-=> JIM WELLER wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 DD> Title: African Pepper Soup

 DD> ginger
 DD> thyme
 DD> (Maggi) cube
 DD> Scotch bonnet chilies
 DD> Tomato puree

 JW> These were all things Chris used frequently and heavily.

 JW> When homesick he used to complain that real spinach was inferior to
 JW> a common green back home, an amaranth called Lagos spinach which was
 JW> unavailable here. He also thought that potatoes were a poor
 JW> substitute for taro and cassava which were too expensive here. He
 JW> was most impressed with pizza though.

Almost everyone is nostalgic for the things they grew up with. That's
why it's called "comfort food" .... and varies from person to person.

I grew up with rhubarb and gooseberry pies. The rhubarb pies were just
rhubarb and nothing strawberry for the filling. And the gooseberry were
made with "wild" gooseberries picked in the woods, tiny and tart. Not
the cultivated and commerciallised bland, grape-sized items, mostly
tasteless examples, one finds in the market or in cans.

When I get the raised bed mini garden finished I am going to put in a
(self-refreshing) rhubarb patch. I've determined there are no walnut
trees in the vicinity - nor were there ant in the last 30 or so years.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Old Fashioned Gooseberry Pie
 Categories: Pastry, Fruits, Pies, Citrus
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
MMMMM---------------------------CRUST--------------------------------
  2 1/2 c  Flour
    1/4 c  Sugar
     16 tb (1/2 lb) very cold butter;
           - in small cubes
      4 tb Ice cold milk; more, if
           - needed
    1/2 ts Salt
      1 lg Egg; beaten together
           +=WITH=+
      1 tb Milk; for glazing top crust

MMMMM--------------------------FILLING-------------------------------
      5 c  Whole wild gooseberries;
           - stemmed, washed
  1 1/2 c  Sugar; or less
      2 tb Grated fresh ginger
           Juice and zest of one orange
    1/3 c  Instant tapioca
      4 tb Butter
 
  Set oven @ 375§F/190§C.
  
  To make the crust, use stand mixer with paddle beater.
  Beat together butter, flour, sugar and salt until butter
  is in flakes, coated with flour. Do not over mix. Slowly
  add very cold milk, one or two tablespoons at a time.
  When dough first begins to form ball, stop beating. Do
  not add too much liquid. Dough should barely hold
  together. Divide dough into two balls, press into a
  thick disk with hands, wrap in plastic wrap, and
  refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer.
  
  While dough is chilling, begin preparing the filling.
  Combine all ingredients except butter in a large sauce
  pan, and place over medium heat. Cover until
  gooseberries begin to soften and burst (about 5
  minutes.) Then uncover, and keep barely simmering on
  medium-low heat for an additional 10 minutes. Remove
  from heat and allow to cool while rolling out pastry.
  
  Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and
  roll out one disk on a lightly floured surface until
  large enough to cover bottom and sides of pie dish, with
  3/4 inch overhang. Crimp edges decoratively, and set pie
  weights on top of bottom crust. Bake for 10 minutes or
  until golden. Do not let edges of crust burn. Cover with
  aluminum foil or pie guard if necessary.
  
  While bottom crust is baking, roll out second pastry
  disk. Using small biscuit cutter or rim of small juice
  glass, cut out circles from rolled dough. Place circles
  on baking tray and return immediately to refrigerator or
  freezer to keep chilled. (Do not re-roll scraps of extra
  pastry dough, they will become tough. Bake on separate
  baking sheet to snack on with ice cream.)
  
  Once bottom crust has baked, and filling has cooled,
  pour gooseberry filling into bottom crust. Slice 4
  tablespoons of butter on top of filling, then decorative
  layer of pastry circles in concentric pattern, leaving a
  hole in the middle and around the outer edge. Brush top
  disks with beaten egg/milk mixture. Use aluminum foil
  strips, or pie guard over crust. Return to oven and bake
  for 35 to 50 minutes, or until juices are vigorously
  bubbling. (Be sure to place a baking sheet on rack below
  pie to catch any spilling juices. There will be some.)
  
  Allow pie to cool completely before serving.
  
  Serves 8. (according to whom? UDD)
  
  From: http://beekman1802.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen
 
MMMMM

... "People who love to eat are always the best people." -- Julia Child

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