I didn’t really exert myself too much in cooking for the holidays this year. For Christmas dinner I made a pork roast, scalloped potatoes, kale sauteed with onions and a little vinegar, and the cranberry sauce recipe I love so much. My wife made a fantastic German chocolate cake as a birthday cake for me. Probably the best cake she’s ever made.
Since I did my little stint in Bath a couple of years ago, I’ve been obsessed with perfecting my pies. Last night I came pretty close. I made a pie of chicken, chestnuts, and mushrooms in a white sauce, baked in a hand-raised hot water pastry crust. It was inspired by the pies served at The Raven in Bath. Mashed potatoes and peas on the side.
One of the things I’ve decided this year is that there is no substitute for non-hydrogenated lard in pie crusts. A combination of butter and non-hydrogenated lard yields the best balance of flavor and texture. Crisco just doesn’t do it. An all-butter crust tastes and looks good but is hard to work. An all-lard crust is bland. A mixture is best.
Oh that pie sounds good. I have such fond memories of living in the UK. I’m a slacker and didn’t bring anything back except a love for Vindaloo.
Lard rules!
Steve
I found a drastic difference between the non-hydrogenated lard and the hydrogenated stuff. There’s just no comparison in how easily dough made with non-hydrogenated lard handles.