Vichyssoise was the third soup in Beulah’s standard repertoire, which she served chilled in the summer months. It’s taken time for me to appreciate cold soup – aside from gazpacho, which I could live on – but I’m coming round. This hit the spot on a hot evening, with a green salad served alongside.
Beulah’s vichyssoise recipe calls for cream or soured cream. I opted for a mix of cream and crème fraiche.
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Adam’s parents Freddy and Beulah ate regularly at Trattoria Trevi, an Italian place on Ballards Lane until it closed, reopening a few months later as a Turkish restaurant. They immediately became regulars there as well. The Durum became a place for family birthdays and celebrations. Beulah always ordered kisir followed by fried liver or lamb chops. This kisir is based on their recipe.
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Baked apples are an underrated dessert in my opinion. They take minutes to prep, are can be served hot or cold, and are healthy to boot. A splash of liqueur (hazelnut works well) before baking, or serving (or both) is a nice touch.
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Along with Omi’s coffee cakes, marmalade tea bread was Beulah’s signature bake. She was a marmalade lover and I always gave her a jar or two from my annual batch.
Otherwise a typical fruit cake, its distinctive, sweet-bitter tang and slightly sticky texture reveals the presence of marmalade. I’d always assumed it was a called a tea bread because it was served with tea, but it turns out the fruit is soaked in strong black tea overnight.
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Chopped egg and onion was a mainstay of Shabbat dinners for Adam when he was a child. He says it’s the combination of cooked and raw onions that made this dish special.
Beulah’s classic chocolate mousse recipe doesn’t call for cream or sugar (aside from what is in the chocolate). On my first attempt, I failed to notice the water added to the chocolate in the bowl. That certainly makes a difference – you need a pourable chocolate mixture to fold the egg whites into, not a thick, Marmite-like paste.
Adam says, “In my memory, these were famed across north London. I can picture mum melting Menier dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. You could smell it before you could see it, and when you saw it your hope that chocolate mousse was indeed on the menu was realised.”
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The recipe for these flourless coffee cakes comes from Adam’s German grandmother Lottie.
It’s a simple one, aside from the beating and folding. With only four ingredients and no leavening agent, Omi’s coffee cakes rely on the egg whites for their light, airy quality.
Out of curiosity I searched online, but couldn’t find another recipe like them. The closest was bocca di dama, but made bite-sized and left undecorated.
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This recipe offers a fresh take on my go-to tomato soup. Basil is added at three points – sautéed with the onions, simmered with the tomatoes,stirred in just before serving – and its sweet, peppery flavour shines through.
At family meals, Beulah usually offered a choice of soup – chicken soup with kneidlach and tomato soup with basil for the vegetarians. (Though it was pretty common for people to park their principles for the evening so as not to miss out on Beulah’s chicken soup.)
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I’m a sucker for lemon desserts, and have yet to meet one I don’t like. That said, Beulah’s lemon mousse is near the top of the list.
On family occasions, she always made two or three desserts, in sufficient quantity that people could try them all. While her chocolate mousse and sticky toffee pudding were the fan favourites, when lemon mousse was on offer I always went for it, at least for round one… 😉
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Crumpets crisped in curry butter then topped with a poached egg is a winning combination. Adam’s mum made it for Lyra when she stayed a few days with her. After Lyra reported how delicious it was, we started making it as well.
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For family gatherings, Adam’s mum Beulah often served an array of salads and cold meats. This potato salad with grain mustard always featured.
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I leave the chicken soup with kneidlach to my mother-in-law – a marvellous cook whose chicken soup draws superlatives from anyone who has the good fortune to taste it, whose fluffy kneidlach could potentially float up from the broth in their airy pillowiness.
But faced with a chicken soupless Passover this year, I dusted off my kneidlach making skills and took one for the team…
Ten More Bites 