Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2023 i Taste of the South

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE being in the same room with great folks. In this new crazy world of remote work, it’s unfortunately less common that the whole Taste of the South staff is all in the same place. I’m living up in West Virginia and Assistant Editor Daniel Dubuisson is on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with the rest of the staff holding down the fort in Birmingham, Alabama. This winter, we were able to get together at the new Hoffman Media office, and y’all, I can hardly tell you (in this short space) how impressive it is. Thankfully, Senior Culinary Editor Georgia Clarke Goode did that for us in an introduction to our new office and test kitchen on page 67. Throughout this spring issue, we’ve come up with a generous…

Spicy Cheddar Biscuits MAKES 8 TO 10 As a vessel for your ham or served on their own, these cheesy biscuits are irresistible. 2 cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon ground red pepper½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed⅔ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese1 cup whole buttermilk, dividedMelted butter Butter and honey, to serve 1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In the work bowl of a food processor, add flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until butter is in pea-size pieces, 4 to 5 times. Add cheese and ¾ cup buttermilk; pulse just until ingredients are moistened. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup buttermilk, if needed. 3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface;…

MY GRANDMOTHER, NORMA JEAN NOBINGER, who I called Granny, was an affectionate woman who showed her love through food. Born and raised in the Birmingham, Alabama, area, she married my Paw-Paw, John Henry, when she was 19 years old. Granny worked as a secretary and later as a lunchroom worker when her children were of school age. She loved cooking for the kids at school, for her friends at church, and for family gatherings at her house. Granny also catered weddings with her sister, Marge. In addition to being a wonderful cook, Granny was crafty and enjoyed making things with her hands. Her crochet work was beautiful, and she made “real” Cabbage Patch Kids dolls for my sisters and me. One dish she made has lovingly become known in our…

Strawberry Cream Cheese–Swirled Lemon Cornmeal Pound Cake MAKES 1 (15-CUP) CAKE Tangy meets oh-so-sweet in this swirled beauty. 2½ cups all-purpose flour1 cup plain yellow cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon kosher salt1½ cups unsalted butter, softened3 cups sugar2 teaspoons lemon zest6 large eggs, room temperature and divided2½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided1 cup sour cream, room temperature6 ounces cream cheese, softenedStrawberry Purée (recipe follows)Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 325°. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. 3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating well after…

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE IS A CLASSIC, and it’s easy to see why. Tropical flavors bright fruity sweetness to this subtly spiced cake, pecans add just a touch of crunch, and a generous amount of rich cream cheese frosting rounds out the perfect bite. But this beauty’s beloved pineapple and banana flavors come to life in more than just cake with this collection of sweets. Classic Hummingbird Cake MAKES 1 (8-INCH) CAKE This Southern showstopper will be the centerpiece of your springtime celebrations. 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour1⅓ cups sugar1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon¾ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon kosher salt¼ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg½ cup finely chopped pecans, toasted1 cup mashed ripe banana¾ cup vegetable oil3 large eggs, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract1½ cups finely chopped fresh pineappleCream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)Garnish: toasted…

“I love the openness of our new test kitchen. It encourages collaboration and creativity.”KATHLEEN KANEN recipe developer/food stylist It’s midmorning in the test kitchen when a sizzling Dutch oven–roasted chicken emerges from the oven. On the opposite side of the room, a Kitchen Aid mixer swirls with clouds of meringue soon to top a zippy, coconut-kissed lemon pie while steam rises from a saucepan of collards that’s been simmering for several hours. A few steps away, a photographer adjusts lighting and snaps photos of a rack of blackberry jam–glazed ribs while stylists arrange linens and meticulously drizzle the ribs with ribbons of sauce. In earshot, a team prepares for the evening’s virtual baking class, gathering ingredients, testing equipment, and preparing a script. Amongst the chatter of ideas for upcoming magazines…

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake MAKE 1 (10-INCH) CAKE It doesn’t get much easier than this throw-together chocolaty goodness. ⅔ cup unsalted butter, melted2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder½ cup whole buttermilk2 large eggs½ teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup all-purpose flour⅔ cup granulated sugar⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar¼ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon kosher saltGooey Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. 2. In large bowl, whisk together melted butter, melted chocolate, and cocoa. Whisk in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Whisk flour mixture into chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared skillet. 4. Bake until top is set and a wooden pick inserted in center comes…

THERE ARE FEW SWEET TREATS more universally beloved and irresistible than doughnuts. Take some dough, fry it, add sugar, and then a little more sugar, and then top that with icing and maybe sprinkles—can you seriously say no? Good thing some of the best places to get your fix are in and around the South. For a satisfying grab-and-go option, the delicate crisp of the 100-layer doughnuts at Five Daughters Bakery will have your eyes rolling back in taste-bud-tingling delight. With locations in Tennessee and Georgia, the family bakery spends three days preparing made-from-scratch delicacies in staple flavors and rotating seasonal options. Next, head over to Hole in Asheville, North Carolina. This artisan, fried-to-order doughnut shop produces handmade doughnuts in free-formed golden rings of sweet bliss with flavors like Cardamom-Buttermilk,…

Poppy Seed Chicken Bread Bowls MAKES 4 SERVINGS Part chicken poppy seed casserole, part soup in a bread bowl, this cozy dish is a treat. 4 small round bread loaves¾ cup crushed buttery round crackers3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup1 cup sour cream1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 tablespoon poppy seeds1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce½ teaspoon ground black pepper3 cups shredded rotisserie chickenGarnish: chopped fresh parsley 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with foil. 2. Cut a ½-inch-thick slice off top of each bread round. Hollow out each round, leaving a ½-inch-thick shell. Reserve soft bread from centers for another use. Place bowls on prepared baking sheet. 3. In a small bowl, stir together crackers, cheese, and melted butter until moistened.…

BEVERAGES Lemony Sweet Tea Concentrate 77 BREADS Buttermilk Biscuits 48 Easy Buttermilk Biscuits 56 Roasted Strawberry–Sweet Tea Cornbread 77 Spicy Cheddar Biscuits 61 DESSERTS Ambrosia Cake 64 Bacon Fat–Chocolate Chunk Cookies 49 Biscuit Scrap Cobblers 48 Classic Carrot Cake 21 Classic Hummingbird Cake 32 Hummingbird Pie 35 No-Churn Hummingbird Ice Cream 33 Strawberry Cream Cheese–Swirled Lemon Cornmeal Pound Cake 89 Strawberry-Pretzel Salad Dip 58 Sweet Tea Lemonade Cake 81 Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake 86 MAINS Bourbon–Sweet Tea Beef Stew 81 Brown Sugar–Glazed Ham 61 Fried Chicken with Lemon and Pickles 52 Hummingbird Waffles 33 Poppy Seed Chicken Bread Bowls 37 Pulled Pork and Biscuit Trifle 55 RITZ® Cracker–Crusted Bluefish Cakes 88 Smoked Chicken Salad with Pickled Red Onion 56 Spring Frittata 65 Spring Pesto Pasta 25 Sweet Tea–Brined Fried Chicken…