Mama (Louise Dodd) Sent in Her Answers

The Cooking School was a great success. I got a load of e-mails and have decided to send out "Carol's Cooking Quiz" to everyone that came. If they send them back, we will have more food, more local people and more fun in the blog and the Newspaper. How could that not be good?

I had to send the first one to my mother, Louise Dodd. Here are a few of her answers. I will post more tomorrow. If you see a comment in bold that is me "talking."

Write a short 3 sentence biography of yourself? I am a food columnist for the Courier Herald and also the mother of one son, Bill and the Porters (including four adorable grandsons) who are co-owners of the paper with Griffin Lovett. I am the author of a cookbook, “Eating from the White House to the Jail House” and have eaten a lot more places too. Collecting cookbooks is one of my hobbies along with duplicate bridge.

What and where is the best food you have ever eaten? My favorite meal is fried doves, long-cooked grits and homegrown, sliced tomatoes. Carl Gillis used to be the master of this meal.

What tricks do you use to ease clean up? I clean as I cook and never let things get out of control.

What is your favorite seasonal produce and how do you use it? I’m sitting here tossing a coin to see if it’s homegrown tomatoes or fresh peaches. O.K. tomatoes. I like a tomato sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise on one slice of the bread and Durkees dressing on the other. That’s hard to beat with a big glass of ice cold milk.

What passed-down family recipe is your favorite? Share it.
This old, old recipe is said to have been brought to Georgia by my forebears, the Salzburgers, who settled in Georgia near Savannah the year after Oglethorpe settled in 1733. I really don’t think they had Crisco but maybe they used lard. This is delicious and easy and I make it all the time.
Kogelhopf
1 1/2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1 tablespoon Crisco
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup water
3/4 cup evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups plain flour plus 2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups raisins
Mix together yeast and 1/4 cup warm water. In a large mixing bowl, put Crisco, salt, sugar, 1 3/4 cups water and milk. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Add 4 1/2 cups flour and blend in well. Cover bowl with tea towel and let dough rise in warm place for 2 hours. Add 2 cups flour and raisins. Mix well. Grease 2 loaf pans and divide dough into them. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise about 45 minutes. Bake at 325º for 25 to 30 minutes.

Mama is a great cook, but I can't believe she shared this recipe. If I didn't love all my blog readers so much I would have never been able to let her share this Raisin Bread recipe on the internet. If you toast it with a little butter, I promise you it will be the best thing you have ever eaten. It is the Salzburger Bread and it is truly our family favorite! Come back tomorrow for more Louise Dodd Answers!