Find Winter Comfort In Old Fashioned Delights

Local News

November 4, 2009

Frank Kourt The Richmond Register Wed Nov 04, 2009, 08:49 AM EST

As the winter winds begin to blow, and we stick closer to hearth and home, thoughts often turn to the comfort foods of our youth.

These are the simple pleasures of a time gone by, many of which have been replaced by instant this and freeze-dried that.

For example, how long has it been since you've had a nice, rich mug of hot cocoa? Wait a second! I said cocoa, not hot chocolate from a mix, which has all but replaced the real thing.

As any true aficionado will tell you, there's a world of difference between these two -- as much, if not more than the difference between instant and fresh-brewed coffee.

Of course, it'll take a little more effort to make a real batch of hot cocoa, but as you savor the soul-satisfying taste, you'll agree that it was worth a bit more work. If you're part of the baby boomer generation or older, one taste will bring back a flood of memories. If you're unfortunate enough never to have tasted the real thing, you're in for a treat!

Let's face it, with our busy schedules, it's always easier to open a pack of Twinkies than to make an old favorite like johnny cake from scratch.

The pedigree of this simple corn meal-based snack extends back to the days of the pioneers when, because it is easy to keep and transport, it was carried along with the settlers to eat on the trail. In fact, the name "johnny cake" is believed by many to have originated as "journey cake," while others argue for "Shawnee cake," ostensibly because the Shawnee Indians first concocted it.

While most recipes I've encountered for johnny cake involve using a batter to make pancake-like concoctions on a hot griddle, my family recipe takes a different tack. This one is basically a sweetened corn bread and is delicious by itself, warm from the oven spread with sweet butter, or as a base topped with berries and a bit of whipped cream.

The brisk weather of late autumn is the perfect time to revisit the comfort foods of our past. It helps stave off the chill of the season and, since we're pretty much trapped indoors anyway, gives us the chance to do some puttering around in the kitchen.

These are just a couple of the comfort foods that seem to help take the edge off a cold autumn day. You're likely to find plenty of your own by perusing your own mom's recipe file!

Hot Cocoa

This basic recipe is taken right off a tin of Hershey's Coca. Feel free to jazz it up to your own taste by floating marshmallows atop it, or even by adding a dash of cinnamon or a pinch of cloves or nutmeg!

Ingredients

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

dash of salt

1/3 cup water

1 quart milk

3/4 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

In a sauce pan, combine the cocoa, sugar, salt and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for two minutes, then add one quart of milk. Heat, but be careful not to boil. Remove from the heat and beat with a rotary beater until foamy. Makes about six six-ounce servings.

Johnny cake

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

Preparation:

Stir the dry ingredients in a bowl with a fork. Beat the eggs and milk, along with the melted butter, add to the dry mix and beat well. Pour into a greased 8 inch cake pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

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