Richmond Confidential

Farmhouse meatloaf

When I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, Monday was always “Wash Day.” Until my parents purchased an automatic washer and dryer in 1960, that meant putting the clothes through the wringer washer and carrying heavy baskets of wet laundry to the clothesline to be hung out.

Clafouti (French peasant pear pie)

Ingredients: 3/4 cup flour 2/3 cup sugar large eggs 3/4 cup milk butter 3 ripe pears (cut in small pieces) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Mix flour, sugar, eggs and milk in mixer until creamy and lump-free. Butter a pie pan and fill with the cut pears and cover with the custard like mix. Bake in 375 to 400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Other fruits work too like ripe peaches, plums etc. Want to share your…

Apple cake with maple-walnut cream cheese frosting

Time consuming, but a fabulous dessert, worthy of your most elegant dinner parties. Ingredients: Cake: 1 lb. Pippin Apples (about 2 medium) peeled, cored, diced ¼ cup water 2 ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup dried currants 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped 2 cup sugar 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp. 1 Tbsp brandy 1 ½ tsp…

Beer braised barbequed pork

Ingredients: For the dry rub: 2 Tbsp salt About 40 grinds black pepper 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbspn garlic powder 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground mustard seed To add when cooking: 12 oz. good ale or dark beer, such as Bass 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 5lb pork butt (shoulder of the animal) To add to the pan juices: 1/2 cup ketchup 2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup dark brown sugar…