Bolton Buns - From Jane Austen's Kitchen

Bolton Buns, or Currant Buns, were inspired by recent travels. Sort of. My cousin Paula went to England in September; and I went with her, vicariously! She visited sites connected to our Mayflower ancestors on her mother's and my father's side of our families. She sent many lovely photos for my archives. She also visited and sent photos of Chawton House in Hampshire. If you are a Jane Austen fan, I don't have to tell you who lived there from 1809 to 1817.

Then in October Paula sent me a wonderful book for those interested in Jane Austen and/or Regency cooking and life in a "middling" household. The book, Martha Lloyd's Household Book, with annotated transcription by Julienne Gehrer and foreward by Deirdre Le Faye, is an excellent window—kitchen window—into the everyday life of Jane Austen's all-female household at Chawton Cottage. 

More than a cookbook—but if a cookbook is what you like, well, there you go!—it tells us more about our Jane through the eyes of her dear friend, member of her household, and eventually (after Jane's death) sister-in-law. Martha Lloyd, ten years older than Jane, was a remarkable woman in her own right, so one can enjoy this book from several different angles.

The recipes are written as one does when writing down the bare bones for one's own use. Just the ingredients, no need for all the details. So I've taken one recipe, Bolton Buns—written Bolton Bunns by Martha—and given you all the details you need to make them. I've halved the recipe and translated all the weights and measures to measures, ounces, and grams so that whether you're in the US or the UK or anywhere at all, you can make the buns. 

The one measure in this recipe that took a bit of interpreting was "a handful of currants." Martha's hands might have been larger or smaller than mine, so her idea of "a handful of currants" might be different from mine. After some deliberation and weighing and measuring, I decided to translate "a handful" to 1/4 cup/1.25 ounces/35 grams—more than a handful in my hand, but anything less seemed pointless.

During that era, rich yeast breads were a popular breakfast item and would likely be seen again at teatime as well.

Do you enjoy making vintage recipes? Do leave a comment and tell me your thoughts. And if anyone has ever heard of Bolton Buns anyplace besides Martha Lloyd's Household Book, let me know. I'm thinking it must have been her own name for her currant buns.  

 

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Bolton Buns - Currant Buns

(Makes 20)

1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces/296 ml) milk
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) cold unsalted butter
3 dip-and-sweep cups (15 ounces/425 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (0.25 ounce/7 grams) instant yeast
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) currants
1 large egg yolk, room temperature, beaten

1 In 1-quart saucepan (or a 2-cup glass measure in the microwave), heat the milk just until tiny bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. Add the chunk of cold butter and stir until melted. 

2 In 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl (I use this 2-quart glass measure—makes it easy to see when the dough has doubled), measure/weigh the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the currants, using your fingers to separate any that are stuck together. Mix them in and make a well in the center again. 

Note: While measuring/weighing the flour, also measure/weigh about 1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) of flour separately and set aside for kneading and shaping. You won't need it all, but it's good to have out just in case, so you never have to go back into the cupboard for more when your hands are all floury. Use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking too much to your hands and counter; a little sticking is fine. Adding too much flour is the ruin of bread.

3 Pour the warm milk mixture and beaten egg yolk into the well. Mix the flour in to form a soft, but not overly wet, dough. The dough should not be sticking to the bowl too much, but come away fairly cleanly.

4 Clean out the bowl (no need to wash it) and lightly oil it. Knead the dough, using flour from the 1/4 cup, until it is very smooth and silky, about 8 to 10 minutes. Put the dough into the lightly oiled bowl, cover,* let rise until at least doubled, about 2 to 3 hours.

* If you're using plastic wrap, tear off an 18-inch long piece so that you can use it again to cover the shaped buns. I use a silicone lid or mixing bowl lid to cover my 2-quart glass measure and this half sheet pan cover for proofing the buns.

5 Line baking sheet (I use this heavy-duty half sheet pan) with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces--I, being who I am, 😁 weigh the batch of dough in grams (on this food scale) and divide by 20 (making each bun 45 grams). Shape each piece into a ball. Give it a little roll on the unfloured counter, a motion sort of like moving a computer mouse around, to make a smooth ball. If you used flour, you would not be able to get the needed traction.

