Sarah Jones’s Kentucky jam cakes

Born in 1909, Sarah Jones lived in the small town of Cynthiana, Kentucky. Much of my great-grandmother’s life was spent on a farm, and my mom always likes to tell stories about watching tiny chicks in the incubator as a kid. By the time I came around, or at least as far as my memory goes, the farm was gone. I remember a field of flowers. I remember that we had to take long, winding roads to get to her house, and I would usually throw up because I’m prone to motion sickness. And I remember that she made the only green beans I enjoyed eating as a child.

Then I grew up, and even though the highway made it easier to get to her house, I didn’t see my great-grandmother much. I guess I was busy being a teenager in Cincinnati and then trying to be an adult in lands far away. She died at 98, and the last time I visited her we ate slices of her famous jam cake at the kitchen table, laughing as we picked the blackberry seeds from our teeth.

My aunt recently gave me the recipe, which calls for a large bundt pan, but she said she often makes small loaves to give out to people around the holidays. My friends and I got together for a baking extravaganza and used mini-bundt pans that made individual servings.

Sarah Jones’s Kentucky Jam Cakes

• 1 c butter, softened
• 2 c white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 c buttermillk
• 1 c seeded blackberry jam
• 1 c nuts
• 1 c raisins

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar and mix in eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt, and spices. Whisk baking soda into buttermilk and add to egg mixture. Add flour mixture gradually, beating smoothly, and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 325 for 65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I think we baked the mini-bundts for about 25 minutes). The directions say to start out on the bottom rack and transfer to the top halfway through, but we didn’t do this and our minis turned out fine.

You can eat them as is, but they are best with my great-grandmother’s caramel frosting. Actually, that’s the best part!

• 2 c light brown sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 2 tbs corn syrup
• 3 tbs butter
• 2/3 c heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients except for vanilla and bring to a rolling boil. Cook 5 minutes and add vanilla. Let cool until it begins to thicken. Frost away!

Admittedly, I couldn’t figure out the best time to frost the cakes. At first, it didn’t seem cool enough–too runny–but then suddenly it was pretty stiff. I was able to go back over the cakes after frosting and smooth them out to some extent. Alternatively, you could try pouring the frosting over the top of the cake while it’s still warm.

If you make miniature versions, pop yours into the microwave briefly before you eat it for a warm and festive New Year’s treat. I’m curious to hear if you have any cherished family recipes that remind you of a special moment in your life.

Read Full Post »

Muddy outside, smudgy inside

Ugh, it’s dreary, grey, and wet again, again, again. Our yard has turned into a bog. I guess our year of massive precipitation is extending into 2010. If you’re like me, this kind of weather can really bring you down. Sometimes I like it–if I’m tucked away with a cup of tea and a good book that is enhanced by cold, wet ickiness. This is perfect weather for reading Rebecca, Woman in White, or Dracula, for instance. (Check out those links. The covers are awesome, although I always hate that sleazy Rebecca cover with the red silk. It’s not a Harlequin!) Something gothic, creepy, and a little romantic. It’s also good if you’re having a Lords of the Rings or Dekalog movie marathon with PBR and popcorn.

But today I’m not doing any of those things, and the weather made me feel stuck. So I did a little yoga and meditation with sage, ate a cleansing meal of soba noodles with braised baby bok choy, and settled in to work on my novel with the help of soothing background music, aromatherapy, and tea. Although I’m obviously taking a break to visit with you, but I promise I’ll get back to my book as soon as I’m finished. Well, after I clean the bathroom and run to the store. Oh, and after I stare out the window for a bit. See, this is where little helpers like music and herbs really come in handy.

