Recipes From Our Past

   I am not only a purist in the kitchen, but a softy when it comes to recipes our ancestors made. I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't think about what kitchens smelled like in the era of no electricity yet food was cooked all day lone to feed the large, sprouting families of our "fore-families". So here are some of my favorite recipes that I have prepared that stick to the past as close as I can. 

Christmas Orange Cake

     This recipe really isn't one from the past, but the taste of it reminds me of that special orange I found in my 
Christmas stocking every year. A delicious blend of tart and sweet with the flavors of Christmas, this super moist cake is easy to make and bake and the topping is as simple as it gets. 

Nonstick cooking spray

1(18-ounce)jar orange marmalade(about 26 T.), divided

1 cup cranberry juice concentrate, thawed and divided

1/3 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon each cinnamon and dried ginger

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten well

Liberally grease a 9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a small saucepan, add half the jar of marmalade, 1/2 cup cranberry juice concentrate, milk and butter and bring to scalding over medium heat, stirring often. Once butter is melted, set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder and spices. Add the marmalade mixture, brown sugar and eggs. Beat until as smooth as possible. Pour into prepared pan and bake 35 minutes, or until it bounces back in the middle when pressed. 

Make Orange Sauce by heating remainder of marmalade and remainder cranberry juice concentrate, whisk well and heat until warmed throughout. Pour over warm or cold cake.

Sweet Molasses Cake

    Molasses cake was a staple at lumber camps many generations ago and sadly it is very seldom made now. But I will guarantee you one thing. If you switch your gingerbread with this recipe for the Holidays, you will be thrilled at the comments from everyone, especially if you top it with vanilla ice cream while warm. I can honestly say that this is the perfect cold weather cake and my all time favorite.

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
1 stick(1/2 cup) melted butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and ground cloves*

An hour before making cake, cover raisins with boiling water, cover and set aside. Line an 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
When ready, drain and set aside.(See NOTE)
In a bowl, with a hand held whisk, NOT an electric mixer because you don't want every single lump to disappear, add milk,lemon juice or vinegar, molasses,melted butter or margarine,sugar and egg. Whisk well. In a separate bowl, thoroughly blend flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves and add this mixture to molasses mixture. Whisk until just incorporated and then fold in raisins. Pour into prepared pan and bake 38-40 minutes, or until it springs back when touched in the center. Remove cool slightly cut and eat it NOW

* Use allspice if you like that netter, but you really should use cloves

NOTE: The reason we treat the raisins this way is because if you don't, they will sink to the bottom of the batter and burn while cooking. The batter is not thick enough to suspend them and don't listen to other chefs or articles that tell you to coat them in flour to prevent this from happening. It simply does not work in thin batter.

Maine Chocolate Potato Donuts

     I found this recipe in one of my grandfathers music books from his days at the Boston Conservatory from 1918-1920. He was cooking at that time in Boston and am sure he slipped in this while there. I just made them for my family during Thanksgiving and want a fantastic donut to make throughout the winter? This is it folks!

1 1/2 quarts frying oil

Spiced Sugar Coating, recipe below

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cups cocoa

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cold mashed potatoes*

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup butter or oleo, melted

Heat oil in deep fat fryer until 350-degrees F. You can also heat oil in a sturdy pot over medium heat, using a clip-on thermometer.

 For the Spiced Sugar Coating, mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon nutmeg in a shallow bowl; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar and baking powder, blending well. Add milk, mashed potatoes, eggs and butter. Beat with a sturdy wooden spoon until it leaves the side of the bowl. A tabletop mixer with a dough hook or paddle attachment works as well

 Empty out onto a well-floured work surface. Knead only for a minute, until smooth. Roll out to about 3/4-inch thick. Cut out with a 3 to 3 1/2-inch donut cutter or glass. If using a glass, find the top of a screw on lid of a soda bottle and press in the center of each dough disc to remove donut hole.

Cooking 2-3 donuts at a time, fry them for 3 minutes per side.

 Remove each donut onto a rack or paper towel-lined plate,

allowing grease to come back to temperature before continuing to cook the remainder of donuts. When cooking the donut holes, you will need to gently swirl them as they are cooking because once the bottom side is cooked and you flip them over, they will NOT, repeat will NOT stay that way!

 While the donuts are still warm, dip in cinnamon sugar to evenly coat both sides or dip in Maple Glaze on both sides, drain excess glaze and transfer to rack for the glaze to harden.

* After you boil, mash and chill potatoes in refrigerator, remove from container and place on double folded paper towels. Place paper towels on top as well and push down to remove any excess water. Put into recipe.

