Reaching back: New cookbook offers 'Flavors' of the past

By Iva Butler
of The Daily Times Staff

Heritage, whether it originated across the pond in Europe, around the U.S. or just up the road in Cades Cove, is the basis for a new cookbook benefitting the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend.

The cookbook, "Flavors of our Heritage," will make its debut tonight at the Heritage Center fundraiser dinner and auction.

Compiled by the Heritage Center Guild, the cookbook has recipes on 164 pages, including one that most cookbooks don't feature -- directions for Mountain Folk Moonshine, provided by an anonymous donor.

The selections include such recipes as Apple Stack Cake, which served as fruit cake to mountain people, Mayford Effler's Cornbread, and Pan Fried Trout. Then there's Whistle Buoy Grouper and an elegant and colorful salad featuring fresh strawberries and spinach -- just a few of the varied offerings.

Among other recipes is "Saddle Salad," the favorite salad of Townsend resident and former Gov. Don Sundquist.

Drawings by Lois Humphrey Alexander detail many of the structures on the grounds of the Heritage Center that serve to separate the different chapters of the book, such as Soups and Salads, Beverages and Desserts.

Her drawings accompany recipes on almost every page in the cookbook.

Recipes often come with family histories. For example there is "Mom Radwell's Salad Recipes" submitted by Lil Dudley Tiebout.

"These three salad recipes were taken from Gen. Bob Tiebout's grandmother's handwritten cookbook. They were recorded along with myriad recipes she used decades ago. The cookbook pages were worn with use and some of the pages had special recipes folded and tucked between them. The directions were not always included. This demonstrates the quick preparation and kitchen-sense cooking skills of our heritage. Grandma Radwell was head cook for a sorority at The University of Illinois until age 85."

The guild pre-ordered 1,000 copies of the books for its first printing, with 500 delivered Wednesday.

The books will sell for $10 each tonight where it will be unveiled at the annual center fundraising dinner and auction at the center in Townsend.

After tonight, they will sell for $12 each at the Heritage Center off Tenn. 73 in Townsend and in some inns and restaurants in Townsend.

Doris Donahue Gorman and Louise Stoddard Presley prepared some samples of the recipes in the book. They include:

Dixie Caviar

(Kenzie Owenby Blackwell)

4 cups (2 cans) black-eyed peas, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped, sweet onion
1 can (16 oz.) yellow hominy, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped, include tops
3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 or 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 cup Zesty Italian salad dressing
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped bell peppers (mix green and red)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together

Note: This is best if made a day ahead of serving.

Serve with Frito scoops or Tortilla bowls.

Smoky Mountain Woodpiles

(Louise Stoddard Presley)

1 pound chocolate bark
10 ounces peanut butter chips
Small amount of paraffin shavings
1 can cashew pieces
1 cup salted peanuts
1 box (7 ounces) of shoestring potato sticks.

Melt chocolate, peanut butter chips and paraffin shavings in double boiler or microwave.

Mix potato sticks, cashews and peanuts together in large bowl. Pour melted chocolate mixture over dry ingredients. Stir together gently until dry ingredients are coated with the melted chocolate mixture.

Use a teaspoon to "spoon out the woodpiles" onto waxed paper. Place in refrigerator to set the chocolate. Store in tight contained in cool place.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

(Connie Keeble)

1 pound fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 Teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup white-wine vinegar
1 pint fresh strawberries

Saute almonds in butter until brown. Drain and cool.

Combine sugar, sesame seeds, paprika, oil, poppy seeds and both vinegars; mix well. When ready to serve, add strawberries and almonds to spinach. Pour Poppy Seed Dressing over and toss.