Last summer my sage plants were out of control, so I cut off entire branches and hung them in a closet to dry before turning them into smudge sticks, which are tightly wound sage bundles burned in purification ceremonies. I suppose we could go outside to be cleansed by the rain, but it’s cold out there, and it’s probably acid rain anyway. Smudging cleanses you emotionally, washing away negative energy, but you can also use it on an object or space. If you think your house is haunted or your ex just returned the last of your stuff, get out the ol’ smudge stick to clear away the bad vibes. Whether or not there are actual bad vibes that you could capture with some kind of recording equipment and deceptively simple sage throws on a cape and kapows them like a super hero doesn’t matter much. You feel bad, and the ritual makes you feel better. But keep in mind that the creation of a smudge stick and the purification process is sacred to the Native American tribes from which smudging originated, so at least give your Native elders (or mine if you don’t have any) a shout out.

To make a smudge stick, bundle some dried whole sage leaves–make sure they are completely dry or they’ll get moldy–and bind them with thread, winding it around and around from the bottom to the top and back. Tie it off. That’s it! I think white sage is the best because I like the smell, but you can also use lavender, mugwort, cedar, and sweet grass for your smudge stick.

Now, to smudge. Do a little deep breathing just to calm your mind and light one end of the stick. It will take a moment to light. Gently blow out the flame and let it smolder. Fan the smoke around your body, over the object, or around the room, visualizing the pain, sadness, spirit of the old lady who died in the kitchen and leaves knives on your steps (not my steps, thank goodness), or whatever else floating away. If you’re cleansing a space, be sure to walk around and waft the smoke into the corner and behind the doors. If you bought your smudge stick instead of making it (what, are you lazy?), it may have come with a shell. That’s for extinguishing the sage. If you don’t have a shell, just stub it out like a cigarette in a glass or ceramic dish. Make sure it’s completely out.

Feel a little better? If not, well, I guess you could write your own gothic novel. Actually, that’s not a bad idea if it’s just going to be rainy from here on out. Maybe my novel needs a locked attic.

Read Full Post »

Holiday gluttony vs. post-holiday guilt

I think I turned into a professional eater over the holidays. At one point, I was so full of cheese ball that I couldn’t even think about dairy. There were several things I wanted to share with you, but I just didn’t have time. I was busy being a glutton, and now I’m trying to remember that other people in the world need food, so I shouldn’t be such a pig. Also, I was busy cooking, buying (locally!) and making presents, wrapping presents, doing extra work work since I had missed quite a bit from being sick, and, of course, attending parties. Now that life has gone back to normal (no holidays to prepare for, no work to make up, no illness to keep me in bed), I’d like to share some of the pictures and recipes with you.

First, the Thanksgiving feast: Tofurkey with homemade vegetarian gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry jam, steamed green beans with pine nuts and Greek oregano, and bourbon sweet potatoes with walnuts.

The cranberry jam is simple, and if you double or triple the recipe, you’ll have enough to can for gifts. Heidi Swanson shares the recipe on her blog, 101 Cookbooks, but, as she notes, it’s originally from Falling Cloudberries, a gorgeous, gorgeous cookbook by Tessa Kiros. It can also be made with lingonberries if you can find them.

I relied heavily on 101 Cookbooks this Thanksgiving. You really can’t go wrong with any of Heidi’s recipes. For dessert, I made two of her pies. The first is essentially chocolate cheesecake, which she found under the name “Heavenly Pie” in Country Wisdom and Know-How and tweaked to get it just right. You’d never know it’s full of tofu. Seriously. It was divine, especially with hand-whipped cream sweetened ever so slightly with vanilla and agave nectar.

The second is Spice-kissed Pumpkin Pie with a rich layer of toasted hazelnut paste that adds depth and a nice contrast to the spices. A photo of the finished pie sits atop this post. I really wish I had some now.

If that’s not enough for you, behold my dining-room table laden with cookies. Some friends and I got together and had a baking party. We licked spoons while arguing over Twilight (Team Edward, of course), laughed over burnt cookies and X-rated shortbread men, sipped mulled wine, and boxed up treats for gifts.

I made Pine Nut Rosemary Shortbread, from Heidi yet again.

And Balsamic Chocolate Drops from Fatfree Vegan. SusanV offers an adapted recipe from Habeas Brulee and a fat-free version. I tried the latter, which used prune puree as a fat replacement. These were good, but they don’t do well after the first day. Eat them at once, warm and cakey, or try to the first version.

