TRAVEL/FOOD : Page 88 of 97 : On the road and at home, it's always about food and fun!

Lost Restaurant Recipes Found: Finally, the famous Mead Chicken Recipe!!

Historic Restaurants, Lost Restaurant Found!, Regional & Ethnic

A popular restaurant, long out of business, was famous for their fried chicken. We finally have the recipe not only for their chicken but other favorites. Enjoy!

In the years I’ve been writing about food for the Herald Palladium, the largest newspaper in Southwest Michigan, I’ve received many requests from readers for recipes but undoubtedly the most popular request has been for the fried chicken and Cole slaw recipes from Mead’s Chicken Nook, a very popular eatery in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph from 1945 until the late 1980’s which was started by Pearl and Buster Mead.

I was always told that the family never shared the recipes from the restaurant so I was surprised when I heard from Gina Lewis Schmaltz of Baroda suggesting I contact her brother Guy Lewis. A quick message to him on Facebook and within a week we met at Watermark Distillery in downtown Stevensville (Guy lives nearby) and I suddenly had a copy of the recipes and more family history in my hands. It was like striking gold.

“It wasn’t that we wanted to keep these secret,” Lewis told me. “It’s just that I was afraid people wouldn’t believe me because the chicken recipe is so simple. I thought people would think we were keeping out a secret ingredient.”

It is indeed a very simple recipe. An egg and milk batter, a little salt and flour. The steps are important, Guy told me. The chicken is salted right before it’s dipped.

I told him that I was often surprised at how simple some recipes are. There’s a famous perch, chicken and frog leg place in Northwest Indiana where I grew up. It’s called Teibel’s Family Restaurant and has been in business in Schererville for 90 years. When I was given the recipe for their chicken, perch and frog legs, I was astounded it was so simple. Basically flour and some seasonings the same recipe the original Mrs. Tiebel had brought with her from Austria, her native country. But like piano playing and other skills, the magic is in the cooking. We can all be given the same recipe or the same sheet of music, but how it comes out is often extremely different.

Obviously the Mead family knew how to fry chicken. During Prohibition Buster Mead learned how to do so at the Allendale Resort in Branson, Missouri where he and his future wife, Pearl McClure, were from.

“My grandparents moved from Branson to Benton Harbor at the start of World War II because Buster assumed he would be drafted into military service and while he was gone Pearl could live with her parents, Daisy and Jim McClure,” Lewis says. “They lived in Stevensville and Jim worked at Emlong’s Nursery. They had also recently moved from Missouri. Buster took a job at Upton Machine company–now Whirlpool)–operating a machine which made parts for the war effort. In September 1945 they opened the first Chicken Nook at 297 East Main St. in Benton Harbor. In 1956 they moved to the newly built Chicken Nook at 1111 Main St. in St. Joseph. My first job was bussing tables there on weekends when I was about 15.”

At its peak, a lot of chickens got fried at Mead’s. A 20 to 30-foot wall was line with fryers, all custom made as were the griddles with sides of about an inch to two inches high.

“He’d pour oil in them to panfry some of the chicken,” he says. “The legs and wings went into the deep fryers.”

Their poultry was delivered almost daily from Troyer’s in Goshen, Indiana—talk about fresh. As an aside, Troyer’s County Market, which opened in 1912, is still in business.

“It came in big crates that were slid down the stairs to the basement. From afternoon to evening, the staff would be downstairs cutting up the chickens which came in whole,” says Guy. “They then went into a big tub of ice.”

Guy and Gina’s dad in the spotless kitchen at Mead’s Chicken Nook.

Gina Lewis Schultz remembers working at Mead’s when they were located on Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville in what is now Lee’s Hunan.

“I was in my teens,” she says. “I remember my dad taught me how to make Pearl’s Dressing two gallons at a time.”

Her grandfather created most of the recipes on the menu including the dressing which he named after his wife. Schultz says she’s seen other recipes for it but the dressing served at the restaurant contained apple cider and what she calls “heavy mayonnaise” such as Hellman’s.

“But no Miracle Whip,” she says emphatically.

Schultz still makes the fried chicken about once a month or so for her husband using the originally recipe. When I mentioned that I had made it earlier in the evening and my kitchen looked like a disaster with egg dip, flour and oil scattered around, she said, “well, it is kind of messy,” though I felt, from the kindly tone of her voice, that it wasn’t a messy process when she did it.

I asked Schultz what she remembers most about her time working there and she recalls how busy it was.

“And there was constantly and constantly chicken being served or going out the door,” she says.

In the early 60’s the Meads opened a second location at 325 W. Main St. Benton Harbor but it was only open for a few years.

“That location has been the home of many other restaurants since then,” says Lewis. “In the late 70’s the Meads retired and sold the restaurant. Buster worked part time in the deli for Harry Zick at his Vineland Foodland on Vineland Road in St. Joseph Township. Eventually my grandfather decided he wasn’t done in the restaurant business and opened his new Chicken Nook on Red Arrow Highway. They were in business there for just a couple of years then age finally caught up with them and they had to shut down the fryers for the last time. I worked there a few hours per week to help out and so learned some of Grandpa Meads recipes but also, even better, I got a lot of adult time with my grandfather.”

Sidebar: Recreating Mead’s Fried Chicken

I have the hardest time following recipes, I always want to take short cuts, add my own tweaks or substitute ingredients. But I vowed to myself that I would follow the fried chicken recipe given to me by Lewis and Schmaltz. So I bought whole milk instead of substituting the almond milk which I had in my refrigerator (though I thought about doing so a couple of times) and though four to six eggs seemed like way too many, I added six to a pint of milk just like the recipe called for.

Now I really like fried food that’s done well but I’m not sure I’m the person who can do that—it’s a skill I don’t possess. Despite that, I filled a very large skillet (and large is important as the you don’t want oil sputtering all over the stove and countertop) with vegetable oil and set the burner to high. I also turned on the vent over the stove—also necessary because the heat from the bubbling oil can set off the smoke detector. I also left my front door open just in case.

The Mead recipe said you could double dip the chicken into the egg-milk mix and flour if you wanted extra crispy and so I did. But then I made a mistake. I dipped all the pieces while waiting for the oil to heat up. I would have done better to dip (or double dip) just before I put the meat in the hot oil. Because I didn’t, some of the batter started dropping off and by then I was out of the mix so I had to try to patch it back on resulting in some serious clumps of breading. But hey, I like crispy coating even if it didn’t make the chicken look somewhat misshapen.

The chicken pieces sizzled when I placed them in the oil. I followed Guy’s instructions to do the legs and wings separately because they cook more quickly which meant that the batter on those pieces had even more time to drop off. Patch, patch again.

