The Story of Clementine Paddleford

Hometown Appetites 

by Kelly Alexander and Cynthia Harris

Anyone interested in culinary history should not miss this book. Hometown Appetites is the story of Clementine Paddleford and her career as a traveling food writer. This Kansas farm girl, born in 1898, left her home state and used her journalist skills in a career that spanned 4 decades - from 1920s to the 1960s. How on earth did I not know anything about someone who was so well respected in her field and was instrumental in chronicling region American food? It seems that as Time Magazines – “Best Known Food Editor “of 1953, her fame rivaled Julia Child and James Beard but after her death in 1967, she slipped from view in the food world.  Her writing helped elevate how the American housewife thought about food. 

Stories and Recipes from the Kitchen Table

ISBN: 978-1416551058

In A Homemade Life contemporary food writer, Molly Wizenberg lovingly shares memories of her parents and the recipes handed down to her. If I could use just one quote or passage to sum her philosophy it would be “Food is never just food.” She explains that every time we sit down to a meal we bring with us our mothers and fathers, friends, and relatives and that the kitchen table that has nourished us. On this point I happen to agree, that in our dinner plates we could see a reflection of who we are, where we come from, and if we look closely enough where we are going.

Her father, whom she calls Burg, had a huge influence on her life and she recounts many shared experiences involving favorite foods--including many recipes, her first trip to Paris, and other family memories. Her mother is also an ever-present, even iconic, figure and is a wealth of support, companionship, and encouragement after Burg’s death. We also catch a glimpse of Molly’s first romance and a move to Seattle. Her life reaches another pinnacle before taking that next loop in its cycle and we meet the man she will ultimately marry.

And This is Where the Magic Happens

ISBN: 9781416551607

The Dirty Life is a story of what happens when a couple from different backgrounds falls in love, learns to compromise, and learns new life skills to survive. 

Like the old sitcom Green Acres--minus the friendly pig, crazy neighbors and ball gowns--city slicker/freelance writer Kristin Kimball meets educated organic farmer Mark and magic happens. She gives up life in NYC and moves to the country. While tending their growing relationship they search for the ideal farm location to institute their ideas of providing a whole foods concept for farm shareholders. What I mean by “whole foods” in the farm-to-table experience is that they not only raise fruits and vegetables but they additionally harvest maple sugar, keep bees for honey, and raise animals that supply dairy and meats that are sold in farm shares. By utilizing back to basics farm practices, such as using draft horses to plow instead of tractors, milking by hand and relying on their neighbors for help and support, they scratch a living out of the ground for themselves. 

Is Your Table Dressing Up this 31st?

Halloween is swiftly approaching!  Are you looking for quick, easy, and economical ideas for your Halloween party?  Moi aussi, mes petits potirons!

I suppose you could say that I have too much free time on my hands, because I find myself in my spare time cutting out bats and spiders from construction paper for my walls and our Halloween tree.  There is something very zen about cutting bits of paper or really, anytime you delve into making crafts from your childhood.  My preschooler (Glue Stick and Googly Eye Expert) and I have had a great time working together on our decorations while listening to Halloween music.  

Cash in One's Chips with Panache/Ganache

This is another recipe from the previously reviewed book Sprinkle With Murder. This recipe says it makes 12 cupcakes.  I was making this for a coworker's birthday and knew 12 would not be enough so I doubled the recipe.  I ended up getting 36 cupcakes from that.  

I only made a single recipe of the chocolate ganache.  That was a very good thing since it was more than enough.  You could even halve the ganache recipe and probably still have some leftover.

There are no in process photos but here are some of the finished product. These cupcakes are very rich and decadent. I baked them in the Reynolds Staybrite baking cups in a muffin tin.  I found I had to adjust the baking time by adding a couple of minutes.  The Staybrite are foil lined and heavier than normal liners. The packages says you don't even need a muffin tin, they can be placed directly on a baking sheet.  

I found the recipe to be accurate and easy to follow.  There is some planning ahead involved since you need the butter and eggs to be room temperature.  The ganache needs to cool to room temperature also but you can let that sit while the cupcakes cool.  

Now I just need to find something to do with the leftover ganache, that is other than just eating it with a spoon.  Yum.  Recipe's after the jump. 