6 Place in 4 rows of 5 on prepared baking tray. If using plastic wrap, spray with cooking spray the same piece of plastic wrap you used to cover dough, cover buns lightly and let rise about 1 hour or so. They will not be doubled, just puffy. 

7 During the last 15 or 20 minutes (depending on your oven), preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6.

8 Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly for a few minutes before serving. If you want the crust to be its softest, lay a pristine kitchen towel over the buns. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Spiced Rice Pudding - Women in the Kitchen Review and Giveaway

Spiced Rice Pudding is the first recipe I've made from Anne Willan's latest book, Women in the Kitchen. You might say the recipe below is my adaptation of Anne's adaptation of Amelia Simmons' recipe (likely an adaptation!) in her book American Cookery published in 1796.

And it isn't the oldest recipe in Women in the Kitchen, which tells the stories of 12 female cookbook authors, from 1661 right up to the present, who shaped and influenced home cooking. Not simply a cookbook writer, Anne is known for her prize-winning literary food writing. 

People of many interests—not just cooking, but history as well as writing and publishing—can enjoy this book. It would be a great resource for writers of historical novels.

I've always been interested in historical foods. Here are a few of the ones I've posted over the years: Sally Lunn Buns, Bakewell Tart, Indian Pudding, Steamed Jam Sponge Pudding, Yorkshire Pudding. So I was fascinated to learn more about the early writers. 

And three of my favorite modern-day female cookbook authors—Julia Child, Edna Lewis, and Alice Waters—are featured in the book. The first of the book's Edna Lewis recipes I'll be trying is Crispy Biscuits, not the light soft biscuits one would expect from a Southerner and which she excelled at. I am intrigued!

I hope you'll enter the Women in the Kitchen giveaway below, whether you want the book for yourself or for gifting. And do let me know in the comments who your favorite cookbook writers are. 

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Spiced Rice Pudding

Adapted from Women in the Kitchen by Anne Willan, which was an adaptation from American Cookery by Amelia Simmons

Amelia Simmons
American Cookery
1796
Rice Pudding No. 3

(I halved the recipe, making 6 to 8 servings)

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) Arborio or other short-grain white rice
1 quart (32 fluid ounces/946 ml) milk
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
4 large eggs (medium, in UK)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) red, rosé or white wine

1 In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, bring the rice and milk to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and let cool.

2 Preheat the oven to 300F/150C/Gas2. Butter a 1.5-quart baking dish.

3 In a 1.5- to 2-quart bowl, with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, salt and spices; beat in the softened butter. Add the eggs and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and light.

4 With a spoon, stir the egg mixture into the cooled rice mixture, followed by the wine. Pour into the buttered baking dish and bake for about 1 1/4 hours, until pudding is set and top is browned.

5 Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm. Even longer if you prefer it at room temperature. It's also good cold. Whatever you like. Keeps, covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve plain or with berries or other fruit.

Women in the Kitchen Giveaway 

Scribner will send winner a copy of Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today by Anne Willan.

This giveaway is open to US residents* (See next paragraph, international friends!) 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person). Please include your email address in the body of your comment; I don't have time to track you down. Enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday September 30. 

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter! 

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday October 1. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Saturday October 3, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: Scribner provided a book for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition - Review and Giveaway

With its encyclopedic coverage of every aspect of cookery, and tipping the scales at nearly 5 pounds, the 2019 edition of Joy of Cooking is indeed a weighty tome.

More than nine years in the works, Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition has been fully revised and updated by the original "Mrs Joy's" great-grandson and his wife, John Becker and Megan Scott.

Its wider pages (by about an inch and a half) and sewn binding mean the book will lie flat, a useful improvement over previous editions. Next I noticed the improved index. Just one example: 

The 1997 edition listed

Pâté
   à Choux, 919
   Chicken Liver, 725

The 2019 edition has corrected that error and made separate listings for pâte à choux and the totally unrelated pâtés and terrines.

I was pleased to see that the latest Joy, with legacy material and classics side by side with modern recipes and techniques, has retained the personality and "feel" we love. 

Of course, a volume of this scope has no room for photos, so I've included my own photos of the only recipe I've made so far, the Apple Dumplings, page 688, with the Cream Cheese Pastry Dough, page 665.

