The Mailbox: Cheddar biscuits, bacon jam win raves
Dear Mailbox: I really enjoy reading the Food & Wine section on Wednesdays as well as the Feast section on Sundays. I find it intriguing to read the Mailbox and see what interesting recipes people request and hopefully one day I will be able to help someone with their request.
My wife and I enjoy barhopping in downtown Sacramento and trying different happy hours in the early evenings. The Shady Lady Saloon has been featured in The Bee many times because of their fantastic liquid refreshments. They are always in our regular rotation.
What really puts us over the edge is their farmhouse cheddar biscuits served with bacon onion jam. The jam is so fantastic and goes so well with the biscuits, that we now order them every time we go there. The recipe was demonstrated at a recent Bacon Fest! cooking demonstration at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op by Chef Kevin Ritchie from Shady Lady.
Hopefully someone attending the demonstration took notes and can share the recipe for this seemingly simple yet complex-tasting bacon onion jam. Thanks!
Jerry Faz, Sacramento
Seeking potato galette
Does anyone have the recipe for potato galette (French)? After the galette is flipped, heavy cream and egg is added and the galette is then finished in the oven. Thank you.
Astride Hofmann, Sacramento
HOW TO CONTACT
THE MAILBOX
If you have recipes in reply to Mailbox reader requests, or questions or comments, write to: Mailbox, c/o Taste, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. You also can email twatson@sacbee.com or fax (916) 321-1109. Please include your full name, your city and phone number.
Grandmere’s Inn French toast
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Serves 12 to 14
Karen Buckner of West Sacramento lost a Bee recipe for French toast from the Grass Valley bed and breakfast Grandmere’s Inn. She was hoping someone had the recipe.
We heard from Geri Boka of Grass Valley, previous owner with her husband, Doug, of the Grandmere’s Bed and Breakfast Inn which was in Nevada City. She’s made this recipe many times and was happy that Buckner enjoyed it.
Note: The prep time does not include the overnight refrigeration time for the casserole.
INGREDIENTS
1 loaf sourdough French bread, cubed
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, sliced
2 1/2 cups milk
10 eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Topping:
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
Spray a 4-inch-deep-by-10-inch-by-12-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place 2 layers of cubed sourdough French bread in casserole. Place a layer of cream cheese on top of bread. Place remaining French bread cubes on top of cream cheese.
Mix milk, eggs and 1/2 cup maple syrup in a bowl. Pour mixture over all in the casserole. Make sure that it is all saturated. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake French toast for 11/2 to 2 hours. The mixture should puff up.
Melt 1/2 cup butter and mix with 1/2 cup maple. Drizzle over the top.
Per serving based on 14: 387 cal.; 12 g pro.; 34 g carb.; 23 g fat (13 sat., 7 monounsat., 3 polyunsat.); 190 mg chol.; 341 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 53 percent calories from fat.
This story was originally published December 23, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "The Mailbox: Cheddar biscuits, bacon jam win raves."