Honey Carrot Cake

If I were to name one cake that epitomizes southern desserts my pick would be carrot cake. Chess pie could be said to hold the spot for the pie category, and peach cobbler for something in between the two.

You may consider a different cake to fit the textbook definition of southern, but for me carrot cake was always a family favorite. Throughout my life (and throughout most celebratory tables) a carrot cake was alway present.

Such an old recipe has a debatable origin. It is not debated that it origins began it another country and eventually grew and changed in the States. Traditionally the sponge includes shredded carrots and nuts and smeared with a creamed cheese icing.

With such a traditional cake, it is hard to find a unique or delicious variation on the classic version. I find keeping the modification simple will result in the best results. An easy variation on the tradition is the use of honey to sweeten the cake. Of course, I prefer local honey since Savannah has such good procurers like Capital Bee Company.

To push the variation a bit more, I added orange zest and a bit of orange juice to the cream cheese icing. The citrus brightens up the soulful cake.

Honey Carrot Cake

Category: Sweet Recipes

Honey Carrot Cake

Ingredients

1 Cup of Honey
Grated Carrots
1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
3 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups of AP Flour
Zest and Juice from One Orange
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1 Stick of Butter, melted
2 Tablespoons of Vanilla
3 Cups of Grated Carrots
1 Cup of Chopped Walnuts, toasted
1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon
For the icing:
15 Ounces Cream Cheese
4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
Zest From One Orange
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Orange Juice

Instructions

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease and flour two eight inch cake pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In the mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Make sure the honey is fully combined.
Gently, a portion at a time, whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
After the batter is fully combined and smooth, fold in the carrots and walnuts.
Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans.
Bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Approximately 40 minutes.
Meanwhile make the frosting.
In a stand mixer beat together the cream cheese and sugar, adding the sugar a little at a time.
Finish by mixing in the zest and orange juice.
Allow the cakes to cool fully before icing the cake with the frosting.
Garnish with sliced oranges if preferred.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/11/21/honey-carrot-cake/

This recipe is copyrighted

Burrata Cheesecake

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

Fall has finally hit Savannah. As of this week are away from our 90 degree days and our on with the coats and boots.

With cooler days I find myself at home more, baking. Especially considering thanksgiving is creeping up swiftly. As a steady at-home baker, it is often hard to come up with new and exciting recipes. But for this one, I think I really discovered something – Burrata Cheesecake.

Burrata is a form of mozzarella cheese. It is ultra creamy and mildly flavored. You will still taste the tangy notes of the cream cheese, but the burrata lends a more complex and interesting flavor.By replacing one half of the cream cheese in a cheesecake recipe, the result is a cheesecake that balanced and not as sweet.

I portioned down the size of the cheesecake to the size of a tart. After you try out this super easy recipe, I promise you will never go back.

You can top it with whatever fruit you like, peaches, candied oranges, plums, or anything fresh.

Burrata Cheesecake

Category: Sweet Recipes

Burrata Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 Cup of Shortbread Cookies, crushed
1/2 Cup of Butter, melted
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
For the cheesecake:
8 Ounces of Burrata, just the creamy inside
2 8 Ounce Packages of Cream Cheese
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
3/4 Cup of Sugar
Juice from 1/2 of a Lemon
A Pinch of Salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
First prepare the crust.
Combine the melted butter and cookie crumbs. Press down evenly into the bottom of a tart pan. Set aside.
Make the cheesecake batter by combining both cheeses and the sugar in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse until smooth and combined.
Add in the remaining ingredients, and pulse until the batter is smooth.
Pour into your prepared crust and bake with a water bath for approximately 30-40 minutes. The cheesecake is done with it is firm but still slightly giggly in the center.
Allow to cool before slicing.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/11/15/burrata-cheesecake/

This recipe is copyrighted

Recipes

Muscadine & Ricotta on Rye

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

Do you know what a muscadine is? It is okay if the answer is no, considering most southerners would answer the same.

My childhood included a giant muscadine vine in the back yard, and most years it produced plethora of the juicy fruits. We had so much fruit growing in the backyard, my mother and I even tried our hand at making muscadine wine. It may have turned out a little on the vinegary side.