Because I don’t fry often, the only thermometer I could find was one for meat which doesn’t go high enough to tell me when the oil is at 350°F. (I think my daughter borrowed my candy thermometer but that’s a different story). But I remembered a trick from my one food class in high school and that was if you stick a wooden spoon in oil and bubbles form around it and then start to float to the surface, that it’s about the right temperature for frying—somewhere between 325°F to 350°F.

Salad with the distinctive light pink colored Pearl’s Dressing.

The chicken made a satisfying sizzling sound when I plopped it in the oil. But here’s another issue I encountered. How to tell when the chicken was done–I like sushi, pink pork chops and bloody steaks but really like my chicken thoroughly cooked. I didn’t know whether I could stick my meat thermometer into the frying meat or if breaking the crust would somehow ruin the taste or make it too greasy. That’s when I turned to Google which informed me that it was indeed okay and that I could either cut the meat to see if it was done or use the thermometer to determine if the interior had reached a temperature of165°F. You can also, the directions said, finish off the chicken in a 350°F preheated oven.

When it was all over, I had a large platter of fried chicken, a large amount of Pearl’s Dressing for my salad (and many more) and a very messy kitchen. Overall—it might not be the chicken we would have eaten at one of the Chicken Nook’s restaurants but it was pretty good.

Sidebar: Memories

“The Meads have since passed on but the legacy of the Chicken Nook lives on,” says Guy Lewis.

That is so true. So many people have Chicken Nook memories.

John Madill, a long time photographer for the Herald Palladium and now retired, emailed me to say he remembered getting a photo assignment in the early or mid 80’s for a new restaurant.

“Turned out to be Mr. Mead coming out of retirement to start making his chicken again,” he says. “I remember him well in a white apron, stopping his prep work in the kitchen to come out and talk to me.”

Kathy Thornton, owner of Thornton’s Café in downtown St. Joseph, remembers when she married her husband, Bob, that her in-laws. Norman and Annabelle Thornton hosted their rehearsal dinner at the Chicken Nook in 1973.

“As I recall it was a wonderful—a lovely experience,” says Thornton who went attended St. Joseph High School with Guy Lewis.

As for Lewis, he remembers a sandwich at the Chicken Nook that he really liked. Called the Dutchburger, he says it was basically shaved ham grilled on the griddle, flipped over with cheese being added and them flip it over again.

You can still buy Pearl’s Dressing at Roger’s Foodland on Hollywood Road in St. Joseph, MI.

“It was served on a Kreamo bun,” says Lewis, “we also used Kreamo.”

Lewis seldom makes the fried chicken, he’s turned his interest to artisan beers—teaching himself and also learning from the brew master at The Livery.

“I make about gallons at a time include German-style Hefeweizen I call Hagar Hefeweizen and Pitcairn Vanilla Porter because I use an authentic Tahitian vanilla bean.

When doing research on his family’s history, Lewis found an old advertisement for Pearl’s Dressing. It seems that an enterprise called Pasquale’s was bottling the dress and selling it. There was also a Pasquale’s Pizza in Benton Harbor, but neither Lewis or I have been able to find out any more information about the bottled dressing. But we’ll keep looking.

The following recipes are courtesy of Gina Lewis Schmaltz and Guy Lewis, grandchildren of Pearl and Buster Mead.

Chicken Nook Pan-Fried Chicken

2 ½ to 3 pound chicken

4-6 eggs

1 pint of whole milk (approximately)

All-purpose flour for dredging

Not your typical friend chicken place. Carl Steele played music for diner guests at Mead’s.

Salt to taste

Cut up the chicken into make 8 pieces. Make an egg dip of approximately 4 to 6 eggs whisked together with about a pint of milk. The egg mixture should be thick enough so it sticks well to the chicken pieces.

Dip the chicken into the egg dip then dredge in all-purpose flour. Salt the chicken well as the pieces are going into the flour.

If you want extra crispy crust, return to the egg dip mixture and then back into the flour.

Pan fry at about 350 to 365 degrees in enough vegetable oil to more than halfway cover the pieces. Breast and thighs should be fried separately for the legs and wings since the larger pieces take longer.

Turn the pieces when golden brown and finish frying the other side.

Cole Slaw

1 head cabbage

Shredded carrots (optional)

Apple cider vinegar, one splash

Sugar, to taste

Mayonnaise, to taste

Shred cabbage with a box shredder. Do not use pre-shredded cabbage, it is already too dry.

Add salt as you shred, it helps to release the moisture from the cabbage.

Mix sugar and heavy mayonnaise such as Hellman’s (not Miracle Whip) to taste. Mix well and set aside for a short time to let it all blend together.

Pearl’s Dressing

Note: This is a slightly different recipe than the one I published in my column several weeks ago.

1 quart mayonnaise

3 ounces sugar

½ pint salad oil

2 ounces apple cider vinegar

1 10-3/4 ounce can of Campbell’s condensed tomato soup

Put all in mixer and blend at slow speed. Don not whip as this will cause your oil for separate from mixture.

Lighten Up, Y’all: Virginia Willis Yummy French & Southern Cuisine

Uncategorized

Georgia-born, French-trained Chef Virginia Willis has cooked with Julia Child and cooked for President Bill Clinton but when she found herself in “unhealthy situation.” She was overweight and her cholesterol and glucose numbers were way too high. So she decided to take a new approach to Southern cooking, combining her education at L’Academie de Cuisine and her childhood spent learning to cook from her Southern grandmother, recreating the classic dishes she learned to make. Keeping the flavor but eliminating the fat is what her cookbook Lighten Up, Y’all (Ten Speed Press) is all about. And for those of us who love the flavors of the south her recipes are a joy to recreate at home.

Makeover Broccoli Mac & Cheese

1 cup shredded 50 percent reduced- fat extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

3/4 cup shredded 75 percent reduced-fat extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3 ounces)

2 tablespoons panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 3/4 cups 2 percent milk

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces (2 cups) whole wheat elbow macaroni

12 ounces ( 4 cups) broccoli florets and stems

Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the two cheeses. Mix 1⁄4 cup of the cheese mixture, the bread crumbs, and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the cheese sauce, heat 11⁄2 cups of the milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering. Whisk remaining 1⁄4 cup milk and the flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 11⁄2 cups of the cheese mixture and the cottage cheese until melted. Stir in the dry mustard, and nutmeg, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets. Drain well and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread the pasta-broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Oven-Fried Chicken On-a-Stick with Vidalia Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1 1/2 pounds)

2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Vidalia onion, peeled and quartered

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup canola oil

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the salt, 1 teaspoon of the paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder. Add the buttermilk and whisk until the salt is completely dissolved and the spices are dispersed in the liquid.