True New England Stuffed Squash

For those of you who enjoy polenta and think only high end, expensive polenta is the best...think again! We New Englanders were the first to make corn meal mush back in the 17th century and this delicious side dish is so cheap to make, I hope you rethink spending so much in an upscale restaurant for something you can make at home for pennies a serving. When combined with other Yankee ingredients, you end up with a Holiday feast accompaniment that is killer.

Polenta:

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt and cracked, black pepper to taste

1 large(3 pound)butternut squash *

Twine or butchers string

Prepare polenta by bringing milk and chicken broth to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Slowly add the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, salt and cracked pepper. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until cooled and firm. When ready, prepare squash.

Cut an inch off of both the stem and bulb ends of squash. Cut in half lengthwise. 

Pare just enough skin and flesh from 2 halves to stand up level on a sheet pan(which you should have lined with foil).

With a sturdy spoon or melon baller, scoop seeds and membrane from each squash half. Continue making this 'well' down the skinnier portion of the squash. This may prove difficult with these utensils so use a sharp knife to begin with by cutting into the flesh at angles if needed. Do not allow this 'well' to go through the outside surface or you will have a mess in your pan while roasting.

Remove polenta from refrigerator and mound it equally among 2 halves of prepared squash. Cover with unfilled squash half, pressing down lightly just to make sure upper half is filled with polenta. Tie firmly but not too aggressive and place on prepared pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes, or until the flesh of squash is soft when pricked with a fork. Remove from oven to cool slightly before carving and serving in 1-inch slices.

Super Easy(and Original) Sugar Plums

     True Sugar Plums were so-named because, although not actually 'sugared plums', the original recipes used raisins or dried plums, otherwise known as prunes. Raisins were held together with nuts of various types and other dried fruits and rolled into small truffle-like balls They were a hit with youngsters and oldsters alike many generations ago. Without altering the original too much, try The Yankee Chef's version of this Christmas sweet the way your forebears tasted them, with only a couple of extra touches to round off the textural experience.

     Today's recipes use the food processor or blender to finely mince all the ingredients, but I think that method muddles the flavor too much and gives it a monotone texture.......Blah! By simply chopping the ingredients by hand, the taste is fantastic and you can actually distinguish the different flavors all "rolled up into one". Adding granola is a great touch as well, but if you happen to have some granola-type cereal on hand, even the nut-laden variety, by all means this is a nice alternative too. Refer to NOTE for extended list of various alternatives to use.

1/2 cup raisins, left whole or chopped

1/2 cup granola

1/2 cup dried banana chips, crushed

1/2 cup candied green cherries, chopped

1/2 cup dried plums(prunes), orange-scented, chopped

1/2 cup candied red cherries, chopped

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/2 cup honey

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients well with damp hands or use gloves(latex that is.....work gloves won't work so well here, sad Yankee humor). This may be best accomplished if you have a standing mixer with a paddle attachment. With your hands still slightly wet from water, mold into small balls, pressing tightly to mold. Place on a large platter and let air dry for an hour to dry the outside and make less sticky. Cover and keep until needed at room temperature. For a 'sweet and salty' flavor, sprinkle some kosher or other large-grained salt on top of each Sugar Plum.

NOTE: You may also substitute the following or use some imagination to form that perfect Sugar Plum, I promise Santa will love it just the same. I use candied fruits here because it adds that special flavor and extra holding power. Use all dried ingredients if desired. Try dried apple slices, candied pineapple(both yellow and green), crushed walnut, pecans or slivered almonds, golden raisins, dried apricots, candied or grated lemon or lime peel, candied citron or shredded coconut.

Easy and Delicious Gingerbread Men

     What joy it is when you can gather the children around the table to help cut out gingerbread men. Not only do you have the scent of ginger and molasses wafting through the air, but the joy that is Christmas truly shines through. So what if the shapes or icing is haphazard and not perfect. It is the time spent and the joy created that is important.....don't you think?

