by Edward Lee
2Transfer the cherries, with their liquid, to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3Meanwhile, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and the remaining 6 tablespoons tangerine juice in a separate bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
4Divide the buttermilk soup among individual bowls. Spoon a few cherries into the middle of each bowl and drizzle a little of the bourbon syrup over the soup. Serve cold.
If your buttermilk is a bit thin, add a little crème frâiche or sour cream to it to give it more body.
Buttermilk Affogato
Sometimes it’s the little things that bring the greatest joy. After a long, heavy meal, there’s nothing more appropriate than a small cup of affogato, a traditional Italian dessert of vanilla gelato and a shot of strong espresso. In Louisiana, it is traditional to spike your coffee with a bit of roasted chicory. My buttermilk ice cream is light and tangy. The two together are a lovely match. You’ll have more ice cream than you need for the recipe, but you will be glad to have it handy in your freezer. / Feeds 4
4 small scoops Buttermilk Ice Cream (recipe follows)
Pinch of ground chicory (optional)
4 shots espresso
Scoop the ice cream into small bowls. If you want, add a small pinch of ground chicory to the warm espresso. Add a shot of espresso to each bowl and serve immediately.
Buttermilk Ice Cream
Makes about a quart
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1Combine the heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
2Gently whisk the buttermilk into the cream mixture and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3Churn the buttermilk-cream mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack into a freezer container and freeze until ready to use.
Tobacco Cookies
Tobacco farms are a rich part of Kentucky’s history, and even today you can drive through Winchester and see huge tracts of tobacco leaves. I know it is very un-PC to indulge in tobacco, but I still find something romantic about it, and I make these gooey cookies as a tribute to the historically important crop. The coconut flakes are cooked down to resemble cut chewing tobacco. Then, I add a little tobacco flavor to the dough too, but you can omit it if you don’t want that tantalizing sting at the end of your last cookie bite.
Serve the cookies warm with a cold glass of half and half—that’s half milk and half buttermilk. For an adult version of milk and cookies, try these with a glass of slightly warm milk spiked with a shot of whiskey. / Makes about 24 cookies
Tobacco Coconut Flakes
1 cup firmly packed sweetened coconut flakes
1½ cups brewed coffee
¾ cup cola
2 teaspoons molasses
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Tobacco Water (recipe follows; optional) or 2 tablespoons water
Cookies
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
14 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons chopped tobacco leaves (see note)
1Preheat the oven to 355°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2To make the coconut flakes: In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut, coffee, cola, molasses, sugar, and tobacco water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for about 20 minutes, until all the liquid has been cooked off. Transfer the coconut flakes to a baking sheet and allow to cool to room temperature.
3To make the cookies: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir together with a fork. Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly.
4In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and tobacco. Stir into the chocolate mixture, then stir the flour mixture into this batter.
5Spoon the dough 1 tablespoon at a time onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave room in between for the cookies to spread while baking.
6Top each cookie with a little of the tobacco coconut flakes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookie tops crack but the cookies are still soft in the center. Let cool for 3 minutes before handling. Lift with a spatula and transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Or let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
The tobacco leaves should be taken from a good-quality cigar. When you unroll the cigar to make Tobacco Water (recipe follows), reserve a small amount to be chopped for the cookie batter.
Tobacco Water
Makes 3 cups
1 good cigar
3 cups warm water
1Peel half of the layers off the cigar and discard. Separate the inner tobacco leaves and rinse under warm water for 3 minutes.
2Fill a small bowl with the 3 cups warm water and steep the tobacco leaves in the water for 10 minutes. Strain the water and discard the tobacco leaves. The tobacco water will be quite strong, with a nicotine sting.
Mutsu Apple Tempura with Buttermilk Caramel
When apples begin to appear in abundance in the farmers’ markets, it is my reminder that autumn has arrived. Mutsu is a succulent variety and the very best of the lot. Fried fruit may seem blasphemous, but this is really tasty: crispy and flaky on the outside and warm, sweet, and moist on the inside. You have to slice the apples just right—too thin, and the apple loses its crispness when fried; too thick, and the center won’t get warm. I slice them into wedges about the thickness of my thumb, on the skin side. You can peel the apples if you want to, but I like leaving the skin on. A little caramel and a wisp of cinnamon is all you need to finish this addictive dessert snack.
The apples should be served hot out of the fryer, but make the whole recipe even if you are serving a smaller group, because people will eat the hell out of them. My buddy Greg Hall makes a virtuoso hard cider called Red Streak and, needless to say, it pairs really, really well with these fried apples. / Feeds 4 to 6
Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ tablespoons buttermilk
3 cups corn oil for deep-frying
Tempura Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1¼ cups Red Bull
2 Mutsu apples, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges
Powdered sugar for dusting
Cinnamon for dusting
1To make the caramel sauce: Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepot over medium-high heat until the sugar caramelizes into a deep amber color, about 10 minutes; tilt the pan back and forth for even cooking, but do not, under any circumstances, stir the caramel. When the caramel is dark amber, turn off the heat and let cool for 3 minutes.
2Whisk in the cream and stir. Let the sauce cool to near room temperature, then add the butter and buttermilk and mix well. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.
3Heat ½ inch of corn oil in a heavy pot to 350°F.
4Meanwhile, make the batter: Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the Red Bull and whisk until combined.
