I have a confession to make. I hate to read. Okay let me clarify that, I hate to read books. Magazines, scripts, blog posts, all these I have no trouble with and actually quite enjoy. Don’t ask me why I’m repulsed by books, because I actually can’t tell you.  Maybe it’s the thought of cracking something that’s going to be at least 300 pages. Maybe it’s the fact that the pages and pages of description turn me off. Or maybe it’s because books just don’t grab me. I, like most people of my generation, have a short attention span, so if a book doesn’t grab me within the first 10 pages, I’m out. I know, I know there are plenty of books that take at least 50 pages to get going. But with a toddler and a job it’s hard to commit to something that doesn’t excite me. So, since I’m not a book fan, you’ll probably be surprised to hear that I belong to a book club. Here’s why: I was sick of all these people, who’s opinions I value by the way, being shocked when I hadn’t read (or even heard of) some big book that was on the top of every best seller list ever created. That and I really like hanging out with the girls for a few hours, talking and eating.

Turns out joining that book club was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Yes, I’ve read (or rather not read) some stinkers, but there have been several books that if it hadn’t been for this club, I never would have even heard of, let alone read. The Hunger Games Trilogy is one (or rather three) examples, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mildred Pierce (yes, it was a book before both Joan Crawford and Kate Winslet took on the role), and The Help.  I’ve adored each and every one of these novels but I especially loved The Help.

I didn’t like it for the controversy surrounding the book, or the time in history it painted so beautifully. I loved it for the rich characters, the beautiful descriptions and the food. Yes, the food. If you’ve read the book you know that Minny, one of the maids, is known for her Southern cooking. She’s the best in the county. And the descriptions of her fried chicken, grits, and pies made me drool every single time they were mentioned. There were a few times I was almost afraid to finish the book because I knew I was going to need to eat whatever it was she was making. And while I want to make just about everything she did, there were two recipes I had to make sooner rather than later: her fried chicken and her chocolate pie.

Now I’ve made fried chicken before and actually make it quite often. But I want to make Minny’s fried chicken because she fries hers in Crisco.  Crisco! Something she calls “the most important invention in the kitchen since jarred mayonnaise.” I haven’t used Crisco since I was a kid when my mom told me it was what you used to grease a pan.  But can you imagine how amazingly evil fried chicken would be if we all fried it in Crisco? Unhealthy, sure.  But let’s be honest, fried chicken isn’t really all that healthy anyway.

Then there’s her chocolate pie, which if you know the story, is very, very important.  If you don’t, let’s just say she does something to the pie which gets her fired from her first job. And as disgusting as it is, I still wanted to make it because before Minny was fired she was known for her chocolate pie. So I was determined. I was going to make this pie… without Minny’s secret ingredient of course.

Food & Wine Magazine must’ve known I wasn’t the only person out there who wanted to recreate Minny’s recipes because at the end of the summer they had an article that not only talked about the book and the movie, but also included several of the classic Southern recipes, including her chocolate pie. I was so excited, I of course ran right out, got all the necessary ingredients and recreated Minny’s Chocolate Pie. And guess what? I now know why this was her most requested dish. It is out. Of. This. World. Whether you’ve read the book or not, if you like chocolate, you must make this pie. It’s thick and rich, and melts in your mouth. I can’t wait to make it again… and again… and again.

Minny’s Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

• 1 package pie dough crust (or you can make your own)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Ease the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 5 minutes longer, just until the crust is dry but not brown.
2. While the crust cooks, in a large bowl whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but a little jiggly in the center. Cover the crust with strips of foil half-way through baking so it won’t burn.  Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving.

As you know my Nana died a couple weeks ago. It’s been tough, but every day’s a little better, partly because I’ve finally been able to get some sleep. But since I always do a classic cocktail on Fridays I wanted to do one to honor her. So I searched and searched for a cocktail that was created in 1914, the year she was born. It was tough, but I finally found one – The Waldorf.

