Thursday, June 19, 2008

Paula Deen







If a picture paints a thousand words then what does the one of the book say? Messy cook? Lets her children get a little too involved with the cooking? Or simply that this particular page bears the hallmark of being made over and over and over again? In Paula's case it is the latter.


My first introduction to the Food Network and the talent of Paula Deen was six years ago when I first started hopping across the Atlantic from London to visit Dr. Dave on a regular basis. I used to potter around in his pitiful bachelor's kitchen trying to organize his cupboards full of cereal boxes, macaroni and pizza menus whilst watching a little portable TV he bought me which I left permanently tuned to the Food Network. At this time Paula Deen was just on one show and it was a cracker. She turned out food I'd never seen before and I couldn't wait to try it. I sent her an email telling her she was converting me from Southern English to just Southern and that her pound cake had a hand in my husband proposing as quickly as he did. She wrote back in great detail which I really appreciated at the time. I know she's gone on to many big things since that one show but this recipe (Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake) from her original book is one that I use over and over from the 'Lady & Sons Cookbook'.
I nearly always tweak recipes and in this instance the only thing I've adjusted is to add a splash of almond extract and I sprinkle the top with superfine sugar before baking to give a bit of a crunchy top.


See Paula make this super cake on Paula's Party on July 11th at 10pm, on Food Network or if you can't wait the recipe is available on http://foodnetwork.com/ and http://pauladeen.com.

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