Trending
You can't turn on the TV or pass a billboard without noticing that Pa. fair season is in full swing. There are fairs going on all over the U.S., from large fairs to small fairs, and they all offer something fun for fairgoers of all ages to enjoy.
My fair focus is on the food -- the food I can eat and the many food entries I can look at that were prepared by talented home cooks in hopes of winning the coveted blue ribbon for their efforts.
Though I appreciate, and have dabbled in, a sweet fruit jam or earthy pickled vegetables, for my visual pleasure it's the baked goods category. For a foodie, perusing the shelves of a fair barn is sort of like visiting an art gallery -- truly inspiring. Kudos to all those ribbon winners who've over the years been gracious enough to share the secrets of their art and their recipes for success.
Support the arts. Visit a fair today!
Lattice-Crust Peach
and Blueberry Pie
(An Ohio man won the blue with this fruity pie)
3 cups peeled sliced peaches
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 T. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
1 recipe 2 crust Basic Pie Crust; recipe follows
2 T. butter
Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup solid shortening
7 to 8 T. ice water
Directions: For filling: In large bowl, gently toss fruit with lemon juice, sugar and tapioca to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.
Prepare crust: In large bowl combine flour and salt. With a pastry blender, two knives or fingertips, cut in shortening till flour is well mixed with fat and mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle with water, a little at a time, tossing with fork till dough holds together.
Divide dough into two pieces using a little more than half for bottom crust. Pat dough into discs. On floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an11-inch circle. Transfer to 9-inch pie pan. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Roll top crust into a 10-inch circle and cut into 1/2-inch strips for lattice top.
Spoon fruit into pastry-lined pan, mounding it in center. Place half of lattice strips over filling, using longest ones in center. Weave remaining strips through first strips. Trim edges. Fold bottom overhang over strip edges. Flute edge. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or till fruit is tender and crust is golden brown (if crust starts to brown too quickly, cover edges with foil.) Cool on wire rack. Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.
Cola Cake
(A Florida State Fair youth division winner)
Cake:
1 cup butter or margarine
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup cola
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
Icing:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
6 T. cola
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pound package powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts
Directions: For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13×9-inch baking pan. In small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and cola. Bring to boil and simmer just till butter melts. Remove from heat.
In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour hot cola mixture over dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and marshmallows. Beat till batter is thoroughly blended; batter will be thin and marshmallows will float. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or till a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Prepare icing while cake is hot.
For icing: In medium saucepan, heat butter, cola and cocoa powder just till butter melts. Remove from heat. Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and nuts, stirring till well-blended. Spread warm icing over hot cake in pan. Cool on wire rack before cutting.
Dream Bars
(A buttery cookie crust topped with a rich coconut walnut batter won a California woman best in class, as well as, the blue ribbon.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsps. vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Directions: In medium bowl mix butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup flour with fork till crumbly. Pat into 12×8-inch baking pan, covering bottom evenly. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 10 minutes; cool.
Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, chop coconut into 1/2-inch pieces. In small bowl, mix coconut, walnuts, 2 tablespoons flour, salt and baking powder.
In medium bowl cream eggs, 1 cup brown sugar and vanilla. Fold coconut mixture into creamed mixture. Pour over cooled crust, spreading evenly. Bake 20 minutes or till golden brown and filling is set. Cool slightly. While still warm, cut into 48 (2×3/4-inch) bars using a sharp knife. Cool in pan. Sift powdered sugar over bars. Makes 48 bars.