Coming November 12!

The pastry came together quickly in the food processor, but you can do it by hand as well. With no water added, it's impossible to overwork. I'll be using this lovely pastry for many things, sweet and savory.

Photographed by me with permission of publisher

to show Joy's signature recipe formatting style

I think Irma, the original Mrs Joy, and Marion, her daughter, would be well pleased indeed with this edition. But I fear John Becker and Megan Scott have done themselves out of a job; this edition will not become dated and in need of revision any time soon. 

Whether you are an experienced home cook or a never-cooked-before novice, this comprehensive volume will be an education! Enter my giveaway below to possibly win a copy for yourself or for someone on your gift list.

Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Giveaway 

Scribner will send winner a copy of Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition.

This giveaway is open to US residents* (See next paragraph, international friends!) 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person). Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday October 23. 

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter! 

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday October 24. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Saturday October 26, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: Scribner provided a book for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Impressions of Wine Country - by Richard Sheppard - Book Review and Giveaway

Is 2016 the year you'll travel to Northern California wine country? If you'd like to but can't, you can do what I did: Be an armchair traveler via Richard Sheppard's Impressions of Wine Country. Then when you actually make travel plans, you'll have the advantage of the "insider's" perspective. Wine aficionados will appreciate Richard's talks with some the region's winemakers and growers.

Watercolor is my favorite medium, and Richard is a master of the medium, capturing people, animals, buildings, plants, food, wine, everything, in a way that pulls you right into the scene. He takes us through the year, month by month, introducing us to people and places through well-told stories as well as more than 170 vivid watercolors.  

This giveaway is open to

readers anywhere in the world!

I've been a fan of Richard's work for several years since I discovered The Artist on the Road blog, and I was so glad to be able to have a book to hold in my hands and enjoy away from my computer. Hmm ... perhaps sipping a glass of wine in the gazebo while I dream of Napa Valley and Sonoma.

The book might make you envy the artist and his life in wine country, but it might also ignite in you the desire to look at wherever you are with a fresh eye. Even if we don't draw or paint, art is a way of looking at life; and we can all do that! 

Wineries mentioned and/or pictured include: Bacigalupi Family Winery, Bella Vineyards, Benziger Family Winery, Chateau Montelena Winery, Chateau St. Jean, Christopher Creek Winery, Duckhorn Vineyards, Dutcher Crossing Winery, Envy Winery, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Glen Ellen Winery, Imagery Estate Winery, Iron Horse Vineyards and Winery, Joseph Swan Vineyards, La Crema, Limerick Lane Winery, Lyeth, Mazzocco Winery, Pedroncelli Winery, Quivira Vineyards and Winery, Ridge Winery, Robert Goyette Winery, Robert Mondavi Winery, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Toad Hollow Winery and Tofanelli Family Winery.

Impressions of Wine Country Giveaway

This giveaway is open to readers anywhere in the world who are 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person, please) and please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday January 6. 

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday January 7. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern on Sunday January 10, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: The artist/author is providing the book for this giveaway. I have received no compensation. The views expressed here are entirely my own. As always, I tell my readers what I really think!

Book Review and Giveaway - Real Dirt: An Ex-Industrial Farmer's Guide to Sustainable Eating

Real Dirt is different from most books about sustainability. After all, author Harry Stoddart, who has a BS in Agriculture and an MS in Agricultural Economics, has farmed at both ends of the spectrum. He's done CAFO and pasture-raised, till and no-till, conventional and organic. He takes a realistic look at the pros and cons of every agricultural method out there and asks us to use a critical eye and look at the complete food system.

"The single biggest change you can make to improve your diet and your impact on the future is to start cooking your own meals. ... When you cook, you are in control of your diet and the future of food production and the planet." ~ Harry Stoddart 

Note: The author has a terrific sense of humor, too, making this a fun as well as informative read; though that might not come through in this review. 

If you have gone organic as much as you possibly can (as I have), that's good. But Stoddart believes organic principles are only the starting point for lessening agriculture's impact. Two out of three of what Stoddart calls The Big Three issues--antibiotic resistance, erosion and climate disruption--are not adequately dealt with by all organic farmers. 