The rest of these sweets were made by my friends, who went above and beyond to get that perfect foodie sugar high.

Rum balls

Caramel-filled chocolate cookies

Three kinds of gingerbread cookies: pear, crystallized ginger, and cranberry jam

Pecan balls

Cranberry pistachio shortbread

Not shown individually but included in the group picture are lavender honey-liquer sugar cookies, cranberry rosemary sugar cookies, peanut-butter fudge, macaroons, and some kind of cookie made from white-chocolate chips, candied fruit, and potato chips. Wooh, that’s a lot of baking. Hungry yet?

Read Full Post »

Queen of Hungary water

If you live up north, hurry up and pick some rosemary from your garden before the frost zaps it. If you’re in a more temperate zone, like me, you’ve got all winter, but you won’t want to wait once you read about the special concoction I’ve got for you today.

Queen of Hungary water is rumored to be the first alcohol-based perfume in Europe. Its origins are a bit uncertain. Some sources say the queen received it as a gift from a monk, while others claim it came from a court alchemist. Still other sources attribute it to the Roma, who often sold herbal remedies. All of the oldest recipes vary in ingredients, but they all include rosemary, that most useful of herbs, and many are little more than rosemary water.

Hungary water was the most popular perfume and herbal remedy (topical and internal) in the world (my sources say the world, but I am reluctant to believe it got further than Europe and its colonies) until eau de Cologne was invented in Germany in the eighteenth century. (In fact, the latter’s creator, Giovanni Maria Farina opened in 1709 what is now known as the oldest fragrance factory in the world. The term “eau de Cologne” is now used generically.)

Seventeenth-century herbalist and physician Nicholas Culpepper called Hungary water an “admirable cure-all remedy of all kinds of cold and humidity-induced head ailments, apoplexies, epilepsies, dizziness, lethargy, crippleness, nerves diseases, rheumatism, flaws, spasms, loss of memory, coma, drowsiness, deafness, ear buzzing, derangement of vision, blood coagulation, mood-induced headaches headaches. Relieves toothache, useful for stomach cramps, pleuritis, lack of appetite, indigestion, obstruction of the liver, obstruction of the spleen, intestinal obstruction and contraction of the uterus. It receives and preserves natural heat, restores body functions and capabilities even at late age (saying has it). There are not many remedies producing that many good effects. Use internally in wine or vodka, rinse temples, breath in with your nose.”

I’ve seen a version of Queen of Hungary water sold at Neiman Marcus in tiny bottles for $86, so it’s definitely worth experimenting on your own. What follows is Rosemary Gladstar’s recipe. She’s a top-notch herbalist, so I tried hers first. And I like that she used vinegar instead of alcohol because it’s better for an astringent or toner. Alcohol can be drying. If you want to make a fragrance, substitute vodka or brandy. Either one could be ingested, but don’t forget that I’m not a professional. Please take responsibility for your own health.

Queen of Hungary water (vinegar base)

• 6 parts lemon balm
• 4 parts chamomile
• 1 part rosemary
• 3 parts calendula
• 4 parts roses
• 1 part lemon peel
• 1 part sage
• 3 parts comfrey leaf
• apple cider vinegar to cover
• rose water or witch hazel extract

Pour the herbs into a jar and cover with vinegar. I also added rosemary flowers since my plant was in bloom. Close the lid tightly and let sit in a warm spot for two to three weeks. Strain the herbs out as best you can. To each cup of herbal vinegar add 1/2 – 1 cup of rose water or witch hazel. I used a little of both. If the vinegar smell makes you wince, add a few drops of rose or lavender essential oil. Keep in a glass jar or bottle. It will last indefinitely. And don’t use it near your eyes!

Clockwise from dish: chamomile, calendula, comfrey root (couldn’t find leaves), rose petals

Rosemary flowers

Fresh sage, rosemary, rosemary flowers, and lemon balm

Read Full Post »

Curds and whey

I realized how cheesecloth got it’s name when I used it for it’s original purpose! I know it’s obvious, but when I dumped the cheese into the cheesecloth, I was quite pleased.