• 1/2 cup(1 stick)butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon
• Decorating Icing:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• Red, green, blue or other colored food coloring

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F. Line two cookie pans with parchment paper or grease with nonstick cooking spray*; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar using an electric mixer until as smooth as possible. Add molasses, milk, vanilla and lemon juice, if using. Continue to beat until everything is well incorporated.
In a separate bowl, blend all dry ingredients. Add dry to wet and beat an additional minute or two until cookie dough is stiff and well mixed.
On a floured work surface, transfer dough and roll out to about 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour to prevent sticking. Cut out gingerbread men, or desired shapes. Lift shapes off counter onto prepared pans with a spatula, leaving an inch between cookies. Reknead dough, cutting out more shapes. Continue until all dough is used. Brush off excess flour with pastry brush, cloth or paper towel. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until evenly puffed and they bounce back in the middle of each cookie when touched.
Remove from oven to cool completely on pans with paper. Peel cookies off parchment and set aside to decorate.
To decorate, simply mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 5 drops desired food coloring and 2 teaspoons water. Repeat with remaining powdered sugar in separate bowls.
Transfer icing to piping bag with round tip or into a very sturdy plastic baggie with a very small corner snipped off.

* Let cool for a couple minutes if using nonstick cooking spray before lifting off onto a rack to cool completely.

NOTE: Want Peanut Butter Gingerbread Men for a change? Simpl omit the molasses and place 1/2 cup peanut butter into a saucepan with milk listed. Over medium heat, stir and heat until smooth and melted. Remove from heat to cool for a few minutes. Beat in butter mixture before adding dry ingredients. The dough will be much softer when done, so you will have to cover and refrigerate until it has stiffened back up, about 30-45 minutes. Continue as directed.Makes about 30(3 1/2-inch) Gingerbread Men

A Gentle Giant

I am obliged to Christine Gilbert for these photos

There were few men in fact and fiction that could quite hold a stick to Maine's own Barnabus Coffin Beal. The only difference is that he was truly a living man, with the strength and only legends allude to.

A fisherman, lobsterman and a man who scooped up clams and oysters in order to sell and provide for his huge family. Born in 1836, he grew to become known as Tall Barney, with the strenght of an bear with the gentleness of a cub. One exploit set his name in the annals of history when he stopped in Rockland while out fishing one day. While on land, he was involved in an agument wheter any man present could lift a 1200-ound anchor laying on the dock. The men standing there tried but miserbaley failed. Someone asked Tall Barney to give it a try. Because he was never one to boast, he politely declined. Until, that is, someone bet him five dollars. It didn't take Barney long to realize that five dollars would go along way to feeding his brood back home in Jonesport, Maine.

The behemoth of a man walked over, bent over and lifted this anchor clean off the dock. Turing to his bettor, he was slightly taken aback when hewasn't paid. Never being a man with anger in his body, Barney bent back over again, raised that same anchor, walked to the edge of the wharf adn dropped it right through the bottom of the boat belonging to the man who had refused to pay.


'Tall Barney's' wife, Phoebe

His feats of strength were legendary in life, and the cause of his death. When out fishing , he would often haul his large dory up on the beach when through for the day, draggin it by the tow rope(or painter) all the way out of the water. One day in 1899, at the age of 63 years, he was dragging his boat out of the water at Pond island, Maine after a day of fishing. As he was almost clear of the water, and still a number of feet to go, he broke a blood vessel in his heart and died instantly.

You can read bout him in a poem by Alice Frost Lord, entitled "The Ballad of Tall Barney", publised in 1938 in the Lewiston, Maine Journal. I have only touched upon what is written about this gently giant and I urge you to read more of him.

　

Italian-Yankee Corn Cake

This perfectly sweetened cake creates its own type of crust around the edges that crisp up as it cools, transforming it into a toss between a cake and a pie actually. It is recommended to slice it into segments before refrigerating, otherwise the caramelized crust will be next to impossible to cut. Classical Italian Corn Cake uses almond extract, but vanilla works equally as well if desired.

　

 

Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups small dice apple
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Juice from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

　

Grease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Mix next 4 ingredients together until thoroughly combined; set aside. In a bowl, combine diced apple, orange juice and cinnamon; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, blend cornmeal, coconut flour, sugar and baking powder until well blended. Stir in the milk, egg, lemon juice and melted butter. It should be mixed just enough to wet all ingredients, leaving it somewhat lumpy. Fold in the raisins and transfer to prepared pan, leveling out the top. Evenly divide apple mixture, juice and all, on top of batter. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the apples and bake 36-38 minutes, or until the center of the cake is firm. Immediately remove from oven to cool slightly before serving hot, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

A Sadly Forgotten New England Fish

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As a true Yankee, I grew up with the sound of canned sardines in my home. The sound you say?! Yup, that sound when you pull back on that can and hear the suction dissipate and that clean, metal tearing harmony. They were always in the cupboard. found mostly in mustard, these delicious little fish made their way onto my fathers chin coated in oil many times.

