Though this recipe is not a traditional Southern food, it certainly has its place in the Southern kitchen. As much as biscuits are adored, having a change of pace is needed. So many Southern dishes scream for a good loaf of crusty country bread.

I adore this bread and have been making it for over 25 years. It is easy, tastes fabulous and freezes wonderfully. It has a thick crunchy crust with a light flavorfull taste inside. The bread has substance to it, and will quickly become your favorite. Can’t eat all 4 loaves in a day or two-then just wrap in foil once cool till you are ready to have another loaf. All you have to do is take a loaf out of freezer when ready to eat. Heat the bread in a 375 degree oven on foil that has been opened for 10-15 minutes or for extra crunchy bread take the bread off the foil and heat for the last 5 minutes directly on the rack. You do not need to defrost the bread.

This is not fussy bread, so don’t be nervous or timid when making it. Don’t get fancy and fret over the directions. They are longer just so that you get the hang of it. After making this a few times, you won’t even need a recipe. My dad makes this once a week and throws it all into his KitchenAid without thinking about what he is doing.

The addition of corn meal is new, as I only tried this once last week. That being said, I am hooked using cornmeal in this recipe. Organic is wonderful though expensive. Opting to give organic yeast a try along with organic bread flour was ever bit worth the money.

If you give this recipe a try, do yourself a favor and make sure that you have on hand-some fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced Vidalia onion, fresh rosemary and a good olive oil. I pulled off a chunk of dough from one the large loaves and made a mini pizza to have for lunch. I quickly rolled the dough, topped with cheese, sliced onions and rosemary. Followed this with olive oil drizzled on top and popped it into the 425 preheated oven. Ten minutes or so later, an incredible lunch was ready.

Crusty Country French Bread

2 envelops dry yeast (organic if can)

2/3 cup warm water (105 -115 degrees)

7 ½ to 8 cups bread flour (organic flour if you can)

½ cup stone ground cornmeal (if you don’t want to use it, add ½ cup more flour)

4 tsp. sugar

4 tsp. kosher or sea salt

2 ½ cups warm water (120-130 degrees)

1 egg white (for wash)

Light grease a large bowl with olive oil-set aside

Stir yeast into water, sprinkle ½ teaspoon of sugar on top of mixture, let stand 5-7 minutes. Combine with 7 cups of flour, salt and remaining sugar. Add water to mixture and stir till combined. Add remaining flour as needed and knead till smooth, about 8 minutes.

Put in bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with saran and a warm tea towel and set aside to rise in a draft free place doubled. Punch down and let rise again, giving the dough a quick kneading.

Punch down and break the dough off using your hands into 4 pieces. Shape into baguettes, tucking the sides and end down if needed. That way you will have a smooth top.  Put the dough into oiled pans. Take a pair of kitchen scissors and give the dough a few good cuts on the diagonal across the top. Beat your egg white and brush the tops of the baguettes.

Cover with the saran and a warm wet tea towel and let set till it rises in the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven (425 degrees) and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake another 5-10 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow after giving it a good tap on the bottom of a loaf. 

Remove from pans and cool on a wired rack.

Alternate version- you can make this dough in a food processer (with dough blade) or a large kitchen aid (with dough hook) as well. It is a lot of flour so making a mess is easy. Though by all means if you do not want to fool with kneading go ahead and use your kitchen machine.

These last few weeks I have made it a point to go through some piles of recipes, which I have been holding on to for a decade or more. This recipe is one of those. The AJC had a huge article on poundcakes that I cut out for a rainy day.

The only problem with waiting so long is that your expectations run high, very high. Mind you I wasn’t disappointed at all, it was quite good. It’s just that by now I have become use to a pound cake with 4 sticks of butter rather than the three that this one called for. I am also use to a poundcake that is not fussy to make as this one seemed.

The Cocoa Poundcake is much lighter in flavor, more cake-like than the Million Dollar Pouncake that I have made before. It is perfect for cocoa lovers, as the flavor is not as intense as a chocolate poundcake would be. This cake is good with a cup of coffee mid-morning or afternoon and it keeps well.

Here are some tips to make your poundcake baking a huge success. I say huge, because it is a great way to start baking cakes as it is hard to mess up. Good for your culinary confidence, and you are sure to enjoy the results.

As a note, I used Scharfen Berger Cocoa for this, but by all means use your favorite brand.