Although I’m unsure if this cocktail was actually created in 1914, I am positive that’s the year it was first cited in print. As you may have guessed the Waldorf hails from the infamous Waldorf Hotel (later called the Waldorf-Astoria) in New York and was one of their signature drinks. The original recipe called for equal parts whiskey, vermouth and absinthe, but since absinthe became illegal, that liquor lost some of its dominance in the drink. That’s also the reason behind the cocktail’s lack of appeal for most of the 20th century. But in 2007 the Waldorf had a resurgence when absinthe became legal again in the states.

So, in honor of Nana -  the Waldorf.

Waldorf Cocktail

• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/4 ounce absinthe
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Preparation

1. Pour the absinthe into a chilled martini glass and swirl it around to coat the glass. Toss the excess.
2. Combine the rye, sweet vermouth, and angostura in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the absinthed martini glass and enjoy.

This month I thought I’d try a little experiment. I’m participating in Eating Rules’ October Unprocessed.  It’s a pledge that for the month of October I’m going to try and only eat food that is unprocessed. (That’s what that cool-looking badge over there on the left is all about.) You’re probably wondering what that means. Well, it means that for this month I’m not going to eat anything with ingredients I don’t recognize or can’t pronounce, like niacin or disodium guanylate — pretty much anything I can’t recreate in my own kitchen. I have to admit, I was a little nervous, but as Andrew explains, all it takes is a little planning and it’s really not too hard to keep the oath. The added benefit, my meals are not only healthier, they actually taste better.

Now there are some caveats. This is not some grueling diet where I’m going to feel horrible guilt if I don’t succeed. It also doesn’t mean I need to cut out everything I’ve ever eaten before. It’s all about what’s right for you. A perfect example is sugar. Yes, the white sugar that all us bakers use is processed. I mean, something tells me when you crush the sugar cane, perfect little white crystals don’t come out. So obviously I’m going to keep using sugar. But since I really want to give this pledge my all, I went out and bought some raw sugar instead, and while slightly more expensive, it tastes just the same and works just as well. And I’m sorry but I just can’t give up my Canada Dry ginger ale.  But you know what? It just so happens that ginger ale isn’t the only thing I’m ingesting that’s processed. It just so happens a lot of what I eat and drink is processed. But I was very happy to discover just how easy it is to find an unprocessed substitute.

I was shopping the other day and I went to buy some pasta for a linguine recipe. I usually buy the fresh pasta you find in the refrigerated section, but when I looked at the ingredients I was shocked to see there were several things I couldn’t even pronounce. Then I went to the dried pasta aisle and found a pasta that has everything you expect to find if you make your own – flour, yeast and egg yolks. Who knew that the dried stuff is actually healthier than the “fresh” stuff. I made a similar discovery in the canned vegetable aisle. I had no idea a simple can of tomatoes or kidney beans had things like calcium chloride in it. I guess it’s to keep the color and make it last those few extra months on the shelf. But if you buy organic (or even better fresh) you’re not going to get any of those weird ingredients and it tastes so much better.  It’s also a hell of a lot healthier.

So for my first post for the month of October I’m making this yummy Apple Oven Cake. Believe it or not, it’s made with 100 percent unprocessed stuff. I know, no one’s more shocked than me. And since I didn’t get to do an apple recipe for Rosh Hashana, I’m doing one now for Yom Kippur which starts tomorrow night. This sweet quick cake would make a lovely dessert for your Break the Fast. And since it’s only a few ingredients and takes seriously about 20 minutes to make, you won’t, or rather you shouldn’t, be tempted to taste it while you’re fasting.

So for this month, try buying unprocessed. Go to the farmer’s market and pick up some apples or squash since they’re coming into season. Try baking your own loaf of bread. Or just eat more salads. Whatever you decide to do, whether it’s for a week or the whole month, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is and how much better everything tastes.

Apple Oven Cake (from Sunset Magazine)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup pastry flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, swirling to combine. Add the sliced apple and cook until it starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer apple mixture to a 10-inch pie plate.
2. While the apples cook, in a large bowl whisk together eggs, salt, flour, and milk. Pour egg mixture into pie plate over apples and bake until puffed and brown, about 15 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.