The Whole Kit and Caboodle

I like cooking with my granddaughter and we usually make things such as brownies, cookies, and cupcakes.  I have been looking for an alternative to the sweets and this summer we made a lot of smoothies. Recently when I was at Harris Teeter I saw this cheese making kit.

The container says you can make a pound of mozzarella using only the kit and one gallon of milk in under an hour.  The kit will make up to four pounds of cheese.  I thought it sounded different and fun.

 

Click on the label above for

complete details and instructions.  

In the container you will find instructions, a thermometer, plastic gloves, a package of citric acid, a package of “cheese salt” (I think it is just coarse salt), and a rennet tablet.  

Be sure to thoroughly read directions before you begin.

There is Not a Day That Goes By

...that I do not think of some sort of aspect of farming.  

Is it ancestral voices calling or merely a fixation?

 

I was delighted to learn that one of our new volunteers, Kathleen, has a small farm on which she raises free-range chickens.  I asked if I could purchase eggs from her and did not flinch when she quoted the price of $5.00 per dozen.  I expected it.   

Southern Adventures Continue Every Day

 
How appropriate that my introduction to Dean Faulkner Wells would come in a copy of Southern Living Magazine. 

The back issue of the all things southern periodical contained the introduction to Every Day by the Sun by Ms. Faulkner-Wells. She, as of January 2010, is the sole surviving link to the great southern novelist William Faulkner. Being on a southern adventure of my own, immediately I requested the library to order the book for the system.
 

The first chapter poignantly is also the first chapter in her young life up until her mother’s remarriage.  The book begins with the death of her father Dean Swift Faulkner, the youngest of the Faulkner brothers, who died in a plane crash in 1935. Brother William had supplied the plane and flying lessons in order to help the younger Faulkner get a job. After the fatal barnstorming crash he carried out a life-long devotion to his niece. 

Put 'Em Together and What Have You Got?

 

Ponchatoula Strawberry Cupcakes.  Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!

You'll find this magical cupcake recipe from yesterday's post after the jump.

Good Ole Southern Comfort Foods & Cocktails

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage." Catherine Douzel.

Grab a copy of Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose and head to the back porch with your favorite southern beverage. Settle in a nice shady spot to savor the good ole southern comfort foods and cocktails offered up in this book.

Still Worthy of Spotlight: West with the Night

Author: Beryl Markham
ISBN: 978-0865471184 

When Out of Africa was released in 1985, starring Meryl Strep and Robert Redford, it re-ignited an interest in Karen Blixen’s life in British East Africa after the turn of the century. The identity of Beryl Markham was disguised in the film.  She was portrayed as character Felicity Fairway, a free spirited young woman. Felicity had a small part to play in the film but Markham, born Beryl Clutterbuck, was not only a rival for the kind of independent, fearless, self sufficient woman Karen Blixen was on screen and in real life but, as the film hints, also a rival for Denys Finch Hatton’s affections.  Like Blixen, the lanky, blonde beauty also had an amazing life.

Upon more investigation into this understated character/woman’s life, West With the Night came into my hands.  Markham had moved in 1939 from Africa to California with hopes that a movie would be made about her transatlantic flight.  When it did not come to fruition, this book was written and published in 1942.   As the author points out, it is a remembrance of her life growing up in the wilds of Africa and ending with the recounting of her non-stop flight, from London to New York in 1936.

The book contains reminiscences of what shaped her formidable character.  After being abandoned on her mother’s return to England at age four, she grew-up unrestrained alongside the native boys, modeling their fearless resolve of endurance and prowess.  Groomed to be a woman living in a man’s rugged world, she also pays homage to her father, at whose elbow she learned the trade of race horse training.  She was the first licensed female horse trainer in Kenya.

Blondes More Fun Than Chocolate? You Decide.

Here it is, finally, the recipe from my book review of Sprinkle With Murder.  This is an almond flavored cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream and sprinkled with toasted almonds.

I love the texture of these cupcakes. Not too dense and not airy like most box mixes. The buttercream frosting makes a very generous amount. 

It's a Perfect Time to Make Some More Cookies

It's Cookie Time

  

Now that you've already been given a taste with my Toffee Bar review, let's take a look at the rest of the dessert cart from the cookbook that is all about the cookies. Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies. 