Tips for making great pouncakes-

• Take the time to sift your flour onto wax paper or a bowl. Then measure again by spooning the flour back into the measuring cup using a spoon and then level off the excess with a knife. This is to prevent a cracked dry top, which I got anyway with this recipe.
• Gradually add your sugar and take the time to beat the butter/sugar mixture till it is light, creamy and turns whitish.
• Generously butter your pan, especially a tube pan, or the pouncake can be tricky to get off of the tube.
• Always add your eggs one at a time, beating each one thoroughly before you add the next egg.
• Run your knife through the batter after it has been scraped into the prepared pan to remove air bubbles. Or, take your batter filled pan and lift it one inch above the counter and let it have a good drop.
• Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any dripping from tube pan.
• Never eat a poundcake straight from the refrigerator; it is best at room temperature.

What’s up next this weekend-  A delightful Pumpkin Pirleau made with fresh pumpkin and Carolina Gold Rice and the best Crusty Country French Bread -a recipe that I have been using for over 25 years.

Rae Simpson’s Cocoa Poundcake 

½ cup half and half cream

½ cup whole milk

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups cake flour

½ good quality cocoa

½ teaspoon double acting or homemade baking powder

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or homemade bourbon vanilla

3 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature 

Set the oven rack in the middle position of the oven. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9 or 10 inch tube pan (with removable bottom) by generously buttering.

Mix the salt, milk and cream in a microwavable dish, warm on high for 15 to 30 seconds-just until it is lukewarm.

Sift your flour onto a sheet of wax paper. Then spoon the flour into your measure, level off the excess with a knife across the top and put into a bowl. (You probably will have leftover flour after leveling off, save it for another use). Sift the cocoa and baking powder on top of the flour and mix the dry ingredients well.

Whip the butter on high speed until creamy, add the vanilla and whip again until well blended. Gradually add the sugar and then whip a third time till the mixture is airy and turns whitish. Reduce your speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed and mix each egg thoroughly between additions.

Now stop your mixing and remove your bowl from the stand. Sift one quarter of the flour-cocoa mixture into the butter-sugar mixture. Put your bowl back on your mixer and thoroughly incorporate the flour mixture. (If you are not using a mixer, just skip this step.) Drizzle in one third of the milk/cream mixture and blend together. Do this all on low speed and repeat the process 3 more times ending with the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed between flour/cream additions.

Scrape the batter into your prepared pan evenly. Run a knife through it to remove any air bubbles, and then smooth the top.

Bake the cake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 20 minutes, turning it from front to back after the first hour, for even browning.

When fully baked, the cake should be firm when lightly pressed. Use a cake tester or toothpick to also test the center, it should come out clean.

Let the cake cool on a rack for about 20 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pan, but leave it on the tube till cool enough to remove completely without the cake breaking.

Store the cake on a covered cake stand, or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before eating. If well covered, this cake will keep for about 3 weeks stored either way.

As soon as fall weather looks like it is approaching, my cooking mentality changes. Warm comfort food is called for and nothing symbolizes comfort food as much as a Southern Chicken Pot Pie.

To qualify as a Southern Chicken Pot Pie, two things are needed. The first is an Old Hen. Good luck on that one! I came up empty the first go around, but since have found a great source. The second thing needed, is pie dough layered between the chicken and vegetables. 

Without my Old Hen to pull this off, a little improvising was called for. I used chicken breasts for my meat and organic stock. It was one of those days, where you run out of time and you don’t know how that happened. A quick trip to Whole Foods on the way home for some organic chicken broth.

Mind you anything short of the real thing, like homemade stock is so not my style. But in a pinch a good organic version will do.

I detest peas so opted to omit them, but please add them if you like.  I also used lard instead of shortening as I only keep butter or the former in the pantry.

This might seem like a lot of work, but it really isn’t. As always, organization in the kitchen makes all the difference.

My kitchen is frequented by some might tough food critics; a skinny one at that who isn’t about to eat a partial, or full portion unless it is worthy of the calories.

Silence filled the room as everyone ate, and all I heard at the end of the meal was- “I think that you should go into the Southern Chicken Pot Pie business.” 

In other words, “keep making this mom.”

And, so I will.

 OLD HEN CHICKEN POT PIE

Adapted; James Villas “The Glory of Southern Cooking”

To make using an Old Hen:

One 4-pound fowl (stewing hen), cut into serving pieces

1 medium onion, quartered

2 ribs celery (leaves included), each broken into three pieces

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 medium carrots, scraped, cut into thin rounds, blanched 5 minutes in boiling water, and drained

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen green peas

Place chicken pieces in a large pot; add the onion, celery, salt and pepper. Cover with water, bring to a boil and let simmer on low till tender-2 ½ to 3 hours.

