Octoberfest, Poudre Douce, and the Great Apple PopOver
Harvest Parties and Medieval Surprises
It’s Oktoberfest! Harvest festivals all over the world are gathering. Each time I pick the autumn apples from my mom’s tree, I think, “Oh yes, my pretties, you are about to nourish many pies, many pancakes, many cups of grog.”
I have two recipes for you today, hopefully off the beaten path.
One is a “popover” baked in an iron skillet filled with a sweet apple compote. It can be breakfast, brunch, or dinner dessert!
The other isn’t a meal, it’s a magic powder. A powder that goes with all things dark, sticky, and wintry! It’s called “Poudre Douce” and I discovered it in the original “Game of Thrones” cookbook, A Feast of Ice and Fire.
Let’s start with the Sweet Powder, courtesy of a 14th century text:
4 ½ t. Cinnamon
1 t. Ground Ginger
1 t. Grains of Paradise (or substitute black pepper, but once you taste paradise, …