"Conservation of soil and water do not automatically flow from an organic choice. You will need to understand the production methods used on the farm before you can make a fully informed choice." There is a thought-provoking list of questions to ask of even organic farmers. 

Real Dirt gives us guiding principles to help us make choices in favor of true sustainability. Are we buying from farmers working to conserve water and conserve and/or rebuild soil? Of course, I disagree with a couple of methods Stoddart espouses: using sewage sludge on crops and drinking recycled sewer water. Uh uh, I'm just not ready to go there! 

"If you don't cook but only reheat processed food, you are putting your diet and health in the hands of someone else." ~ Harry Stoddart

There are many ways we can work toward a better food system. Some people think that unless they are working to influence legislation they cannot make a difference. Stoddart says: "The quickest transformation to sustainable methods will not occur through legislation. The greatest lever we can pull to shift agriculture is the power of the consumer."

Real Dirt Book Giveaway

This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada who are 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person) and please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday April 23.

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday April 24. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday April 27, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Follow Stoddart Farm on Twitter. Follow Delightful Repast on Twitter and Delightful Repast on Pinterest.

Real Dirt is available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Disclosure: The author is providing the book for this giveaway. I have received no compensation. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: Some posts include links to my Amazon.com affiliate account, and Delightful Repast earns a few cents on the dollar if readers make a purchase, so thanks for supporting my blog when you shop at Amazon!

Sausage Rolls - Book Review and Giveaway - Le Charcutier Anglais

My vegan and vegetarian readers will want to skip this post, I'm afraid. The book I'm reviewing was written by an extreme carnivore! 

Le Charcutier Anglais: Tales and Recipes from a Gamekeeper Turned Charcutier is more than a cookbook. Though it has lots of recipes, for everything from terrines and verrines to pizza and pastry, it is actually a crash course in butchery and charcuterie (the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés and confit, primarily from pork). Marc travels widely, in Europe as well as throughout Britain, spreading the word and teaching others what is becoming a lost art.

It is also filled with humour. I had the privilege of reading a draft of the book long before it was published, and I remember laughing out loud and then having to read bits to my husband because he wanted to know what I was laughing at. Must warn the sensitive: the humour can be a little indelicate at times, but what can I say. Marc-Frederic (his French name) is a Lancashire lad, and when he asks you to read part of a story in a Lancashire accent, it's hilarious!

I must say there is one chapter I just skimmed with one eye (offal) and one chapter I skipped entirely (blood). Those who have religious, squeamish or other reasons for avoiding one or both of those chapters will still have a lot of reading. The first chapter gives close attention to, and important specifics about, the equipment you'll need for tackling various tasks. 

The recipe I chose to make first, sausage rolls, is a classic British snack, perfect for picnics and parties. The recipe is on page 142 and calls for a few simple sausage ingredients and either homemade puff pastry (recipe on page 180) or frozen puff pastry. Next I'm going to make the pork pie with the traditional hot water pastry, something I've never done. But the book isn't all pork. There's beef, other meats, game, fish and fowl. Of course, the pastry chapter is my favourite.

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Sausage Rolls

(Makes 32)

Adapted from Le Charcutier Anglais. Recipe in the book says salt and pepper to taste and mixed herbs; my adaptation lists the specific seasonings and amounts I used, which you may change to suit yourself.

2 pounds (32 ounces/907 grams) ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped (I cooked it)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1 17.25-ounce (489 grams) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg (medium, in UK)
1 tablespoon water

1 In large bowl, combine ground pork, chopped onion and seasonings. Cover and refrigerate to chill and allow flavors to come together.

2 Preheat oven to 400F/205C/Gas6. Unfold the two pastry sheets and cut each lengthwise into two strips. In small bowl, beat the egg and water to make an egg wash.

3 Divide the sausage into four portions and roll each into a log the length of the pastry strips. Place a sausage on each pastry strip. Brush the long pastry edge farthest from you with egg wash, roll the pastry around the sausage and crimp the edge to seal. Turn the roll over so that the seam is underneath. Kind of roll it around a bit, to a length of 12 inches.