I’d been wanting to try my hand at making cheese, so when I spotted a gallon of organic milk for half price the other day, I jumped on it. Farmer’s cheese is made all over the world. It’s essentially curdled milk with the whey drained out, which leaves a soft, mild white cheese. It’s pretty simple to make.

• Start with a gallon of milk. Don’t buy ultra pasteurized because it won’t work. Pour the milk into a large pot and add a dash of salt. I also added some black pepper to mine. You could add other spices if you want. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching the bottom. Turn off the heat.
• Stir in about 1/4 cup of lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes to fully curdle.
• Line a colander with cheesecloth (!) and sit it over a large bowl. The whey should be yellow. Dump the curdled milk and whey into the cheesecloth so the whey will drain out. Squeeze out as much as you can. If it’s white, there is still plenty of cheese to be made so boil and curdle it again. Transfer the cheese into a container and keep it in the refrigerator.

This makes quite a bit of cheese. I ate it with bread, crackers, and fresh veggies. And I used it on a white pizza with fennel, red onion, garlic, olive oil, and salt. You can replace ricotta with farmer’s cheese in lasagna, manicotti, etc. Next time I’ll add some fresh herbs to it. Maybe some garlic, like Boursin. I should find some goat’s milk and make chevre.

With the leftover whey, I tried to make this Norwegian cheese called gjetost by cooking down the whey, but it ended up solid as a rock. I think I cooked it too long. I did try it before it got to that point, however, and it had a unique caramelized flavor. I’ll try again and let you know if it works.

Read Full Post »

Handmade shows

If you’re in or around Knoxville this weekend, you must check out Handmade Summer. Unfortunately, Cap and I have to go out of town for a special occasion, which I’ll share more details about when we return. In the meantime, buy handmade, buy local.

So I attended The Big Crafty in Asheville, North Carolina, with my gal Lisa on Sunday. Inside and out, the place was jam packed with industrious crafters. delighted perusers, and plenty of heat and humidity. I didn’t get to take a lot of pictures, but I’ve got a few things to show you.

Knoxville’s own Julie Belcher from Yee-Haw Industries and Lisa Norris of made by one girl were just a couple of the standouts. We also loved these funny cats with cigarettes, booze, and tattoos from Peculiar Pets, although that link doesn’t picture the rebellious kitties. I was on the lookout for some fabulous handmade clothes, a dress in particular, but I didn’t see much, so I stuck with jewelry and hair clips. I did, however, fall in looooove with this owl hat from Miss Fitt. This picture doesn’t really do it justice because in person–and in the mirror–it’s divine. It was a little too pricey for me, but it would have been worth every dollar because I’d have worn it all winter. She also has a precious deer hat.

Lisa and I purchased several unique and striking items from Talulah B., whose pieces are perfect for the discerning southern lady and who had the foresight to hand out printed fans to us dewy belles, bless her. She was sweet as pie.

I also got this fun hair clip made by Sarah Terry and some owl stickers from luckyroni. They’ll pop up here and there later.

But our favorite finds were from a young (11? Lately I think all little boys are 11. Guess I can’t tell anymore.) blond boy sharing a table with the lovely knits of Softspoken. Inspired by the recent death of the King of Pop, Charlie Hall drew four tiny portraits of Michael Jackson, and we adored every one. Lisa managed to snag all of them. I have to say that I’m a little jealous. She’s got them up in her office right now, replacing the silly success posters that adorned the walls when she took it over.

If you’ve never been to Asheville, you’re missing out on some darn good food. We had brunch at Tupelo Honey, groaning with pleasure over their biscuits and blueberry jam, bright and sweet as summer. After an exhausting but satisfying day of shopping, we relaxed at Laughing Seed for scrumptious, wholesome vegetarian meals and elixir tonics. A perfect day trip.

Read Full Post »