Sardines, the smaller version of herring, was THE business here in Maine for many generations. Heck, even children as young as 7-8 years old found themselves working right alongside their parents in these large, expansive and smelly factories. The images below I found at the U.S. Library of Congress digital division. I urge you to take at peek at their site, they have some amazing older images for those of you that are as nostalgic as I am.

Children taking a break from the sardine factory in Eastport, Maine

 

 

At one time, there were over 350 canning factories for these silvery fish in Maine, most of them up and down the coast.

The only explanation I can even possibly consider as to why the sharp decline and ultimate cessation of this industry is because of the idea of eating these oily fish. Because of their abundance, even to this day, they can be sold cheaply. Because of this lower expense, I believe the concept of eating a "cheap" fish that comes in cans is not appealing, and THAT, my friends, is a shame. Especially when you consider that anchovies hold such a high and delicate standing in the culinary world. And what is an anchovy? THE SAME THING!!! Well, technically that is. They are much more salted, but none-the-less, they are classified as a small fish and are eaten the same way as the sardines.

FYI, sardines are very VERY high in nutrients that have been found to benefit cardiovascular health in a tremendous way. When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, they have one of the most concentrated sources. One 3 1/2-ounce can contains about 50% of the RDA amounts of these heart healthy nutrients.

Another reason I think people don't enjoy these delectable's is because they are near the bottom of the food chain, but this is a good thing. Because of their existence in the scheme of the aquatic kingdom, they feed solely on plankton. It is because of this that they ingest nearly no damaging heavy metals as compared to all other fish. And without these damaging contaminants, such as mercury, they are much healthier to eat.

And have you even had a kipper? Kippers have been a mainstay on breakfast tables for centuries in England. With their smoky goodness, these smoked 'red herrings' pair perfectly with eggs, after they have been "boiled off" that is. But you don't have to worry about Bar Harbor Foods brand. They are prepared much the same way our forefathers prepared fish for their long voyages across the Atlantic, but without the added duty of rinsing

Now I must tell you about a company here in Maine that still sells all the above, and then some. I recently walked up and down the aisles of my local supermarket looking for some sardines to munch on. I saw a few different labels and almost grabbed a few. And when I say "grabbed a few", I mean if you have an affinity for these types of fish, a 3.5-ounce can just doesn't cut it. Then the jackpot! Bar Harbor brand kippers, sardines, herring and mackerel were right there. AND in cans that were 6.7-ounces each. so by eating just one of these cans, you have the amount recommended for a healthy heart. Boy, was I in heaven.

I am going to give you the rundown in just a second but first I want to tell you that I was truly elated. Sounds weird, but those of you who have ever wanted that one particular snack and you will not leave the store until you find it, you know what I mean. My Dad, the second Yankee Chef, would have cleared off the shelves of these goodies. And I almost did! I took 3 cans of each, just in case Armageddon was coming in the next week. Without spilling the beans until you read more below, these were the best I have ever had the opportunity to eat, and I have eaten many MANY pounds in my lifetime.

Wild Herring Fillets in Cabernet Wine Sauce

 

Although I don't generally eat anything with liquor, I had to try these. And am I glad I did. They are perfect!! I would never had thought of combining Cabernet with herring but the combination is out of this world. For those of you who have that 'upper class taste' and still think herring is below you, you haven't tried these beauties yet. With a dab of sweetness from tomato and a splash of red wine, you will be sitting down and emptying this can of goodness post-haste.

Wild Herring Fillets in Stone-ground Mustard Sauce

 

Definitely NOT my fathers can of fish!...although I dearly wish he was here to try these. I grew us eating herring and sardines in mustard sauce, but it was always either bright yellow and drippy mustard that splattered onto whatever I was wearing, Either that or the mustard had congealed so much that it resembled paste. Don't get me wrong, I still thought they were the cat's meow, but Bar Harbor herring was spot on with their redefined, stone ground mustard preparation. The perfect harmony to the perfect tune. And they use Raye's Stone-ground Mustard, another Maine company right from Eastport, the home of sardine manufacturing from so long ago,. Stone ground is the only way to go for these fish, delightfully cutting into the oily fish for a clean and tasty finish.

Wild Herring Fillets in Tomato Basil Sauce

Tell me these don't look delicious!

 

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a glutton for basil. And the sauce that surrounds these sustainable herrings is spiced just enough so that the glorious taste of herring isn't lost in the sweet taste of tomato and basil. I could do so much with these beauties but for now, right out of the can for me. Hey Bar Harbor Foods! You're killin' it!(At least that is what I think the youth of today says when something good happens)

Skinless, Boneless Smoked Sardine Fillets in Maple Syrup

You can see the maple permeating into the fish....sooo good!