A muscadine is the south’s version of a grape but gooier and a bit more tart. They are in season right now and can be found by the carton full at your local farmer’s market. I naturally scooped up more than I could reasonably use in one recipe because finding them inspired me to create.

You can eat them like a grape, but after years of tasting the unique fruit, I can advise you that straight off the vine is not the best option. Roasting them at a high temperature breaks down some of the fibrous material and subdues the chewy fruit. It also adds to the overall flavor since by roasting you are caramelizing the natural sugars.

You can do a lot with a raw or roasted muscadine, but for this years bounty a muscadine toast sounded like an interesting option. A quick call to one of my all-time favorite Savannah restaurants, Cotton & Rye, and I scored a gigantic warm loaf of fresh baked rye bread.

The last ingredient I selected to round out the flavors was fresh, creamy ricotta with a squeeze of lemon.

I think you will find this recipe simple, unique, and quite delicious. Since muscadines are so unique and often difficult to find, I would love to hear you ideas on how to use the fruit.

Muscadine Toast

Category: Recipes

The finished toast on a tray

Ingredients

1 Pound of Fresh Muscadines
1 Small Loaf of Rye Bread, sliced
1 Lemon
250g of Fresh Milk Ricotta
Flake Salt
Olive Oil

Instructions

First prepare your ricotta. Zest and juice the lemon then combine with the ricotta. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rinse the muscadines and allow the to dry.
Place the muscadines on a cookie sheet, then coat with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Roast for approximately 20 minutes.
While the muscadines roast, prepare the bread.
Toast the rye bread in a toaster until golden brown and crispy.
Slather each toast with prepared ricotta and three to four roasted muscadines.
Finish the toast with a sprinkle of finishing salt.
*Optional, you can also finish the toast by sprinkling over microgreens.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/08/27/muscadine-ricotta-on-rye/

This recipe is copyrighted

For another childhood southern recipe click here.

Recipes

My Mama’s Meatloaf

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

Every southerner has certain foods that are quintessential nostalgia. Growing up most southern mothers had a select few recipes that were rotated around their weekly dinners. My mom’s favorites were meatloaf, salmon patties, vegetable soup, roast in the crock pot–my favorite was her meatloaf.

Without hesitation she passed down the recipe. Recanting, a dash here and a pour there…without many measurements. I wrote down her recipe, which was scant on direction, and treasured it. She gave it to my at least five years ago, and it has taken just that long to get the recipe close to how she makes it. I still have yet to perfect that special something that comes only when a family member makes your food.

So yes this is my mother’s recipe but with a few liberties (or at least some tips I found useful along the way).

Meatloaf is a budget friendly meal. One pound of ground beef is relatively cheap at the grocery store and can be stretched by adding a few ingredients to make a hearty family supper. My mom always served hers with mashed potatoes and those little sweet green peas. I like to eat it leftover between two slices of toasted bread and a slathering of mayonnaise.

My Mama's Meatloaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Category: Recipes

Servings: 4-6 people

My Mama's Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 Pound of Organic Ground Beef
1 Package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Large Egg
6 Ritz Crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 Slice of Stale Bread, cut into small cubes
1/2 Onion, diced
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
1 Small Can of Tomato Paste
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire
1/2 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl combine the ground beef, egg, crackers, bread, Lipton onion soup mix, onion, 1/2 of the tomato paste, and salt and pepper.
Mix together well, until everything looks combined.
Place mixture into a small loaf pan and smooth the top. Lightly pack it down to make sure everything sticks together.
Take the remaining tomato paste and mix in the brown sugar and worcestershire.
Pour the tomato paste over the top of the meatloaf and spread evenly.
Bake for one hour.
Serve while still hot.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/07/03/my-mamas-meatloaf/

This recipe is copyrighted

Restaurant Reviews

New York’s the Fat Radish comes to Savannah

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

VEGETABLE forward with meat options—surely a first for Savannah, to say the least. Not only a first, but a first in all of the right ways.

Natalie Freihon and Phil Winser are part of the team that runs a very successful restaurant in New York City, The Fat Radish. The idea is simple: seasonal locally sourced ingredients presented in a simple yet masterful way.

