Gram Goodine’s Blueberry Cake

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fresh blueberries, gram goodine, Kippy Rudy, kippy rudy blueberry cake, maine blueberry cake, wild maine blueberries

Dear GrowingUpJulia Readers,

I am pleased to announce that today I am posting our first guest post from the fabulous Ms. Kippy Rudy. I’ve been very busy with campaigning and to keep me fueled, Kippy has been kind enough to keep dropping off food for me. My favorite treat is her blueberry cake. Wild Maine Blueberries are one of my guilty pleasures. I can eat pint after pint. My mother used to run a commercial blueberry field and I grew up learning how to rake them and process them. Although, I always got in trouble for eating about half of what I harvested. So naturally I have an extreme fondness for anything blueberry. That’s why I asked Kippy if she would be willing to jot down her blueberry cake recipe. So without further ado I present “Gram Goodine’s Blueberry Cake.”

Kippy Rudy

Mattie has been busy campaigning and has sadly had little time to cook.  So without her around to interfere and try to improve upon the recipe with shaved chocolate or imported figs, I decided to make my great-grandmother’s blueberry cake and post it for you all to enjoy.

Now we should be clear on a few things. Blueberry cake is a traditional Maine summer dessert, made with the small, sweet wild berries that cover our mountains and fields every August (or earlier this summer). While you can find blueberries in other places – and even the grocery store – I have never seen blueberry cake anyplace else. And you certainly can’t make it with those giant cultivated blueberries that look as though they were doused in steroids but lack intense the flavor of our native berries. Some things are just best they way they have always been.

Secondly, I did not come from a family with generations of traditions and heirlooms and favorite recipes. This is it for the recipes that go back past my mother. I am told that others in the family had not asked Gram for the recipe, which I attribute to laziness and lack of curiosity. So when I finally asked, it took a little prodding, including the encouragement of her sister, my Aunt Ruth. She wrote it down and Ruth grabbed it. Having made the cake her entire life (and she was well into her 90s at the time), Ruth immediately noticed that Gram had altered the recipe.  I just don’t think she could bear anyone replicating her legendary blueberry cake. Ruth corrected the ratio of flour and it was given to me, with both sisters’ notes.

So in honor of Gram Goodine and all the proud women who wanted to be generous with their favorite recipes but just couldn’t bring themselves to do so, I give you traditional Maine blueberry cake.

Kippy’s daughter, Arden, making Blueberry Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 2 c fresh wild Maine blueberries
• 2 c flour (Gram said 3—I wouldn’t trust her though)
• 2 c sugar (I find it works well with 1 ½)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 c milk
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• ½ tsp vanilla

Dust the blueberries in flour and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and the wet ingredients in a second bowl.  Combine mixtures, and when thoroughly blended, add the blueberries. Pour into a greased 9 inch square baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  When cool, sprinkle top with sugar.  

Every summer I make dozens of the cakes (two to four at a time) and freeze them for the winter. They store and defrost beautifully and I can easily mail them frozen to my daughter away at school. Just hold off on the sugar sprinkled on top until you are ready to serve.

Gram Goodine’s Blueberry Cake

New Restaurant Alert: TAO in Brunswick dazzles!

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asian small plates, asian tapas, brunswick restaurant, Cara Stadler, Cara Stadler maine, Cara Stadler tao, Fried Goat Cheese, Grandma Tang's Roast Pork Buns, Pan-Fried Cauliflower, small plates, tao brunswick maine, tao brunswick maine review, tao maine, tao review, Turnip Cakes

Dear TAO: I owe you a long, well written and photographed review. But alas I arrived at your restaurant tonight unprepared. Instead I arrived hungry and tired from campaigning. The experience I had at your establishment was so phenomenal that I felt compelled to run back to my apartment and publicly profess my newfound love for you.

I live right around the corner from TAO and have been meaning to stop in since it opened earlier this summer. Tonight Benjamin and I were thrilled to find out that they are open past 9 pm (a rarity in this town) and finally headed over to Pleasant Street to check them out.  We were the last diners for the evening and had the place to ourselves.

The restaurant is expertly decorated and arranged. It is great to know that someone has put so much love and care into the building. I was a big fan of the former Tearoom and Provisions and was sad when both establishments closed. TAO has done a great job of refurbishing the building. The vibe is up-class and hip but inviting and warm all at the same time. My only complaint is that the air-conditiong vents on the floor can freeze your legs. But our excellent server Emma quickly covered the vents and saved the day.

