(Dolen Perkins-Valdez, hardback). From the title you might think this is a book about the s-x word. It’s not. By a long shot. But the story, set in about 1852, is about a black slave woman, and her somewhat misguided “love” for her master. About the children she bore him, under the eagle eye of the master’s wife. But it’s all tied together with a yearly journey made to a place called Tawawa House, a rural inn of sorts in southern Ohio (a free State), that for some years allowed white slave owners to stay at the resort in rustic cottages with their black slaves, as couples. This place existed, according to the author’s afterword, and finally closed because some of the regulars (white couples who stayed in the main house) didn’t fancy this concubine business going on out in the woods. It’s about Lizzie’s relationships with the other slave women, about their desire to run to safety through the local underground, about them secretly meeting some free blacks, finding out more about abolition, and about the hardships all these black mistresses endured, and how little their lives were valued. A real stunning book. (I was sent this book as a perk from Harper Collins – because I had mentioned The Help. No strings attached – I could choose to mention this book, or not, here on my blog. I’m glad to because it’s a very good read.)
(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle, an excellent read); 
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition, eh); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition, good book); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition, very good read)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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Oh, my heavenly gracious sake’s alive. This pudding. To die for. To eat, morning, noon and night, until it’s all gone. Every, single, solitary bite to savor. If I’m ever on death row (no, I’m not contemplating this – I’ve never been crosswise with the law), THIS bread pudding would be what I’d ask for as the dessert of my last dinner. I’d probably make myself ill eating too much of it.
I’m going to do something I normally don’t do here – I’m not going to tell you the calorie and fat count. Just know it’s bad for you. Really bad. Artery-clogging, heart-attack causing. All and everything about it. Will I make it? Well, yes, I probably will. But I’ll probably make even smaller portions. Phillis Carey said this dish would serve 8. I’ve already made it serve 10 in my recipe software. In the class I think the pan full served about 18, and with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, it would have been altogether enough. I craved more, however.
So what’s so artery-clogging about it? The 3 cups of heavy cream. And no, you can’t substitute even half and half. Or part half and half. Phillis made that very, VERY clear. The dish will curdle if you do. So don’t even try. The recipe uses raisin bread, first of all, then just ONE Granny Smith apple cubed, and a cup of dried apples chopped. And eggs, apple juice, brown sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon – and the heavy cream, of course. That’s all there is in it! But put it together and serve it with the apple cider (and brandy) sauce on the side, and you’ve got heaven on a bun.
Cinnamon, Raisin and Apple Bread Pudding
Recipe: From a cooking class with Phillis Carey
Servings: 10 (maybe 12-14)
BREAD PUDDING:
4 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream — (do not substitute anything here)
1 cup apple juice
1 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter — melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cups raisin bread — cubed, stale
1 whole Granny Smith apple — peeled, cubed (about 1 cup)
1 cup dried apples — (or substitute raisins)
SAUCE:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup brandy
4 large egg yolks
1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 10×14 inch baking dish. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add the cream, apple juice, sugar, melted butter, salt and cinnamon, whicking to combine. Add the bread cubes, fresh and dried apples and stir to combine.
2. Pour into prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Remove cover and gently press down on the bread, so the creamy mixture will rise somewhat. Do not try to submerge the bread. Bake for one hour, or until the top is golden brown and the center of the pudding is firm. Remove and cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving.
3. SAUCE: Melt butter in a double boiler over simmering water. Add the sugar and whisk to combine, stirring, for one minute. Add the cider and brandy, and whisk until sugar is dissolved, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking constantly. Return to double boiler and cook, whisking constantly until sauce is pale and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Allow to cool slightly, then pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to extract any egg white solids. Allow sauce to cool to room temp, if possible, before serving.
5. Cut squares of bread pudding, top with sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.
printer-friendly PDF recipe
A year ago: Altitude Sickness (we were on vacation)
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