Aimee’s Pretty Palate: Friendship is the Common Ingredient
As inRegister celebrates its 35th anniversary, I would be remiss to not devote this month’s recipes to the columnists who have shared their love for gathering around the kitchen table within its pages over the past three decades. With these tried-and-true dishes as my inspiration, I put my personal spin on some of the Capital City’s most treasured recipes.
Let’s get started by taking it back to 1990 when inRegister’s longtime food columnist Chet Beckwith wrote an article titled “To Make Amish Friendship Cakes, You Must First Have a ‘Starter’.” He explained how he was gifted a “starter” and thus began a love affair with the cinnamon sugar pan of deliciousness. He goes on to say, “There is no use for me to give the actual recipe now because you have to have the ‘starter’ before you can start, but I make them every 10 days and always have at least nine ‘starters’ ready to give away.”
If you think I’m kidding that he wanted you to call him to lay claim to a starter, I am not. He specifically says, “Call me, and I will have the ‘starter’ and recipe for you.” He also includes his personal telephone number at the end of the article, as he always did.
Oh, how times have changed!
While I’m not certain I should hand out my personal telephone number so easily, I’d be hard-pressed to mention a recipe and expect you to call me for it. With today’s desire for quick access and the ever-present “just give me the recipe” sans story mentality that comes with online recipe sharing, I found myself envious of the type of community Mr. Beckwith was cultivating by requiring an in-person encounter and conversation while exchanging a recipe.
I took the liberty to research his beloved cakes and share with you not only how to make your own starter but also what to do with it once you hit day 10, as well as a recipe that tastes similar yet requires no starter if tending to sourdough just isn’t your thing.
I suspect the Amish Friendship Cakes were similar in nature to Amish Friendship Bread, choosing to bake in cake pans rather than loaf pans. If you’re unfamiliar, as I was, Amish Friendship Bread is created from a sweet sourdough starter, lovingly tended to for 10 days. On some days, you simply stir the starter, and on others, you feed the starter. On the 10th day, your starter is ready to be used for baking, and the excess starter is divided and distributed among friends and neighbors, hence its friendly name, evoking a sense of community and love to each kitchen.
While researching, I also learned that according to Anne Byrn, author of American Cake, Amish Friendship Bread is similar to a European recipe for Herman Friendship Cake that can be dated back to the 1860s with pioneer women sharing their starters as they traveled. It would later be made popular by the Amish during the Depression era—a simple bread that could be shared with others. I have elected to simply call it Friendship Bread, but you can call it whichever you prefer.
The friendliness aspect of Friendship Bread reminded me of the time I reached out to Holly Clegg, Chet Beckwith’s inRegister successor. In 2018, the publishing company for one of my cookbooks was acquired by a larger company. I scanned the list of authors they represented and spotted the one and only Holly Clegg. I randomly emailed her in hopes she would be up for a coffee date so that I could introduce myself and pick her brain about her experience with said publisher. Not only did she agree to meet with me, but she also invited me into her home, opting for crawfish over coffee. She was working on a recipe for the Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research Board and promised to answer my publishing questions if I helped her photograph her latest dish. She prepared crawfish etouffee for us as we chatted all things food. I was there for hours, and to this day, I cannot prepare crawfish without thinking of her, her kindness and our fast friendship.
I have created a version of the filling for her widely popular Crawfish King Cake recipe and stuffed it inside puff pastry pockets for some Puff Pastry Crawfish Hand Pies. Buttery and rich, they are quite possibly the tastiest appetizer you’ll serve this football-watching season.
And speaking of football season quickly approaching, I have revolutionized a creamy spinach side dish that has likely graced your holiday table and needs no introduction. That’s right, I’ve turned Spinach Madeleine into a Loaded Spinach and Shrimp Dip. Having chaired the River Road Recipes cookbook committee for the Junior League of Baton Rouge, the original recipe and I go way back to when fellow committee members turned lifelong friends styled a holiday table for the cover of our printed newsletter, with Spinach Madeleine prominently included.
I have taken this well-known holiday dish, often reserved for special occasions, and “Aimee-d it” (my husband’s words), making it home game-ready to razzle and dazzle this season.
