Buttermilk pie is an old-fashioned standard of Southern baking whose history goes back to more humble days when baking ingredients were much harder to come by. We take for granted the simplicity of running to the grocery store and picking up whatever we need. A humble buttermilk pie with homespun pastry, was brought over from England and became a standard in the South during the 18th and early 19th centuries when buttermilk was plentiful and inexpensive.
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It suffered gross neglect during the “gourmet” 1970s, then in the so-called “nouvelle Southern” movement 1980s, it survived a tarted-up comeback, with the additions of such things as powdered sugar, raspberries, blueberry sauce and the like. The pie’s brief popularity faded once again in the early part of this century, but happily, it’s lately enjoyed yet another revival, this time appreciated for what it is: a delightfully simple and economical sweet that will fit in just about anywhere it’s taken.

It’s been interesting over the past couple of years, how our cooking has taken us back to our roots. Have you, like I, been getting lots of emails from food-related websites links to recipes from decades ago? It may have something to do with the pandemic that ravaged the world and continues to do so, but I like to think that it’s because we’re finally coming to our senses and appreciating those foods that our grandparents made that were so simple, but so delicious.

Buttermilk pie is one of those that I didn’t fully appreciate until I was going through some of my mother’s recipes and found her recipe that my dad so loved. I remember hearing him say it reminded him of his mother’s buttermilk pie.

There are many variations of this pie, but our house-favorite is this one. It’s one that I make when looking forward to those cooler days of autumn when we begin longing for a break from the heat and some homey comforts. This recipe makes two pies. Bake both and enjoy one now, then freeze the second one for later. The pies are good frozen for up to three months, so you’ll appreciate having one on hand during the busy holiday season.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie

• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 Tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups whole-milk buttermilk
• 1/2 Tsp. vanilla
• 1/2-1 Tsp. lemon juice
• 2 single-crust pie shells (preferably made-from-scratch; store-bought if you must)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, butter, flour, baking soda, buttermilk, vanilla and lemon juice; mix well with electric mixer. Place pie shells in two 9-inch pie pans, then divide filling between both. Bake pies for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking for 30-35 minutes, keeping an eye on the pies so the crust doesn’t overbrown. If needed, shield the pies with aluminum foil.

Makes two pies.

“At Elizabeth David’s Table.” Compiled and with an Introduction by Jill Norman, Preface by Ruth Reichl. HarperCollins Publishers. 383 pages. $37.50.
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I was immediately drawn to this beautiful cookbook before I even opened it because printed on its cover was “With a Preface by Ruth Reichl,” a hero of mine. I have read every book Reichl has written, as well as every magazine piece I can find by this fascinating and prolific woman. Thus, I knew that if she had taken the time to endorse and help put this volume together, it would be worthwhile. And, of course, I wasn’t disappointed.
While I did know a little about Elizabeth David, this book filled in all the gaps and reminded me why she is due all the accolades she has received over the years. Born in England in 1913, David attended posh schools and studied art in Paris in the 1930s. She visited Italy and Greece and lived in Egypt during WWII where she ran a library for the British government. During this time, she was exposed to the fare of these countries, and when she went back to England, she was appalled by the lack of variety in foods available in her homeland.


Tian with Spinach and Potatoes

• 8-11 1/2 ounces potatoes, boiled in their skins
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound spinach
• Garlic
• Anchovy fillets
• 5 to 6 eggs, beaten
• 2-3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese

Peel the cooked potatoes. Cut them in cubes, put them in an earthenware dish (8 ½ inches) with two tablespoons of olive oil and seasonings of salt and pepper. Let them warm in the uncovered dish in a low oven at 300 degrees while you wash the spinach and cook it very briefly in just the water clinging to the leaves. Season with a little salt. Drain and squeeze dry. Chop it roughly, adding a little garlic if you like and half a dozen anchovy fillets torn into short lengths. Stir this mixture into the beaten eggs and cheese. Then add the cubed potatoes.

Tip the whole mixture into the dish, sprinkle the top with a little oil, return it uncovered, to the oven, now heated to 375. Leave the tian to bake for 25 to 30 minutes until it is well and evenly risen.

A few pine nuts make a delicious and characteristic addition to this tian. An alternative to the potatoes is cooked rice. Allow about 1/2 cup uncooked rice, for this size of tian. Makes 4 servings.


Penne with Mascarpone

• 1-pound small pasta, such as shells, pennine, or tagliatelle, cooked and drained
• Butter
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mascarpone
• 2-3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• A dozen or so shelled and roughly chopped walnuts

In a saucepan you can serve from, melt a lump of butter and mascarpone. It must gently heat, not boil. Into this mixture put the pasta. Turn it round and round, adding two or three tablespoons grated Parmesan. Add chopped walnuts. Serve with grated Parmesan. Makes four servings.


Tomatoes Baked with Gruyère

• Medium -sized tomatoes
• Gruyère cheese
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cayenne
• Dijon mustard
• White wine
• Garlic clove, pounded

Cut off tops, scoop out the flesh and sprinkle tomatoes with salt. Turn them upside down and leave them to drain.

