Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2009 - January 2010 i Taste of the South

MY KIDS COME RUNNING WHEN THEY KNOW I’M DOING my holiday baking. Sometimes, all Emma and Phillip want is to swipe a bite and keep on going, but sometimes, they actually want to participate in the baking. I take the opportunity to explain why we use certain types of flour or sugar and to show them the correct ways to measure dry ingredients and wet. They are attentive students and seem genuinely interested in the stories behind the recipes. Those times are precious, not just because we’re making great food but because we’re making great memories, too. Photographer Sarah Dunlap and I have some lovely memories of our trip to Plant City last year for the Florida Strawberry Festival. The Women’s Committee of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association hosted a…

Pineapple-crowned cranberry salad rules at this festive holiday gathering. cranberry congealed salad Yield: 8 servings Preparation: 10 minutes Refrigerate: 4 hours 1 (3-ounce) package cherry gelatin 1 cup boiling water 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice 1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce 1⁄2 cup roasted, salted pistachios, chopped Garnish: lettuce leaves, additional pineapple, and chopped pistachios IN A LARGE BOWL, combine gelatin and boiling water, whisking well to combine. Add pineapple with juice, cranberry sauce, and pistachios, stirring well. POUR into 8 (1⁄2-cup) molds and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. TO SERVE, invert molds onto 8 salad plates, lined with lettuce leaves. GARNISH with pineapple and chopped pistachios, if desired. orange-lemonade tea Yield: approximately 12 cups Preparation: 15 minutes Cook: 5 minutes Cool: 45 minutes Refrigerate: 1 hour…

MENUandouille sausage in puff pastry lemon mousse with candied lemon zest sweet potato cakes with apple-parmesan slaw oyster-stuffed artichokes savory goat cheese spread chocolate squares champagne cocktails andouille sausage in puff pastry Yield: 24 servings Preparation: 10 minutes Cook: 22 minutes 1 (17.3-ounce) package puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed 11⁄2 cups diced andouille sausage 1⁄2 cup diced green bell pepper 1⁄2 cup diced red bell pepper 1⁄2 cup diced onion PREHEAT oven to 400°. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. ON A FLOURED SURFACE, unroll puff pastry sheets. Using a 21⁄4-inch round cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds. Press rounds into bottom and up sides of muffin cups. BAKE until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan while warm and split in half. IN A LARGE…

PPLANT CITY, FLORIDA, IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS strawberries and for the festival that began back in 1930, which put this small town near Tampa on the map as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” Most strawberry lovers think of early summer as the season for this juicy fruit, but actually, Florida strawberries are in season from Christmas to March. The annual Florida Strawberry Festival takes place in early February, the month when the fruit’s peak of production occurs. The festival has the feel of a state fair, with games, rides, cooking contests, and such. Carnival-food booths abound, but the longest lines form for those selling chocolate-covered strawberries and the make-your-own strawberry shortcakes. The Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s annual exhibit also attracts a lot of attention because it showcases…

“I couldn’t get enough of that wonderful stuff” I’LL NEVER FORGET MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH Brunswick stew. It occurred in February of 1950 at a barbecue for state legislators in Cartersville, Georgia, located in the Blue Ridge foothills north of Atlanta. When I tasted that first bowl of Bartow County Brunswick Stew there at the town’s Legion post, my taste buds went into sublime bliss. When I recovered, I scrambled for a second helping, then a third. As the old saying goes, “I couldn’t get enough of that wonderful stuff.” It lived up to its reputation as “a highly seasoned rich conglomeration of meats, vegetables, and sauces simmered many hours in big iron pots over outdoor fires.” Being a fresh-out-of-college cub reporter for Cartersville’s Daily Tribune-News, my curiosity was piqued.…

A Very Merry Christmas Brunch Pages 12–17: Plates by Fiesta Dinnerware, available at Macys, 800-289-6229, www.macys.com. All other props are vintage and from a private collection. Location courtesy of Haylee and Jeff Black. All-in-One Pages 20–26: Crock-Pot by Rival, 800-323-9519, www.crock-pot.com. Santa’s Bakeshop Pages 28-36: Potholders available at HomeGoods, 800-614-4663, www.home goods.com; Red Dot cake stand and dessert plate and Jolly Holly dessert plates by Rosanna, 877-343-3779, www.rosannainc.com; red foil baking cups available from Fancy Flours, 406-587-0118, www.fancyflours.com; red print napkin by Potluck Studios, 800-559-7341, www.potluckstudios.com. Happy New Year Pages 38–44: Purple linens by Le Jacquard Français, www.le-jacquard-francais.fr; mini bowls available at Pier 1, 800-245-4595, www.pier1.com; white patterned platter by Vietri, available at At Home Furnishings, 205-879-3510, www.athome-furnishings.com; small spoons and scalloped-edge platter by Arte Italica, available at Table Matters,…

www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com A Passion for Eating “Fresh, local, seasonal” is not just a catchphrase in Asheville, North Carolina, where we traveled for this issue’s Tastemakers. (See page 47.) Chefs there live these words every day. Sample more of their tasty recipes at www.tasteofthesouthmagazine/ webextras. Strawberries in Winter Come along with Taste of the South editor Lorna Reeves as she journeys to Plant City, Florida, the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” for the Florida Strawberry Festival and meets some growers. 31 Tasty Days of Christmas Don’t miss We’re counting down to Christmas with 31 days of recipes and entertaining ideas to make the holidays easier. Sign up for our daily e-mails, November 25 through December 25, at www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com.…