When the chicken is done, transfer to a cutting board and when cool enough remove the meat from the bone and cut into bite size pieces.

Strain the broth into a bowl and set aside.

To make using Chicken Breasts:

6 split chicken breasts

1 bag frozen pearl onions

1 small bag baby carrots, sliced in 2-3 pieces

4 sticks celery cut into ½ inch slices

Add peas if you like them, I don’t-so left them out

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-2 quarts chicken stock, homemade or organic (whole foods)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place chicken on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground pepper and salt. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until temperature reaches 140 degrees at thickest point.

Remove to a cutting boar, let cool some. Remove meat and cut into bite sized pieces.

Blanche frozen onions, baby carrots and celery for 5 minutes in boiling water, and drain, then set aside. Gently mix the chicken with the vegetables.

To Make Southern Pot Pie Dough:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable shortening or lard

¼ cup ice water

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, and cut in the shortening or lard with a pastry cutter till the mixture is mealy. Stirring with a spoon, gradually add the water till a ball of dough forms.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out half of the dough about 1/8 inch thick and line the bottom and sides of a greased 2 quart baking dish with it, tucking the crust into the corners. Roll out the remaining dough and 1/8 inch think and cut half of it into 1 inch thick strips, reserving the remainder for the top of the pie. 

As you can see from the pictures, I opted to use my French Porcelain Bowls for a hearty individual serving. Therefore I omitted the bottom crust, which gave me a few more individual servings-which I then froze for a few quick meals when needed. 

Fill half of your oven dishes with the chicken and vegetable mixture, top with half of the dough strips then layer the top half with more chicken and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste, pour enough reserved chicken stock or broth to almost cover the top layer.
If using a 2 qt casserole fit the remainder of the dough on top, if using smaller casseroles cut your circles and lay the dough over the top of the pie. Press down the edges, and trim off any excess.

Place casserole/casseroles on a baking sheet to catch any bubbly spillovers. 

Brush the top with melted butter, pike a few holes or slits on top with a knife to vent the pies. 

Bake till the top is a golden brown about, 30-40 minutes for a large pie, and 25-30 minutes for the smaller ones.

I would be hard pressed to pick my favorite pound cake from all that I have tried this past year. This one is fabulous and this one is just as good but a touch sweeter. But really, how can you go wrong with any combination that includes butter, sugar, flour and sour cream along with homemade vanilla. You simply can’t. One way or the other- either warm from the oven or lightly toasted for breakfast-pound cake is the best.

Wanting to make use of a basket of fresh peaches I gave this recipe a try. I picked up Charleston Desserts and Savannah Desserts books by Janice Shay and have been leafing through them for weeks. For my money Savannah wins in the dessert department. Less fussy, more homey and decadent- Savannah desserts was the book that I kept coming back to.

Contrary to the opinion in the book, this recipe is not too sweet with the glaze. In fact the glaze gave it the added sweetness that it needed, especially with a good kick of lemon juice as the liquid ingredient.

Pick fresh ripe peaches and don’t even think of trying it with canned peaches- it would be a waste. It keeps well in the refrigerator, but with all pound cakes. Let your slice come to room temperature, or it will seem as if you are eating a pound of butter.

Substitute peaches for another fruit, and let me know how it turned out.

Adapted from-Savannah Desserts Cookbook; Janice Shay

Martha Giddens Nesbit’s Peach Pound Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups white sugar

6 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 cups finely peeled, chopped fresh peaches

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Prepare a 10 inch tube pan.

Combine the butter and white sugar and mix with a paddle attachment until well combined. Scrape the sides and cream again. Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Scrape down your sides again and beat till your batter is smooth. Add your sour cream and beat well again.

Combine your sifted flour and baking soda and fold into the batter. Add vanilla and almond extract and beat mixture till it is smooth. Stir in your chopped fresh peaches, folding till distributed throughout batter. Pour into your prepared pan. Smooth the top to ensure even baking. Lift your pan a few inches from the counter, and let it drop. This removes any air bubbles.
Bake your cake for 1 ½ hours or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The top should spring back when lightly touched and the sides should be pulling away from the pan.

If the cake isn’t done in 1 ½ hours, turn your temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more, testing again.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife and invert the cake onto the rack.

