BERKSHIRE PRESERVES™

Here in the Berkshires we at BERKSHIRE PRESERVES are fortunate to have some extraordinary restaurants that offer everything from exceptional pizza www.babalouiessourdoughpizzacompany.com, to comfort food in exquisite country settings like the Old Mill oldmillberkshires.com, to more austere surroundings like John Andrews www.jarestaurant.combut with dishes to compare with some of the best food in any major city. The many talented chefs in our restaurants constantly provide me with ideas for new products, or clever ways to use tried and true ingredients.

I'm thinking about the dinner we had last night at John Andrews. The chef, Dan Smith's technique and use of local produce, even in this winter season, is gratifying to all locavores, farmers and ranchers equally. I ordered the sauteed halibut on a bed of beet coulis and broccoli rabe. The combination of sweet beets and bitter rabe was beautifully paired with the slight crunch of the seared halibut. However, what really caught my eye on the menu was the lemon marmellata, an uncooked marmalade that Max, the maitre d' and man of a thousand hats was kind enough to bring over for this preserver to taste.

The marmellata was fabulous...tart, sweet, chewy, bright and while I must admit that I did leave over some of the halibut, I gobbled down that sweet-tangy marmellata. Now I'm on a mission to reproduce it, cooked, after which it'll join its cousins on the shelves in stores. Speaking of which, as of today WE'RE FOR SALE AT GUIDO'S AND BIZALION'S IN GREAT BARRINGTON. Front and center.

Marmalade Pudding *

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 c. sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. BERKSHIRE PRESERVES ™ Seville Orange or Blood Orange Marmalade

Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees
•    Sift together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
•    Cream the butter, add the sugar and cream these together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
•    Add the 2 eggs, beaten and beat until well blended.
•    Stir in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and hot water beating the mixture after each addition until it is smooth.
•    Stir in the vanilla extract.
•    Heat the orange marmalade and turn it into a buttered baking dish. Pour the batter over the marmalade and bake the pudding in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is well browned and tests done. Serve warm with whipped cream.

* From the Gourmet Cookbook, Volume II
  Gourmet Distributing Corporation, Italy 1957

Barbara