Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
One . of my favorite desserts is cherry pie and throw on some whipped cream and you have a very simple and nice dessert. Cherry pies have their roots back to colonial times and the best recipes haven’t changed much from then. Call me crazy but whether apple or cherry , I like my fruit sautéed first.
I am sure that the words ‘trifle’, ‘flummery’ and ‘whipped syllabubs’ pass smoothly from your lips… but do you know what they are? These can be found in a wonderful new book entitled the ‘City Tavern cookbook’ that recreates many of the standard dishes found in colonial America. What is surprising is not the fusion of French, German and English cooking, but the variety of spices that might be unexpected in this time and place, such as ‘curry.’ ( check out page 179 for a ‘West Indies Curried lamb that is as extraordinary as it is tempting)
Much wisdom can be found in this cookbook, here is a quote from President John Adams on the after effects of an imported table wine:
“I drank Madeira at a great rate and found no inconvenience in it!”
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Madison and Adams were all fond of apples and cherries and their recipes and those of others close to them are very intriguing. The recipe for a ‘buttered apple pie’ ) not included in this wonderful book is similar to my own… the apples are sliced and pre-baked.
What better way to celebrate NATIONAL PIE DAY than to recreate one of these wonderful pies. I have known Laura for over 40 years and until today did not know that she loved cherry pie… all these years I would enjoy them alone thinking she preferred an alternative which was also prepared. Tomorrow I will make Laura a cherry pie.
I will say that the bread pudding recipe was a bit boring but the anise biscotti sounded delicious!
Happy National Pie Day 23rd November 2010!
Roger Freberg
PS. CLICK here or on the picture of the pies for my recipe page
Tamarind is something very commonplace in Indian cuisine and in a variety of drinks around the world and is loved for it’s sweet and sour taste. It is also found in a famous South African dish called ‘Denningvleis.’ It is one of those dishes that all South Africans claim as their own, but with all the cultural tweaks giving to this culinary marvel, it is truly a ‘fusion’ food.
Denningvleis has an interesting history where the meat of choice had been water buffalo. Today, it depends on where you go, but lamb is always a safe bet. Laura isn’t a real fan of lamb, but I manage a mixture with pork that always seems to please her. The trouble is that today I am back on a strict Jenny Craig schedule to lose a bit of the Christmas cheer.
Here’s my friend Michael Tracey’s ( the AfriChef) recipe should this strike your fancy as much as it does mine!
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“Denningvleis (literal translation Spiced Meat)
Ingredients:
3 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 large cloves of garlic crushed.
5 allspice.
6 cloves.
2 bay leaves.
1 green chilli finely chopped.
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
1 KG (2 ¼ pounds) fatty mutton
2 tablespoons seedless tamarind. (If you can’t get tamarind use
Lemon juice.)
1 cup boiling water.
1 teaspoon full grated nutmeg
Salt to taste
Method:
Fry onions in oil in a large saucepan until soft add garlic, allspice
cloves, bay leaves, chilli and pepper.Layer meat on top of the onions
Close saucepan with a tightly fitting lid and allow to simmer for
13 — 40 minutes.
Soak tamarind in boiling water. Allow to cool. Pour through a sieve.
Pressing all the juices through with a spoon. Pour tamarind liquid
over meat and sprinkle with nutmeg Season to taste and simmer for 10 — 15
minutes. Serve with freshly — cooked rice.
This recipe will serve eight hungry people.
AfriChef Micheal Tracey sell a recipe e-book containing 266 African recipes.
You can find it on http://www.africhef.com for only $11.95
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Roger Freberg
Last year I posted my corned beef pie recipe and it generated much discussion. Meat pies are very popular everywhere the British land and pop up often at picnics and special occasions. Most American’s are unfamiliar with any corned beef pie and this is why it is so special.
Laura remarked that she thought a corned beef pie appeals to women’s almost inherent desire for carbohydrates, vegetables and pastry, while men love the sheer meaty satisfaction. It’s hard for almost anyone to leave a meal of corned beef pie unsatisfied. The key to making a great corned beef pie is using the best corned beef ( I make my own), the best vegetables, a great gravy and a perfect crust!
This pie is now nicely tucked away … but I am sure I’ll have to make many more!
Roger
My recipe: welcome to the fabulous world of bisques!
bon appetite!
Roger