Cut the chicken lengthwise into about 1-inch-wide strips. Add to the marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Do not marinate any longer or the chicken will be too salty. If you can’t cook it right at the 30-minute mark, remove the chicken from the marinade and refrigerate until ready to continue.)

In a large shallow dish (a 9 by 13-inch baking dish works well), combine the bread crumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder. Add the 2 tablespoons oil and toss well to coat. Whisk together the egg whites and mustard in a second large shallow dish. Season both mixtures with pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set an ovenproof rack on it. Coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and thread onto sixteen 12-inch bamboo skewers, dividing the meat evenly, about 1 strip per skewer. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place in the bread crumb mixture one skewer at a time, sprinkle with crumbs to cover, and press so the coating adheres to both sides. Gently shake off any excess crumbs and place the skewers on the prepared rack.

Bake the chicken, turning halfway through, until golden brown and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

Vidalia-Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

Put the vinegar, onion, garlic, honey, and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow steady stream until thick and emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

It’s Always Five O’Clock Somewhere: Geoffrey Zacharian

Elegant dining

An hour before Geoffrey Zakarian’s Interactive Cooking Demonstration at the 77th Senior PGA Championship began, the large room at the KitchenAid Fairway Club at Harbor Shores was already standing room only.

But when Zakarian, star and/or producer of six television shows including the Food Network’s The Kitchen, Cooks Vs. Cons, Chopped and Iron Chef American didn’t disappoint.

Dapperly attired in a suit and tie with a burgundy handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket, Zakarian began by engaging the crowd, asking for questions almost immediately before announcing that he was going to start by making a drink.

Almost immediately someone in the audience shouted “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” and both Zakarian and the audience laughed.

The comment was in reference to the name of a Jimmy Buffet song. But Zakarian said that he’d been sued for using that phrase.

“That’s why we say kitchen cocktail,” he said. “The reality is we got sued. So are there any other questions before I make a cocktail for myself?”

The drink in question was a Gold Rush, a simple concoction of honey, bourbon and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

“It’s got to be fresh lemon juice,” said Zakarian. “Don’t buy those plastic things shaped like a lemon. You know why, they’re full of ascorbic acid to make it last forever.”

Processed foods and buying in abundance only to have it go rancid or stale is on the list of things Zakarian, who also adds restaurateur to his list of accomplishments owning several in New York including The Palm Court, The National Bar & Dining Rooms and The Lamb’s Club. His newest, Georgie and The Garden Bar at Montage Beverly Hills, are scheduled to open in August.

“We buy too much and we waste it,” said Zakarian who in his role as Chairman of the City Harvest Food Council, a food rescue organization dedicated to fighting hunger in New York City, oversaw the collection and distribution 50 million pounds of food. “No snack foods, no processed foods, all good healthy food. I hate waste. In my kitchens, if I see a radish in the garbage, you’re out.”

Bantering with the audience while he prepared lobster salad and a shaved asparagus salad, Zakarian was asked why he wore a suit while cooking.

“Because my dad always told me to dress for the job you want,” he responded.

“Then you should be dressed in golf attire,” someone else said referring to an early reference Zakarian had made about loving the game of golf. “That’s the job you want.”
“Why?” Zakarian shot back. “Have you see what some of those people out there are wearing?”

At the end of his demonstration, Zakarian lined up to have his photo taken with fans and to sign his newest cookbook, My Perfect Pantry: 150 Easy Recipes from 50 Essential Ingredients (Potter 2014; $30) to raise money for the Susan B. Komen Foundation.

Gougeres:

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

4 ounces unsalted butter

5 ounces all-purpose flour

5 large eggs

5 ounces grated gruyere cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Gruyere Mornay:

2 ounces unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

35 ounces whole milk

4 ounces gruyere cheese

4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Beer Mustard Sauce:

8 ounces mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s

8 ounces Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons beer extract powder

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon malt vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gougeres: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

In a medium saucepot combine the milk, sea salt, sugar and butter, and bring to a boil. Add the flour and cook until thoroughly incorporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix until the dough is the temperature of warm tap water, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Fold in half of the gruyere and some pepper.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round pastry tip. Pipe 1-inch-wide rounds on the prepared baking sheets 2-inches apart, about 60 total. Sprinkle the top with the remaining gruyere and some black pepper.

Wet a fingertip and press down lightly to remove the point on each gougere. Bake for 8 minutes and rotate. Bake until the gougeres are golden brown, another 4 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

For the Mornay: In a medium saucepot set over low heat, melt the butter and sweat the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and cook until it smells toasted, 2 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil, stirring continuously so no lumps form. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Slowly add the gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano, and stir until smooth. Add the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the Mornay to a bowl and cool in the fridge or set over ice. When cool, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small tip.

For the sauce: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, beer extract powder, honey, mustard powder and vinegar, and whisk thoroughly to remove the lumps. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Fill the gougeres with the Mornay sauce and reheat in the oven to melt the cheese, 5 minutes. Serve the hot gougeres with the beer mustard.

Spring Asparagus Salad

With Frisee, Parmigiano Reggiano and a Caper Anchovy Vinaigrette

Yield: 6

Ingredients

For the Salad

1ea Bunch Asparagus

2ea Heads of Frisee (Trimmed)

6oz Parmigiano Reggiano

1/2cup Toasted Hazelnuts

For the Pickled Red Onions

1ea large Red Onion

1 cup White Wine Vinegar

1/3^rdcup Sugar

1/3^rd cup Water

3 cloves Garlic

For the Vinaigrette

1 ea Shallot (finely minced)

1Tablespoon Capers

3ea Marinated White Anchovies

1Tblsp Dijon Mustard

3 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar

¼ Cup Blend Oil

¼ Cup Olive Oil

Method

For the Pickled Red Onions

Slice the red onion in to thin rings, put in to a bowl and set aside.
In a small sauce pot, heat vinegar, water, sugar, garlic to a boil and pour over red onion rings.
Cover tightly and leave to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate and save for garnishing the salad.

For the Vinaigrette

Place your minced shallots in to a medium sized bowl with the Dijon mustard, white wine, and anchovies. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes to marinate.
Once Marinated, whisk vigorously fully incorporating the Dijon in to the vinegar, and the shallots.
While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in the two oils.
Fold in the capers and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for later when dressing the salad.