The next step for the Fat Radish came naturally by expanding to serve as the managing partners at Basic Kitchen in Charleston, S.C. There, Executive Chef Nick Wilber joined the team and they branched yet again to our changing town to bring even more innovation.

Savannah’s The Fat Radish opened last week and brought with it a noteworthy buzz and beautiful food.

I sat down with Freihon while the restaurant was still a construction zone to learn about the team’s vision and their story.

Freihon, a Los Angeles native and New York local, informed me, “New York is a very tough market as everyone knows. However, what I found is that by moving down south and starting to work in Charleston, that there is a real opportunity to be on the ground when it comes to developing the hospitality community.”

Since the team looked towards Charleston and began operating a second restaurant there, I asked Freihon why they branched towards Savannah, a sister city that is further south and less developed.

“I really like the dichotomy between Charleston and Savannah,” she says. “I reference it a lot to people that are in New York that Savannah is kinda the lower east side to Charleston’s upper east side of New York, and our restaurant in New York is on the lower east side. This kind of community, with a lot of young people, that is a bit more diverse, I find inspiring.”

To say the least, the food at The Fat Radish is inspired. Inspired by the South, the British roots of Winser, the farmers who provide the produce, the community of Savannah, and by the people and chefs who run the restaurant.

We have seen it time and time again here—Southern food served as a revamped version of the old, tired Southern fare. The difference in The Fat Radish is that while presenting food that nods to the South, the restaurant pays respect to the ingredients and where those ingredients came from. This isn’t your grandma’s Sunday supper.

“We don’t like to be overly fussy with our food,” Freihon elaborates, “We try to keep less than five ingredients on the plate. If you are getting great ingredients, you really don’t need to fuss over them.”

And although the primary focus of The Fat Radish is to bring sustainable farm fresh food to the locals and tourists of downtown, just as much mindfulness is put into their meat options.

I want to talk about the most memorable vegetable dish (at least as it was super memorable for me). The reason is simple: I can’t think of a time that I have eaten a carrot and thought that I really loved it; I probably withstood it at best.

The true test of good food is whether or not you want to eat it again and again, and these carrots I could eat for eternity.

The sweet root vegetable is cooked to absolute tenderness. Pungent goat cheese goes hand in hand with sugary vegetable, and benne seeds are added for crunch.

As a local, I have eaten more fried oysters than anyone should within their lifetime. You can find them almost anywhere in town, the good, the bad, and the greasy.

A simple dish in theory, but when done right, fried oysters can be one of the most sumptuous parts of any meal. Yet, all too often the delicate meat is over battered and over fried.

The Fat Radish’s oysters are so delicate they almost disappear as you eat them. Other than with a deft hand and expert precision, I’m not sure how The Fat Radish pulls off a fried oyster that melts like butter once you place it on your tongue. You will find a light cucumber salad and crème fraiche paired with the mollusks.

The Scotch Egg puts every legitimate Irish pub in town to shame. It is a staple dish that has been on the menu since the beginning, which means you can find it on the menu in New York.

Generously wrapped in sausage, the center features a sumptuous soft boiled egg. The sausage is coated in breadcrumbs before receiving a hard cook.

The cornichon, a small tart French pickle, is something I would never think to add to a scotch egg, but I will now never eat a scotch egg without one. The tiny little sour vegetable cuts through any heaviness that you would find from an egg covered in sausage.

I saved the absolute best dish to talk about last. The Pastrami Brined Chicken Schnitzel. It puts our Southern fried chicken to shame.

By first brining the chicken, the end result is a tender and moist white meat that could make you pass on even the best cooked steak. The schnitzel batter is light yet crisp, while the pickled vegetables served with the bird is the perfect counterpart to the bone sticking meat.

I did not forget to ask (and sample) the cocktails—one of the more important menu items for locals. Freihon, the creator behind it, tells me, “We are doing a cocktail program that is very similar to New York. It represents the same ethos that our food menu represents in that we try to make them simple, delicious, and fun, use local ingredients that we source locally and we try to make it low waste.”