 

Fried clams and lobster have always been my favorite seafood, bar none........until now! Whoever came up with the idea of combining the sweet goodness of New England, that is maple, and slathering it onto sardines ought to have a Holiday named after them. Not only are the heads cut off, but to skin, bone AND smoke sardines before packing with an ancient Yankee sweetener is a concept long in the making. And Bar Harbor did it. Perfect, absolutely perfect!

Skinless, Boneless Smoked Sardine Fillets

I couldn't get over the smoky flavor found in this can

 

For those of you who want to take baby steps when dining on sardines for the first time, I highly recommend this product. You can truly taste every "glorious bit".(someone made that phrase famous, but for the life of me I can't remember who) Gently wood smoked and a pinch of salt is all that is in this plump can of sardines. Again, I am referring to eating these straight from the can, but it would be equally delicious added to any pizza or salad you desire. Much, MUCH tastier than anchovies.

Wild Herring Fillets Seasoned with Cracked Pepper

 

"Ah..sweet mystery of life at last I've found you.....". This was one of my Dad's favorite songs and indeed one of mine, by that incomparable tenor, Mario Lanza. And that song immediately came to mind when I 'cracked' open that can of herring. Yeah, I am no good at puns either but with cracked pepper permeating every fillet, as it does in many of my recipes, I adored this morsel. With no added oil and the right amount of spicy, crunchy pepper, it is a must for all sardine aficionados.  Because I love the taste of cracked black pepper, I sprinkle just a tad more on, but they really are perfectly seasoned for you as is.

And ending with what is the ultimate smoked fish:

All Natural Smoked Wild Kippers

Now THAT'S a fillet!!!

 

Smoked with oak, these fish truly made me think of our ancestors, but without all the work. Savory, smoky and simply appetizing, you really do have to buy a can of these. Not only are these the 'bomb'(again, apologies for trying to act like a teen again)but they, and all the above products, are canned in a BPA free can..

There! I have given you the rundown on what I believe is the best of the best of the Atlantic ocean. I will tell you up front and honestly, I am in no way compensated for my opinion, nor have I been nudged to promote these products. They have not asked me to do anything in the way of promoting these delicious canned fish and even if they did, I would have not taken one red cent from them. It was my entire pleasure and now can rest comfortably knowing exactly where they are in the supermarket.

Now that the pictures are taken, and with may open cans in front of me, guess what is next on my agenda? I am not even going to reach for that box of crackers, just a fork and a chair, 'Nuff said.....

NOW Is The Time!

The perfect time of year for me is the Fall. Although wintertime runs a close second, Autumnal air simply harkens the past to the present. I think this time of year was so special to us Yankees because it was a time of gratitude and abundance. The animals were slaughtered and put up for the coming winter, the crop was taken in and strung to dry, eaten with abandon and stored for that cold winters dinner and the apples were being pressed for cider, sliced for pies and pastries that lasted for the next 6 months and eaten as is. I once read a passage from an old Maine farmer from the 19th century that when asked what his last meal would be before crossing that gate to everlasting life, he quickly(and without mincing his words) retorted "Mothers Biled applesawce". It was during the month of September that many of our ancestors put up cider first then sliced the remaining apples to string up over the fireplace to dry. It was at that time that apples were taken, peeled, cored and thrown into a large pot that was only used for homemade apple sauce. It would be half filled with cut up apples, some apple cider mixed in and let to boil over a 'slow fire' to reduce. When it was ready, more apples were added and the cycle continued until this large pot was filled with "Biled Apple sawce". It was then taken from the fire, placed in either crock pots or barrels and kept in the cellar to freeze(of course after a few days of everyone getting their fill). When a family wanted apple sauce, they went down, cut off a chunk and brought it upstairs to thaw and heat in a pot over the fire.

That same kind of memory instantly came to mind when I parked, exited my vehicle and started strolling through the paths between Cortlands and MacIntosh apple trees at Treworgy Orchards, in Levant, Maine. You could literally smell the dark red apples even before you could see them. And yes, even the Macs were dark red! I walked amongst the trees, on my way to the main stand. Think I could wait until I got to the register to take a big ol' bite of a freshly picked apple? Nope! And when I got to the main stand, I was truly blown away by another variety they had this year.
Although they didn't grow it, someone had supplied them with Wolf's River apples. These softball-sized apples aren't known to be overly pretty, but one bite and you will see why our ancestors almost entirely grew Wolf's River's. In fact, in the middle of nowhere, on top of my ancestor Josiah Baileys(1778-1869) hill, called Bailey Hill in Topsfield, Maine, there is a Wolf's River apple tree.