Lemon Glaze- Whisk together your confectioner’s sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Glaze your cake while it is till warm. It might seem like a lot of glaze but go ahead and use it all. The glaze hardens when completely dried.

Garnish-Slice a medium firm peach into thin slivers and place them on top of the cake while the glaze is still moist, so the peaches will set.

Serve at room temperature for best results.

Today is the first day of school for my grandson.  Wanting to make an easy eat and run nourishing treat for a growing boy- led me to this recipe for Dried-Fruit and Nut Health Bars.

A few changes to give it a Southern spin were easy in adapting this recipe, inspired by Martha Stewart.  You could easily substitute your favorite ingredients  in making these great chewy bars. Perfect for on the go.

I recently found our yogurt maker, gave it a good refurbishing and it has churned out batch after batch of great yogurt. We blended some blueberries, yogurt, honey, orange juice and crushed ice to make this creamy shake for breakfast.

I suspect that these bars will travel well, so a huge batch is headed out to Alaska for my daughter D and two boys. They are active, on the go and sure to enjoy these energy laden treats.

Dried Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bars

Adapted- Martha Stewart Living Magazine

1 cup pitted dates

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarsely

½ cup additional nut of your choice or add more pecans

1/3 dried pineapple

1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

1/3 cup raisons

2 tablespoons oat bran

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1/3 cup stone ground cornmeal

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons local honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place dates in a small saucepan and almost cover with cool water. Bring to a simmer and let cool. Puree in a food processor till almost smooth.

Coat an 8″ baking pan with canola or vegetable oil.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the date puree and honey, and mix till dry ingredients are coated. Press the mixture flat in the pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool on a wire rack in pan. Then turn out and cut into 16 bars. Wrap in parchment paper and store in a cool place.

Want to go berry picking? If you do it is your lucky day, as I have put together the ultimate U-PICK -IT TEAM TIPS for grandparents and any one else that wants to go berry picking and can round up a kid or two.

Putting up jams and other summer crops is a favorite of mine. The only downfall is that it takes a good bit of time and planning to do. Right now I am over planned and have fresh run out of thyme time.

So what is a girl to do? This is where the quick and easy-no sterilizing jam jars come in. Making just enough jam to last for a month is the solution. The downside of this plan is that when winter comes I won’t have any jam made from summer picking.

Do yourself a favor and go for an outing to pick some berries while they are still available. It is loads of old-fashioned fun. My grandson and I went berry picking and our U-PICK-IT team effort paid off.  Well, sort of paid off.

Here are my U-PICK-IT team tips for blackberries.  These tips are especially important if you decide to pick blackberries during the early part of the week after the bushes appear to be picked clean. Follow my tips and you are guaranteed a berry stash that would make you the envy of any U-PICK-IT team.

U-PICK-IT TEAM TIPS

1. Bring a kid or two;they should be at least 3 yrs. old and potty-trained.

2. Make sure your kid is no taller than 4 feet, use a ruler for acurate measuring.

3. Make sure everyone wears long sleeves, especially your kid- who will protest that it is too hot to wear long sleeves. Don’t give in on this one; if you do, you might as well not even get in the car and go. Blackberries have thorns, huge thorns.

4. Wear a baseball cap and bring one for your kid.

5. Bring juice and/or water.

6. Put on sunscreen and bug spray, bugs love berries. Bugs love people, especially kids.

7. Bring extra money to pay for an ice cream cone. This is important, as about 15 minutes into the outing you will hear protests; “berry picking  is boring,” “it’s hot,” “the bugs are hurting me” (I forgot bug spray),  ”it’s time to go home,” and “we picked enough.” Getting them to hold out for an ice cream will guarantee you more time of berry picking.

8. Practice your squats about 2 weeks before your outing. This way you will be in relatively good shape to spot  berries.

9. Wear long pants so that if squatting gets the best of you, it won’t hurt when your knees suddenly hit the ground  if  when squatting becomes too difficult.

10. Bring gloves just in case the thorns become too challenging to avoid.

11. Bring extra money for further bribing.

Using the above tips, you are now ready to follow the following steps for getting the best berry stash. Why the best? Because under the barren berry bushes lies a stash of untouched berries that no sensible grown-up would attempt to get without a kid’s help.

