Fare Exchange: Some Brabson House recipes, Fehn's macaroon pie

TO REACH USFare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.• Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750• E-mail: chattfare@gmail.com• Fax: 423-668-5092

Good morning, Fare Exchangers. As July turns to August, we've got work for you: Where to buy raw milk and cheese locally ... the best oils to use for cooking ... more recipes you're your favorite Chattanooga restaurant institutions ... Seven-Up biscuits.

Jamie Hudlow broadens the topic of well-remembered Chattanooga food. He wrote, "As a grandson of Chattanooga's best downtown eateries of yesteryear, let's not forget W. C. Hudlow's Home Plate Cafeteria at Seventh and Cherry. Lots of fond memories, food and times were had at that location." And since you brought it up, Grandson, do you have any recipes?

We've had a seconded request for Eidson's rice pudding. Mary Claire wants to know how to buy raw milk and cheese locally and asks for help in solving the dilemma of which oils are most healthful. Sally Rutman is looking for biscuits made with Seven-Up.

Here's a tomato update from Juliane Bishop: "Great tomatoes are coming in for a few weeks from Signal Mountain Farms. Organic, heirloom tomatoes can be found at Sunday Market, Main Street Market, Signal Mountain Market."

Sarah Miller recommended Fehn's macaroon pie as ideal for special desserts. "My adult daughters prefer it to birthday cake when we are celebrating."

Fehn's Macaroon Pie

1 cup chopped pecans

12 chopped uncooked dates

1 cup sugar

12 saltine crackers rolled very fine

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 egg whites

Mix pecans, dates, sugar, cracker crumbs and baking powder together in medium size bowl and set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into dry mixture. Do not stir, just gently fold together. Add almond extract, folding it in gently and spread into well buttered pie pan.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.


We received a generous envelope from Carol Sharpe of Signal Mountain, who added the historic Brabson House to the list of revered Chattanooga restaurants gone by.

Sharpe included the following recipe for rolls. It's always encouraging to have a recipe described as a miracle, since sometimes that is just what we need.

Brabson House Miracle Rolls

3 packages yeast

1/2 cup warm water

5 cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon soda

1 cup Crisco

2 cups lukewarm buttermilk

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix together flour, sugar and soda. Cut in Crisco with a fork or 2 knives and add lukewarm buttermilk and the yeast mixture. Roll to desired thickness and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Dough may be stored in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Here is the restaurant's meat sauce:

Brabson House Sauce for Roast Beef

1 cooked beef roast, liquid reserved

1/2 stick oleo

1 medium onion

1 cup beef broth reserved from roast

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

4 tablespoons red wine

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Cool and slice beef roast and slice in a deep casserole.

In a saucepan heat oleo and saute onion. Add to this all remaining ingredients and heat well. Pour sauce over beef and marinate overnight. The next day heat roast in marinade until steamy. Serve hot.


Shelia Turney Mosby says this soup has earned her the nickname "Souper" and caused her 92-year-old father to prefer a bowl of this soup over his favorite food - blackberry cobbler.

Shelia's Signature Chicken Soup

1 boneless chicken breast

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1 bag frozen asparagus

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 large white potato, cut in bite-size pieces

2 teaspoons black pepper or to taste

2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken and allow it to rest 15 minutes.

In a stock pot on medium heat, add 1/3 cup olive oil and butter. After butter melts, add sliced onions and cook until they are translucent. Add asparagus, mushrooms, potato, chicken stock and spices. Simmer until potato is tender. Add sliced chicken and peas. Stir through until mixture is heated.

Makes 5 bowls.


Just a Dash ...

Mary Claire exults that the homemade mayonnaise that once her took an hour may be done in a matter of minutes, perhaps even seconds. The key is an immersion blender, sometimes called a stick blender.

"The one I use is from Cuisinart ... You will need 2 egg yolks at room temperature, 1 cup light olive oil (do not use extra-virgin or it will taste way too strong) and 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted. Add to that 1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, or a combination, 1 teaspoon dry mustard or wet Dijon mustard, and salt and white pepper to taste.

"Put all ingredients in a tall, narrow, immersion blender cup. Don't use a bowl. Use the regular blending attachment not the whisk. Start the immersion blender at the bottom of the cup and work your way up until it's smooth, creamy and thick enough to spread. Mayonnaise is ready to use right away. You may store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks."


Last week we ended with a hope for tomato sources, and today we got them. Perhaps next week you will tell us what you did with the wonderful homegrowns you gathered or purchased. How about it?

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