Anyway I am getting off track. After getting an ice cream cone for my youngest, grabbing the best apple cider I have ever tasted, Patty Treworgy greeted me with some of her own Apple Cider Donuts, made right there. How could I even think about passing these up? I couldn't, obviously. Just like everything else, I ate two of them before exiting the door. I just wanted to try all the candy, spreads and all manner of their own foodstuffs, but again, obviously I couldn't. Anyway I was there for one apple only, the new Liberty apple. This is the sweetest, eating apple I have ever had. I am a convert from the perennial favorite Mac to the Liberty now. Absolutely delicious.

Treworgy's FAMILY Orchards is truly a family gathering spot. They have a different corn maze every year that the kids, and many adults, find both fun and frustrating. The kids have the fun while the adults find the frustration at not immediately being able to determine how to exit this winding maze. Stubborn Yankees we are!!! The owners, and their entire family, are always on the grounds and every single one of them will take a minute just to chat with you. That is truly the Maine spirit, the Yankee disposition and neighborly cordiality very rarely seen today. Even the teenage kids and grandkids of the owners don't balk or shun the older generation. Being old enough to be their parents, I struck up a conversation with one of them and with a smile not often gleaned by their teen counterparts at other businesses. They were naturally pleasant, talkative and kind to me and everyone I saw them interact with.

If you want a great time for very little money, decorate your home with dozens of varieties of pumpkins and squash for the season, grab some apples for your kitchen bowl or just simply want to see the smile on your children's faces when a horse or goat gently nuzzles his backside against the fence for your "youngin' " to pet, this is the place and NOW is the time. Only wish fall lasted longer. Good job my friends and thank you for the natural kindness you show to everyone that walks onto your property.

Now about those Apple Cider Donuts. Those, too, were fantastic. And that, in turn, brings me to making my own within an hour of getting home,

　

　

　

Apple Cider-Spice Donuts

This is one donut(yeah, I spell it DONUT) that you will be making from here to Christmas and beyond. Undoubtedly the most flavorful donut you will make this year. The essence of New England not only hits your tongue but brings you back to your childhood, at the same time wishing those who are no longer with us could share in this purely Yankee treat. When using the pot method, make sure you give yourself a few minutes in between cooking donuts with the saucepan method, so the oil has time to heat back to 350-degrees F.

　

2  Liberty apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sugar
3 3/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, room temperature
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup

Vegetable oil, for frying

Apple Drizzle
1 1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Sugar Topping
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Place the apples, cider and sugar into the bowl of a food processor, or blender, and pulse on high for 10-15 seconds, or until the apples are pulp-like in size, about 10-12 minutes. . Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.*

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients for the donut dough. In another bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, on high speed, about a minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in the eggs, milk and maple syrup until well incorporated. Add to the flour mixture, along with the cooled cider reduction and butter mixture, slowly, and continue beating on low just until combined. It will be sticky. Cover with film wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

While cooling, make the Apple Drizzle and Sugar Topping. In a small saucepan, heat apple cider over medium high heat until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar. Set aside. For coating, mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a sturdy pot over medium heat until it reaches 350-degrees F, or use a deep fryer, heating according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out onto a well floured work surface. Knead, with extra flour, until it isn't sticky any longer, about 2 minutes. With a rolling pin, roll to about an inch thick. Cut out donuts with a donut cutter or a round cookie cutter. If you don't have anything to cut out the centers, just eyeball it with a sharp knife. Gather up dough, re-knead and cut more donuts. Cook 2-3 donuts at a time in hot oil for about 2 minutes per side. Remove carefully to a paper towel-lined platter, pan or rack. Continue with remainder of dough. Of course, cook the donut holes as well.

Dip the cooled donuts into the Apple Drizzle, coating both sides quickly. Immediately dip in sugar mixture, coating both sides. Set aside to cool to at least room temperature.

Makes about a Yankee dozen

　

*By boiling the apple cider until it reduces, this resulting liquid is so intense with apple flavor, yiou could use it in many other desserts tht call for vanilla as well, and intesnse is an understatement.

'Yanked' Chicken and Waffles

It isn't very often I post recipes on my blog anymore, preferring to add all recipes to my site, theyankeechef.com, as often as possible. But this is an exception. This recipe is one of my all-time favorites and I had to add it here. It is probably the most satisfying Yanked recipe I have shared with you so far.

Boy, everywhere you look, Chicken and Waffles are being transformed, reworked, revamped, deconstructed and just taken apart and put back together in every way imaginable. BUT, I am proud to say no-one has yet Yanked this Southern favorite quite the way I am about to show you.