 

 

The author, Alice Medrich, has won more best cookbook-of-the-year awards and best in the dessert and baking category than any other author. She is self-taught but improved her skills by attending L’Ecole Lenotre in France. She opened the dessert shop Cocolat in Berkeley, California in the 1970’s. She is known for her meticulous testing of recipes and commitment to quality ingredients.

Toffee Talk: These Bars are Like Buttah

Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies

by Alice Medrich
ISBN: 978-1579653972 

Here is a recipe for a treat I took into work a few weeks ago. 

These were very easy and very tasty. There aren't a lot of ingredients either. Just make sure you have enough butter though. This recipe calls for a total of 2 and 1/2 sticks. And please, do use real butter. 

I only had chopped pecans when I made these and I don't think it makes any difference. I sprinkled the chocolate chips over the top and spread them around once melted. After it cooled I thought the bars looked a little plain so I used some of the leftover white chocolate chips from the taste test. I just melted them in the microwave, spooned them into a zipper bag, cut off the corner and drizzled the white chocolate over the bars.

Near Perfection: Rich, Chocolaty Cookie Bars

"Is it possible to have too much chocolate?  Nahh."

 

You can thank me later for passing along the recipe of these are very rich, chocolaty cheesecake bars. The only thing that would make this even more decadent would be to add chocolate chips to the mix. 
 

Happy Sundae

Did you notice today's Google Search Easter egg image?  It's in the place of honor today to mark the 119th anniversary of the first documented ice cream sundae.  If you click on the image, it will take you to their results page about everything sundaes.  

Ya Gonna Keep Yourself Closer to the Farm?

This old WWI song, first performed in 1918, keeps going through my head lately:

How ya gonna keep ‘em down on the farm after they’ve seen Paree?

But moreover, how you gonna keep us out in the burbs after we’ve experienced the farm? Following the farm visit, we all have been consumed by farm related literature, fiction and non. 

I started listening to Animal Vegetable Miracle in audio-book form, which is read by the authors, and using the book as a ready reference backup. It is written by Barbara Kingsolver with separate factual insights by her husband, Steven Hopp. Her then-nineteen year old daughter Camille also shares her perspective on their one year venture to sustain the family on locally grown food. Even Lily, the youngest member of the family and budding poultry expert, shares her experiences. They began as part-time summer season residents and finally exchanged their more full-time desert lifestyle of Tuscon, Arizona, with all its arid wonders, and relocated to a verdant little valley permanently. At first they lived in a rustic log cabin before moving into the farm house on the small farm that Stephen had owned for more than 20 years. Along with the move to rural Appalachia they made a family pact to live a more responsible existence and reduce their carbon footprint.

 

Quidquid Latine Dictum Sit, Altum Videtur

Being a "method reviewer", I woke up at 4 AM just as our amateur private investigator so often does, to tell you about this book Heavenly Pleasures by author Kerry Greenwood.  (Will be great practice for waking up on time stateside for the Royal Wedding coming up.)

No cheating or April Fool's here, as the auto-post feature doesn't seem to want to work around here. I will dutifully be taking a nap here very soon  and while I am waiting to drift off into dreamland I will be trying not to think about what practical jokes and what other possible nonsense may befall me today. (Last year's April 1st brought me the worst day of my life so I'm wary of the anniversary.)

No Excuses: The Pioneer Woman Cooks Review

It has been pointed out to me between my 11 AM sangria and my noon cocktail that perhaps I have been in remiss, Gentle Reader. I posted a review on that lovely website VBPL Recommends, but have no accompanying review for the same book on this site. I am thoroughly ashamed. There is no excuse. I would never do anything to harm you Dear Reader (...that you would notice) or stunt your growth as culinary geniuses! Perhaps I should blame the sangria. But we do not dwell. Instead, let us proceed onward, Gentle Reader!

Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, was once a city lady, and since became a country missus when she wed her now-husband and moved to the seedy hotbed of Oklahoma ranch life. She started her website to keep in touch with family and one day posted with pictures a how-to on steak cooking. From there, it flourished into what it is today: a blogging empire. Ree has written a cookbook, a biographical romance and an upcoming children’s book. However, due to my busy schedule I can only discuss her cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl at the moment. 

