Recipes

A combination of chewy figs, crunchy nuts, spicy cinnamon and zesty orange embedded in a rich moist loaf cake. This is just one of many in a series of loaf cakes from my Father’s 1930’s journal that reflect American and British influence in baking. It’s easy to make, and perfect with breakfast coffee, afternoon tea, or serve thin slices along with sliced pears, triple crème cheese, and a glass of Port.

Just a slight twist on the classic apple tart. Apples with caramel, so perfect. Then add a sprinkle of Maldon salt to make it even better. You can use just about any crisp apple – Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold to name a few. Save some of the caramel sauce to pour over ice cream to serve along with the tart. During the summer you could make this using peaches or nectarines for a seasonal change.

Pâte Brisée is a basic pastry dough that is buttery and flaky. It is important that you do not overmix, as the dough will become tough and dense. If mixed properly, you should see small pieces of butter throughout the dough. The dough should feel smooth and have a satin like finish. When I make this dough, I generally make two or three full recipes and freeze using my food saver. So convenient to just pull it from the freezer for a quick tart, pie or quiche. This recipe calls for sugar, but the dough can be used for both sweet or savory. Simpley delete the sugar if using for a savory recipe.

This dish comes from the Lombardia region of Italy, where my Father was born, and has been made for ages. If you go back in time when the farmers and villagers ate mostly what they grew or raised, you would find that they cooked with lard. There wasn’t a huge production of olive oil in the region at that time, but they did raise pigs. This stew was traditionally made using the less tender parts of the pig, and it would contain the feet, nose, and ears and some of the rib bones. Nothing was wasted. However, in this day and age, we can use the more accessible cuts of pork, but I would encourage you to find fresh pork rind and use that. It adds a creamy richness to the broth, and a bit of a crunch in contrast to the soft, tender pork cubes.

Dad’s Pumpernickel was one of my favorites growing up. Taken warm from the oven, we often broke it open and slathered the piece with fresh sweet butter. The aroma, nutty flavor and chewiness of this wonderful, rich combination of grains filled the senses and the soul. It’s actually quite easy to make. Between the ease of instant yeast, and the Dutch Oven acting somewhat like a commercial baker’s oven, it’s hard to go wrong.

Challah is a wonderful egg rich bread that just keeps on giving. When it is warm and fresh, eat slices with butter and honey, or mustard with thin slices of roast beef. The following days make terrific French Toast, and providing you still have a bit left, make Bread Pudding Laced with Rum.