5Working in batches, using a fork or a toothpick, dip the apple slices into the batter, and gently drop into the hot oil. Fry for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until the batter is crisp and the appl
e is just warmed through. Lift the apples out of the oil with a skimmer or strainer and drain on paper towels.
6Serve immediately on small plates, dusted with a little powdered sugar and a very light sprinkling of cinnamon and drizzle with the caramel sauce.
When making tempura, it is important to skim out any bits of batter remaining in the oil before frying your next batch. This will help keep the oil from burning. Watch the oil carefully and try your best to maintain it at a constant 350°F the entire time.
Peach and Rhubarb Kuchen
The German influence is strong in the part of Kentucky where I live. Most of the old-country cuisine has disappeared from the regional foodways, but you can still find a few shops selling German-style cakes, or kuchens. Kuchen simply means “cake” in German, so there are a lot of versions. This one is unfathomably light and dense at the same time. I make it in the early part of summer, when both peaches and rhubarb are plentiful.
Serve this with a light Moscato d’asti, and watch your guests squeal with delight. / Feeds 6 to 8
Kuchen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the baking dish
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
2 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges
4 ounces rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces (about ¾ cup)
Topping
½ cup crushed pistachios
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Buttermilk Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
1Preheat the oven to 375°F. Smear a little soft butter on the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2To make the kuchen: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir together with a fork.
3In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and cream together on medium-high for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and buttermilk and mix until thoroughly combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until a smooth batter is formed; stop to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
4Pour the batter into the baking dish. Place the fruit over the batter and press it in just slightly. To top, sprinkle the crushed pistachios and sugar over the fruit and dot the cake with the butter.
5Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the kuchen comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve warm with buttermilk whipped cream. Leftovers, if there are any, will keep, covered with plastic wrap, in your refrigerator for several days.
Buttermilk whipped cream
Makes about 2½ cups
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons buttermilk
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Combine the heavy cream, buttermilk, and powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until firm peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Chess Pie with Blackened Pineapple Salsa
There are as many versions of chess pie as there are stories about the origin of its name. Folklore has it that the name comes from the tradition of making the pie in the afternoon and storing it in a chest until ready to serve later that evening; over time, the word “chest” came to be “chess.” Chess pie is rich and sugary as hell. I brighten it up with pineapple that is panfried in a little peanut oil. Some might think a pineapple salsa has no right to intrude into a classic Southern dessert, but it works—as odd as the combination might sound at first.
This is a sweet dessert, so there’s no need for a dessert wine: crack open the bourbon, or maybe serve snifters of aged rye whiskey. / Makes 2 pies, each serving 6
Pineapple Salsa
About ⅓ cup peanut oil
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced into ½-inch-thick rings
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon dark rum
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
Dough
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
¼ cup vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Filling
6 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 tablespoons fine cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1To make the pineapple salsa: Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add 2 or 3 pineapple rings and fry until blackened on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, then move to a cutting board. Repeat until all the pineapple rings are blackened, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
2Chop the blackened pineapple rings into fine chunks. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the lime zest and juice, rum, and brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3To make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix together. Add the butter and shortening and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the mixture is crumbly, with butter bits the size of small peas. Add the water a tablespoon at a time, pulsing until a rough dough is formed; stop as soon as the dough gathers into a ball.
4Turn the dough out, divide it in half, and shape into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
5Chill two 9-inch pie pans in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6Transfer one disk of dough to a work surface dusted with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle, occasionally lifting the dough and turning it a quarter-turn; dust with more flour underneath if needed. Lift the dough up and drape into one chilled pie pan, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any excess overhang of dough with kitchen scissors or a knife. Roll out the other disk of dough; refrigerate both piecrusts for 30 minutes.
7Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
8To make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Fill each piecrust about three-quarters full. Bake the pies for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean and a light crust has formed on top. Let cool on a rack. The pie can be served at room temperature or, better yet, slightly warm. Once cooled, the pies can be wrapped and left in a cool, dry place (like a chest or cupboard) for up to a day.
9To serve, slice each pie into 6 slices, transfer to plates, and top with the pineapple salsa.
Whiskey–Ginger Cake with Pear Salad
My neighbor, pastry chef Leah Stewart, created this for a Jack Daniel’s dinner in Louisville. I liked it so much, I “borrowed” the recipe. Hey, come on, we all do it: take a recipe and adapt it into our own. Most whiskey-flavored desserts are too heavy and syrupy for me. I wanted the whiskey flavor, but in something refined and regal. We fussed around with the recipe to get it just right. Adding fresh pears to a traditional ginger cake gives it a contemporary feel.
Serve this as an elegant end to an important meal, with some good whiskey or a cocktail like
The New-Fashioned (page 231). / Feeds up to 10
Cake
½ cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2⅔ cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (use a Microplane)
1½ cups buttermilk
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
4⅓ cups cake flour, sifted
2½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
Frosting
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup good-quality whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Two 1-pound boxes powdered sugar
Garnish
1 Anjou pear
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Unsprayed borage blossoms (optional)
1Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
2To make the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the oil, butter, and brown sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the grated ginger and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
3Combine the buttermilk and coconut milk in a small bowl. Whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, and ground ginger in a large bowl.
4Alternating between them, slowly add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, mixing on medium-low speed until well blended.
5Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