4 Brush the rolls with egg wash. Cut each roll into eight 1.5-inch lengths. Cut 2 small slashes in top of each roll.

5 Place sausage rolls on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. If you're paranoid about the doneness of pork, as I am, you might want to give it an extra 10 or 15 minutes at 325F/165C/Gas3.

Giveaway Closed

Le Charcutier Anglais Giveaway

One winner will receive a copy of Le Charcutier Anglais: Tales and Recipes from a Gamekeeper Turned Charcutier. All readers anywhere in the world who enter before 11:59 pm Eastern time Wednesday January 23 will be put into a random drawing. Winner will be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday January 24. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by 11:59 am Eastern time Sunday January 27, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Buy It Now Le Charcutier Anglais is available online at Amazon.

To enter the contest, post a comment below, and please include your email address in the body of your comment.

Disclosure: The book for this giveaway is being provided by the author. I was given a copy of Le Charcutier Anglais for review, and all opinions shared are my own.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

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Caramel Cake - Book Review and Giveaway - Basic to Brilliant, Y'all

When the ever-charming Virginia Willis sent me her Basic to Brilliant, Y'all for review, I couldn't decide which recipe to make first. Of course, the Mini Country Ham Cheddar Biscuits caught my Southern-on-my-father's-side eye. And the Southern Salad Macedoine. And lots of wonderful seafood dishes. Then I came to page 252 and my Southern grandmother's cake jumped out at me! 

The version in Basic to Brilliant, Y'all is the one Virginia's grandmother made. It's a three-layer cake, but since my grandmother made hers with just two layers, I used only two. It's always nice to have a layer in the freezer for a rainy day, isn't it!

Never much of a candy fan, I've never bought a candy thermometer for my well-equipped kitchen. But my trusty Splash-Proof Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer works beautifully for this; no need for a thermometer that clips to the pan, but you will need a thermometer.

Besides wonderful recipes, each with an optional "brilliant" touch to add to the "basic" recipe, you will find lots of stories about the author's Southern childhood and her time in France. 

The drool-worthy pictures by photographer Helene Dujardin next to Virginia's delectable recipes make this book hard to read without getting hungry!

Dede's Burnt Caramel Cake

(Makes three 9-inch layers)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature, well beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Burnt Caramel Icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed or parchment paper. Butter and flour the paper. Sit together the flour and the baking powder.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture [and the wet mixture] to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating between the dry and wet ingredients in three portions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean and the cakes start pulling away from the sides of the pans, about 25 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Invert onto the rack to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard cake round. Spread with the still-warm frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, placing the final layer bottom side up. Working quickly, use a small off-set spatula to spread the icing gently around the cake. Let stand for 2 hours to allow the icing to set before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Burnt Caramel Icing

(Makes about 2 cups)

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed to loosen
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

In a heavy cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the sugar over medium-high heat. Stir until dissolved, then do not stir again; simply shake the pan occasionally until the mixture reaches the caramel stage, 320 to 335 degrees, on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups sugar, the butter, and the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

When the sugar reaches the caramel stage, immediately pour it into the cream mixture and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, 232 to 240 degrees. Remove from the heat; add the vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Place on a rack and set aside until just cool enough to touch, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until creamy, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the bowl of icing in a bowl of warm water to keep it loose and fluid while frosting the cake. If it starts to set too firmly, you may need to add warm heavy cream to loosen it.

Recipe reprinted by permission from Basic to Brilliant, Y'all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress them Up for Company, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. Photo credit: Helene Dujardin © 2011. For more information visit www.virginiawillis.com.

That's the "basic;" you'll have to buy the book to get the "brilliant"!

Basic to Brilliant, Y'all Giveaway

One winner will receive a copy of Basic to Brilliant, Y'all from Ten Speed Press. All residents of the continental United States (apologies to my international readers) who enter before 11:59 pm Eastern time Wednesday December 26 will be put into a random drawing. Two additional ways to enter below - three chances to win! Winner will be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday December 27. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by 11:59 am Eastern time Sunday December 30, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Buy It Now Basic to Brilliant, Y'all is available online at Amazon. 

To enter the contest, please:

• post a comment below (and please include your email address in the body of your comment); also, it would be gracious to post a comment on the author's blog.

