Sarah C. Baird - Kentucky Sweets: Bourbon Balls, Spoonbread & Mile High Pie

Published by American Palate

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2014 by Sarah C. Baird

All rights reserved

First published 2014

e-book edition 2014

ISBN 978.1.62584.905.2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Baird, Sarah C.

Kentucky sweets : bourbon balls, spoonbread and mile high pie / Sarah C. Baird.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

print edition ISBN 978-1-62619-377-2 (paperback)

1. Desserts--Kentucky. I. Title.

TX773.B255 2014

641.8609769--dc23

2013047434

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To my parents, who will forever be more fun and interesting than I could imagine.

Contents

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, my illustrator and friend Chase Chauffe, who has the unique combination of sensational talent and complete humbleness. I am constantly amazed by his work and look forward to our many projects.

Trevor Alan Taylor, who was so receptive and open to my (kind of wacky and) playful ideas for shooting the food, with an attention to detail that is unmatched.

The hundreds and hundreds of Kentuckians across the state whom I bombarded with questions, suggestions, ideas and queries into their personal sugar preferences.

In close, of course, I owe a mound of debt to the lovely and talented Kirsten Schofield and her colleagues at The History Press, without whom this book would not be possible in the most real sense.

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

Introduction

Kentuckyarguably the first true wilderness to be tamed by explorers after the eastern seaboard became crowdedis also a land of rich and robust culinary heritage. The sugar-laden back roads and main streets of the commonwealth are ripe with stories just waiting to be told about how sweet traditions have helped to shape families and communities, from the sorghum-rich hills of eastern Kentucky to candy makers in the heart of urban Louisville.

Located at the intersection of the Midwest and South, the culinary traditions of Kentucky are unlike any other state in the nation. Combining the homey, cozy favorites of middle America with the Souths flair for decadence and an Appalachian focus on homegrown, local ingredients, Kentucky is uniquely stubborn in its adherence to tradition and doggedly determined to preserve the foodways that have made it both inviting and intimidating since Daniel Boone first trailblazed through its woods.

This work focuses on a sampler (not Whitmans but still tasty) of baked goods, candies and sweets (and a few cocktails of course) from across the state, with anecdotes, oral histories and pop culture tidbits thrown in for good measure. Each of these sweets is deeply woven into the fabric of local communities and the state as a whole, from the hotly contested courtroom cases surrounding Derby Pie to just why and how the Maysville favorite translucent pie differs from other regional chess pie variations.

Take a seat, grab a fork and dig in.

Part 1

Its sweet, its earthy, its richand it needs a better PR agent. If more folks knew about the buttery, delicious nature of a hickory nut, lets just say that the pecan and cashew would be getting pretty jealous over the new kid in town. Hickory trees are found all over the state of Kentucky, and their delicious interiorwhile a bit difficult to removeis well worth the effort.

TOOL SPOTLIGHT: CANDY THERMOMETER

One of the biggest objections people have to tackling candy making is a deep fear of using a candy (or deep fry) thermometer. Its time that we put those fears to rest. For better or worse, math (ounces, pounds and grams, oh my!) is an integral part of cooking and baking. Why would you not want to use all the tools at your disposalkitchen scales, thermometers and moreto ensure that your dish is going to come out just right? This isnt high school calculus, I promise.

Candy thermometers can be found in practically all supermarkets, but they are somewhat fussy instruments that can easily be knocked off kilter. After purchasing your thermometer, or if you dig one out of the dark reaches of a drawer, take the time to ensure that it is functioning properly. Clip the thermometer to the side of a baking pan and fill it with water, bringing the water in the pan to a boil. The thermometer should read 212F. If your thermometers reading doesnt measure up, its probably time to invest in a new one.

Always use the thermometers clip to your advantage while making candy in order to ensure the greatest accuracy, and do keep an eye on the mixture at all times. Candy typically cooks very slowly when boiling until it reaches 220F, whereupon it rapidly speeds up. A close watch will ensure that the candy doesnt burn, leaving you with a charcoal-colored mess.

If disaster strikes in the middle of cooking and your thermometer breaks, always have an understudy close at hand so as to not disrupt the flow of the recipe.

After using your thermometer, allow it to cool completely before washing it to ensure that it does not break. Additionally, never put your thermometer in the dishwasher, as they can easily be knocked out of whack by the tossing and turning motions.

Hickory Nut Aliases

pig nut, king nut

Brittle Aliases

slab sugar candy

TIPS AND TRICKS

Crushing Nuts: Chopping nuts is no ones idea of an enjoyable pastime, especially when nuts can move from perfectly chopped to a filmy nut powder in a matter of errant strokes. If you dont have a food processor or mini-chopper at your disposal, get ready to go analog. Place the nuts in a zip-lock bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap. Seal the bag or the edges of the wrap and cajole the nuts into a single layer. Place the bag between two tea towels and, using a rolling pin, crush the nuts through the towel, checking regularly, until the nuts are in the desired piece sizes.

Brittle Battle: Theres nothing more daunting than the thought of pulling molten candy mere seconds after it has ceased to bubble and spew. Its important, though, to bite the bullet and stretch the candy while its still hot and pliable in order to make a thinner, crispier brittle. (I promise, you want that signature first snap of the candy.) After pouring the brittle into the prepared pans, wait about sixty seconds before beginning to pull. The most important part? Wear rubber gloves, preferably the heavy-duty yellow kind typically reserved for bathroom cleaning. Your safety and comfort is a priority, so dont be a tough guy and end up with third-degree sugar burns. When pulling, dont just grab from the edges but from the middle, too, to make the brittle as thin as possible. The nuts should be just barely bound together with tender, crunchy candy.