CORNBREAD FOLLIES

I guess this could be another: 'Adventures in Cooking' entry.
I was watching an Emeril Live show. It was "Mississippi Memories". Southern cooking. That show was so funny. There must have been Gremlins infecting the set. What could go wrong, did.
Anyway, he made cornbread in an iron skillet. Well, when he took the cornbread out for the oven. He popped it on the cutting board, the bread came out broken. Mostly intact , but one side crumbled. Oh, my. The texture looked right though, not too dry, not too damp.
I haven't had a decent piece of cornbread since I left home. Exception, is, my friend Caro she is a great cook. And so is her family. Caro, makes a good pan of cornbread. also, Split Pea Soup. Several times when I was visiting her. That was an tasty supper she would serve.
I liked Mom's cornbread. Now Mom wasn't a super cook. But, a plain cook. My Dad didn't care for fancy stuff. So, she cooked for his taste. She just talked to his Mother for that.
Mom's cornbread, came out on the crispy side. But, that was the woodburning cookstove. The oven gauge never did work. She would sort put her hand in the oven, and felt the temperature. The bread was not too dry, and not too moist. Just a little crumbly. But, hot with butter melting on it, terrific. ]
Any time I ordered cornbread at a restaurant, or at a buffet. Too moist, just soggy and heavy textured. And tasting of too much baking soda. Glah. At a small upscale restaurant in the city, I ordered corn biscuits with my dinner. and even though they had a little jalepeno in them, still, too moist and too much baking soda. I still haven't found a good cornbread.
When I was still cooking, I tried cornbread a few times. I didn't get the hang on it. I only made it for the two of us. It wasn't nice enough to serve my friends.
But, ha,ha I made a fairly good bannock. I made that for our breakfast on the weekends, many times. I can't remember if I served it out.
I can't make good biscuits either. Touch on the heavy side. My Dad's Lady friend Helen, made great biscuits. No, wonder, because she came from Oklahoma. She cooked real country style. And no, I do not feel I am being disloyal to my Mother's memory.
Mom made an excellent roast beef. My Dad loved roast beef. Her baked chicken and turkey was always just right.. I'll talk about vegetables at another time.
Have you had any cooking adventures?

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Medieval Style

I thought I would share this cookbook with you. It is very fun. I bought it around 1976. That is
when the 'Renaisance Pleasure Fair' was in full swing. And all those movies about the Tudors of Britain and such. Also, there is 'The Creative Anachronism'. Which was well attended. We went the Fair once, and attended two or three exhibitions of the CA.
I was pretty much into entertaining and cooking. I Became interested in the History of real cooking. The kind served to Aristocrats. I think this is one of the first updated books on that subject printed. I have a later book. 'Seven Hundred Years Of English Cooking'. My copy is the 1983 printing. It is a great book too.
Fabulous Feasts is rather novel, I mean I found it very informing. The genesis from then to now, is mostly by the available foodstuffs. Food fashions change. My copy is from the 1976 printing. There are a number of things we don't use. We have better substitutions. Everything is more accessable and, best of all, We have ta,da! 'refrigeration'
There is a recipe on page 159, that I beleive to be an early type of, what we now call: French toast. It is not fried, and is called;'SOPPES DORRE'. Spiced Toast with Almond Sauce. Maybe it is also somewhat like Cinnamon toast.
I find I prefer the appetizer, soup, vegetable recipes. The meat dishes are not to my palate. Fish stomach pie seems out of date for a modern taste. Although I know there are countries where everything is still eaten.
Also, what is amazing and to me humourous, are the meats allowed for Lent. "A loin of walrus in plum sauce , My Lord?"
Walrus live in water, so they were considered 'fish'. In South America, Capybara, live in marches, so are allowed for Lent.
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People.

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-

This didn't come out like I wanted.The post about the topping is supposed to come come after the prepared apples. But, Blogger says I can't switch time like I needed to. Well, anyway---------

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Crumble-cont.

Top with previously prepared Cinnamon crumble topping.
Bake in microwave until apples are tender, but not mushsy.

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Cont.

Add sugar and flavorings. We used confetti sugar with a drizzle of real maple syrup. And light sprinkle of cinnamon.

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Apple Crumble-cont.

And this is the final result. Very tasty hot or warm.

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Apple Crumble

To make Apple Crumble: First-find an apple tree.
This tree is just right outside our bedroom window.
The apples are very nice this year. Guess everything
was good for the tree.

ADVENTURES IN COOKING-Cookbook

BETTY CROCKER'S

PICTURE

COOKBOOK

As I mentioned in a previous post, I learned basic cooking in the Home Ec. classes in Hi School.

Since I was becoming more adept at cooking and Mom was learning more too. We decided we needed a cookbook. A good basic one. I forget exactly where we purchased the book. There is a possibility we ordered by mail, from an ad in a magazine. Now that I think of it. Very likely from the magazine: Good Housekeeping. That was when magazines were actually worth something. They were informative and more than just eye candy.(ugh)

It is still an excellent basic cookbook. It even far surpasses my copy of Joy Of Cooking. These are the only cookbooks I have. I used to really like cooking. It's very creative and satisfying.

However my book was not the only source for new recipes. When I was still cooking, there were many magzines from which I read and gleaned fresh recipes for my repertoire.

When I married and had my own home. I missed Mom's cookbook. So, I went out to find a copy. Well, spit!! The original was out of print and the 'new' version was a loose leaf binder. OH! FOR PITY'S SAKE!! The book had been new and improved, up-dated and (shudder)

modernized. Well, ok. So I bought one anyway. I was desperate. I showed it to Mom, she didn't care for it either.

But, later on, because I love books and am rabid about Old books. I found in the yellow pages in the 'Bookstore' listings, in a neighboring city was bookshop, that had only: Cookbooks. Wha-Hoo!. So, come a weekend. We went there. I looked and asked. The lady proprietor said yes, and pointed me right to the shelf. And there it was: my very own copy of: Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook.

Used of course. Yes!.

When Mom passed, I asked my Dad if I could have Mom's cookbook. Unless he of course he needed it. But, he said ,no he wouldn't need it. I could take it. I like to go and read it. The recipes remind me of good times.

So, now I have three cookbooks. Well, four, with Joy of Cooking. I cook very little. So, I show my HB. how to use them. He is doing pretty good.