The Pampered Chef Large Spreader Retail price: $8.50 Why we love it: The long, offset blade makes it easier to frost a cake. Where to buy: www.pamperedchef.com Trudeau Silicone Spatula Retail price: $8.99 Why we love it: Resists heat up to 600° and won’t scratch nonstick cookware. Where to buy: www.amazon.com Oxo Steel Lasagne Turner Retail price: $9.99 Why we love it: Great for more than just serving lasagna. Where to buy: www.oxo.com Wilton 9-inch All-Purpose Spatula Retail price: $7.99 Why we love it: The perfect tool for mixing batters and icing cakes. Where to buy: www.wilton.com Wilton Jumbo Cookie Spatula Retail price: $6.99 Why we love it: Generously sized spatula that can handle multiple cookies at a time. Where to buy: www.wilton.com The Pampered Chef Bamboo Spatula Set Retail price: $8 Why we love…

COMMANDER’S PALACE MAY BE one of the oldest, steadiest restaurants in New Orleans, but it’s also a place built on trailblazing and taking chances. Take its exterior color, which morphed in the midseventies from what managing partner Ti Adelaide Martin calls “tasteful beige” to electric turquoise—a gutsy recommendation made by her Aunt Adelaide’s decorator that has paid off in spades. Or consider the restaurant’s commitment to incorporate local ingredients in the menu well before the trend took root nationwide. Commander’s Executive Chef Jamie Shannon, who died in 2001, felt so strongly about supporting local farmers and fishermen that his likeness is still emblazoned on tokens used at the ample Crescent City Farmers Market. In similar fashion, the restaurant’s latest project, Commander’s Wild Side, showcases its clear identity. Released in an…

“ I love your magazine! It is one of only two magazines that I buy and keep on a regular basis. Thanks so much! —Lisa M. North Carolina ” From Longtime Readers I love this magazine. I found it on the newsstand about five years ago. I try not to miss any issues and always keep all of them. Keep up the good work. Beverly Mire Spring, Texas I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy Taste of the South magazine. From this last issue, I have already made four different recipes, and they were all delicious. I can hardly wait till a new issue comes so I can see what’s new. —Fannie Russell Gate City, Virginia . . . And New Ones I just recently found your…

apple-cranberry cobbler Yield: 6 to 8 servings Preparation: 15 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Bake: 35 minutes Cool: 10 minutes 6 cups peeled, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apples 11⁄2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 1⁄2 cup apple cider 1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened, divided 1 teaspoon apple-pie spice 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest 1 (8-ounce) bag frozen cranberries, thawed 11⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, divided 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon baking powder 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sanding sugar* PREHEAT oven to 375°. Spray an 8-x-8-x-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. IN A LARGE STOCKPOT, combine apples, brown sugar, cider, 1 tablespoon butter, apple-pie spice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until apples are tender, approximately 25 minutes. Remove from…

IN THE BLUE RIDGE–NESTLED TOWN OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, PEOPLE TAKE FOOD seriously. How seriously, you ask? Seriously enough to have developed an entire movement, a collective of passionate eaters who make up Asheville’s Foodtopian Society. What began as a clever marketing effort to highlight the community’s diverse culinary culture has taken on a life of its own. Diners, chefs, and farmers are all engaged in both the utopian take on food here, as well as the cornucopian choices of great places to eat. The sheer number of restaurants greeting area farmers at the tailgates and city markets or at their delivery doors on a daily basis is staggering. The field-to-table concept not only thrives but grows—ahem—organically every day. The best way to describe the food scene here is to…

warm brie with braswell’s select balsamic sweet onion jam Yield: 4 servings Preparation: 10 minutes Bake: 23 minutes 1 (8-ounce) round Brie cheese (with rind) 2⁄3 cup Braswell’s Select Balsamic Sweet Onion Jam 2 teaspoons butter Warm bread or crackers PREHEAT oven to 350°. Spray a small ovenproof dish with nonstick cooking spray. PLACE cheese in dish and spread jam over cheese as if you were frosting a cake. Dot top with butter. BAKE until cheese is very soft to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Increase heat to 425° and bake for 5 minutes. Brie should be starting to melt, and jam should be bubbling on top. SERVE with warm bread or crackers. When people know Braswell Food Company, they think of the pear preserves, the fig preserves, the…

HHELEN MCCOY HASKELL LOVED to bake, according to her daughter Mary Helen Haskell, but she was never satisfied with a recipe. “She liked to tweak recipes,” Mary Helen recalls. Helen found the recipe for her rum pound cake in an issue of McCall’s magazine from the 1950s, but she quickly made it her own. “She was a big baker of cakes and cookies,” Mary Helen says. Each year in late October or early November, Mary Helen would come home for a long weekend to help her mother begin baking Mom’s Rum Pound Cake for the holidays. The recipe calls for the cake to age for six weeks in a cool, dry place, and the Haskell home in Bloomington, Illinois, provided the perfect space for that. “We had a front porch…