For the Salad

Trim the ends of the Asparagus that are stringy and woody.
Slice the asparagus lengthwise on a mandolin, thinly, in to ice water, and let sit for 5 minutes to stiffen.
Remove Asparagus from ice water after 5 minutes, let stand for 1 minute on paper towel to dry, then place in to a medium sized bowl with the trimmed frisee.
Toss the asparagus and frisee, with the toasted hazelnuts, Pickled Red onion rings, season with salt and pepper, then dress with 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette.
Set on to a plate, and using a micro plane, grate the Parmigiano Reggiano over the top of the salad and then serve immediately.

French Fries and Heavy Cream: Staying Slim the Quebecoise Way

Uncategorized

First of all, I’ve found that books with titles like French Women Don’t Get Fat, well, unfortunately they’re true. There should also be books titled French Men Don’t Get Fat though I haven’t seen any on the book shelves yet.

I’m in Quebec on a family vacation and this place is full of skinny French Canadians out dining in restaurants where every menu item seems to be served in a creamy white veloute sauce, with mounds of butter or a rich wine and beef gravy/ Accompaniments include dense, textured and very yummy breads along with desserts made with chocolate and whipped cream or the what seems to be the national dessert here – sugar pie.

I’ll have to look for my copy of “French Women Don’t Get Fat” which was written by Mireille Guiliano and was a huge best seller to understand again how women on a high caloric diet can be so slim. I thought it was about small portions, but the portions here in Quebec City and Montreal are not small. Often our family of four orders two entrees and it’s enough for all of us.

And to make it even more galling (is that why the French are referred to as Gauls?) is that another seemingly national dish in the province of Quebec is poutine (pronounced pooh teen), crisp hot French fries covered with gravy and topped with fresh cheese curds. The emphasis is on fresh as cheese curds here carry labels carrying the date that they were made. Even without the date, you can tell their freshness because the freshest cheese curds squeak when you bite down on them. I know that sounds a little strange and not very tasty–squeaky foods? But it’s true and they’re really tasty but even semi-fresh cheese curds are good.

Poutine has become so popular that it’s on the menu at some of the McDonalds and KFCs in Quebec, there is a chain of eateries called Montreal Poutine and is also on the menu at high end restaurants. We stopped at Montreal Poutine in the Vieux Montreal, the wonderful historic district of the city near the Saint Laurence River to check out their poutine selections.

At Aux Anciens Canadiens in Quebec City which is housed in a building in Vieux Quebec, the city’s historic area, that was built in 1675 making it the oldest building in the city, we saw a bottle of wine listed at $12,000 (and no we didn’t order it) and poutine. Besides that, poutine has morphed and restaurants like Montreal Poutine now offer the dish topped with marinara sauce (an Italian take on a Canadian dish) and barbecue sauce – maybe a Texas take.

But one of the most interesting poutines I saw when in Quebec was Michigan poutine. Now for some reason, many restaurants in Quebec advertise Michigan hot dogs, much in the same way we talk about Chicago hot dogs. And Michigan poutine is French fries, gravy and sliced up hot dogs. I did not try that.

It is said that more Canadians have eaten poutine than have seen a moose (and there are signs all along the highways warning of crossing moose) or been in a canoe – two things I associate with Canada way before fries with cheese and gravy. At almost 1000 calories a serving, why aren’t the French Canadians fat? I don’t have an answer to that but I can tell you that poutine and French fries in general here in Quebec are very, very good. They’re crisp, very hot, not that greasy and are often served, when not topped with gravy and cheese curds, with mayonnaise instead of ketchup. And, while standing in the train station, my daughter spied a French fry making vending machine the size of a soda pop machine that promised freshly cooked French fries in two minutes. I wish we had tried it.

Montreal Poutine

1 quart stock: chicken or veal

2 ounces flour

2 ounces butter or oil French fries

Fresh cheese curds

Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan.

For the veloute sauce, bring the stock to a boil in a sauce pan then combine the fat and flour, cook over high heat, stirring until you have a pale roux (2-3 minutes).

Whip the roux into the stock. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, skimming the surface every 5-10 minutes until it is reduced by half. Strain the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place with cheese curds over hot, crisp French fries. Top with sauce.

From www.montrealpoutine.com

Emeril’s Poutine

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds Idaho white potatoes, peeled and cut

1/2 pound fresh cheese curd

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter and flour. Stir until incorporated. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes for a dark roux. Stir in the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Peel the potatoes and cut fries, 4 inches by 1/2-inch. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and blanch for 4 minutes. Remove, drain and cool completely. Fry the potatoes until golden brown.

Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, mound the fries into the individual (16-ounce) disposable cups. Spoon the gravy over the fries and crumble the cheese. Serve immediately.

From www.foodnetwork.com 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sidebar:

Because much of the cuisine in Quebec is French based, often food was either wrapped or topped with puff pastry. We sampled chicken and beef in puff pastry and seafood chowders loaded with local fresh lobster, scallops and salmon topped with puff pastry. One of the waitresses at a little bistro gave me this simple recipe.

Chicken in Puff Pastry

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves about four ounces each

Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounce package cream cheese with chives

4 puff pastry sheets

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place in hot oil; cook for 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove skillet from heat.

Roll out pastry sheets and cut so they are big enough to fit around a chicken breast. Spread two ounces of cream cheese on one chicken breast, place in the center of a pastry sheet; fold the pastry around the chicken, and pinch the pastry edges together very tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Beat egg with a little water and brush on top. Place the pastry-wrapped chicken breasts on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

If wanted, make the Veloute sauce (recipe above in poutine recipe) and serve with chicken.

Sidebar: Poutine Variations

Poutine Itallienne: Uses marinara sauce instead of the Velouté.

Poutine Bourguignon: Add ground beef and fried onions to the Velouté sauce.

Poutine BBQ: Heated BBQ sauce is poured on.

Poutine Mole: Cover with black mole sauce.

Disco Fries: Chicken-gravy and shredded cheddar on top a plate of fries.

From www.montrealpoutine.com

Sidebar: French Women Don’t Get Fat

In her book, “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” author Mireille Guiliano combines common sense ideas in showing how you can enjoy great food and not become obese. You can now find recipes and information on her Website www.frenchwomendontgetfat.com. Here’s a recipe from her site.

Chicken with Mustard Sauce

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), trimmed of all surrounding fat

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon corn, canola or virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion (4 ounces), peeled and chopped (1 cup)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cups water

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the chicken for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Mix in the onions and continue cooking the mixture for 1 minute.

Sprinkle the flour on the chicken pieces, then turn them over in the skillet so they are coated with flour on both sides. Cook for 1 minute to lightly brown the flour. Add the water and stir well to loosen any solidified juices in the bottom of the skillet.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and boil gently for 2 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a serving platter and keep it warm in a 180° oven while you finish the mustard sauce.