Chef Cara Stadler

Chef Cara Stadler has an impressive resume and has trained all over the globe. With TAO she is focusing on a small plates menu with the goal of creating “the perfect bite.” On TAO’s website they describe her inspiration:

At the same time as she was learning from these modern masters, Cara began noticing what has become her core guiding concept – what she calls, “the perfect bite.” Specifically, she became fascinated with how, in a single bite, flavors harmonize in a sequence of moments, supported by the cadence of texture.

The menu features a wide variety of these “perfect bites” and the intent is that each plate is to share with each person ordering around 3 – 4 plates. Benjamin and I ordered 6 plates to share.

I had done a little preliminary food stalking and had noticed that they served “Roasted Pork Buns.” Pork Buns are one of my guilty pleasure foods and I haven’t had many good ones outside of Boston. So naturally I was dying to know how TAO’s Pork Buns measured up. We ordered Grandma Tang’s Roast Pork Buns, the Fried Goat Cheese, the Steamed Shao Mai,   the Pan-Fried Dumplings, the Wok-Fried Cauliflower, and the Turnip Cakes. We also ordered a Sangria to share.

The good news: The Pork Buns lived up to all my hopes and dreams. The bad news: The purveyor of these heavenly treats is within easy walking distance of my apartment. We were informed that they had run out of the aesthetically pleasing buns but offered us the “ugly” buns instead for half off. The Pork Buns were delightfully pillowy, light and steamed to perfection with luscious roast pork bursting from the inside (despite their appearance). I will be returning soon to have this delectable treat again and again.

Other stand out items in our meal were the Pan-Fried Cauliflower that was bursting with flavor. Benjamin was particularly fond of the maple cured bacon that accompanied the cauliflower. The Turnip Cakes were fantastic and unique with a great texture. We are always suckers for dumplings and Benjamin and I fought over who got to eat the last Pan-Fried Dumpling (I lost). All of the accompanying sauces with the dishes were delectable.

My only complaint was the Sangria. While it wasn’t bad it did not live up to the rest of our meal. The drink was lacking in flavor and frankly just didn’t thrill my tastebuds. It left me wanting something else to pair with our meal. Next time I will have to check out their tantalizing wine list. I think a white might be a better bet next time.

Benjamin and I were already in love with TAO after the first plate but to top everything off Emma returned towards the end of the meal with an order of Black Sea Bass compliments of the kitchen. This was the perfect end to the meal. I am a complete and utter seafood addict and this sea bass was phenomenal. Tonight I was glad that Benjamin isn’t crazy about fish as I hogged this tasty dish. The bass was served with fairy eggplant, a broth of red curry and kaffir lime. The fish skin was perfectly crispy and balanced the sweetness of the rest of the fish. The eggplant meshed expertly with the other flavors and a splash of red pepper brought it all together. When I reached the end there was a leftover pool of broth that I desperately wanted to slurp down by drinking straight out of the bowl. But alas social conventions told me to not embarrass my boyfriend by licking all of the plates…

So with a very full and satisfied stomach I implore you all to go check out TAO Restaurant. They are breath of fresh air in the Brunswick dining scene. I am excited to have Chef Stadler and her tantalizing creations right around the corner and look forward to seeing what she cooks up next.

TAO Restaurant, 22 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME.

For more info on TAO Restaurant please check out their website: http://tao-maine.com/

Bon anniversaire, ma chère Julia!

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chocolate almond cake, Julia Child, julia child 100, julia child birthday, julia child chocolate almond cake, julia child la reine de saba, julia child turns 100, julia child's 100th birthday, julia child's birthday, julia child's salad nicoise, la reine de saba, La Reine de Saba---the Queen of Sheba Chocolate Almond Cake, salad nicoise

Julia McWilliams Child was born one hundred years ago today.  In my opinion, this should be a national holiday dedicated to the pleasures of the table and our culinary history.  Smith College always celebrates its famous alumna on Julia Child Day, the Thursday before Thanksgiving.  Every dining hall and the campus center features different recipes from Julia.  Some of my fondest college memories are from roaming from one Julia venue to another and another, stuffing myself to the point of gluttony and leaving little appetite for the less exciting Thanksgiving table to follow in a few days (we used to call the span of time from Julia Child Day to Thanksgiving “Fat Week”).

