What am I most grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend? Well, aside from the obvious--family, friends, gainful employment, bourbon--I would have to say, potluck!
Everyone loves a potluck, yes ma'am!
I was fortunate enough to attend one just blocks from my house at the MEs. The gastronomic talent of the attendees was quite impressive--turkey roasted with garlic, homemade cheese ball, fresh cranberry relish, caramelized brussels sprouts, savory sweet potatoes, tasty pies. It was a feast to behold!
And the cocktails mixed by MW were also spectacular. I never would have guessed that a lushalicious concoction could be made from pumpkin beer, bourbon and egg white!
I brought an adapted version of a traditional family dish we call Dolores' corn pudding. The original recipe is:
Dolores' Corn Pudding
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sour cream
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
Melt butter in a 9x13 pan, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Dolores was my grandmother's neighbor and close friend, and this corn pudding of hers was delicious!
So, why adapt anything for the most indulgent gastronomic day of the year? It was not the butter or the sour cream, but the Jiffy. I made the mistake of reading the box, and this particular ingredient stopped me in my baking tracks: "animal shortening (contains one or more of the following: lard, hydrogenated lard, partially hydrogenated lard)."
Believe it or no, lard itself doesn't bother me; it's the hydrogenation--the process of adding hydrogen.
With a stick of butter, which is saturated fat, in the dish already, you probably think I am crazy for getting hung up on the hydrogenated lard. You might ask again, why not just let it go for one day of the year? Well, because I would rather avoid foods whose molecular structure has been altered before they are even cooked. I would rather eat without hydrogenation.
So, I took my best guess at how much wheat flour, corn meal, sugar, and baking soda are in a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I didn't quite hit the mark. It tasted good, but it was not Dolores' corn pudding.
The good news is I can try again at the next holiday potluck!
That's all, my friends. I would love to hear about your traditional Thanksgiving dishes and any resulting hits or misses! In the meantime, you might find these articles about fats and lard of interest:
Lard: The New Health Food by Pete Wells on Food and Wine
Frequently Asked Questions about Bad Fats from the American Heart Association
Trans Fat is Double Trouble for Your Heart Health from Mayo Clinic
Everyone loves a potluck, yes ma'am!
I was fortunate enough to attend one just blocks from my house at the MEs. The gastronomic talent of the attendees was quite impressive--turkey roasted with garlic, homemade cheese ball, fresh cranberry relish, caramelized brussels sprouts, savory sweet potatoes, tasty pies. It was a feast to behold!
And the cocktails mixed by MW were also spectacular. I never would have guessed that a lushalicious concoction could be made from pumpkin beer, bourbon and egg white!
I brought an adapted version of a traditional family dish we call Dolores' corn pudding. The original recipe is:
1 can creamed corn
1 can regular corn
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sour cream
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
Melt butter in a 9x13 pan, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Dolores was my grandmother's neighbor and close friend, and this corn pudding of hers was delicious!
So, why adapt anything for the most indulgent gastronomic day of the year? It was not the butter or the sour cream, but the Jiffy. I made the mistake of reading the box, and this particular ingredient stopped me in my baking tracks: "animal shortening (contains one or more of the following: lard, hydrogenated lard, partially hydrogenated lard)."
Believe it or no, lard itself doesn't bother me; it's the hydrogenation--the process of adding hydrogen.
With a stick of butter, which is saturated fat, in the dish already, you probably think I am crazy for getting hung up on the hydrogenated lard. You might ask again, why not just let it go for one day of the year? Well, because I would rather avoid foods whose molecular structure has been altered before they are even cooked. I would rather eat without hydrogenation.
So, I took my best guess at how much wheat flour, corn meal, sugar, and baking soda are in a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I didn't quite hit the mark. It tasted good, but it was not Dolores' corn pudding.
The good news is I can try again at the next holiday potluck!
That's all, my friends. I would love to hear about your traditional Thanksgiving dishes and any resulting hits or misses! In the meantime, you might find these articles about fats and lard of interest:
Lard: The New Health Food by Pete Wells on Food and Wine
Frequently Asked Questions about Bad Fats from the American Heart Association
Trans Fat is Double Trouble for Your Heart Health from Mayo Clinic
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