Bring the mixture in the skillet to a boil and add the Dijon mustard and dry mustard, mixing them in well with a whisk. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and heat gently (just under a boil, so the sauce doesn’t separate) for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.

Arrange the chicken and sauce on a platter. Sprinkle the parsley on top.

Mireille also has what she calls a Miracle Leek Soup to get you started on the road to French slimness. Watch the video here.

1/2 pound fresh cheese curd

Gifts In Jars: Homemade Cookie Mixes, Soup Mixes, Candles, Lotions, Teas, and More!

Uncategorized

I love making edible gifts to give for the holidays and besides my old standbys, this year I’ll be using recipes Natalie Wise’s Gifts in Jars: Homemade Cookie Mixes, Soup Mixes, Candles, Lotions, Teas, and More! The book, written by Natalie Wise, gives a list of the supplies needed and step-by-step instructions for quickly making a range of gifts ranging from practical to elegant to fun. The book is divided into five gift categories: “Kitchen” featuring such present ideas as Monster Brownie Mix and Barbecue Rub, “Bath and Body” (Sweet Sleep Kit and ManicureKit), “For the Home” (Scented Oil Diffuser with Reeds),” Party and Kids” (Big Bubbles with Wands) and “For and From the Garden” (Fairy Garden Kit and Garden Marker Rocks). Using Mason jars, ribbon and tags (Wise suggests what to write on the tag so people know what to do with you gift), these ideas always seem to be welcome at holiday time.

Hot Fudge Topping

Makes approximately 4 cups

¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup light corn syrup

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, chocolate and butter. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and stir constantly for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour into jars and let cool.

Will keep refrigerated for several weeks.

Tag Instructions: Store in refrigerator. Before eating, warm desired amount in microwave or double boiler.

Coffee Syrups:

Chocolate, coconut and raspberry syrups are great gifts for coffee lovers.

Each recipe makes approximately 2 cups.

Chocolate Syrup

1 ½ cups water

1 cup cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes until smooth and remove from heat.

Funnel into jars. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Coconut Syrup

1 ½ cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut

Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until mixture comes to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Funnel into jars. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Raspberry Syrup

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

¾ up fresh raspberries

Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Mash the raspberries using a metal potato masher or the back of a spoon. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp. Funnel into jars and let cool. Will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Tag Instructions: Stir 2-4 tablespoons into your coffee beverage of choice. Keep syrup in refrigerator.

Lentil-Curry Soup Mix

1 cup green lentils

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 cup red lentils

3 slices freeze-dried apples

Layer the ingredients in order given, places the freeze-dried apple slices on top just under the lid.

Tag Instructions: Empty mix into soup pot and add 6 cups of water. Simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Excerpted from Gifts in Jars: Homemade Cookie Mixes, Soup Mixes, Candles, Lotions, Teas, and More! by Natalie Wise with permission from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Cookbooks for Holiday Giving

Chroncile Books, Farm-to-Table, Foraging, Regional & Ethnic, Seasonal Recipes

I always think cookbooks make great holiday presents and so I asked Carrie Bachman and Joyce Lin, two of my good friends who work with cookbooks all the time, to share some of their favorites with me. I loved the ones they suggested, the only problem was deciding—because of space issues in this column—which ones to highlight.

I chose Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie because I have every other cookbook she’s written and I think she’s great and I thought her recipe for Oven-Charred-Stuffed Peppers which can be easily multiplied to serve whatever size crowd you’re expecting and can be served at any temperature so if they cool down after removing from the oven, it’s no big deal.

I enjoyed making and serving the Curry Leaf Popcorn Chicken featured in Nik Sharma’s Season. This is the first cookbook forSharma who writes the blog “A Brown Table” and his recipes are exotic but also really easy and delicious. I also like that Sharma offers suggestions I can use in making this dish and others such as shaking the chicken (or even shrimp) in small batches in resealable plastic bags to get a uniform coating of flour.

Named Amazon’s 2018 Cookbook of the Year, Now & Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus + Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers by Julia Turshen is wonderful for people like me who have watched leftovers age less than gracefully in my refrigerator before, after serving their time, they get tossed. I won’t have to do that no I have a copy of Turshen’s book. Or at least that’s the plan.

Taking the leftover thing one step further, Lindsay-Jean Hard in her Cooking From Scraps: Turn Your Peels, Cores, Rinds and Stems Into Delicious Meals—85 Scrumptious Recipe for Zero-Waste Cooking, shows how to make dishes like Carrot Top Pesto Tartlets, Danish Pancakes with Apple Core Syrup and Banana Peel Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting.

Oven-Charred Tomato-Stuffed Peppers

Makes 6 servings

About 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove (ormore, if you’d like), germ removed and very thinly sliced

About 8 sprigs fresh thyme, rosemary, mint and/or parsley

6 fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

5 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs

8 oil-packed anchovies, minced

1 small lemon

Pinch of piment d’Espelette or cayenne pepper

3 large red and/or yellow boxy bell peppers

1 pint cherry tomatoes (25 to 30), halved

For serving (optional)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Ricotta

Snipped fresh chives or finely chopped other fresh herbs

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F. Put a deep-dish 9½-inch pie pan (or similar-size baking dish) on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Spread a tablespoon or two of the oil over the bottom and sides of the pan, then scatter over the garlic slices, half of the herb sprigs and half of the basil and season with salt and pepper.

Stir the bread crumbs and anchovies together in a small bowl. Grate the zest of the lemon over and squeeze in the juice from half of the lemon (about 1 tablespoon; precision isn’t important here). Cut 6 thin slices from the other half of the lemon, then cut the slices in half; set aside. (If any lemon remains, squeeze the juice from it over the bread crumbs.) Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and season the crumbs with the piment d’Espelette or cayenne. Taste to see if you want some salt (anchovies are salty, so the seasoning might be just fine).

If you’d like (or need room in the pan), trim the peppers’ stems. Slice the peppers in half the long way and remove the ribs and seeds. Spoon an equal amount of the bread-crumb mixture into each pepper, scatter the remaining basil over and topeach one with 2 lemon slices. Divide the tomatoes among the peppers, placing them as close together as you can, and season with salt and pepper. (I put the tomatoes in the peppers cut side down because I think they look prettier that way, but there is no set rule here.)

Transfer the peppersto the pie pan, crowding them together and cajoling them so that they all fit. One or two might pop up, or their bottoms might not fully touch the base of the pan, but in the end they will be fine. Drizzle over enough of the remaining oil to lightly moisten the tomatoes and then strew over the remaining herb sprigs. (The peppers can be prepared a few hours ahead to this point and refrigerated,covered; let them stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.)