The team wants to bring change to Savannah, and in their few short weeks of operation have already implemented more than this town has seen in a long time.
I look forward to seeing what The Fat Radish brings to our community and how it will also inspire others within the neighborhood.

Original article is here.

Recipes, Sweet Recipes

Lemon & Pineapple Sage Chess Pie

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

The history of the chess pie is debatable. Many contribute its origin to England, but those who have lived in the south their entire lives know it is as southern as peach pie.

To describe the many variations of chess pie that I have tasted, I would sum up the experience as a pecan pie without the pecans, and in their place, a little bit of cream. Just like a pecan pie, chess pie is one of the easiest pies you can make. Almost impossible to muck up.

A flaky tender crust sits at the base of the custard-like filling. And because the filling is so neutral, you can flavor the pie with almost anything.

Chess pie is sometimes referred to as buttermilk pie or vinegar pie.

For my summer version, I went with lemons and fresh pineapple sage from the garden. The custard is made using fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. I add in pineapple sage by seeping cream with it and using it throughout the recipe.

This recipe comes from my mom’s favorite community cookbook and gets an update. Here is another recipe that I did the same thing with.

I always make my own pie crust because the taste is so much better than store-bought. A ratio of half butter and half lard is my preference for fat. You are your own baker, so use any recipe for a crust that you like or even use a premade one!

Lemon Chess Pie

Category: Recipes, Sweet Recipes

Lemon Chess Pie

Ingredients

For Pie Crust:
2 1/2 Cups of Flour
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1/2 Cup of Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
1/2 Cup of Cold Lard
4 to 8 Tablespoons of Ice Water
For Pie:
4 Large Eggs
2 Cups of Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Yellow Corn Meal
1 Tablespoon of Flour
3 Teaspoons of Grated Lemon Zest
3/4 Cup of Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup of Melter Butter
1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup of Pineapple Sage

Instructions

First make the pie crust.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the crust.
Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and lard. You want the crumbs to resemble various sized beans.
Once the crumbs are at the desired size, pour in 4 tablespoons of the ice water.
Gently begin to press the dough together to form a ball. If more water is needed ad it.
Once you have a ball of pie dough formed, divide it into two.
Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and allow them to rest for at least one hour in the fridge.
Save the second ball of dough for another use.
After the pie dough has chilled and rested, begin making your pie.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roll out one of the balls of dough, on a well floured surface, to a 12 inch circle. This is for a 9 inch pie pan.
Place the pie crust into the pie pan, then form edges to your desired design.
Poke holes in the bottom of the crust, then weight it down with parchment paper and pie weights.
Bake the crust for approximately 15 minutes.
Once baked removed the crust from oven, remove the pie weights, and set aside.
Make the pie filling.
Steep the pineapple sage in the heavy cream by placing the two in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Steep for approximately 10 minutes, and do not allow the cream to come to a boil.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, combine your sugar, flour, and cornmeal.
Stir the eggs into the dry mixture, one at time. Mixing each until well combined.
Whisk in the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup of the steeped cream.
Pour filling mixture into the pie crust, and bake for 1 hour.
If your pie crust starts to brown, cover with foil.
To finish the pie, whisk the remaining steeped cream until a medium stiffness whipped cream is formed.
Spread whipped cream over the top of the cooled pie and garnish with chopped pineapple sage.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/06/26/lemon-pineapple-sage-chess-pie/

This recipe is copyrighted

Recipes

Cajun Meat Bread

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

Most southern food is bone sticking and hearty. A style that can be contributed to the economics of survival.

This recipe is not different. A full loaf of bread is stuffed with meats, cheeses, and vegetables before being baked off. The result is a spicy gooey filled bread that acts as the perfect appetizer for any party.

This is a dish that I have eaten since I was a little girl, even considering it is difficult to find many versions of it in cookbooks or online.

Everyone in my family loves it. It originates from my Aunt’s mother, Mary Joyce, who is Cajun through and through. It is one of those items that is always present at family gatherings – especially large ones. A fact that is evident by the size of the portions used in the original recipe that was given to me:

Personally, I do not cook for 80-100 people. I have a small family. So, the challenge with recreating this recipe was doing so in a way that would feed a smaller group. Lets say 10-12 people.