With friendship as the common ingredient for each of the recipes shared this month, I hope you find something to satiate your appetite while honoring those who have come before me. It is a true privilege to follow in their footsteps and be welcomed into your homes and around your table each month.
Happy 35th, inRegister!
Starter Free Friendship Bread
Adapted by Friendship Bread Kitchen
3 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1½ cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (5.1-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Topping:
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9×5-in. loaf pans with nonstick baking spray with flour (I use Bakers Joy).
In a large mixing bowl, combine all bread ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.
Pour batter evenly into two loaf pans and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of each loaf.
Bake for one hour, or until bread loosens from sides and a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Allow bread to cool before removing.
Makes 2 loaves.
Friendship Bread with Starter
Adapted by Friendship Bread Kitchen
1 cup starter
3 eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk
1 cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (5.1-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Topping:
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 9×5-inch loaf pans with nonstick baking spray with flour (I use Bakers Joy).
In a large mixing bowl, combine all bread ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.
Pour batter evenly into two prepared loaf pans and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of each loaf.
Bake for one hour, or until bread loosens from sides and a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Allow bread to cool before removing.
Makes 2 loaves.
10-Day Friendship Bread Starter
.25 oz. active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups sugar, divided
3 cups milk, divided
Day 1: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar in a 2-qt. container (glass, plastic or ceramic); mix thoroughly. Stir in 1 cup milk and yeast mixture. Cover container loosely and leave at room temperature until bubbly.
Days 2 through 5: Stir starter with a nonmetal spoon, or mash the bag if you were gifted a bag.
Day 6: (FEED) Stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Days 7 through 9: Stir starter with a nonmetal spoon, or mash the bag if you were gifted a bag.
Day 10: (FEED) Stir in remaining 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup starter to make your first bread.
For gifting: Measure 1 cup of remaining starter and place into a gallon-size Ziplock bag with instructions and date printed on the bag. You should have 3 cups of remaining starter. You can gift all 3 or save the third starter for yourself for future use by freezing in the gallon Ziplock.
When ready to use, allow starter to thaw to room temperature, about 3 hours. Once thawed, either use for more bread or restart the 10-day cycle.
Makes approximately 4 cups.
Puff Pastry Crawfish Hand Pies
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup yellow onion, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. crawfish tail meat
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
¼ cup whipped cream cheese with chives
¼ cup Fiesta blend shredded cheese
1 pkg. (2 sheets) Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets, thawed
1 egg, beaten
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add yellow onions, bell peppers and sauté until onions turn translucent.
Add crawfish, paprika, Cajun seasoning and cheeses, stirring until creamy. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Sprinkle flour onto countertop and unwrap puff pastry sheets. Use a rolling pin and extend each sheet a bit so that you’re able to get 4 circles, about ¼-in. thick. Use the bottom of a bowl (about 5-in. diameter) or another circular object as a guide and cut 4 circles with a knife. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry.
Add about 2 Tbsp. of the crawfish filling to center of each circle. Brush egg wash along edge of inside of dough and fold over dough to form a half-moon shape. Using tines of a fork, crimp edges tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining pies and place hand pie on prepared baking sheet.
Brush top of dough with egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Note: If you’re unable to find cream cheese with chives, just use regular cream cheese and add 2 Tbsp. chopped green onions.
Makes 8 pies.
Loaded Spinach Madeleine & Shrimp Dip
1 pkg. (8 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. reserved liquor
½ tsp. black pepper
¾ tsp. celery salt
¾ tsp. garlic salt
6 oz. shredded jalapeno Jack cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup sour cream
1 lb. small shrimp, gently cooked
½ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and reserve 2 Tbsp. of liquor. Melt butter in a large nonstick pan over low heat. Add flour, stirring until blended and smooth but not brown. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add liquid slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and thick. Add seasonings and cheeses. Stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir to combine. Add cooked spinach, shrimp and artichoke hearts and gently combine.
Transfer mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle a bit more mozzarella on top, if desired. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn oven to the broil setting and watch carefully, removing just as top of dip turns golden.
Serve warm with pita wedges or chips.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