In a double boiler, melt some Gruyère cheese with pepper, cayenne, a little Dijon mustard, a drop of white wine, and a pounded clove of garlic.

Fill the tomatoes with the cheese mixture, which should be about the consistency of a thick cheese sauce. Bake for 10 minutes in a 375-degree oven and finish under the broiler.


Boeuf à la Gardiane
Beef and Wine stew with Black Olives

• 2 pounds round of beef
• Butter
• Olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. brandy
• 1 cup good red wine
• Salt and pepper
• Bouquet garni of thyme, parsley, and
• bay leaf
• Strip of orange peel
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 cup pitted black olives

Cut meat into small cubes, not more than 1-inch square. Brown them in a mixture of butter and olive oil. Warm the brandy in a soup ladle, pour it over the meat, set light to it, and shake the pan until the flames go out. The flaming with brandy, although not absolutely essential, burns up the excess fat and makes quite a difference to the flavor of the finished sauce.

Add the red wine; let it bubble fast for about half a minute. Season with only very little salt and pepper, put in the bouquet garni tied with thread, turn the flame as low as possible, cover the pan with at least two layers of parchment paper or foil and the lid.

Cook as gently as possible, on top of the stove for about 3 1/2 hours. Ten minutes before serving, remove the bouquet garni and put in the pitted black olives. Taste for seasoning before serving. A dish of plain boiled rice can be served separately. Makes four to five servings.

“One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings” by America’s Test Kitchen. 364 Pages. $29.99
Once again, the professionals at America’s Test Kitchen have put together a book full of tempting recipes, designed for home cooks with busy schedules. This volume, illustrated with luscious-looking photos, presents dishes that have been tweaked and tested until they are perfection.

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Parmesan Polenta with Mushroom Ragù

Parmesan Polenta:

• 7 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 Tsp. table salt
• Pinch baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Mushroom Ragù

• 1 pound portobello mushrooms caps
• 18 ounces chanterelle mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
• 1/2 Tsp. table salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 Tsp. dried
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• Grated Parmesan cheese

For the polenta: Bring water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream while whisking constantly and bring to boil. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover, and cook until grains of cornmeal are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. (Polenta should be loose and barely hold its shape; it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Off heat, whisk in Parmesan and butter and season with pepper to taste. Cover and let sit for five minutes before serving.

For the ragù: While polenta cooks, remove gills from portobello mushrooms; halve and slice mushrooms half-inch thick. Halve chanterelle mushrooms if small or quarter if large. Microwave mushrooms in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until very tender and mushrooms have released their liquid, six to eight minutes. Transfer mushrooms to colander set in bowl and let drain, reserving liquid.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, five to seven minutes. Add portobello and chanterelle mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until dry and lightly browned, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in wine and reserved mushroom liquid, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, bring to simmer, and cook until ragu is slightly thickened, about eight minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over polenta, passing extra Parmesan separately. Makes four to six servings.


Mushroom and Gruyere Crostata

• 1 9-inch pie dough round
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, halved and then sliced crosswise quarter-inch thick
• 1 pound leeks, trimmed of dark green parts, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
• 1/2 Tsp. table salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 14-inch circle on lightly floured counter; transfer to prepared sheet.

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, leeks, and salt and cook stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Transfer cooked vegetables to prepared dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle Gruyere over vegetables and fold border over filling around edge of tart, pinching pleated dough to secure. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Sprinkle baked tart with chives. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Makes four servings.

The last recipe was created during the Depression, supposedly to reflect President Hoover’s stand that “prosperity” was not far off. It’s also a riff on Welsh Rarebit without the ham and turkey.    


Prosperity Sandwiches

• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 Tsp. table salt
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided
• 2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Tsp. pepper
• 4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices white bread
• 8 ounces thinly sliced roast turkey
• 8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
• 8 thin tomato slices (2 tomatoes), patted dry

Melt one tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, five to seven minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Melt remaining four tablespoons butter in now-empty saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, four to six minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup cheddar, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper; set aside.

Adjust oven rack five inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange bread slices on prepared baking sheet and broil until toasted, one to two minutes per side.

Divide mushroom mixture among toasted bread slices. Arrange two ounces turkey, two ounces ham, and two slices tomato over mushrooms on each slice of toast. Spoon 1/2 cup cheese sauce evenly over each sandwich and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Broil until cheddar is browned, three to five minutes. Let cool for five minutes. Makes four servings. ​

The union of okra and tomatoes in the pot is an inspired marriage that happens to be one of the great foundations of Southern cooking. From vegetable soup and gumbo to that soul-comforting triad of okra, onion and tomato simmered together into a thick stew can be served as a side dish, over rice as a vegetarian main dish, or as the base for heartier main dishes with meat, poultry, and fish or shellfish stirred into the pot.
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The virtues of the union in the salad bowl are less commonly known, in part because many Southerners don’t realize that okra doesn’t have to be cooked to reach its fullest potential. We love it fried or boiled beyond recognition. Right? And that, in my non-expert opinion, is too bad.