During my first test run of the condensed version of this recipe, I realized that the original recipe was missing some important instructions. A lack of instruction can easily be attributed to the fact that May Joyce has made this time and time again, so writing down all of the finite details was not something she needed to do. She has them all memorized.

To fill in the gaps, I did a little digging. I found a recipe for creole meat bread by Emeril Lagasse, click here.

There is a large difference in creole and cajun food. Creole food is the result of many nationalities who settled in New Orleans. In many creole recipes you will find inspiration from West African, Spanish, Haitian, French, and many other cultures.

Cajun food comes from the Acadian people and has a French influence. You will find Cajun food primarily outside of the city…where my family lives.

Comparing the two, although one cajun and one creole, helped fill in some of the gaps.

I present my version of meat bread. Of course it will never be good as the original I ate growing up. It is not easy to include the love that is thrown into every family recipe that is made for you, instead of by you.

For another Louisiana inspired recipe, click here.

Cajun Meat Bread

Category: Recipes

finsihed sliced and plated meat bread

Ingredients

1 Pound of Ground Beef
1 Pound of Andouille Sausage, cut into small squares
1 Large Onion, peeled and diced
1 Large Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tablespoon of Hot Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Cajun Seasoning
2 Small Cans of Mushrooms
1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup of Shredded Swiss Cheese
1 Cup of Shredded Parmesan Cheese
4 Balls or Loaves of Frozen French Bread Dough
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Start by removing the dough from the freezer to allow it to defrost.
In a medium skillet, over medium heat, brown your ground beef. Breaking it up as it cooks.
Once browned, remove the beef from the skillet and leave the grease in.
In the leftover grease, sauté your onion, bell pepper, jalapenos, and sausage. Cook until everything is nicely browned. In the last two minutes of cooking, add in the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Remove pan from the heat and set it aside to allow the mixture to cool.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the ground beef, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, drained mushrooms, and all of the cheese. Mix until well combined.
Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper as needed.
Assemble the bread by placing one of the dough balls on a well floured surface. Roll out the dough until approximately 24"x12". The measurements are not exact, and have some wiggle room.
Place 1/4 of your mixture into the center of the rolled out dough, and spread evenly. Leave a 1/2 inch border at the edges of the dough.
Fold the corners over, then gently roll up the filling and dough. You will roll from one long edge to the other.
Pinch the end of the roll into the dough to create a seal. If the dough does not seal, an egg wash will do it.
Place the rolled loaf on a sheet pan, seam side down.
Continue preparing the loafs until all of the loafs are filled and rolled.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until nicely golden brown on the outside.
Some of the filling may ooze out, and that is okay.
Slice and serve while warm.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/06/06/cajun-meat-bread/

This recipe is copyrighted

Recipes, Sweet Recipes

Key Lime Pie Poke Cake

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

As you probably guessed, Key Lime Pie (and key limes) come from the Keys. Many southerners consider the Florida line to be the official end of the south, but it is south of the Mason-Dixon so it counts.

When key lime pie is done right (i.e. made with key limes) it can be magical. Refreshing yet sweet, and creamy and cool.

All of the traditional Savannah restaurants offer some version of key lime pie on their dessert menu. When I speak of traditional Savannah restaurants I am referring to the ones that have been around forever, like the Olde Pink House or Garibaldi’s.

Since summer has officially begun in Savannah, it felt natural to make a southern dessert that is inspired by the season. Note: it is not officially summer, but when you live this deep in the south, the heat makes it feel like summer arrives early.

And to be completely honest, I did not feel like making a pie crust so baking a version of the dessert without a pie crust was my approach for this one. What is just as good a pie crust? Cake!

The base flavors/components for key lime pie recipes are always the same, key limes, graham cracker, and meringue. This recipe includes all of the essential components. A graham cracker cake, key lime pudding, toasted meringue, and a graham cracker crumb.

As for a poke cake, the concept is simple. Bake a one-layer cake in a cake pan and once it is cool poke holes into and pour something delicious over the cake. I finish my version off with a slathering of meringue and a blow torch.

