Now that Baur’s seems to have run its course, it’s Denver Dry Goods’ turn.
Alice, who recalls going to the DDG Tea Room as a child with her mother, and later dining there with her husband, remembers the Tea Room’s lemon chiffon pie. Former DDG chef Fred Batchelor has been kind enough to share it with us.
It appears below with one last popover recipe. It seems a good idea to pass it on because it’s the only one that makes a whole-wheat popover.
Ann needs help locating a favorite chicken and penne recipe she lost almost 10 years ago during her move to Colorado. It came from Bob Woodward (yes, that one) and was in a magazine article.
Melrose, the cherry lover whose request came in the form of a letter written in beautiful script of the sort rarely seen anymore, wants two recipes: one for a sweet black cherry pie and the other for a fresh fruit tart with strawberries, the kind that isn’t baked and has a glaze over the fruit.
Carrie is searching for the recipe for the Chimayo chile salad dressing once served at the Idle Spur in Crested Butte. She doesn’t even want it for salad dressing. It makes an excellent dip for bread.
On to recipes.
Until next time, when we’ll have a Waldorf chicken salad along the lines Pamela wanted, bon appetit.
Lemon Chiffon Pie
Fred Batchelor, former executive chef at the Denver Dry Goods Tea Room, sent this recipe in response to Alice’s request. Makes one 9-inch pie.
Ingredients
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 drops yellow food coloring
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 baked 9-inch pastry pie shell
Directions
Soften gelatin in cold water. Set aside.
Mix egg yolks, sugar, lemon peel, juice and salt in top of double boiler. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened.
Blend gelatin into the egg yolk mixture until gelatin is dissolved. Mix in the food coloring. Cool until mixture is partially set.
Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks are formed. Spread over gelatin mixture and fold together. Turn into pastry pie shell. Chill until firm.
Whole Wheat Popovers
Sherry shares one of her favorites from “The New High Altitude Cookbook,” by Beverly M. Anderson and Donna M. Hamilton, published by Random House in 1980. She also shared a bit of popover wisdom:
“Popovers made by sea-level recipes will expand too rapidly at altitudes over 2,500 feet, thereby losing their steam before a crust can form: Thus a stronger batter is needed at high elevations.
“This recipe is time- and family-tested, and success depends on following it to the letter. Be sure to have the pans well buttered. Do not peek during baking!”
Ingredients
Safflower or other cooking oil
1 cup sifted 100 percent whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 450. Place 1 teaspoon oil in bottom of muffin-pan cups, glass custard cups or cast-iron popover-pan cups. Place on cookie sheet.
Mix and sift flour and salt together.
Place eggs, milk and flour mixture in a blender and for 30 seconds at medium speed, or beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Add melted butter.
Heat greased pans 3 minutes in oven.
Pour batter into preheated cups, filling each cup three-fourths full.
Bake on lowest shelf for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 25 minutes more. Do not open oven door during baking.
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-820-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