The Mystery at the Craft Show

The other weekend the Lit Chicks went to our local craft show. On our way in we passed many people on their way out carrying a large metal spiky looking thing. I was intrigued, I had never seen such an item and it appeared to be very popular. I went on a hunt to find the vendor selling them and to find out what the mystery item was.

Tea Cup Bird Feeder

 As we wandered the aisles we commented on many of the vendors who are into recycling (or should that be upcycling?) items. There was one vendor that made garden stakes/bird feeders out of teacups and saucers, another that made wind chimes out of liquor bottles and a large wooden ball, they made more of a bonging sound than a chime. One booth that drew me in was The Cat & the Fiddle. There were wonderful wind chimes made with kitchen items - much like the box full I just donated. The gentleman I spoke with was Alex Naredo. He said that he had been doing this for twenty years. For this past year Mr. Naredo has been traveling up and down the East Coast selling his creations.

A Delish Treat from a New Mystery Series

Sprinkle With Murder
by Jenn McKinlay
(A Cupcake Bakery Mystery)
ISBN: 978-0425233429

Sprinkle With Murder is the first in a new series of cozy mysteries by Jenn McKinlay. The main character Mel (Melanie) Cooper, along with her two best friends from childhood, Angie DeLaura and Tate Harper, are starting a new business the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery. When Tate's fiancee-turned-bridezilla is found dead clutching one of Mel's cupcakes in her hand Mel has her work cut out for her. Mel must solve the murder before she or Tate are locked away for the crime. 

There is a whole cast of characters to keep things interesting. From the insanely competitive rival bakery owner to Angie’s overprotective brothers and Mel’s matchmaking Mom. There is even the hint of the beginning of a romance. This is a mystery that plays fair. You are given the clues so that you can figure this one out for yourself. The biggest mystery may be which of the yummy cupcake recipes included in the book will you bake?

Finding Something Better than "Lawns that are Green and Hearts that are Cold"

Still Life with Chickens: 

Starting Over In a House by the Sea
By Catherine Goldhammer
ISBN: 978-0452288485
Library Call Number: 974.4043092 G6189s
 

Still Life with Chickens is a tale of coping with life changes. What happens when the vows a couple take at the altar fall short? Do we slog it out hanging on to a less than perfect life or do we pack it in? 

We often don’t sense life changing because we are too busy living it. There is the job, the mortgage, the kids… endless demands on one’s time, money and emotions. Midlife is hard enough and is usually the time when people start taking stock of their lives. Sometimes one decides to focus on their dreams as an individual rather than as a couple and the spouse or partner is left behind, usually in bewilderment.

Reminiscing Through Green Colored Glasses

 
We're all a little Irish today.

And this day more than any other we dream of visiting our adoptive homeland. New Yorker Patricia Tunison Preston, an "Ireland Expert" who has been a regular visitor of Ireland for over 40 years, brings about daydreams galore in her book Ireland Memories, in which she shares with us a variety of dishes from her travels. These recipes, that include "New Irish" cuisine, are simple and easy to recreate and share over a bit of a chat with family and friends.   

Whether one is fortunate enough to have already visited Ireland (which boasts 6 million visitors annually), planning to take a tour in the near future, or if you are like me and you are just an enthusiastic "armchair traveler" that may never set foot on the Emerald Isle, you are sure to enjoy this collection that includes it all.  You'll find the delectable foods, wonderful descriptions of the Irish countryside, interesting historical and cultural glimpses, and fanciful watercolor prints all inspiring and delightful. 

Check out information about Pat's upcoming 10 Day, 8 Night, 15 Meal Group Tour.  

And see the recipe for Irish Brown Bread from Pat's book (courtesy of  the Cobblestone Cafe in Galway) after the jump. 

Life's Too Short & Groceries Too Expensive

Okay, I honestly gave it my best shot this time. In a previous post I did a review of the recipe for Hannah's Best Butterscotch Cookies, from the Joanne Fluke book Gingerbread Cookie Murder. I wasn't thrilled with the results then and thought it might be due to the ingredients I used. I did the taste test for the white chocolate chips and used the one chosen by my co-workers. (See the March 1, 2011 post for the results.)