Key Lime Pie Poke Cake

Category: Recipes, Sweet Recipes

Key Lime Pie Poke Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:
8 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Cup of Whole Milk
12 Graham Crackers, processed into crumbs
For the Pudding:
4 Limes or 12 Key Limes
2 Cups of Whole Milk
1/2 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
2/3 Cup of Granulated Sugar
4 Eggs Yolks
4 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
4 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
For the Meringue:
4 Egg Whites
1/2 Teaspoon of Cream of Tartar
1/2 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a square baking pan by greasing it and coating in flour. Set aside.
Cream together the sugar and butter to start making the cake batter. Once combined, cream for approximately 4 minutes on medium speed or until butter is light and fluffy.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining wet ingredients.
With the mixer on medium, pour in 1/3 of your dry ingredients, followed by 1/3 of your wet ingredients, and continue until all of the ingredients are fully combined and well mixed.
Pour the cake batter into the prepare cake pan. Bake, on the middle rack, for 30-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool while you prepare the pudding.
First zest half of your limes, then set the zest to the side.
In a small bowl, combine the milk for the pudding, the heavy cream, and the juice from all of the limes. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and limes zest. Whisk together. Next add in the egg yolks and whisk to combine.
Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and stir until smooth.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick. This should take approximatley 10 minutes. The mixture will coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove the pudding from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and combined.
Allow the pudding to cool while you prepare the meringue.
In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar and water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Turn the stove to medium-high heat.
Cook the sugar until it reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the sugar is cooking, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form.
With the mixer on low, carefully and very slowly pour the cooked sugar down the side of the mixing bowl.
Once the sugar syrup is fully poured in, increase the mixer speed to medium and whisk until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the cake by poking holes into the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Pour over the lime pudding, spreading until the pudding fills all of the holes.
Finish by gently spreading the meringue over the top of the cake. You can toast the meringue with a torch.
Optional: Top each slice with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/05/26/key-lime-pie-poke-cake/

This recipe is copyrighted

Restaurant Reviews

An interview with James Beard Award Winning Chef Mashama Bailey

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

SOMETHING big happened last week. Something bigger than you or me, and something that is guaranteed to change the way people view Savannah as a culinary haven.

On May 6, Chef Mashama Bailey, Executive Chef of The Grey, was awarded a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast.

The entire Southeast!

Chef Bailey, like many before her, began on a path riddled with encumbrances and naysayers.

I speak for many locals when I say, historically Savannah has not been the most welcoming when it comes to new food; and to be brutally honest, the perspective on food in Savannah has been muddled at best

As a historic town rooted in Southern tradition, the foundation for local and farm fresh food has always been present —at least until fried chicken buffets and fried seafood platters turned Savannah into a campy food destination for tourists.

The resurgence of restaurants and true Southern cuisine has been slow, at best, here. Unlike many of our now well-respected neighboring food destinations, which have put themselves on the culinary map of go-to food tourism hotspots, many say that Savannah just hasn’t quite made it there yet.

The rebirth of the food in our sister cities is not the result of a singular cause or event, but it can be said that certain historical events speed up the change.

For Charleston, Hurricane Hugo acted as the mechanism that wiped the city and made way for a big change in its culinary community. Hurricane Katrina is said to have done the same for New Orleans.

As for Atlanta, the 1996 Olympics served as the catalyst for change that helped the city become a cultural destination for food in the South.

Thankfully Savannah has not experienced a catastrophic event that forced our hand to recognize that we have the framework needed to become great. Instead our city has slowly chugged along implementing change as slowly as molasses in January.

At least that’s how it was until Chef Bailey returned to her hometown.
When Chef Bailey returned to Savannah to open up The Grey, after spending years honing her skills, she kept her head down and focused on the food she believed in.

Taking inspiration from a foremother of Southern cuisine, Edna Lewis, Chef Bailey set out to preserve history through her kitchen.

Her vision and determination is exactly why she became one of only three chefs in Savannah to be awarded a James Beard. Keep in mind the last was 19 years ago.

She was gracious enough to sit down with me and discuss her experience:

When you first stepped into a professional kitchen, did you ever think you would be where you are today?

