And We’re Off! April and Blogging From A to Z are here!

I like to cook. I like to eat. (Or, should that be ‘I like to eat. I like to cook.’?) Food brings far more than nourishment for our minds and bodies. It brings comfort when you are down and joy when it is shared. What could be more heartwarming than enjoying the company of family and friends as they eat the meals you’ve prepared with love and care? Food brings us together and binds us in fellowship and harmony. My mission, during this A to Z blogging challenge for April is to share a few recipes with you. I hope you and your family and friends will take and share them and enjoy “breaking bread together”.

During this month of Blogging From A to Z I will attempt to bring you a recipe for each letter of the alphabet. For some letters it will be embarrassingly easy, for others it will be a bit difficult. I have learned already that for a couple of the letters it’s damned near impossible. I think I’ve managed though to bring some interesting things to the table, er… ahem, you know what I mean. It should be an interesting month!

A

Apple Meringue Pie

Coconut cream meringue, lemon meringue, chocolate meringue and even pumpkin meringue pies are quite commonplace on American tables. This recipe though is something brand new to me. I found it surfing the internet in preparation for the Blogging A to Z and was instantly captivated! The author said the recipe evolved from his Mother’s bread pudding recipe. Rather than using sauce, she topped hers with meringue. He added some Drambuie he’d had laying round the house for ages and a new recipe was born. This recipe would work equally well with just about any other assertive liqueur. Give it a shot (you should pardon the expression) and comment here on your reaction!

 Apple Meringue Pie

 

450 G (1 lb) tart green apples, peeled,            ½ t cinnamon

            cored, thickly sliced                            1/8 t cream of tartar

2 T honey                                                        2 T sugar

3 eggs, separated                                           1 eight inch pre-baked pie shell

3 T Drambuie (or other liqueur)

 In a covered saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples and honey with 1 T of water until they are softened, but still maintain their shape.

 In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the Drambuie and cinnamon. Add a few hot apple slices to the mixture and stir it around a bit. Then add the mixture to the remaining apples in the saucepan. Thicken over medium-low heat, about 1 or 2 minutes. Do not allow it to curdle. Remove from heat and cool.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually, add the sugar and continue beating until it is stiff.

Place the cooled apple mixture into the pie shell and cover it completely with meringue. Bake in a preheated 232°C (450°F) oven for a minute or two, until the meringue browns. Serve warm.