chocolate without whipped cream? He asks with a wink. Lily shakes some extra sprinkles on top for good measure. She watches him carry the mug back to his table.

Starting point is 00:31:07 He sits down and looks around, surreptitially, before quietly slapping the top of the whipped cream mountain. Lily chuckles to herself. She always does the same thing before taking her first sip. The rain comes in a heavy downpour that gives way to a light drizzle before the sun comes out. gives way to a light drizzle before the sun comes out, bathing the small town in a brilliant golden hue. When she sees the clouds parked through the window, Lily unties her apron and folds it neatly on the counter. Then, she sneaks over to the door and pokes her head outside. She takes a deep breath in. Cool, crisp air fills her rejuvenating and alive.

Starting point is 00:32:56 Across from the bakery pine trees are adorned with droplets of water. They hang from the needles like little diamonds. In her mind's eye, Lily imagines running up to a tree and shaking itsunk, laughing as thousands of droplets shower down on her from the branches. Seeing no customers waiting for drinks or treats, Lily refreshing compared to the dry warmth of the bakery. Both inside and out have their merits, she thinks. The tiny hairs on her arms prickle with the change in temperature, sending a delightful chill down her spine. She rubs her hands on her arms, taking another deep breath of the fresh air. A young girl zooms down the hill on a little orange bicycle. Lily watches her as she grins from ear to ear, the wind catching her long hair and fending it out behind her.

Starting point is 00:34:48 Her father coasts leisurely down the hill on his own larger bike, waving to Lily as he passes. At the top of the hill, Lily catches a glimpse of Rose walking a determined golden retriever. Rose doesn't look down towards the bakery, but Lily grins at her nonetheless. with a final deep breath. Lily decides it's time to head back inside. She has a fruit Lily preheats the oven. She pulls the apron over her head and ties it at the waist. Then she retrieves the dough from the refrigerator and sets it on the counter. She sprinkles a bit of flour on the wooden surface and pulls out her large rolling pin. Unrapping the dough, she places it in the middle of the flowery circle and begins to roll it out. Her arms push and pull, stretching the dough into a wide, thin disk. Her mind clears as her body responds to the needs of the task.

Starting point is 00:36:47 The repetitive motion guiding her into her rhythm. Once it's the right size and thickness, she delicately picks the dough up and places it into the pie dish. She carefully presses it into the bottom and ridged sides of the dish, trimming off any excess dough hanging over the top. hanging over the top. Lily rips off a square of parchment paper and places it on the dough. Then, she pours the sack of dried beans onto the paper. The beans will keep the bottom of the pie crust from puffing up as it bakes.

Starting point is 00:37:51 Lily slides the dish into the oven and leaves it to work its magic. While it's baking, she pours a cup of coffee for a customer and sells the final cinnamon roll of the day to another. Both of her millia faces. She's seen them around town many times before, but has never had the chance to talk to them. Now she gets their names and finds out a little about each one.ento has always been, a new customer is just a friend you haven't made yet. The oven beeps and Lily pulls out the crust. removes the beans, pouring them back into their sack with a satisfying rumble. Then she returns the crust to the oven to bake for a little while longer. This is one of the reasons fruit tarts seem like more work.

Starting point is 00:39:33 Even though this steps are easy, they're sure are a lot of them she thinks to herself. But that's to be expected for such an exquisite desire. is at. When the oven beeps a second time, she sets the crust on a rack to cool. Steam rises from it in subtle whips. As it cools, she prepares the fruit. This is Lily's favourite part of the process. First, she washes and dries the produce. She cuts the green tops off the strawberries and pops one of the little red morsels in her mouth for good measure. She peels the kiwis into rounds.

Starting point is 00:40:56 The peaches are cut into perfect wedges, and the nectarines are made into thin, delectable, crescent moons. She cuts some of the strawberries in half and leaves others whole. The blueberries are perfectly ripe and juicy. Once the crust is completely cooled, Lily finds the pastry cream in the fridge. She spreads a generous layer of cream into the shallow crust. The rich scent of vanilla wafts up from the dish, filling the air around her. Its floral, earthy and delicious. Next, she arranges the fruit in a perfect pattern, atop the pastry cream. She goes slowly and takes her time, setting each blueberry in its own perfect nook, aligning every plump red strawberry with the edge of the crust. She tucks in a few extra blueberries among the strawberries to fill any open space. Once the concentric berry circles are finished, she moves on to the peaches.

Starting point is 00:42:53 She nestles each glossy orange slice against the one before it, creating a beautifully overlapping design. The rosy nectarines are next. Each wafer thin piece tucked delicately into place. In the center of the tart, Lily arranges the Kiwi rounds. Their green and black hues stand in marvellous contrast to the sunset colours of the rest of thewi. It is sweet and tart and someptuous. And finally, to cap off the design, she sprinkles a few extra blueberries and strawberry halves atop the innermost kiwis.

Starting point is 00:44:13 Once the fruit is placed on the pastry cream, Lily steps back to admire her work. The pattern is symmetrical in all the right places, with just enough whimsy to keep it interesting. But it's still not quite finished yet. She takes the apricot jam from the refrigerator and heats it on the stove. Once it's warm and gooey, she depths a pastry brush into it. Lily paints the fruit with the melted jam, which lends a glossy sheen to the colorful creation. Coded in the translucent jam, the fruit shines in the light as bright as the rivulets of water glimmering on the windows in the afternoon sun. Perfection, Lily Wispers. As the word crosses her lips, Lily hears the door to the bakery open.

Starting point is 00:45:47 Income rose and shameless, accompanied by Marner and Quincy. We heard our fruit made it onto the menu today, says Marner with a big smile. Lily grins, gingerly picking up the fruit tart. She sets it on the counter. A chorus of appreciation sounds out from the assembled guests. The creation sounds out from the assembled guests. Quincy claps his hands while Mourna admires the shine of the fruit. Rose says she can tell how good it will taste just by looking at it. While Shemus remarks, he's never smelled anything so delicious, aside from cinnamon rolls of course. The man in the corner with the hot chocolate wanders over to. He gives a friendly smile to all the old friends. His new to town, but is hoping to meet people. You chose a rainy day to move to town I'm afraid, says Shamus. Oh, it's always raining here, Marner chuckles.

Starting point is 00:47:31 Except when the sun comes out, says Lily. Like on this perfect late summer dessert, to be shared by all. ... ... ... you ... ... you you ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Fruit Tart with Friends (Rainy Day Bakery)

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