Two additional ways to enter (for a total of 3 chances):

• follow @VirginiaWillis on Twitter and post a comment below that you have done so.
• follow @delightfulrepas on Twitter, tweet about the contest by copying and pasting the following: Entered to win a copy of Basic to Brilliant, Y’all @delightfulrepas http://delightfulrepast.blogspot.com #cookbook #giveaway - (AND post a comment below that you have done so.)

Disclosure: The book for this giveaway is being provided by Ten Speed Press. I was given a copy of Basic to Brilliant, Y'all for review, and all opinions shared are my own.

Grassfed Beef - Book Review and Giveaway - Pure Beef by Lynne Curry

Scads of cookbooks are published every year. Some good, some not so good. I'm not here to tell you about many of them. After all, I post to this blog just once a week as a rule. But when I come across one that is truly special in some way, I want you to hear about it. 

I get lots of offers of books, but I accept for review only the few that promise to be exceptional. (And my accepting a book does not obligate me to write about or recommend it.) I read about Pure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Meat with Recipes for Every Cut and about its author before deciding to accept it. One of the things that caught my attention was that author Lynne Curry is a former vegetarian. I've been vegetarian at various times of my life and never felt good about eating meat until ethically, sustainably, humanely raised and harvested grassfed meats became available.

In Part 1, the part I was most interested in, Curry (in her very non-preachy way) makes the case for grassfed beef and covers all the issues beef consumers need to know. Part 2, the part with the recipes, is where the surprise came in. I see so many poorly written recipes and recipes that were obviously never actually made by anyone, let alone tested, that I'm surprised when I find a collection of really good recipes like this.

Curry's recipes for every cut, even the under-appreciated and lesser known ones, are clearly written and represent a wide range of global influences. From perfect grassfed hamburgers to porcini-rubbed tenderloin with saba sauce and braised lentils. Whether you're interested in the grassfed movement or just looking for some good beef recipes, you won't be disappointed.

Pure Beef Book Giveaway 

One winner will receive a copy of Pure Beef from Running Press. All US residents who leave a comment (one entry per person)--and DO make it a "real" comment, something meaningful--on this post before 11:59 pm Eastern time Wednesday July 11 will be put into a random drawing. Winner will be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday July 12. (Note: Those posting comments anonymously must include a valid email address in their comment to be eligible for the drawing.) If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by 11:59 am Eastern time Sunday, July 15, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: A copy of this book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Note: The burger in the photo is grassfed ground beef on my Homemade Hamburger Buns.

Winter Salad and Book Review - Complete Book of Knife Skills

Chard and kale don't have to be cooked. They make a crisp, green winter salad you can actually make, and dress, the day before. I developed this recipe one winter when I was invited to a locavore potluck dinner. Each guest was to bring a dish in which every ingredient had been grown or produced within 100 miles of home, with the exception of salt and olive oil.

It was the first of January, so the possibilities were limited. The locally grown chard and kale looked really good, but what would I do with them? I didn't want to take cooked greens and have to reheat them. I thought if I sliced the chard and kale finely and left them to marinate in some sort of dressing overnight, that would make a nice change from the usual green salad.

Vinegar was out since I didn't know of a within-100-miles source for it. But I had Meyer lemons to provide acid and Satsuma mandarins to add color and a bit of sweetness to balance the slight (and quite pleasant) bitterness of the greens. Satsumas have the added bonus of being seedless and easily segmented. You might want to add some black pepper or a favorite herb; but even without the constraints of the 100-mile locavore diet, I prefer the salad with no embellishments. (I've since added a teaspoon of sugar to the recipe.)

I love to chiffonade; it's my favorite cut! Included, of course, in the excellent book recently sent me for review. The Zwilling J. A. Henckels Complete Book of Knife Skills: The Essential Guide to Use, Techniques and Care is a book I wish had come out much sooner--before I had a chance to develop some of my own sad little techniques. But, hey, I still have all my fingers! Culinary experts Jeffrey Elliot and James P. DeWan have created a book that is the next best thing to a knife skills course at culinary school.

Its 384 pages include more than 1,200 step-by-step photos along with clearly written instructions, and its spiral-bound format makes it easy to use. You will learn how to choose, use and maintain the best knives for your purposes, as well as how to grip the knife properly and hold your guide hand. The book will have you chopping, mincing, paring, fluting and shucking in no time.