I have taken the liberty of really REALLY turning this dish into a classic Yankee dish. I took the bold taste of chicken sausage, wrapped it in spicy cornmeal batter and cooked it so that it is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Blueberry waffles were just a natural vehicle. I chose 6-inch sized waffles here but by all means use larger waffles instead. And as for how to eat them. I grabbed each crispy waffle, folded it around the cooked chicken sausage like a taco and the next thing I knew, it disappeared.

By the way, if chicken sausage isn't your style, use 1 chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces and cooked the same way.

　
2 links cooked chicken sausage

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, optional

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

4 small or large,prepared blueberry waffles *

　

Preheat deep fryer to 350-degrees F or heat 1 quart of vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot to temperature over medium heat. Cut each sausage into four equal-sized slices; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together next 8 ingredients well.

Place all sausage slices in cornmeal batter, gently stirring to coat each slice well. When oil is hot and using a fork, lift out each slice one at a time, letting just a little excess batter drip off. Gently transfer to hot oil to cook. When doing this, slowly allow the sausage to enter oil so that it has a brief second or two to start cooking before it plunges to the bottom of the pot. With a metal or wooden spoon, gently nudge the sausage from the bottom if it is stuck,. this rarely happens however. Repeat only with 2-3 more pieces at a time so that oil stays up to temperature, making sure you give yourself a minute or two between batches.

Cook until well browned all over, "rolling" with your utensil if needed while cooking to evenly brown. Transfer to a rack or paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Meanwhile cook you waffles according to package instructions. Serve each waffle with equal amounts of battered chicken sausage and enjoy as is or with some warm maple syrup drizzled over the top.

　

* If you want to take the time to make your own waffles and you have a waffle iron, the easiest(and I find the best) way to make homemade waffles is to use a basic pancake recipe and throw in whatever amount of blueberries you desire. They turn out perfect every time.

Take One.....ROLLING!!!!

I have two new posts I am adding now because I HAVE TO!! While doing my first videos in many months, I had a "friend" that just couldn't keep out of the shots. So what do I do? Scrap the videos and use them as a basis for two recipe posts for the Holidays.  had fun throughout the day because he was having fun....a Joy indeed!!!
You will find the appropriate picture along with these recipe on my site in the next day or two, but enjoy the thought of making this, and enjoying what I went through, I did.

Pear-Gingerbread Cobbler

I have given you a decision to make below. Do you stick with the Yankee version of an Apple Cobbler or spread your wings all the way down south and use pears? Regardless, be assured that the New England taste of home will be quite prevalent with the topping of Gingerbread as opposed to the classic sweetened dough topping. With snow right around the corner and the merriment of the season on its' heels, you will find the aroma of this dessert so enticing, it will be gracing your cozy home into the New Year.

Gingerbread Cobbler Topping, recipe below
Cobbler Filling:
5 cups diced, fresh pears or apples
1/3 cup sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
 Prepare Gingerbread Cobbler Topping. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients well. Transfer to an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan. dollop tablespoons of Gingerbread Cobbler Topping over the top, staggering mounds to represent a cobblestone street. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cobbler dough is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the topping comes out fairly clean. Remove from oven to cool slightly before serving.
This dessert is best a day old and reheated to enjoy.

Gingerbread Cobbler Topping

2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients well. Add the remainder of ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Set in refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

　


　

 

Continuing with "It's An Old New England Custom"

Chapter-To Serve Turkey and Cranberry Sauce

"Thanksgiving has, of course, always been the time par excellence for food in new England, with roast turkey the traditional piece de resistance of the feast. Even the puritans forgot their fear of sensualism at Thanksgiving, abandoning themselves with gusto to the pleasures of the table, though there were times when the country was a desert island for food, and the colonists, like castaways, were in no danger of overeating.
There seems, however, to have been an abundance of provender at the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving at Plymouth in 1621, which was not an affair of a single day, but lasted a whole week, and, contrary to what many persons think, was without any religious significance. It was simply a period of relaxation and recreation following the gathering of the first harvest.

Edward Winslow wrote to a friend in England on December 11, 1621, in which he said:

'Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labors. They four killed as much fowl as with a little help beside served the company about a week. At which time among other recreations we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoyt with some ninety mean, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer which they brought and bestow'd on our governor, and upon the captains and others.'