"Try Their Southern Peach Cobbler. They Call It Their Signature Dessert."

Peach Cobbler Murder
by Joanne Fluke
(Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
ISBN:  978-0758201553

In this book our favorite cookie baker gets some competition both of the professional and romantic kinds. When hottie Shawna Lee has her sister Vanessa move into town and they open their own bakery, business falls off at the Cookie Jar. But then, to add insult to injury, Shawna Lee starts dating one of Hannah's boyfriends. So one night, seeing a light on at the Magnolia Blossom Bakery, Hannah sneaks over to peek in the window. Instead of finding Shawna Lee's baking secrets she sees Shawna Lee dead on the floor of the bakery. Hannah has just become the prime suspect. 

Did the women have trouble follow them into town or was it someone Hannah knows who committed the crime? Does Hannah ever choose between Mike and Norman? And just what is it that makes Shawna Lee's Peach Cobbler so yummy?  

Haze, and Vista, and the Far Horizon...

...Fading Away. 

Lit Chicks hit the road this past weekend to visit the small farm of a longtime friend. Maureen has had my admiration for years. The mother of eight  in addition to raising and home-schooling the children, works hand-in-hand with her husband Kevin, to run Hearthside Farm. They raise chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, Corgis and have four horses, two of which are Great Dane dogs. The Great Danes seemed like horses to this city gal but then I also mistook a small dog with large black and brown spots, foraging off the side of the road, as a small farm animal. Hey, I was excited to see livestock.

The minute the car turned onto the lane, we were enchanted. One of the children was picking purple flowers for the garland she would create. Maureen, with Corgis trailing closely behind, greeted us warmly at the gate by the house and welcomed us into her log home. Our tour had started at last.

More from Good Eat's 2; It's Good Cold Too

These Pork Pot Stickers are easy enough to make but a little time consuming. I used the vegetable broth to steam the pot stickers. I think a low sodium broth would work very well also.

I found a pot sticker dipping sauce at the store and gave it a try. It was okay. It pretty much tasted like soy sauce. I liked the Hoisin sauce for dipping much better. The recipe says to serve hot but I thought they were good cold from the fridge also.

What to do with that remaining half pound of ground pork? I would just make a double batch of the pot sticker and put the extra in the freezer for later.

You Will Need:

Get Your Groove Back With Some Good Eats

"In the end, you cannot teach anyone to cook.  You can point them in the right direction, arm them with the proper tools, give them good groceries.  But in the end it's like dancing:  You either find the groove or you don't." -Alton Brown

It doesn’t get any easier than this.  This recipe is found in Alton Brown's book, Good Eats 2: The Middle Years. 

These sweet potatoes were even tastier than I expected. One taste tester that said they didn’t like sweet potatoes said they liked this. Another taste tester that said they didn’t like spicy said they liked this. At first bite you taste the sweetness of the potatoes, then the smoky flavor of the chipotle creeps in, as a finish you get a little heat from the pepper. Surprisingly complex and layered flavors from such a simple recipe.

Now, let's do the Mashed (Sweet) Potato.  Do it with a twist!  Find the recipe after the jump.

Spicy, Salty, Sweet, Crunchy Goodness. Spiced Pecans.

Here is another recipe from the Susan Branch book Autumn From the Heart of the Home. These spiced pecans aren't the sweet cinnamon ones you might think of. While there is a hint of sweetness to them they also have a hint of salty and just a slight kick of spicy from the hot pepper sauce. In the book Susan Branch suggests using these on salads and warns that it is very hard to eat just one.  Mine never made it to a salad.

View more photos and the recipe after the jump.

Who Knows Who Did What to the Open Faced Pie, Perhaps They'll Die

Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death 

(Book #1 in the Agatha Raisin series)
By: M. C. Beaton
ISBN: 978-0312939168

Agatha Raisin is finding it hard adjusting to village life following her early retirement from her London PR firm. As she starts her a new life in England’s Cotswolds, Agatha enters a local baking competition to get to know the residents of Carsley. She shamelessly purchases a spinach quiche from her favorite London deli and passes the bought goods off as her own baking masterpiece. Agatha becomes suspicious that the contest is rigged when the competition is won by one of local ladies with a less worthy entry. Disgusted by the outcome, Agatha leaves her contest entry behind. That evening, murder is what’s for dinner when the contest judge, Mr. Comingsbrown helps himself to a large slice of the deadly pie. Certainly this is one meal he should have skipped! Agatha has no recourse but to expose herself as a cheat and sets out to clear her name and restore her reputation in the town of Carsley.

