The Mitford Kitchen

CONWAY, Ark. – Fans of Jan Karon’s Mitford novels know all about Esther Bolick’s famous orange marmalade cake, Percy’s grits, young Dooley Barlowe’s love of fried baloney sandwiches, Russell Jacks’ livermush craving and Puny’s aromatic, home-cooked meals for Father Tim Kavanagh.

Indeed, the kitchen is “the heart of the home” in Mitford.

In some ways, this charming, small Southern town is the main character of Karon’s novels about Tim Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest who gets married in his 60s and who takes in a sassy but lovable mountain boy to raise as his own.

The Mitford books abound in food references, from chapter one of book one, “At Home in Mitford,” where Kavanagh dreams of coconut pie, to Karon’s most recent novel, “Shepherd’s Abiding,” where antiques-store owner Andrew Gregory serves hot cocoa to Father Tim.

It didn’t take Mitford fans long to start clamoring for the recipes of dishes in Karon’s books, especially Esther’s tempting cake, the one that almost sent the diabetic rector into a coma.

Now, in her new “Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook &Kitchen Reader” ($29.95), Karon shares 150 recipes, mostly dishes made famous by Mitford residents.

Karon readily acknowledges that the book’s editor, Martha McIntosh, created, borrowed, gathered and tested the recipes for the book, which also includes family photos, essays by Karon and a short story she wrote about a cooking contest in Mitford.

“Indeed, I was once a pretty good cook, but my skills have fallen on hard times and a roast chicken is absolutely the very best I currently can do,” she writes.

Still, Karon, interviewed recently by telephone at her home in central Virginia, said she kept her hand in the pot to make sure recipes accurately reflect the characters they’re associated with.

“I worked on every recipe to see if there might be ingredients that might be uncharacteristic of a character,” Karon said. “For example, Cynthia is a pretty sophisticated character. Esther is not going to use balsamic vinegar, but Cynthia will.”

So, Louella fries her chicken in lard, not Crisco. But Cynthia Coppersmith Kavanagh, Tim’s pretty neighbor-turned-bride, uses olive oil and prepares risotto, cassoulet, oyster pie and bouillabaisse.

And the ever-practical Puny, mother of twins and the priest’s housekeeper, offers timesaving and other practical tips throughout the book.

Karon, 67, also includes recipes from her own kitchen and those of her mother and grandmother.

There is, for example, Jan’s Pot of Beans, which she cooks with ham hock and simmers for hours. Beans, she says, are her “second favorite thing to cook while writing.”

Her favorite is chicken.

“As it roasts, it perfumes the air, encourages the writer, and gives solace in solitude,” she writes.

After she finishes writing for the day, she likes to fry a cake of cornbread and sit down to a meal of chicken, cornbread and beans, the last sprinkled with chopped Vidalia onions.

Both the bean and chicken recipes call for rosemary, also a favorite ingredient of Cynthia’s, who like Karon, happens to be a writer. So, is Cynthia patterned after Karon?

“Cynthia has better legs,” Karon replied jokingly, then acknowledged they’re both blond, both color their hair, are creative and have worked all their lives.

“But I couldn’t be married to Father Tim,” she said. “He’s a little too conservative for me. He doesn’t know how to have fun unless somebody helps him do it. I like the old guy, but I wouldn’t want to be married to him.”

Karon recalled readers begging for Esther’s cake recipe. Despite her protests that there was no recipe (“That cake is fiction!”), the requests persisted.

Eventually Karon’s editor at Victoria magazine, where Karon was a writer-in-residence, decided there should be a recipe. And one was created in an Atlanta kitchen by cookbook author Edna Lewis and chef Scott Peacock.

The recipe is elaborate.

“I pay people to bake that cake for me,” Karon said. “It is outstanding.”

