The Cookbook Junkie: Beat the Heat

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by Gini Rainey

Summer has most definitely hit East Texas. The temps are threatening to zip up close to 100 and some of us are already looking forward to the nice cool days of Fall.

Growing up in Minnesota, summer meant one thing to me: either everyone stayed in town and sweat (no AC in those parts) or would head to their cabin in the lake country where the mosquitoes were rampant, but the lake water was cool and refreshing. Ah, the fresh, clean lake air was so lovely.

One of the things about our family’s cabin (which was built in the 1930s by my grandfather and several family members) my cousins and I loved about the lake (besides the lake) were the woods behind the cabin. Fairly dense and filled with birch trees galore, we spent a lot of time playing hide and seek along with a bit of ‘Ditch Jane,’ a variation of hide and seek. Yes, my cousin Mara and I would ditch the younger cousin, Jane (sorry Jane.) I never could understand why Jane was always ready to play it, but she was!

Behind the back of the cabin was a sandy road that was lined with lots of raspberry bushes. We cousins would pick them and bring them back to the cabin to enjoy with cream and sugar. Maybe that’s why I’m so fond of those yummy little berries and why I’m so sad that those bushes are no longer there.  Kudos to my nephew, who has recently planted some new bushes along that road!

We had a group of friends over for dinner recently and I decided to make spaghetti with meat sauce for the main event. Needing something light and easy, and perhaps Italian, I pulled out a cookbook Recipes & Memories written by Sophia Loren.  Published in 1998, it is dedicated to her grandmother, you can’t get more Italian than that! Filled with lots of anecdotes, beautiful photographs, and yummy-sounding recipes, I found a dessert I felt would be just perfect with a garnish of raspberries.

Sophia shared her recipe for Crema Pasticciera or Pastry Cream that makes 6-8 servings. It’s a cooked custard and begins with bringing 2 cups milk to just below the boiling point and adding 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract before removing from the heat. While it’s cooling, separate 6 eggs, then beat the yolks together with a scant cup of sugar until pale yellow. Whisk in 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the milk. Return the pan to the stove and slowly bring it back close to the boiling point while constantly stirring. Don’t let the mixture boil or the eggs will curdle.

Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool briefly, then place a piece of waxed paper on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use. I spooned the sauce into individual ramekins and topped with raspberries and whipped cream. It was delicious and a lovely ending to a bit of a heavy meal. It was easier to make than I thought it would be, so try it out. Top it with your favorite fruit and enjoy this cool taste of Italian heaven.