RECOVERING THE PAST BY CREATING SOMETHING NEW

I was about to post a recipe for a socca pancake and eggs breakfast when it occurred to me check my archive. Yep, I’d already written an enthusiastic story about a similar dish, just a year ago. Should I take a chance my readers had also forgotten it and send it on anyway?

I decided instead to put a positive spin on this memory lapse and look for inspiration among recipes in Madelaine’s Kitchen Secrets, a bi-monthly newsletter I wrote and illustrated from 1988 to 1994. (Anyone out there still have this binder on their bookshelf? I’d love to hear from you!) This trip down memory lane turned out to be a revelation.

The oldies-but-goodies were mostly meat and potatoes recipes, no more appealing than my great grandmother’s recipes from the 1880’s. My current diet is plant-based complemented with the fish, eggs and dairy products. On the other hand, the bread and dessert recipes in MKS were as interesting as ever.

I tested one of my favorites, a Golden Curry Bread from 1986, just to see how it would work today. The recipe calls for dry active yeast (not rapid rise), a mix of whole wheat and bread flours, homemade garam masala and yogurt. The first loaf was a bit heavy and failed to live up to my memory of it's vibrant scent because I substituted a bottled spice mix for my own. The second loaf containing the original spice mix and all purpose in place of bread flour met my expectations.

In the 80’s, l chose to enhance curry bread's exotic flavor in a Lemon Bread Pudding. Golden curry bread slices soaked in custard are layered with a rich lemon curd and baked.  Since sandwiches are having a moment, Indian street food seems a more appropriate use for this spicy bread. My Mumbai Sandwich is filled it with thin slices of boiled potato, tomato, onion, two scrambled egg and a smear of green chutney.

This sandwich welcomes substitutions with satisfying results.  A fried egg or a slice of cheese can stand in for scrambled eggs. A roasted red pepper slice can easily replace the tomato. Sourdough or whole grain bread work almost as well as the curry bread. The only non-negotiable ingredient is the green chutney.