U-PICK IT TEAM STEPS FOR PICKING BLACKBERRIES

1. First locate a bush and squat down as far as you can go. Turn your head and peek up under the branches for berries. The first time that you do this it might be wise to keep one hand on the ground to keep you steady, as you will be stunned by the amount of gigantic berries that you have discovered.
2. Call your kid helper (in my case it was my beloved grandson) and tell them that you need their super powers. They will run to your side immediately. This is where their small size comes in handy.
3. Hold back the branches while they squeeze their tiny body up and under the branches. As they pick the berries hold the bucket near them and encourage more picking with lots of compliments and enthusiasm. “Great job!”, “Wow,you are doing so good!” and other affirmations is of the upmost importance.
4. Do not let go of the branches. They have thorns which hurt. One mishap and you won’t  have a chance of getting your kid helper back under the bushes, no matter how many promises you make.
5. When you have picked the bush bare, find another bush and repeat the above steps.
6. After the third bush, your bribing skills will come in handy. Use the ice cream bribe first. This should get you at least another ½ hour of berry picking. If you need more berries than that, here are a few suggestions for more kid friendly bribes that work.

EFFECTIVE BRIBES FOR A 4 YEAR OLD

1. Promise to  make pies as soon as you get home, they get dibs on the first slice.

2. Promise to take them to McDonalds after you get ice cream.

3. Promise to help them fight the bad guys that are hiding in the berry bushes. Use the  pretend weapons that you are given. Do this, despite the fact that you will most likely not know how to shoot a web and other fighting techniques. Kids appreciate your enthusiasm, so just give it your all.  (This bribe works best with boys as girls don’t care about fighting the bad guys.)

4. Promise to take them to the beach for a swim because they are so hot. DO NOT promise to swim with them unless you are prepared to wear a swim suit. I learned this lesson the hard way.

5. Promise to buy them another drink from the farm stand as soon as you finish picking your berries.

6. For their hard work, promise to  play games and read extra books at bedtime.

7. Promise them that if you get  lots of berries, they won’t have to do this till next year. Don’t use this promise unless all else falls, in case you want to go back to the farm again. If you have access to more kids, then go ahead and use this bribe.

If you are a determined U-PICKER you might have to resort to using all of the above bribes. Don’t despair it will be worth it, except when you forget the most important part of U-PICK-IT.

TASTE THE FRUIT WHILE YOU ARE IN THE FIELD!

I don’t know what I was thinking but I failed to taste the blackberries when out in the field. Before tasting the blackberries, I already made 6 galettes which were ready for sugaring and had the blackberry preserves simmering on the stove.  It wasn’t until this point that I discovered they were bitter and that no amount of sugar was going to fix the problem, it was not fun.

So, we resorted to making jam from strawberries and blueberries that WE-PICKED from the produce department of the grocery store. Not what I had in mind, but what else could I do?

 We always have next year for blackberry picking. Though I imagine at 5 years of age the stakes will be higher.

Strawberry Preserves

4 cups quartered ripe strawberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Combine the above ingredients in a small saucepan, bringing to a simmer, cooking until the juices thicken to a jam-like consistency, 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool, skimming off any foam that settles on top of the mixture

Blueberry Preserves

2 cups blueberries

½ cup sugar

¼-1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Wash the blueberries and put them in a small saucepan. Crush them briefly then add the sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes until the blueberries reach the “jelly stage”. This will take about a shorter amount of time than the strawberries.

When cool put mixture in a glass jar and seal tightly. The jams will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 week, if they last that long.

My day job (retail) and my night job (baking for wedding planners & restaurants) kept me busy and on the run for most of last week. Wanting to keep the household well fed, I made a savory Roasted Tomato and Vidalia Onion Tart. Thinking that I had a day or so to take my final photographs for this post couldn’t have been more wrong.

You see this tart was so good, that before I knew it, the entire tart had been devoured in record time. Word had apparently spread in the house and to nearby relatives that I had made a Roasted Tomato Tart. Loved ones quickly arrived, swarming  the kitchen to have a taste, and then another. Before they knew it, they had eaten the entire tart and left me without a chance to take photograph of the inside. Luckily I had a small sliver when it had just come out of the oven.

This is the elegant version of a Southern Tomato Pie, and no more difficult to make. Lighter and a touch more savory, the tart received stellar reviews-even from the husband. Hopefully we know each other well enough, that you will  trust me when I say it is beautiful sliced, and absolutely out- of- this -world delicious. I did make a second one using a pie shell; the result was disastrous in appearance, but good to eat. I don’t often suggest that you need to buy something to make one of my dishes, but this time I am strongly suggesting that you do yourself a favor and do two things.

First, buy a tart pan with a removable bottom and second, make two of these. One is simply not enough. 