Esther’s orange marmalade cake

For the cake:

1cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pans

31/4 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting the pans

1tablespoon baking powder

1teaspoon salt

22/3cups granulated sugar

5large eggs, at room temperature

4large eggs yolks, at room temperature

2/3cup vegetable oil

1tablespoon grated orange zest

2teaspoons vanilla extract

1cup buttermilk, at room temperature

For the orange syrup:

1cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4cup granulated sugar

For the filling:

112-ounce jar orange marmalade

For the frosting:

1cup heavy cream, chilled

4tablespoons granulated sugar

1cup sour cream, chilled

The cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter three 9-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper, then lightly butter and flour the paper, shaking out any excess.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Sift a second time into another bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light in color, about 4 minutes. Add the 22/3 cups sugar in a steady stream with the mixer running. Beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to stop at least once to scrape down the batter from the sides of the bowl. After all the eggs have been added, continue to beat on medium speed for 2 more minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the oil and beat for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, combine the orange zest, vanilla and buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, fold in half of the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add half of the buttermilk mixture. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients, scrape down the sides, and add the remaining buttermilk.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the surface, rap each pan on the counter to expel any air pockets or bubbles, then place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for 20 minutes.

The orange syrup: In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice and 1/4 cup sugar until the sugar is dissolved. While the cakes are still in the cake pans, use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes at 1/2-inch intervals in the cake layers. Spoon the syrup over each layer, allowing the syrup to be completely absorbed before adding the remainder. Let the layers cool completely in the pans.

The filling: Heat the marmalade in a small saucepan over medium heat until just melted. Let cool for 5 minutes.

The frosting: In a chilled mixing bowl, using the wire whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream with the 4 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Add the sour cream, a little at a time, and whisk until the mixture is a spreadable consistency.

To assemble the cake: Invert one of the cake layers on a cake plate and carefully peel off the parchment. Spread one-third of the marmalade over the top, smoothing it into an even layer. Invert the second layer on top of the first, peel off the parchment, and spoon another third of the marmalade on top. Place the third cake layer on top, remove the parchment, and spoon the remaining marmalade onto the center of it, leaving a 11/4 -inch border around the edges. Frost the sides and the top border with the frosting, leaving the marmalade on top of the cake exposed. Or, if you prefer, frost the entire cake first, adding the marmalade as a garnish on top. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Recipe from “Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook &Kitchen Reader,” edited by Martha McIntosh

Recipes in book are not fiction

For Jan’s pot of beans, Jan Karon said she likes navy beans, lima beans or fava beans – “To tell you the truth, I like any beans.”

Jan’s pot of beans

1pound mixed dried beans, picked over

3tablespoons unsalted butter

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2cups chopped onions

3cloves garlic, minced

1tablespoon dried rosemary

1tablespoon dried thyme

2bay leaves

1ham hock

1tablespoon paprika

1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2teaspoons coarse sea salt

Tabasco sauce to taste

Chopped Vidalia onions, for serving

Place the beans in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot, turn off the heat and let the beans sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans.

In the same stockpot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add the beans and enough fresh water to cover. Add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, ham hock, paprika and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, checking the beans often and adding water as necessary. Remove the ham hock and add the sea salt (see note). Simmer another hour.

Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with chopped onions. Serve with hot cornbread.

Note: Do not add the salt until after the beans are fully cooked; otherwise, they won’t be as tender.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

“This is among the most agreeable dishes you’ll ever sit down to,” Karon writes. “One of my sworn favorites!”

Cynthia’s oyster pie

1/4cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the baking dish

1teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper

2teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1quart shucked oysters, drained

1/4cup finely chopped shallots

1/4cup chopped fresh parsley

1cup Ritz Cracker crumbs

6tablespoons half-and-half

Paprika, for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 1-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the salt, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and melted butter. Spread half of the oysters on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shallots and half of the parsley. Pour half of the butter mixture over the oysters, then sprinkle half of the cracker crumbs on top. Make another layer, beginning with the remaining oysters, followed by the remaining shallots, parsley, butter mixture and crackers. Pour the half-and-half into evenly spaced holes, taking care not to moisten the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb topping lightly with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is browned.

Makes 6 servings.