By
Pam Bauserman
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 6:22 AM PST
Where can you go to find classical musicians and fine cuisine? You can now find them in the Stockton Symphony Alliance's new cookbook, "Classical Cuisine," which was completed in October.
The cookbook was created as a way to raise funds for the Symphony's Steppin' Out program, which enables elementary school students to attend its concerts. It was also written to help the Symphony's audience connect with them.
"It makes the musicians seem more personal and it gives a picture of their lives," said Conni Bock, the secretary of the Stockton Symphony Alliance, who served as the cookbook's editor.
The book features over 200 recipes submitted by members of the Stockton Symphony Alliance and the Stockton Symphony. The recipes include a variety of appetizers, beverages, breads, cookies, desserts, main dishes, pasta and rice, soups and vegetables. The book also features photos of each recipe author as well as a few of their life stories.
Violinist David Collum, who teaches classroom music and string music for Lodi Unified School District, submitted his Aunt Bessie's apple cake.
Collum began making this cake after his aunt moved to the area from Conshohocken, Penn. and made it for him. Collum has a heart-shaped pie dish that he uses to bake the cake in, which he said gives it a nice appearance with all the ends of the apples arranged in a heart.
"It's a good recipe and something a little different," he said.
Another recipe featured in the book, barbecued blackened Spam, is the creation of Coleman Sholl, who plays timpani in the Symphony and teaches instrumental music in Lodi Unified School District. Sholl said he has experimented with many ways of cooking Spam and decided to try spicing it up to make it a Cajun-style food, which he also enjoys.
"I truly am a fan of Spam, which is slightly unusual in the first place," he said.
Bock said her favorite part of putting the book together was being able to read all the recipes and try some out at the board meetings.
"(I enjoyed) thinking about how delicious they would all taste and knowing there wouldn't be any calories," she laughed.
The price of the book is $20 and it may be purchased at the Stockton Symphony concerts on Nov. 19 and 21 and Dec. 13, or by calling the Symphony office at 951-0196.
Barbecued blackened Spam
1 can Spam
3 tablespoons Paul Prudhomme's Cajun spice (or similar Cajun spice)
Get barbecue grill going up to a medium-high heat. Remove Spam from its can and carefully cut it into six even slices. This is important, as one can of Spam sliced into sixths makes the perfect-sized slice of Spam.
Put three tablespoons of Cajun spice on a paper plate, but not in a mound. Spread it out on the paper plate. Fully coat each slice of Spam, on both sides of the slices, with the Cajun spice. Don't overdo this step, but don't be light on the coating, either. Put the Spam on the grill. About two-and-a-half minutes on each side will do it, depending on the heat of the grill. Serve with whole grain rice and green beans.
Source: Coleman Sholl
Chicken fracasa
3 chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks
1 medium to large yellow onion
1 can green olives, not pitted
1/2 pint tomato sauce
3/4 bunch of parsley
4 cloves garlic
1/3 pound mushrooms
1 cup sauterne or dry sherry wine
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Prepare ingredients for your saute. Chop parsley, onion, garlic and slice mushrooms. In a large pot, brown chicken in oil. In a separate pan, saute parsley, onion, garlic and mushrooms in a little oil until tender and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Add saute to browned chicken. Now add wine, olives and tomato sauce to the pot and stir well. Simmer covered for 25 to 30 minutes. Served with steamed rice or potatoes.
Source: Rick Duncan, of Lodi, string bass player
Aunt Bessie's apple cake
4 large apples
2 cups sugar
Small amount of cinnamon
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1/3 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Peel and cut apples into thin slices. Add 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Mix eggs, 1 3/4 cups of sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla. Beat together all the ingredients except the apple mix. Pour half the batter into a bundt pan and arrange half the apple slices like the spokes of a wheel, with the thin side facing down. Pour in the rest of the batter and arrange the remaining apples the same as above, leaving the top of the apple exposed. Bake at 350 degrees for one to one and-a-half hours.
Source: David Collum