Unfortunately, my work and campaign schedule leaves me little time to devote to doing anything elaborate to celebrate her birthday.  So I shall celebrate by treating myself to her newest biography, “Dearie,” just published by Bob Spitz, and by enjoying some of her good basic everyday recipes like Salad Nicoise, an improvised Peche Clafoutis using peaches instead of cherries, and her favorite chocolate cake.

This is the perfect time of the year for Julia’s favorite main-course salad, Salad Nicoise.  The new potatoes are in season, the green beans are plentiful, and the tomatoes are finally turning red.  I like to use tiny new yellow potatoes that can skinned just by a vigorous brushing and cooked in just a few minutes.  My Mother’s garden is filled with delicious little haricots vertes.  She plants Taverna, Maxibel, and Fortex beans to harvest when thin and about six inches long.  And her Sun Gold and Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes are huge this year.

This recipe is from one of my favorite (if there can be such) books of hers, “Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking.”

This little book, published a few years before she died, is a distillation of pure Julia and is always perfect to give as an introductory gift to someone who is not already a fan of hers.

Salad Nicoise

• 1 large head of Boston or Summer Crisp lettuce, washed and dried
• 1 pound of green beans, cooked 4 to 5 minutes in a large pot of rapidly boiling water
• 1 ½  Tbs minced shallots or ¼ very thinly sliced sweet onion (optional)
• ½ to 2/3 cup basic vinaigrette
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 to 4 ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges (or 10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, halved)
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled, sliced and cooked
• 2 3-ounce cans oil packed canned tuna or ½ pound leftover fish like salmon
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
• 1 freshly opened can of anchovy fillets (optional)
• 1/3 cup small black Nicoise or Kalamata olives
• 2 to 3 Tbs capers
• 3 Tbs minced parsley

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter.  Shortly before serving, toss the beans and the potatoes separately with the onion or shallots, several spoonfuls of the vinaigrette and salt and pepper.  Baste the tomatoes with a spoonful of vinaigrette.  Place the potatoes in the center of the platter and arrange a mound of beans at either end, with tomatoes and small mounds of tuna at strategic intervals.  Ring the platter with halves of hard-boiled eggs, sunny side up, and curl an anchovy on top of each.  Spoon more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley, and serve.

Julia Child’s 90th Birthday. Picture from the SF Chronicle.

And because it is Julia’s birthday I have another Julia recipe to share. This one is taken directly from her writing and has no embellishments from me. Below is Julia Child’s favorite chocolate cake “La Reine de Saba—the Queen of Sheba Chocolate Almond Cake.”

From Julia Child: La Reine de Saba—the Queen of Sheba Chocolate Almond Cake

“My favorite chocolate cake.  For an 8 by 1 ½ inch cake, serving 6 to 8.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, set rack in lower-middle level, and prepare cake pan.  Measure out ½ cup sifted plain bleached cake flour and 1/3 cup …pulverized almonds… Using an electric mixer, cream 1 stick butter with ½ cup sugar; when fluffy, one at a time beat in 3 egg yolks.  Meanwhile, melt 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate and 1ounce bitter chocolate with 2 tablespoons dark rum or strong coffee…, and stir the warm chocolate into the yolks.  Beat 3 egg whites into stiff, shining peaks…and stir a quarter of them into the yolks.  Rapidly and delicately fold in the rest, alternating with sprinklings of almonds and siftings of flour.  Turn at once into the prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes, until it has puffed to the top of the pan but the center moves slightly when gently shaken.

Let cool 15 minutes before unmolding.  This type of cake is always at its best at room temperature.  Serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar…”

So without further ado: Happy birthday, dear Julia.

Toujours bon appétit!

Also because PBS brought Julia Child into our lives through their TV programming I feel the need to remind everyone that tomorrow is Maine Public Broadcasting Network’s “Super Thursday” One Day Pledge Drive. Instead of taking up the airwaves with a week of pledge drives MPBN is trying to do it in one day. Please consider donating tomorrow to help them meet their funding goal. For more information check out their site: http://www.mpbn.net/Support/DonatetoMPBN/SuperThursdayOneDayPledgeDrive.aspx