 Roasted Tomato & Vidalia Onion Tart

Adapted, Damon Lee Fowler

Makes one 9 inch tart, for 4-6 hungry people 

1 ½ lbs sliced tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large Vidalia onion

2 large garlic cloves

3-4 slices thick slab bacon

10-12 basil leaves

2 cups sharp white cheddar, grated

2/3 cup gruyere, grated

2/3 cup mayonnaise, good quality

Fresh ground pepper

Basic pastry dough for one tart

Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees, depending on your oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Core tomatoes, then slice them into ½ inch thick slices and lay them on the baking sheet. Thinly slice the onion and lay them on the other half of the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil evenly on top of the onions and tomatoes, baking them till wilted and slightly browned. This takes about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare you tart dough and roll to a thickness of about 1/8 inch thick. Line your pan with dough, prick the sides and bottom. Line with parchment paper and dried beans and partially bake. Let cool.

Prepare your bacon, removing when crisp. Dry on paper towels and break up into 1 inch pieces.

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on the cooled tart. Layer tomatoes, overlapping them on top and then scatter the onions on the tomatoes. Sprinkle the garlic which has been crushed and finely chopped on top of the onions, with the bacon bits.

Gather the basil leaves in a pile, roll them and thinly slice the long ways on the roll before sprinkling on top. Whip the mayonnaise till light and spreadable. Place dollops evenly on the tart and spread to cover. Sprinkle the gruyere on top of the mayonnaise and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes, remove the ring and serve.

Strawberry season is over in the South. Even though, this minor detail won’t stop me from finding ways to enjoy them all year long.  About a month ago, I had to make mini pies for an event; Banana Cream with Chocolate, Coconut Cream with Caramel, Lemon Cream with Blueberries, and Lemon Chiffon pies.

(I realize that I am holding out- on what could very well be the best pies that I have ever eaten. My camera is almost always on stand-by when I cook and bake. This time was no exception. Except-that I forgot to take pictures when sampling the pies. You see,  I totally lost my head in a swoon of sugar decadance and simply forgot about my  obligation to share with you.  Then I delivered the pies forgetting about photos once again, loosing any chance of redemption.  I am still thinking of those pies- sweet tart dough, coconut crusted tart dough, bananas, coconut cream, chocolate, homemade caramel and toasted coconut all topped with freshly whipped cream. All I can say is that I am sorry. So sorry that I promise to make these pies soon and share. Once you give them a try, you will understand how I could loose my head and forget about you or anything else for that matter. Till then, I ask your forgiveness.)

It just so happened that I planned on making a larger version of the Coconut Cream Pie with some leftover dough. Upon moving the tart shell to a rack while turning my head, I managed to burn my arm-badly. I dropped the pan breaking the tart away from the sides. Normally, I would just toss my error and begin over. This time though, I decided to learn from my mistakes and keep my pastry error for future use. So, I froze the side-less shell for a rainy day and a burst of inspiration.

Receiving the Southern Table book as a gift, I spent the better part of last Sunday afternoon reading it. When I came across this recipe, immediately I knew it was a good thing that I had saved my mishap. Especially, since I  had some mascarpone in the refrigerator- waiting to be used.

You could substitute any berry for this dessert. It was simple to make, full of flavor and pretty to look at, and I had some leftover preserves to go on toast the following morning. What more can you ask for in a dessert?  Well, maybe you could ask for Banana Cream Pie, Coconut Cream Pie………………..in which case I would say yes, of course I will make you some.

 Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

Adapted; Frank Stitt, Southern Table

FOR THE TART PASTRY

Prepare your favorite crust for the tart. If you want a flat tart as I have done, roll your dough into an 8 to 10 inch round and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Puncture the dough with tines of a fork and top with pastry weights.  Bake for about 15 minutes, remove the weights and finish off baking the oven for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Let cool and proceed with the preserves and mascarpone.

FOR THE PRESERVES

2 cups quartered ripe strawberries

½ sugar

2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Combine the above ingredients in a small saucepan, bringing to a simmer, cooking until the juices thicken to a jam-like consistency, 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, allow to cool, skimming off any foam that settles on top of the mixture.

FOR THE MASCARPONE TOPPING

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/3 cup sugar

Grated zest of 1 medium orange

2 cups sliced strawberries, reserving a few whole

Combine the mascarpone, sugar and orange zest. Slice the strawberries and set aside to top the tart with.

