the Friday Feeding; VOL. 46

One year ago this week we were just finishing up the final details getting ready to open this reimagined country store.  Reengineered, revitalized, rebooted, it was a bold move to add a kitchen for fresh food preparation and expand into speciality groceries inside this historic small-town center with a legacy of brave storekeepers before us.

And it seems you like it!

So one year later we are celebrating you and Canterbury’s new store with many, many wonderful events. Read about them by clicking here.  But first we wanted to celebrate with our staff and appreciate them over a meal at the end of this long first season.  

If you are like us, entertaining is the excuse is to work out new ways with food, to make new recipes and experiment with flavors. The store is like one giant pantry beckoning us to play and get creative! This celebration was no different so we are offering you all these recipes over the next couple weeks so you too can celebrate and try your hand at cooking something new. Happy cooking!

Lavender Vanilla Celebration Cake

Lavender is synonymous with Canterbury.  The Shakers grew it and sold “fancy goods” made from it.  In the 19th century, lavender was used as a baking flavor instead of the precious and expensive vanilla.  Here I am using them both coupled with blueberry. 

Cut out rounds of parchment or waxed paper by tracing around two 8″ cakes pans. Cut out the rounds then, with unsalted softened butter, generously grease the bottom of the pans. Press the cut-out rounds to stick on to it then butter the whole pan OVER the paper too and dust them with flour. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350º.

In a medium sized bowl place the following then whisk them together to blend, then set aside:

• 2 2/3 cups all purpose white flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a measuring cup combine then set aside:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• one drop of lavender essential oil

Place the following into bowl for mixing or into a stand up mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy:

• 2 sticks of softened room temperature unsalted butter

Add bit by bit still beating:

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• then adding 4 large room temperature eggs one at a time

Continue beating until the entire mixture is fluffy. Then add the two set-aside mixtures alternating with each other – flour mixture then milk mixture – until it is all very light and fluffy. Spread the mixture into the two prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges, turn the pan over to release the cakes. Peel off paper. Cool right side up on a rack.

With cakes cooled, slice each in half and spread each half with 1/3 of a jar of Blake Hill’s Wild Blueberry with Lavender Botanical jam, stacking them up.

Make frosting.

Add to a very clean mixing bowl and beat until frothy:

• 3 room temperature egg whites
• 1/8 tsp table salt

Leave this be and go to the stove. In a clean small sauce pan add:

• one bottle of Canterbury Country Store Lavender Vanilla Syrup for coffee, baking and pancake drizzles

Bring this to a boil; do not stir, Place a lid on the boiling syrup and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and boil for another 6 minutes. DO NOT STIR.

Turn the mixer on to high and slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the egg whites. The heat will cook the eggs and the mixture will get voluminous and silky white producing a light fat-free frosting. Spread generously over layered cake and decorate with lavender blossoms if desired. YUM.

Don’t forget Farmers Market this week, Wednesday from 4-6:30, Dave’s pizza live. As part of our actual celebration week-end September 28, Dave will be doing additional live pizzas from 3-6pm just outside the store. See the calendar by clicking here to see what else is happening that day!

Don’t miss the last couple days of the one-week-only quilt show in the Feed Loft. And tomorrow come to town center to see the gazebo filled with large quilts! The new show The Beauty of Barns is going up on Monday the 16th.

We hope you have a great week-end. Enjoy this beautiful weather!

Jane and Dave