“No, absolutely not. The first kitchen I stepped into that was professional was called the L Cafe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was a cafe that had two parts: one part was a coffee part where you got breakfast, pastries, and coffee, and the next part was more for dinner. We had a microwave; we didn’t have quarts and pints. We would use leftover containers that sour cream came in and we would wash them and reuse them. I was there for a very very short period of time, but it was the very first kitchen that I worked in while I was going to culinary school. I am a career changer so I decided to just throw myself into something, and I wanted to see if I could work in a restaurant. In this little crappy kitchen I fell in love with the industry.”

How did you feel about your second nomination?

“This time around I felt really honored. I think last year I was scared and nervous, and I didn’t feel worthy. I didn’t feel like I belonged in the room. I think that this year there was a little tinge of nervousness. But, I felt really honored because all of the people on those lists are such good cooks, they are such good chefs, they are such good leaders that even to be in the same conversation as them is really the point. That is enough for me.”

Who went to the award ceremony with you?

“Johno went, his wife Carole, my parents, and me. There were five of us.”

What were you thinking as you were waiting for the announcement?

“I don’t know. I was drinking from a flask while I was waiting. I had a flask of tequila.
I sort of blocked everyone out. Adrian Miller was behind me. He is a cookbook author, and he is really awesome. He sat right behind us and he taped the whole thing. It’s on YouTube: ‘Mashama wins the Beard.’ It is kind of beautiful because he actually caught the moment of it. The thing I feel bad about, I thought about it after and before I knew there was a video, I was like, “I don’t think I hugged my parents.” Carole was the first person I hugged, Johno was the second person because I made a beeline to get out of the spotlight.”

Did you prepare your speech?

“No. I wrote down my parents, Johno, Edna Lewis, the James Beard Foundation. I just wrote down these names and words so I would not forget anything, but I did not prepare a full-on speech.”

What did your parents have to say?

“They were just like wow, you know. They were really disappointed last year. I don’t think we were disappointed last year, I think we just had to put on a face to be like it is okay everyone, it is totally fine. It is really a rite of passage. I think last year they were really bummed, and I think this year they were really happy.”

What did Johno have to say?

“I couldn’t make it out through his tears.”

Did you cry with him?

“I didn’t cry until a little later honestly. When I gave him a hug he was just like, “Congratulations, I am so happy for you.” He really just said congratulations over and over. Then I spoke to him later on after the awards were over and we were out in the lobby, and we both started kind of tearing up then, because it started to set in that this is something that not only I accomplished but we accomplished. On stage I said he was my backbone. Johno will throw down for anyone in this restaurant. He is the most loyal person I know. I think a lot of his vision and a lot of his drive is why we are where we are. Even when you think I am going to rest a little bit, he is like “But you didn’t finish this?” or “You didn’t do that.” There is always more to do for him. I think it is really nice to learn from someone like that.”

What’s the one piece of advice to cooks or chefs stepping into a professional kitchen for the first time?

“One of the pieces of advice that I received was to make sure that you love it. I didn’t know what that meant. When I first decided to cook, I think I was very interested in it and I thought I was very capable of it. It took me until I really had to work hard to fall in love with it. So, making sure that you love it is something that you have to ask yourself. No one else can tell you that. Know your history, read, know who the chefs are, know what the competition is, learn from people. And be kind.”

Original article is here.

Recipes

Bourbon & Butterscotch Eclair Cake

Featuredby Lindy MoodyLeave a Comment

I assume you are asking yourself—how is an Éclair Cake southern?

The cake itself is not southern, but its source is. For many of us southerners, especially older generations, beloved recipes were sourced from community cookbooks. A community cookbook is just that, a collection of local recipes submitted by locals and compiled by a local a organization (the Junior League is a popular source) or a church. Each recipe contains the name of the submitter and a blurb about the recipe. Readers will usually multiple variations for one type of recipe. You may find three different recipes for pimento cheese. And almost always the finished book is spiral bound.

In my childhood home there was one community cookbook that my mom sourced everything from: Dogwood Delights. You will notice that this book was put together by Atlanta’s Telephone Pioneers of America. My mom worked in Atlanta for BellSouth when I was a child. I remember going to the big city of Atlanta and eating at the Varsity on special days I was allowed to go to work with her.