In addition to learning how to cut vegetables into sticks, dice, chiffonade and rondelles, you will master the oblique, paysanne, lozenge and tourné cuts. After working your way through the chapters on cutting poultry, meat, fish and shellfish, you'll feel like a charcutier-slash-sushi chef. A comprehensive volume, it even covers carving cooked meats of all types and how to make 11 different decorative garnishes.

Tell me about you and knives. How are your knife skills? What is your favorite knife? What size chef's knife do you like?

Chard and Kale Salad

(Makes 6 Servings)

1 8- to 12-ounce bunch chard, thinly sliced
1 8-ounce bunch kale, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Satsuma mandarin juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 or more Satsuma mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented (about 2 cups)

1 Start the salad the day before it is to be served; the greens need time to tenderize a bit. I do the chiffonade thing with the chard and kale, stacking and rolling the carefully washed and dried leaves and slicing them thinly into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons with either a chef's knife or Santoku.

2 In small bowl, whisk together the juices, sugar and salt; then whisk in the oil. In 3-quart bowl, combine chard, kale and dressing. Cover and refrigerate until next day. Two hours before serving, toss greens and add Satsuma mandarin orange segments.

Note: Rich Ferreira has been growing organic Satsuma mandarin oranges on his family farm, Side Hill Citrus, since 1989.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Book Review - 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes

Chocolate cupcakes (or fairy cakes, as they are sometimes called in the UK) are sooo good. I was going to make some from my own wheat flour recipe, but then found this great gluten-free recipe. When 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster arrived in the mail for review, the first thing I looked for was chocolate cupcakes. And there they were! Like I said before: Cupcakes - In or Out, Trendy or Passé, Who Cares? I was ready for some more!

Carol Fenster is an internationally recognized expert on gluten-free cooking and is the founder and president of Savory Palate, Inc., a company that provides information for the gluten-free lifestyle.


"The recipes in this book were selected from my award-winning 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, the largest gluten-free cookbook ever published. My goal for this smaller, very useful book," says Fenster, "is to give home cooks the 'must-have' recipes, the dishes people ask me for again and again, along with just-what-you-need-to-know information to make the book a go-to guide for people living the gluten-free life."

This book has delicious recipes in every category. I'm going to start with chewy granola bars, sun-dried tomato quiche, banana bread, chicken noodle soup, macaroni and cheese and basic pastry crust. After all, I am all about classic comfort food! 

A lot of the recipes call for a blend of gluten-free flours (I used all Bob's Red Mill products) that you can combine in quantity and then measure out for recipes.

Carol's Sorghum Blend

(Makes 4 cups)

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups potato starch or cornstarch (I used potato starch)
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk the ingredients together until well blended. Store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place for up to 3 months. You may refrigerate or freeze the blend, but bring to room temperature before using. You may double or triple the recipe.
(The cupcake recipe below is written out a little differently from the book; for example, not offering the ingredient options that I didn't use or the layer cake directions. And, since I was using the oil rather than the butter option, I mixed the sugar with the oil and eggs rather than with the dry ingredients.)

Devil's Food Layer Cake

(Makes 16 or 17 cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups Carol's Sorghum Blend
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Milk to measure 1 cup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, room temperature

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 2½-inch paper bake cups in one 12-cup and one 6-cup standard muffin tin; one or two cups will be empty.

2 In medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, cocoa, xanthan gum, salt and soda; set aside. In glass measure, combine vinegar and milk; let stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly, and stir in vanilla extract.

3 In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

4 Using a 1/4-cup measure, fill the bake cups with a scant 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 to 20 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.

5 Immediately remove from pans and cool on wire rack for an hour. They must be thoroughly cool before frosting.

(Recipes for Carol's Sorghum Blend and Devil's Food Layer Cake from 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipesby Carol Fenster - Wiley; August 2010; hardover/$16.95)

My Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar, unsifted
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk (I used rice milk)
In bowl of stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and milk; beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You will likely have to add the liquid ingredients before adding all the powdered sugar.

With a pastry bag fitted with a 2D (sometimes I use a 1M) tip, pipe frosting on cupcakes in a classic swirl.