Place the tart on your serving dish or a cake stand. Top with the mascarpone topping and spread evenly. Spread a thin layer of preserves on top, reserve any extra strawberry preserves for glazing.

Layer the sliced strawberries in rows around the tart, overlapping them. With a pastry brush, glaze the strawberries with the preserves. Reserve the rest of the preserves for another use.

Serve the tart at room temperature or chilled, topped with whip cream if you want. Keeps for 2 days.

A year ago, one of my goals was to sample a host of Shrimp and Grits meals in Charleston. This is a task that I have flat out failed at. In my defense, part of the blame is due to shrimp. I love them, but they don’t always love me. A huge belly ache and promises of never going back for more- often plague me.   

But this is the South and I when I get a hankering for Shrimp and Grits, nothing can stop me. Not even a household of non Shrimp and Grits lovers. It takes desire and determination to set about cooking a meal, knowing that the rest of the crew is going to turn up their noses and complain, even before you attempt to sway them with promises of a grand meal.

Sunday, I set out to make this simple dish for myself knowing that I would be alone basking in the splendor of Shrimp and Grits.  For me, simple is the best, and this dish is simple. There were few ingredients and a few steps; all giving many rewards for the effort. 

Mike was the chef at Anson’s before he opened up his own restaurant FIG in Charleston. I have not had the pleasure of eating at FIG, but have heard nothing but the best. The simplicity of his Shrimp and Grits is spectacular. Heading to work the day, I brought a dish for a co-worker who would appreciate this meal. She swooned over every bite, and shook her head in amazement that anyone could turn down a meal as good as this.

If you have never had the pleasure of dining in the Lowcountry, do your self a favor and try this dish. Make it a point to order your grits, freshly ground from Anson’s mill or one the other mills. Don’t even think about quick or instant or any other way of preparing grits other than the real thing; slow, long, occasional stirring while the grits are tended to for an hour or so. Too impatient-grab yourself a sweet tea and stay awhile, it’s Sunday.

Mike Lata’s Shrimp and Grits

GRITS:

2 cups milk

1 cup fresh white grits

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 SHRIMP:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons finely diced onion

3 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper

2 ounces diced country ham

½ cup shrimp stock or milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

6 dashes of hot sauce

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the grits: Bring the milk just up to a tiny boil around the edge of a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Add the grits and stir for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low. If there are any hulls, skim and remove them now using a slotted spoon. Add the butter, and stir frequently for the first 10 minutes, then stir every 10 minutes to grits are done, about 1 to 1 ½ hrs. Add more liquid if the grits are absorbing the milk. Cover between stirrings. When cream, add salt and pepper to taste.

For the shrimp: Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottom fry pan or enamel skillet. Add the onion and red pepper, cooking till translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and sauté briefly. Stir in the milk or stock, scraping the sides and bottom of the skillet to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil, and cook till the liquid is reduced by half. Add the cream, bring to a boil, and reduce the liquid making a loose sauce. Add the shrimp, stir, and cook till the shrimp turn pink. Add the chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the grits among four plates, top with the shrimp and some of the sauce. Serve immediately. If you are cooking for less than two, this dish reheats well the next day, just use separate dishes to reheat separately.

This “Very Good Chocolate Cake” recipe has been marked in my cookbook- as a must do for almost a year. It took a birthday request for chocolate cake to actually move me to make it. I have not hidden from you, the fact that I am not a big chocolate fan and prefer a Coconut Cake over chocolate anything.  

That being said, I have made this cake no less than 6 times within the past month. It really is a most inappropriate name, as the cake should be called; “The Best Chocolate Cake that you have ever eaten” or “Don’t make this and expect to stay slim Chocolate Cake” or “Don’t think that you will want to share this Chocolate Cake” might be more fitting. By no means is this just my opinion. Rather, it is the opinion of many, many people. 

After cooking my through a good deal of Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis’s cookbook; The Gift of Southern Cooking you can’t help but realize that they have a great deal of humility. I wouldn’t expect them to be so brazen as saying that their Chocolate Cake is the best. I will be so brazen and tell you that it is the best Chocolate Cake!

In case you were wondering what on earth I was doing making six of these cakes, wonder no more. We did not eat them ourselves; they were ordered and delivered or given to lucky recipients as a gift.

In fact this cake is so good; I might have to make this Chocolate Cake instead of the coveted Coconut Cake that I traditionally demolish, as I celebrate each year that passes.  If you are lusting after this cake and are thinking if only I could bake, hold on, we are getting to the really good part.

