Hearth & Home

There is nothing better than a house that smells of cooking and baking and nothing better than soup and bread on a cold day. Below is a soup recipe that is a combo of different FO soups I've made over the years or seen on cooking shows (Jamie Oliver in particular). And for dessert is my Great Aunt Ida's pound cake - also known as Poor Man's Pound Cake. Aunt Ida was born in 1904, oldest of the eight Shuler girls. She was known as the baker in the family as well as being quite the stylish dresser.

Home is as much about the cooking as it is the coziness of small details like a beautiful tablecloth, fresh flowers and pretty dishes. You don't need an abundance just a few items. With that in mind I have attached some photos from two of my favorite stores in Columbus, Cottage Street and SoBo - found right next door to one another on High Street in Clintonville.
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French Onion Soup

Soup:

4 to 5 large sweet onions (sliced thin)

Tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

½ cup vermouth or white wine

1 bay leaf

6 to7 stems of fresh thyme (leaves only)

6 to 8 cups chicken stock

Salt & pepper

-          In a large sauce pan drizzle the olive oil and sliced onions, add sugar - should take 30 minutes or more to carmelize the onions.

-          Place onions in big soup pan

-          Add the vermouth and chicken stock

-          Add bay leaf and thyme

-          Salt and pepper to taste

-          Cook on low heat for an hour

Bread & Cheese

Rustic hard bread

Butter

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Gruyere cheese

Cut bread in 4 inch wide slices,  butter top of each bread slice and add parmesan cheese - place on cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 400 F.

Serving:

Place bread slices in bowl, ladle soup over, place shredded parmesan and gruyere cheese on top and broil until cheese melts and browns.

Great Aunt Ida’s Pound Cake

1 cup Crisco (cream with vanilla)

1 to 2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups of sugar

3 cups Cake flour (sifted)

2 ½ tsp baking powder (add dry ingredients to sugar, Crisco, vanilla.  Beat on mixer till mixed).

1 cup of milk

4 eggs

Put milk around, add one egg at a time till mixed

Beat two minutes

Use 1 tube pan as Aunt Ida did or grease and flour two bread loaf pans

Oven temp: 375*  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes

Changes:  Beth Armstrong – Pauline Shuler’s granddaughter

Replace Crisco with 2 sticks of unsalted butter – softened

Add the zest of 1 lemon and the juice of one lemon * may need to bake a bit longer*