Bake the peppers for about 1 hour (check at the 45-minute mark), until they’re as soft as you’d like them to be — poke the side of one with the tip of a paring knife to judge. The juices and oil should be bubbling and the peppers charred here and there.Remove and discard the herbs from the top of the peppers.

You can serve the peppers straight from the oven, warm or at room temperature. If you’d like, drizzle them with a bit more oil, top them with a little ricotta (adding a dollop of ricotta is particularly nice if you’re serving the dish warm as a starter) and sprinkle with chives or other herbs.

Curry Leaf Popcorn Chicken

From Season by Nik Sharma with permission by Chronicle Books 2018.

Makes 4 servings

Seeds from 4 green cardamom pods

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

12 black peppercorns

2 cups buttermilk

2 to 3 serrano chiles, seeded, if desired

6 scallions (white and green parts)

30 curry leaves, preferably fresh

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

3 cups neutral-tasting oil

4 green Thai chiles, seeded, if desired

Favorite hot sauce for serving

Heat a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom, coriander, cumin seeds, and the peppercorns, and toast for 30 to 45 seconds, swirling the mixture occasionally until the seeds release their aroma and start to brown. Divide the toasted spice mixture in half. Transfer one half of this mixture to a spice grinder and pulse to a fine powder. (You can prepare the spices up to 1 week in advance and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.)

In a blender, combine the remaining toasted spice mixture with the buttermilk, serrano chiles, scallions, 15 of the curry leaves, the garlic, 1 tsp of the cayenne, the ginger, lime juice, and 1Tbsp of the salt. Pulse until completely smooth and transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat from the chicken, and cut the flesh into 1 in cubes. Add to the marinade. Seal the bag and shake to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the dredging mixture. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the remaining half of the ground spice mixture with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining ½ tsp cayenne, and remaining 1 tsp salt, shaking vigorously to blend. Finely chop 10 of the remaining curry leaves and add them to the dredging mixture. Seal the bag and shake again to mix well.

Once the chicken has marinated, use tongs to lift out half the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess batter, and transfer to the bag with the dredging mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat evenly. Transfer the chicken pieces to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

In a medium Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain.

After the chicken is cooked, prepare the garnish: Cut the Thai chiles in half lengthwise. In the hot oil left in the pot, deep-fry the chiles and remaining 5 curry leaves until crispy, 30 to 40 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Put the chicken on a serving plate, garnish with the chiles and fried curry leaves, and serve hot with the maple-vinegar sauce or hot sauce.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Walnuts, Garlic + Parsley

From Now & Again by Julia Turshen with permission by Chronicle Books 2018.

Serves 4 as a nosh with drinks.

¼ cup walnut halves

A large handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves (a little bit of stem is fine!)

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 small cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a small sheet pan or baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside.

Put the walnuts, parsley, garlic, cheese, and salt into a food processor, in that order. Pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add the olive oil and pulse to combine.

Use a small spoon to distribute the walnut mixture evenly among the mushrooms, placing it in the cavities the now-gone stems left behind. Line up the mushrooms, stuffed-sides up, on the prepared sheet pan.

Roast the mushrooms until softened and the tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let the mushrooms cool for a few minutes, then serve warm.

Banana Peel Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

For the cake:

Peels from 2 very ripe bananas, stem and very bottom discarded

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering the pans

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 2/3 cups cake flour plus more flour (any type) for flouring the pans

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the brown sugar frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup milk, 2% or higher

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 3/4 to 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the cake: Cut the banana peels into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove thepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, then strain the banana peels, reserving the cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, butter and flour the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the pans again to coat the paper.

Transfer the peels and the 1/4 cup of cooking water to a tall, narrow container and puree until completely smooth with an immersion blender (a mini food processor would do the trick, too!).

Cream together the butter and sugar using an electric mixer (or a wooden spoon for an arm workout) until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until incorporated, and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in the banana peel mixture, then stir in the buttermilk until well combined. 6. In a separate medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and stir gently, just until combined.

Put the egg whites in another bowl (make sure it’s clean and dry!)and whisk until soft peaks form—either by hand or with the whisk attachment onan electric mixer. If using an electric mixer, start slowly and gradually increase speed to medium-high. You’ll know you’re done when you pull out the whisk or beater and a soft peak is formed, but immediately collapses. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter and divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake pulls out with dry crumbs rather than wet batter. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.

When the cakes are completely cool and you’re ready to assemble it, make the frosting. Melt the butter in a medium pan over low heat. Stir inthe brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk,raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat, and let cool until lukewarm. Gradually whisk in 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add the additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if the frosting is too loose. Use the frosting immediately, asit will begin to thicken and stiffen as it sits.

When the cakes are completely cool, remove from the pans and peel off the parchment. Put one layer of the cake on a serving platter and spread about one third of the frosting evenly over the top. Set the other layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Sunset Ranch: On the Trail High in the Hollywood Hills

Uncategorized

We took a wrong turn off of Hollywood Boulevard and suddenly found ourselves winding and twisting along the narrow streets of Beachwood Canyon. The homes, built in the early part of the last century were intriguing, but more so was that, for most of the drive, we could see the old Hollywood sign — 45-foot-high letters erected in 1923 as an advertisement for Beachwood Canyon and now a famous Los Angeles landmark. Keeping our sights on the sign and wanting to get closer, we drove further into Beachwood Canyon, sometimes losing sight of the letters and then, rounding a curve, finding them again.

Photo courtesy of Sunset Ranch Hollywood

One last turn took us to a dead end and the beginnings of the Hollywood Hills. And here we made another find, Sunset Ranch Hollywood the last dude ranch in the greater L.A. area.

The Ranch has been in operation since the 1920s, which is when the original red barn was built. It’s still used as the main facility at the ranch, which has the look of better days gone by. But we could tell from the signs that they offered trail rides and my kids and I, avid trail riders when we visit new places, were eager to try it. Deciding it must be karma, we pulled into the parking lot and walked up the steep incline to the stables. Soon we were saddled up and riding along a dusty trail (how Hollywood Western is that?) through the hills of Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in America. It’s quiet up here—all sage,dirt and tumbleweeds but I catch glimpses of the ocean in the distance and below me is the sprawling environs ofLos Angeles.

Along the way, there were numerous signs telling us that horseback riding is a very dangerous activity but that didn’t deter us. After all, we’d been driving in L.A. for days, even during rush hour, so how bad could going a max speed of five miles on a horse be?

Sunset Ranch looks like a set from an old Western. Wood fences penned in masses of horses (some 65 live at the ranch), sagebrush and tumble weeds dotted the landscape, which was desert-like with spiked cacti and agave.