This Chocolate Cake is so easy to make that a novice in the kitchen could tackle this in no time. You don’t need any equipment other that a whisk and a bowl. The only part of the process that is tricky is the frosting. The challenge in making the frosting is two-fold; first you must wait till it cools, which can be upwards of an hour and a half. Second, you must fight off the passers by, who are determined to stick a spoon in the bowl in order to grab a taste.  This requires vigilant supervision; you must not leave the frosting unattended for any reason.

The moist light chocolaty cake is made to sit out on the counter, as it is best eaten at room temperature. My dad loves chocolate, and if I lived near him rather than 1500 miles away, he would have this cake to celebrate Father’s Day with. My dad has a great sense of humor and often had fun tricking us.

As youngsters my parents took us traveling often and we learned to sit quietly in restaurants. We were always allowed to order what we wanted as long as we ate what we ordered. My father did give us a note of caution when it came to ordering though.

If we chose to order an “ala carte item” we were forewarned that this meant the food would come “without a plate”. As young kids trusting our dad without question and not wanting to deal with food that came without a plate; we always bypassed the “ala carte” and my father always bypassed a steep tab at the restaurants.

So Dad, I am wishing you a Happy Father’s Day to the best dad in the whole world. Know that you will have the opportunity to enjoy this chocolate cake soon when I come to visit. Rest assured that this cake will be offered from the main menu and the “ala carte”, I wouldn’t want you to have to eat this “without a plate”.

Very Good Chocolate Cake

Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis; The Gift of Southern Cooking

The Cake

 2 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups cake flour

½ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup hot double-strength brewed coffee

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

2 eggs, at room temperature

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 

The Frosting

1 cup heavy cream

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½ pieces

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

¼ cup hot double-strength brewed coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

To make the cake: Sift together the sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Pour the hot coffee over the finely chopped chocolate and allow the chocolate to melt completely.

In a separate bowl, whisk together until well blended the eggs and vegetable oil, followed by the sour cream, vanilla and coffee-chocolate mixture. Stir this liquid mixture into the dry ingredients by thirds, stirring well after each addition until completely blended.

Divide the batter evenly between two buttered and floured parchment-lined 9″ cake pans. Drop each cake pan once onto the counter from a height of 3 inches, to remove any large air pockets, which could cause holes or tunnels in the baked cake layers.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the cake springs back slightly when gently tapped in the center or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove immediately to cooling racks and allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out of the pans. To unmold, run a flat-edged knife or spatula between the cake layers and the sides of the pans. Turn the pans facedown onto the cooling rack, and carefully life them off. Allow cakes to cool completely before peeling off the parchment bottoms and frosting.

To make the frosting: Heat the cream, butter, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan until the butter is melted. Add the chocolate and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, just until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, and blend in the coffee and vanilla.

Transfer the frosting to a bowl to cool, stirring occasionally, until it is of a spreading consistency- about 1 hour, depending on the temperature of the kitchen. (If your kitchen is very warm, move the frosting to a cooler area to cool and thicken, but do not refrigerate or chill over ice water. Chocolate and butter solidify at different temperatures, and harsh chilling could cause the frosting to separate and turn grainy.)

To assemble the cake: When the frosting is of a spreading consistency and the cake layers are completely cooled, put one cake layer on a serving platter, bottom side up, and frost the surface thickly. Top with the other layer, bottom side down, and frost the top and sides. For best results, allow the cake to sit for 2 or more hours before slicing.

NOTE :  For the richest, darkest frosting possible, resist the urge to whisk or beat to cool faster. Excessive stirring incorporates air, which will cool and set the frosting more quickly, but will also dilute its dark color and flavor. And, because it takes a little while to cool to the proper consistency, have all the ingredients ready and make the frosting as soon as the cake layers are in the oven to bake.

Makes one 9″ cake, enough to serve 12-16, or two 6″ inch three layer cakes.

Kitchen Notes: After baking this cake 6 times I took a few liberties.

I found that the frosting took over 1 ½ hours to set, so speeded up the process by putting the bowl in the freezer for 2 minutes, whisking frosting immediately for a few seconds.  This process was repeated 2 to 3 times till desired consistency was achieved.

I also removed the parchment from the cake at around 10 minutes to speed up cooling.

Don’t worry if cake sticks some to the bottom of the cooling rack. This cake is so moist that any pieces that break apart can easily be pressed back into place.

If you have to chill this cake for any reason, let it sit out till room temperature before eating as it does make a difference.