Every time we made red velvet cake for Christmas, the book came out of the cupboard. Luckily, my grandmother was kind enough to give me her copy as a source of inspiration. So when I make red velvet cake there is only one place to go.

Often times when I am looking for a source of inspiration in a bake or covered dish I want to bring to my next family gathering I pull out my old, dusty copy.

For me, and for so many, community cookbooks are a conservation of history. A memento of time, experience, and culture of a community. Generations of experience are contained in-between two covers which makes for a great resource to young and old cooks alike.

Although community cookbooks provided a wealth of information to homemakers and small town cooks (because they were popular long before the internet), so many of the submissions lack direction. If you are experienced baker or cook like me, it is no problem to fill in the gaps but not every person in the kitchen has that experience. For those who do not know to cream together your butter and eggs when making the batter for a cake, the gaps can be tricky.

My intention is to not only preserve the recipes so many southerners rely on, but to update them into a modern form. By update I do not mean changing the dish into something totally different, I mean raising it into its adult self.

Let this first recipe be the example. I found this recipe by thumbing through and liked it. As I mentioned before, there were about 10 different versions of the cake listed.

As you can see, this recipe calls for a bunch of premade items. Instant pudding, frozen whipped cream, etc. An update is simple, make everything you can from scratch…within reason. I will not be making homemade graham crackers.

I made a homemade bourbon butterscotch pudding out of homemade caramel, a homemade ganache for the top, and a homemade whipped cream. The southern in me felt the need to splash in bourbon instead of rum for the butterscotch.

Ta-dah! This community cookbook submission is brought into the 21st century.

Go out and find your own community cookbook. A good place to start is an old bookstore or my favorite—a yard sale.

Bourbon & Butterscotch Eclair Cake

Category: Recipes

Presentation of the entire finished cake in its dish

Ingredients

For the pudding:
1 1/3 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 Cup of Water
3 Cups of Heavy Cream, divided
2 Cups of Milk
4 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
4 Large Egg Yolks
2 Large Eggs
6 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
4 Tablespoons of Bourbon
For the rest of the cake:
1 Box of Graham Crackers
10 Ounces of Dark Chocolate
1 Cup of Heavy Cream

Instructions

First make the butterscotch pudding.
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water, and salt. Heat over medium-high heat and cook the mixture, without stirring, until it is dark brown. This should take 8-10 minutes.
Whisk in 2 cups of cream and the milk, stir until fully combined. Bring the mixture back up to a boil.
While you bring the mixture back up to a boil, prepare your eggs.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
Temper the eggs by adding on spoonful at a time of heated milk mixture into the egg mixture, bringing the eggs up to the temperature of the milk. Stirring as you add.
Once eggs are tempered, pour the heated egg mixture into the medium saucepan.
Reduce the heat to medium, and cook the custard, stirring constantly, until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon. This should only take a few minutes.
Once thickened, whisk in the butter and then the rum.
Set aside to let the pudding cool for at least one hour before using.
Once the pudding is cool make the remaining cake.
Heat one cup of heavy cream, over medium heat, in a small saucepan.
Place the dark chocolate into a mixing bowl, then pour over the simmering cream.
Let sit until the chocolate melts.
While the chocolate melts, whisk 1 cup of heavy whipping cream into whipped cream. You want a firm whipped cream.
Fold the whipped cream into the cooled pudding, a 1/3 at a time.
By this time the chocolate should be melted, whisk together the cream and chocolate until a smooth and shiny ganache forms.
Now you are ready to assemble the cake.
Place an even layer of graham crackers into the bottom of a 9x9 cake pan, or similar dish of your choice.
Next pour in 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Layer with more graham crackers, then the next 1/3 of pudding. Add another layer of graham crackers and then the final layer of pudding.
Finish the cake with a top layer of graham crackers, then pour your genache over the top layer of graham crackers.
Allow the cake to set in the fridge for several hours before serving.

https://epicuropedia.com/2019/05/01/bourbon-butterscotch-eclair-cake/

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