The trail we followed led us along a dusty path up into the hills and away from the urban landscape. Sunset Ranch advertises 52 miles of trail and views of downtown L.A., Hollywood, Santa Monica, Glendale and, on clear days (our guide was a little vague as to how many clear days there are in L.A.), Catalina Island.

Footnote: Though I thought I’d discovered a hidden Hollywood find,it seems like Kathie Lee and Hoda have been there as well, along with actor Dean Cain. Oh well.

The Sunset Ranch also offers a trail ride and barbecue package as well. Indulge your inner John Wayne and sign up.

Road Trip: The Back Roads Guide to America’s Favorite President

Chicagoland Area, Guidebook, Lincoln

Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown where the Lincoln family stayed when Abe was about six years old.

Indiana University Press is running a Goodreads giveaway for my new book Lincoln Road Trip (due out this spring) from now until December 19th. If anyone is interested, here is the link:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/286632-lincoln-road-trip

America’s favorite president sure got around. From his time as a child in Kentucky, as a lawyer in Illinois, and all the way to the Oval Office, Abraham Lincoln toured across the countryside and cities and stayed at some amazing locations.

Lincoln dined at the Log Inn in 1844 when he returned to Indiana to campaign for Henry Clay. The inn, once a stagecoach stop has been in continuous operation since opening in 1825. You can dine in the room where Lincoln ate.

In Lincoln Road Trip:The Back-Roads Guide to America’s Favorite President, Jane Simon Ammeson will help you step back into history by visiting the sites where Abe lived and visited. This fun and entertaining travel guide includes the stories behind the quintessential Lincoln sites, but also takes you off the beaten path to fascinating and lesser-known historical places. Visit the Log Inn in Warrenton, Indiana (now the oldest restaurant in the state), which opened in 1825 and where Lincoln stayed in 1844, when he was campaigning for Henry Clay. You can also visit key places in Lincoln’s life, like the home of merchant Colonel Jones,who allowed a young Abe to read all his books, or Ward’s Academy, where Mary Todd Lincoln attended school.

The dining room at the Mary Todd House, now a museum.

Along with both famous and overlooked Lincoln attractions, Jane Simon Ammeson profiles near by attractions to round out your trip, like Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari,a third-generation family-owned amusement park that can be partnered with a trip to the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Lincoln State Park. Featuring new and exciting Lincoln tales from Springfield, IL; Bardstown, KY;Booneville, IN; Alton, IL; and many more, Lincoln Road Trip is a fun adventure through America’s heartland that will bring Lincoln’s incredible story to life.

A Golden Lamb Thanksgiving: A Treat Since 1870

Elegant dining, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Historic Restaurants, Uncategorize, Uncategorized

I’ve spent a lot of time lately traversing Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio following, so to speak, in Abraham Lincoln’s footsteps . And while it’s not recorded that Lincoln stayed at the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, Ohio, it’s certainly possible ashe traveled throughout the area. The connection seems apt because the GoldenLamb has been in continuous operation since it first opened in 1803 when Jonas Seaman spent four dollars on a license to open a log-cabin tavern under the sign of a golden lamb (because literacy wasn’t common, signs with images were used instead).

Sister Lizzie’s Shaker Sugar Pie
Photo courtesy of the Golden Lamb

A host of other famous people have stayed there including, according to General Manager Bill Kilimnik, 12 presidents, Mark Twain and Charles Dickins. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and an avid abolitionist was also a guest and I slept in the room she occupied and no (to the people who have asked) it’s not haunted though another room is said to be and there’s also a ghost cat that some have seen. But that’s a different holiday and the tie-in with Lincoln is that in 1870, he proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November a national holiday and the inn’s restaurant has served Thanksgiving dinner since then–which has got to be some type of record.

The restaurant is famed for many of their menu items including fried chicken, sauerkraut balls,Sister Lizzie’s Sugar Shaker Pie (White Water Shaker Village was once a large settlement of Shakers about three miles from Lebanon)–named by USA Today as the Best Pie in Ohio–and their yeast rolls made from a recipe first used by Robert and Virginia Jones in the early 1930s whose family still owns the inn. Their turkey dinners at Thanksgiving are very popular but if you can’t make it this coming Thursday,roast turkey is on the menu year round.

According to several newspaper articles, back in the 1800s, the inn’s Thanksgiving menu included several oyster dishes including just plain oysters, consommé oysters as well as turkey stuffed with oysters. Other dishes were whitefish, roast beef, chicken croquettes, wild duck, broiled quail, celery and lettuce—you could order it plain or with mayonnaise), plum pudding, mince pie, pineapple with “De Brie cheese” and Charlotte Russe. I couldn’t find a description of the cheese, but plenty of advertisements for it in the late 1800s and early 1900s so my guess is it’s a type of creamy brie. Charlotte Russe a dessert of sweet cream and sponge cake popular during both the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

Golden Lamb’s Mushroom Cobbler
Photo courtesy of the Golden Lamb

The Golden Lamb may be one of the few long-time restaurants that doesn’t have a cookbook and their recipes are hard to come by, but Paige Drees who works at the inn shared their Mushroom Cobbler which she said (and I agree) would make a great Thanksgiving side dish. I also found an original handwritten recipe for Sister Lizzie’s Sugar Shaker Pie on the website of the Vintage Recipe Project, an online site founded in order to document and preserve historic recipes from the past. I’m not sure if it’s the same as what the inn serves but I tried the recipe and it seems very similar to what I had at the restaurant.

Yeast Rolls
Photo courtesy of the Golden Lamb

Golden Lamb’s Mushroom Cobbler

1 cup Shitake mushrooms sliced

1 cup button mushrooms quartered

1 cups oyster mushrooms sliced

1 cups cremini mushrooms sliced

2 each shallot sliced

1 packet fresh poultry blend herbs

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces goat cheese

2 ounces dry sherry

4 cooked crumbled biscuits

1 packet fresh poultry blend herbs, cleaned and chopped reserve ½ for Biscuit topping

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces goat cheese reserve ½ for Biscuit topping

2 ounces dry sherry

Heat a medium sized skillet add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and sauté your shallots until tender, add all mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. once the mushrooms are fork tender add sherry to deglaze pan. add your cream and reduce by half, fold in your goat cheese and fresh herbs, turn off and set aside.

One of the private dining rooms at the Golden Lamb

Biscuit topping

4 cooked crumbled biscuits

2 tablespoons melted butter

Remaining goat cheese

Remaining fresh herbs

Place all ingredients into medium sized bowl mix until it resembles a crumb topping.