My mother often mixed raw okra into our salads when I was a child. It was an old tradition in her family with its Appalachian roots, and I was grown before I knew that most Southerners had never heard of doing such a thing. But my mother and her family were in no way unique. Practically any place on the planet where this lovely vegetable is known, from Africa to the Middle East to Southeast Asia, it’s eaten raw.

When most Baby Boomers, myself included, were growing up, the only okra available to us was green. Now bright red and purple okra are turning up in local farmers’ markets. Though they lose their vivid color when cooked, they’re ideal for using raw in salads. Likewise, heirloom tomatoes are turning up in our gardens and markets in a rainbow of colors - purple, yellow, pink and green; mixing them into this salad makes it as lovely to look at as it is to eat.

Don’t feel you need to confine raw okra to the salad bowl. It’s also a great addition to a tray of crudités. Choose pods no longer than two to three inches long, wash, pat dry and trim the stems, but leave the caps intact for something to hold onto. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce as you would broccoli florets or carrot, celery and cucumber sticks.


Fresh Okra and Tomato Salad

The key to success with this salad is to have really fresh, small pods of okra. More mature pods that are not freshly harvested just won’t have the same distinctive flavor and delicacy.

• 4 extra-thick-cut slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips
• 8 romaine or bibb lettuce leaves
• 4 small ripe heirloom tomatoes or 1 pint ripe cherry or grape tomatoes
• 16 small pods fresh okra, less than 3 inches long
• 1/2 small sweet or red onion, stem and root ends trimmed, split lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 10-12 large fresh basil leaves or 1/3 cup (not packed) mint leaves
• 1 small clove garlic
• Salt
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Cook the strips of bacon in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat until golden and crisp. Turn off the heat and remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Wash the lettuce leaves under cold running water and spin dry. Wash and dry the tomatoes; if using heirloom varieties, cut out the core (stem end) and quarter them (they shouldn’t need to be peeled); if using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut them in half. Trim the stem end of the okra, wash it under cold running water, and pat dry.

Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces into a large salad bowl. Add the onion and tomatoes. Cut the okra in half lengthwise and add it to the bowl. Tear the large basil leaves into small bits; if using mint, tear only the large leaves, leaving smaller ones whole. Scatter the herbs over the salad. Add the bacon pieces.

Lightly crush the garlic clove with the side of a knife blade, peel and chop it. Sprinkle a little salt over it and, with the edge of the knife blade, rub it to a puree. Scrape this into a small mixing bowl and add the vinegar and mustard to it. Whisk until smooth, then slowly whisk in the oil a few drops at a time. Taste and adjust the salt and season with a generous grinding of pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until it’s glossy and evenly coated. Divide among individual salad bowls and serve immediately. Makes four servings.

“Sweet Paris: Seasonal Recipes from an American Baker in France” by Frank Adrian Barron. Harper Design. 239 Pages. $29.99.
Dreaming of being in Paris in the summer may be just that: dreaming. But this stunning cookbook will give you an armchair slice of la vie en France.


Fallen Apricot Pistachio Cake

• 3/4 cup ground pistachios
• 11 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup flour, plus additional for dusting
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 Tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 Tbsp. buttermilk
• 18 ounces apricots (about 10) pitted and cut in half
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, for decorating

Preheat oven to 300.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper, spread the ground pistachios on top, and roast for about five minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Turn the oven up to 350. Grease and line an 8-inch round springform pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled ground pistachios, flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about four minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined, then add the pistachio-flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the apricots, cut side up, in a circular pattern. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before unclasping the sides of the pan and gently lifting the cake off the bottom of the pan; grip the edge of parchment paper to gently slide it off the pan. Return the cake to the wire rack to cool completely.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with chopped pistachios.


Lavender Honey Madeleines

• 13 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, plus additional for greasing
• 1 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbsp. flour, plus additional for dusting
• 1 1/4 Tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 Tsp. fine sea salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup lavender honey (or any single-varietal wildflower honey)
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Grease and flour a madeleine pan. Place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and honey and whip for about 10 minutes, or until thick pale ribbons start to appear in the batter. Add the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold until just combined. Add the melted butter and fold until just combined. Fill each madeleine mold with about one tablespoon of batter. Bake for about six minutes, or until the madeleines are golden brown. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve dusted with powdered sugar or dipped into your next cup of coffee. Makes 30 madeleines.

The final recipe included here today is for panna cotta, that sublime dessert that is rich and delicate at the same time. Barron’s recipe calls for a rhubarb sauce, but any fruit sauce would be equally delicious, as well as just a sprinkling of sugared berries.


Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

• 2 1/2 Tsp. powdered gelatin
• 1 Tbsp. boiling water
• 2 cups, plus 4 teaspoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water, stir, and allow to bloom, three to five minutes.
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and sugar. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Add the bloomed gelatin mixture and stir until incorporated. Turn off the heat.

Divide the mixture among four glasses or ramekins and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator to set, at least three hours or overnight.

Top with fruit sauce or fresh, sugared fruit of your choice.

Makes four servings.