"There’s More to Life than Chocolate, But Not Right Now." The Results are in.

 

**Disclaimer**  We at Lit Chicks Dish do not receive compensation in any way for product endorsements. If we say we like something it is because we really like it.

No Substitute for Preparation Adventures

Let’s talk preparation, Gentle Reader. Preparation is key, whether it be throwing a war, or throwing a party. Proper preparation is what separates the professionals from the amateurs, adults from the kids, us from the animals!... Well, you get the drift. And that, Gentle Reader, happens to be the one skill I tend to lack.

It was a lack of preparation that kept me from doing a recipe correctly this weekend. In my describing it to a friend, I called it “some sort of potato-scalloped-casserole-thingie”. Granted, once I scraped off the top layer, it was still enjoyable. But  being both lazy and frugal, I hate to waste food and that was more work than necessary. Next time, I need to actually read the recipe instead of just skimming. Proper preparation is also what turned my potstickers into Chinese meatballs. Let this be a lesson to you, Gentle Reader, that the introduction of any moisture onto the wonton wrapper can cause it to stick to itself with a force stronger than glue. Next time I premake them to freeze, I’m either flash-freezing them, or dusting them with flour before packing them together.

Either way, I ended up with a gelatinous, glutinous mass of what was once wonton-goodness. It was hard to identify. Was this a science experiment gone wrong?

Many Happy Returns, George (and Abe)!

In honor of the day, we're sharing with you this recipe of Martha's (not that one, the First Martha) that is said to be a favorite of her husband's.  It is found in the Book of Priceless Recipes which was originally published in 1907 and has since been republished in 2010.  The book was created and compiled by the Hahnemann Hospital Association which endeavored to record hitherto unpublished recipes.  

We will certainly have to test this recipe out with the gals when we don't have to report to work the next day, as it calls for a "gill" of wine, (sounds like more than it actually is, half a cup, or four ounces) and some good brandy.  We of course dutifully and merrily showed up to greet the public today.  But wouldn't you think that since the holiday has us all celebrating for two and not just Georgie, that everything should shut down like a proper holiday?  Wouldn't it be a smashing time if we could celebrate 24 hours for each gent, amounting to two consecutive days off?  Why not add in an extra two hours in observance of all 50 states?   I'll save that wish for my own birthday cake!

Pictured:  This fine plate and server decorated with a serenading colonial couple is on sale.  Etsy Shop: CinfulOldies

Food for Thought

http://www.flickr.com/photos/telltaleheart

   

Best Friend Foodies Don't Go to Bed Hungry

Photo by Patrick Q

When it comes to the subject of saving a bland marriage (or any serious relationship for that matter), there's a lot of advice out there.  An obvious place to start is to seek out new things to do together and make the effort to keep your connection from going stale. This usually means getting reacquainted with the excitement of being together and becoming more adventurous.   Okay, not all of us are creatures that fully embrace change, or even excitement. If "danger" is not your middle or your new surname, you might first try something nonthreatening like taking a cooking class together.   But how does one go about keeping things simmering metaphorically (and literally) in the kitchen if your loved one is borderline Mageirocophobic?  

Live Well, Laugh Often, Cook Much

Farm Chicks in the Kitchen: 

Live Well, Laugh Often, Cook Much
By Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson
ISBN: 978-1588168665
Library Call No: 641.5973 E2683F

This book is an example of the trends in cookbooks today. It combines uncomplicated recipes with a sort of homespun chef-ography. It reflects the importance food plays in the memories of family and friends. Farm Chicks in the Kitchen gives a nod to simplicity, not only in the choice of everyday fare, but in the home project ideas (with some basic instructions), whether it’s creating simple aprons or serving trays to the re-purposing of antiques and junking finds, that make a house a home.