Since Governor Bradford mentioned that 'beside waterfoule there was great store of wild turkies' that fall, we may be certain that the men he sent out to make provision for the feast succeeded in bagging enough unsuspecting turkeys to make the tables groan.
Other writers of the period have told of the great flocks of wild turkey that inhabited the oak and chestnut forests of New England. So common were they that in the 1730's, dressed wild turkeys sold for only a penny and a half a pound in western Massachusetts. The price, of course, increased as the wild turkey population decreased , and by the close of the eighteenth century they were bringing fourpence per pound. In 1820, when these great game birds were rapidly vanishing, the price had risen to twelve and a half cents a pound and it became less common to see wild turkey wings used as hearth brushes in New England homes."

By the end of the eighteenth century the wild turkey of New England, which had been retreating steadily westward, reached the line of the Connecticut River, where they made their last stand. There were flocks of them in the Berkshires and the mountainous regions of Vermont and among the hills of the Connecticut Valley. In the lifetime of the writer's grandfather, there were still wild turkeys around Mount Holyoke and Mount Tom. During the winter of 1850-1851, the last one was shot on Mount Tom. A turkey killed on Mount Holyoke in 1863 is thought to have been a fugitive from a barnyard.
Before the wild species was exterminated, they sometimes visited their civilized relatives of the barnyard. In the mating season a wild turkey cock would fly in and strut and gobble and fight the domestic cock for the favors of the females. The wild gobbler always won, and in this way the domestic species was invigorated and kept up to scratch.

In the olden times the New England housewife never had to worry about the Thanksgiving turkey being too large to fit her oven because she cooked it over an open fire. Families were larger then, and big birds favored. But the oven problem brought about an annual Thanksgiving invocation just before the festival of 1945. This was the sale of split turkeys occasioned by the great number of extraordinarily large birds coming into the market. Raised to meet the requirements of the armed forces, these birds were released for civilian consumption as a result of the sudden end of the war.

Marketmen, knowing that many housewives had ovens too small to accommodate such whopping birds, split the oversize turkeys in two, and the housewives, agreeing that half a turkey was better than none, bought the bisected, although they were uncertain how to prepare half a bird for the table and were apprehensive that it might dry unduly while cooking. All apparently turned out well, but in the future smaller turkeys will probably be the rule.

Pie, especially pumpkin pie, was considered as essential to the old-fashioned New England Thanksgiving dinner as turkey and cranberry sauce.

A want of molasses with which to make pies was more than once the cause of a New England town postponing its observance of the day. Once at Newberry, Vermont, when the minister read the Thanksgiving proclamation, a worthy deacon, who was not unmindful of the earthly pleasure to be derived from a good dinner, rose and said that as there was no molasses in town and his boys had gone to Charlestown, New Hampshire, to get some, he would move that Thanksgiving be postponed a week.

When the boys did not return, the day was put off again, until finally the people fo Newberry had to go without their molasses, and, since there was no 'sweetnin', presumable also without the customary pumpkin pies. Once can only guess what happened to the boys. Similarly, at Colchester, Connecticut, the celebration of Thanksgiving was delayed a week beyond the appointed day because a sloop from New York with a hogshead of molasses for pies failed to arrive.
An amusing account of a public dinner given in 1714, at which bear meat and venison were eaten, has come down to us from the pen of the Rev. Lawrence Conant of Danvers, Massachusetts, who was evidently not averse to eating game that had been killed on the Sabbath.

'When ye services at ye meeting house were ended,' he wrote, 'ye council and other dignitaries were entertained at ye house of Mr. Epes, on ye hill near by, and we had a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner with bear's meat and venison, the last of which was a fine buck, shot in ye woods near by. Ye bear was killed in Lynn woods near Reading.

The First Church in Salem

After ye blessing was craved by Mr. Garrick of Wrentham, word came that ye buck was shot on ye Lord's day by Pequot, an Indian, who came to Mr. Epes with a lye in his moth like Ananias of old. Ye council therefore refused to eat ye venison, but it was afterward decided that Pequot should receive 40 stripes save one, for lying and profaning ye Lord's day, restore Mr. Epes ye cost of ye deer, and considering this a just and righteous sentence on ye sinful heathen, and that a blessing had been craved on ye meat, ye council all partook of it but Mr. Shepard, whose conscious was tender on ye point of ye venison.'

Thanksgiving did not immediately become a fixed annual festival in new England after the first Pilgrim observance, but it made headway steadily. It proved popular because it was a substitute for the festival of Christmas, which the Puritans had banished. It was as if they said, 'If we can't have Christmas, we will have our own feast.' The idea of a Thanksgiving Day for the Lord's bounties gradually spread throughout the country until this old New England custom became a national one."