New community cookbooks reflect diverse local cuisine

Charleston's "family" of cookbooks has grown by two new members.

I think I speak for many food writers who want to see the tradition of community cookbooks continue, not fall victim to the quantity of anonymous recipes on the Internet or the slick productions of "celebrity" authors. These self-published cookbooks often are the best reflections of local cuisine. They preserve food customs in our hometowns that have passed from generation to generation.

"Amazing Grace: A Collection of Recipes from Grace Episcopal Church" offers 361 recipes from 144 church members, whose recipes were screened and tested to get the cream of the crop. These are people who know food, having run a Tea Room during Spoleto Festival USA for 16 years straight.

Recipes fall under the typical categories of appetizers, seafood, desserts and the like, but there's also a section on "Cooking for a Crowd." It contains large-quantity recipes for some of the Tea Room's best-known dishes, such as Shrimp Remoulade and Okra Soup. Those could come in handy for big family gatherings.

The congregation isn't just patting itself on the back with this book. Proceeds from sales are going to the "Saving Grace" fundraising campaign, which is paying for major structural repairs to the 160-year-old church building on Wentworth Street. For one, a leaning steeple needs to be fixed.

The cookbook, which took two years to complete, was an outgrowth of the Tea Room, says Mary Bradley, chair of the cookbook committee. "Everyone would keep asking for recipes. They would say, 'Why don't you do a cookbook?' "

Mary says the cookbook has "an unusual combination of recipes that you don't see in every cookbook, it's not just run of the mill."

The committee also wanted a book that would appeal to anyone, not just cooks, so they incorporated church history and photographs. "It's an interesting book to sit down and read, not just for recipes but for the history and activities that go on in Grace Church," Mary says.

The book is available for $24.95 at the church office, 115 Wentworth St., which is open 9-4 p.m. weekdays. Or call 723-4575 for information.

Here's a timely recipe from the book, since our gardens overrunneth with squash:

Zucchini Soup

8 to 10 servings

6 small zucchini, trimmed and shredded

2 medium onions, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons sweet butter

5 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons fresh herbs: oregano, basil, parsley and chives, combined together (see cook's note)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook's note: Dried herbs can be used in half amounts.

Place shredded zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain at least 30 minutes. In a large soup pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil and melted butter until onions are golden brown. Dry zucchini on paper towels and add to the onion mixture and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor. Be careful that you don't fill the blender to the top. Work in small increments. Return to the pot and season with herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Reheat and serve. Soup can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and can be served hot or cold. If served hot, garnish with plain croutons and a sprig of chives. If served cold, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of chives.

A second cookbook comes from Connie Stahl, titled "Breakfast on the Battery: A Charleston Chef's Collection of Breakfast and Tea Recipes."

Connie, who holds a culinary degree, grew up in Asheville, N.C. She owned two bed-and-breakfast establishments there but sold them and moved to Charleston in 2000, following a lifelong dream to live here.

She lives in Mount Pleasant and is involved in culinary pursuits, including catering and cookbook publishing.

As the name indicates, her book centers on breakfast and tea dishes, the type you would serve to guests or for special occasions. She suggests several menus in advance of the 163 recipes.

Connie, an avid cookbook collector herself, says she wrote the book after being in the B&B business for 25 years.

"They are recipes I either made up from scratch or recipes that I modified and made better or for my tastes. Some are personal favorites. All of them I have served at one time or another."

They are nice dishes, but not particularly difficult, she says. Additionally, many can be made ahead.

The cookbook, $22.95, can be purchased through her Web site, www.breakfastonthebattery.com. The site also lists retail locations for the book.

Here's a sampling:

Blueberry Croissant French Toast

Makes 6 servings

6 croissants

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

8 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup half-and-half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup orange juice

Maple syrup

Split croissants horizontally and spread each with cream cheese. Put blueberries on top of cream cheese. Top with croissant top. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and place croissants in baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, half-and-half and vanilla extract. Mix well and pour over croissants. In a small bowl, mix together the orange marmalade and orange juice.

Mix well and spoon over each croissant. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake croissants for about 35-40 minutes, until custard is puffy and slightly browned.

Serve with warmed maple syrup.

Pucker up

Debbie Long of Summerville has a recipe for Valerie Gresham, who asked about made-from-scratch lemon cakes because she wants to re-create the taste of her wedding cake for her husband.

Debbie writes, "I would like to pass on this recipe from my great-grandmother in Charlotte. Folks say it's the best around."

Boo-Mama's Lemon Jelly Cake

Makes 10-12 servings

For the cake:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

For filling:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Juice and grated rind (yellow part only) of 2 lemons

2 cups sugar

Pinch salt

Butter the size of an English walnut (about 2 tablespoons)

For the cake: Cream softened butter and sugar well. Add 1 egg at a time.

Sift flour and baking powder together. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and lemon extracts and mix well.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees until the cakes are lightly browned and feel firm to the touch (about 20 minutes; do not overbake).

Remove cakes from oven and turn out onto rack to cool before putting the layers together with the lemon jelly filling.

For the filling: Combine 2 beaten eggs, lemon juice and grated rind, 2 cups sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until mixture thickens to a jelly-like consistency. (Test a small amount by putting it on a saucer and refrigerating it a few minutes. If it seems thick enough, remove from heat.)

Add the butter and let cool completely before putting between the layers and on top and sides of cake (if there is enough filling).

Note: Double the filling recipe if you prefer more. But this filling is tart and usually one recipe is plenty to cover three layers.

Variation: Lemon Jelly Filling With Grated Apple — Use the exact original Lemon Jelly Filling recipe above, but grate a medium-size peeled apple (such as Golden Delicious) into the ingredients before cooking. Use a small grater and the mixture will look like applesauce. Grate the apple right into the lemon juice and rind to keep the apple from turning brown.

Another reader, Gail Jernigan of Edisto Island, wasn't sure about what type of cake Valerie wanted, layer or pound. But she volunteers a recipe for an easy, "from scratch" lemon pound cake.

7-Up Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons lemon extract

3/4 cup 7-Up

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour, lemon extract and 7-Up. Pour into greased and floured tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 60-75 minutes.

Who's got the recipe?

--Nancy Fischer of the Isle of Palms called to see if I could track down a recipe similar to the coconut cream pie served at former Cafe Cafe restaurant in downtown Charleston. "It's a big, old fluffy one," she says, not a coconut custard.

--A North Charleston reader would like crab salad recipes.

If you're looking for a recipe or have one to share, reach Teresa Taylor at 937-4886, food@postandcourier.com or write The Post and Courier, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403.