1 bunch chopped asparagus

2 ounces sliced sun-dried tomatoes

2 ounces pearl onions

½ cup baby spinach

Prepared mushroom mix

In a medium skillet sauté your pearl onion until caramelized, add your asparagus and sundried tomatoes and sauté for two minutes add the mushroom mix from earlier. add spinach, check seasoning and put mix into casserole dish sprinkle on biscuit topping and bake at 350 for eight minutes until bubbly and golden brown

Golden Lamb Yeast Dinner Rolls

1 ½ cup milk

4 teaspoons dry yeast

4 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

½ cup sugar

5 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1 egg

Heat milk until warm, 100 degrees. Put yeast in a small bowl, add about ½ teaspoon sugar, then stir in milk. Let sit until foamy. Combine flour, salt, sugar and shortening in a mixer bowl, and mix to combine. Add the milk mixture and egg. Mix on mixer until combined, then beat for about 13 minutes. Or, by hand, mix until combined, then turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Oil the dough ball lightly, cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for an hour, when it should be doubled in size. Punch down. Divide the dough into about 24 balls of dough. One way to do this is to divide the dough into two, then all each half of the dough into a long rope on a flour-covered counter. Cut each rope into 12 equal portions, and roll each into a ball.

Place on a flat baking sheet and cover with a towel, Preheat oven to 350. After the rolls have risen about half an hour, bake them until golden brown and fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Check frequently. Serve as soon as possible after they come out of the oven.

Yields 8-10 servings.

Sister Lizzie’s Sugar Shaker Pie

1/4 pound butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 3/4 cups light cream

1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Grated nutmeg

1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Thoroughly mix the flour and brown sugar and spread evenly in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Pour the cream and vanilla over this. Slice the butter into 12-16 pieces and add. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes or until firm.

For more information, 513-932-5065; goldenlamb.com

Eataly: All About Pasta: A Complete Guide with Recipes

Regional & Ethnic

The largest marketplace of all things doing with Italian edibles in the U.S., the 63,000-square-foot Eataly in Chicago is a mecca for food lovers, a vast space crowded with a variety of venues including unique specialty restaurants, stalls selling meat, cheese, breads, sweets and fish (though really stall is too plebian a term—these are sparkling and enticing places where you can get lost for seemingly hours looking at all the delectable offerings), rows of olive oils and wines and even a Nutella Bar (be still my beating heart). One of more than 40 worldwide concepts, Eataly Chicago, owned by Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali, not only offers a plethora of ingredients, classes and events but also an expanse of cookbooks including the second in their Eataly series, All About Pasta: A Complete Guide with Recipes (Rizzoli 2018; $25).

With the guiding philosophy of “the more you know, the more you enjoy,” this book immerses readers into a world of pasta from the easily recognizable—spaghetti and linguine—to the rarely found and more esoteric—maltagliati (translation: badly cut), mallopredus (pasta dough with saffron) and tajarin—thin egg pasta strands also known as taglierini. Of course, you’re never going to learn all the different types of pasta because even the experts don’t know since no one has successfully completed a survey of all the pasta shapes in the world. There are simply too many different shapes and multiple names for each.

But there are ways of differentiating one from another and how to use them in creating delicious meals which the book shares. Take long and short pastas. As a basic rule, long dried semolina pasta pairs with oil-based sauces, smooth tomato sauces and seafood. Tube-shaped semolina pasta, known as la pasta tubolare, with its hollow centers, is perfect for capturing the ingredients used in the sauce.

Le pastine or small pasta is most often cooked in either broth or chunky soups. Other pasta types include le perle del Mediterraneo–semolina pastas made by rubbing hard wheat flour with water until small balls form, cereali antichi is made with heirloom or ancient grains, while croxetti ot corzetti is the name for two different types of pasta that are pressed or stamped rather than rolled out.

We told you was complicated and it gets even more so as the book explores the different types of flours used for making pasta, the different sauces and il tocco finale—the finishing touch which can be such flavorful ingredients as cheese, basil, spicy chili oil or just a handful of minced flat leaf parsley to add a bright herbaceous flavored to almost any dish.

The wonders of this book, with its immense amount of information as well as recipes, is that you can go deep or you can just choose the information you want. Either way, you’ll end up knowing a lot more about pasta—”a world fashioned out of flour and water.”

The following recipes are courtesy of Eataly.

Vesuvio al Ragu di Salsiccia e Scarola

Vesuvio Pasta with Sausage Ragu and Escarole

Serves 12

12 ounces sweet sausage

1 tablespoon red wine

One cup tomato puree

½ cup chicken or beef stock

3 cup shredded escarole

Find sea salt to taste

Coarse sea salt for pasta cooking water

1 pound Vesuvius pasta or other short pasta preferably with a complex shape

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Grated Romano, pecorino or parmesan cheese for serving

Remove the cost sausage casings and crumble the meat into a bowl. Sprinkle the wine over the meat and massage the wine into the meat by hand until it is soft and elastic, about two minutes about two minutes.

Place the meat in the cold skillet with high sides. Placed the skillet over low heat and slowly cook the meat until it’s no longer raw looking., about two minutes. Do not brown the meat.

At the tomato puree and stir to combine. Increase the heat until the tomato puree is simmering gently.

Pour in the stock, stir once, and decrease the heat until the ragu is at a very gentle simmer, with a bubble just occasionally breaking the surface. Simmer uncovered without stirring for two hours. The meat should poach in the liquid and turn very soft.

When the sauce is cooked, carefully spoon off and discard any liquid remaining on the top. Stir in the escarole and cook until just wilted, about two minutes. Season to taste with sea salt. Remove from heat.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When the water is boiling salted add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Smear a small amount of the sauce on the bottom of the warm pasta serving bowl. Then transfer it immediately to the serving bowl. Top with remaining sauce and toss vigorously to combine. Drizzle on the olive oil and toss again. Serve immediately with grated cheese on the side.

Spaghettoni al Tonno (Pasta with Tuna)

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound spaghettoni (or bucatini)

1 (7-ounce) jar Italian tuna preserved in olive oil, drained

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed & drained

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup breadcrumbs

1 yellow onion, minced

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 Calabrese chili pepper in olive oil, drained & minced

Zest of 1 lemon, grated

Coarse sea salt, to taste

Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and the garlic are golden. Flake the tuna into the pan, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the capers and the lemon zest, and remove from the heat.

Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining olive oil, and toast in a toaster oven or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until crisp.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sea salt and spaghettoni. Cook, stirring frequently with a long-handled fork, until the spaghettoni is al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Transfer the pasta to the pan with the tuna. Toss vigorously over medium heat until combined, about 2 minutes. If the pasta looks dry, add a small amount of the cooking water, and toss until it looks moist.

Garnish with the toasted breadcrumbs, and serve immediately. For another taste of Calabria, repeat tomorrow.

Eataly Chicago

Eataly: All About Pasta