In this section of my site I will be posting recipes that I find appealing. These will range from tea beverages and sweets to dishes prepared with New Jersey produce.

Election Cake
Adapted from: “American Cookery Magazine” - November 1925

1/2 lb Buter
1 lb Sugar
Juice and grated yellow rind of a       large lemon
5 Egg yoks
2 t. Cream of tartar
1 lb pastry flour
1 t. Baking powder

Cream one half pound of butter, work in gradually a pound of sugar, beating until the sugar is dissolved in the water if the butter. A few extra drops of water may be needed, but the mixture should be smooth and velvety when done. Add the juice and grated yellow rind of a large lemon, and beating, one by one, the unbeaten yolks of five eggs.  Sift two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar with a pound of pastry flour; add this to the first mixture alternately with one cup of rich cream.  Dissolve one teaspoon of baking soda in a very little hot water, add this to the batter, and lastly beat in the stiff-beaten whites of five eggs.  Bake in a tube pan, or a loaf tin, for an hour and a quarter, it until done. At 350º F.

Hartford Election Cake
Adapted from: “American Regional Cookery” by Sheila Hibben, 1946

3/4 cup of butter
1 ¼ cup of bread dough(purchase pizza dough in the      refrigerated section of your market)
1 egg
1 ¼ cups of brown sugar
½ cup sherry
2/3 cup of raisins – chopped
8 figs chopped finely
1 cup of flour
1 t. of cinnamon
1/4 t. each of cloves, nutmeg, mace, and all-spice
1 t. salt

Put dough in a bowl, cover and set in warm place to rise to double its size. Cut down dough and work butter into the dough. Add egg, sugar, sherry, fruit dredged in 2 T. of flour. Sift remainder of flour with spices and salt. Fill cake pan 2/3 full, cover, and let rise 1 ½ hours in a warm place. Bake at 325ºF for about 50 minutes.  Spread Milk Icing on top, letting it dribble down the sides.

Milk Icing

1 ½ cups of sugar;
1/3 cup of whole milk or light cream;
2 t. butter;
1/2 t. vanilla

Mix sugar, milk, and butter in a saucepan and stir while bringing slowly to the boiling point. Stop stirring and cook until mixture form a soft ball when tested in cold water. Cool, flavor with vanilla and beat until desired consistency for spreading on cake.

Lemon-Orange Sponge Cake

4 Eggs
3/4 cup Sugar
8 T Unsalted butter, melted
1 Grated rind of one lemon
2 tsp. Grated orange rind
1 ½ cups Unbleached flour
2 tsp. Baking powder

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Whisk eggs until frothy, then slowly add sugar, butter and lemon and orange rinds, beating thoroughly after each addition. Fold in flour and baking powder. Grease an 8-inch cake pan, pour in the mixture. Bake for one hour or until the cake is golden brown and well risen; a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. When cool, dust with powered sugar.

This cake is perfect for an afternoon tea and would go well with a Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is a black tea from India so you want to bring the water to a boil and steep for 2 ½ to 3 minutes.

Blueberry Fritters

1 cup of unbleached flour
1 t. of baking powder
2 T. of sugar
1/4 t. of salt
½ cup of milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup of New Jersey blueberries
powdered sugar

Sift together the dry ingredients; add milk and well-beaten egg yolks and beat the batter until smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and then fold in the blueberries. Drop by spoonfuls in hot oil (365º F.), cook until light brown; drain on paper towel. Dust with powdered sugar. Serves 4.

Fried Apples with Cheddar Cheese

1T. - olive oil
2T. - butter
4 - 5 large apples
1 - 2 T. - brown sugar
sharp cheddar cheese to taste

Peel, core and slice apples. Heat oil in a medium hot skillet and add butter. When butter melts add the apples and stir to coat. Heat thoroughly.  Dust the apples with brown sugar and stir to mix. Continue to heat until apples soften. Sprinkle with grated sharp cheddar and cover until cheese melts. Serve with slices of crusty bread.

Yellow Salsa

1 ear of New Jersey Sweet corn – kernels cut off the cob
3 -4 yellow New Jersey Tomatoes – sliced and diced into ½” pieces
1 cucumber – peeled, seeded and diced into ¼” pieces
1 yellow pepper – seeded, sliced, and cut into ¼” pieces
1 small Vidalia or other sweet onion – sliced and diced into ¼” pieces
1 jalapeño – seeded and chopped
½ cup of chopped cilantro leaves
3T rice wine vinegar.
 Dash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash or two of hot sauce (optional)

Mix corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Add cilantro leaves. Mix in vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and optional hot sauce. Chill for one hour.

Serve with fish, chicken or taco chips.

Spiced Cranberries

3 cups of fresh cranberries
1 cup of brown sugar
¾ cup of water
1/8 teaspoon powered cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice
2 sticks of cinnamon
1/8-teaspoon mace
¼ cup AppleJack (optional)

Cook sugar and water in medium size saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium high and bring to boil.  Add the cranberries and spices (and optional AppleJack). Cook until berries pop about ten minutes, then cook an additional five to ten minutes.  Remove cinnamon sticks.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Peachy, Tomato, Fennel Salad

1 ripe, large peach – peeled, pitted and cut in slices
1/2 bulb of fennel – cut in thin slices
10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ t. of grated fresh ginger

 1 -2 t. lime juice
Salt to taste
Drizzle of the best Extra-Virgin olive

Mix peaches, fennel, and tomatoes in a bowl. Add grated fresh ginger then stir in lime juice. Sprinkle with a little salt to taste. Place mixture on a platter and drizzle olive oil over the salad. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Note: Use the best olive oil that you can afford.