The Spices of the Solstice


With the Solstice approaching, I enjoy baking with traditional spices associated with Yule, such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Today I made a gingerbread flavoured with a bit of rum. I got the recipe out of the Quivey's Grove Heritage Cookbook. Quivey Grove is a restaurant in Madison. I have never been there (I picked the book up second hand), but they have some great recipes with a lot of emphasis on Wisconsin cuisine. Anyhow, here is the recipe:

Gingerbread

6 T butter
3 T white rum (I used golden)
6 T sugar
2 C Flour
1 egg
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/4 C molasses
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 C honey
1 1/4 t ginger
1/2 C + 2 T hot water
1/2 t ground cloves

* Grease and flour 9-inch square or round pan (I used a pie plate). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
* Cream butter and sugar, then add the egg. Beat in molasses, honey, water, and rum.
* Mix dry ingredients then add wet ingredients. Stir to blend well
* Pour into prepared pan. Add chopped crystallized ginger if desired.
* Bake for 30-35 minutes (until an inserted toothpick comes out clean)

On another food note, we bought the new cookbook put out by our local food co-op. The brief time I spent thumbing through it, tells me there are some great recipes. There seems to be plenty of focus on regional foods, still with plenty of variety. I'll share some recipes out of it as I try them.
The new Chequamegon Co-op cookbook. As members we got to vote on which cover to use-obviously this was the winner.
The rum I used in the gingerbread. I'm surprised the right-wing bigot lawmakers here in Wisco haven't tried to ban this yet. Afterall, liquor marriage should be between 1 drunken male and one drunken female.