Brown Wusswaquatomineug (Walnut) Bread
Walnuts, both black walnuts and butternuts, were prized by the Narragansetts in the Northeast for their oils. While growing, the black walnut is covered with a green pulp that turns black soon after it drops off the tree. The black pulp is used as a dye for plant fabrics and leather. The nuts themselves are valuable foodstuffs.
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sour milk*
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange or lemon peel
1 cup chopped walnuts, any variety
3/4 cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sour milk, molasses, honey, and the peel. Add to the flour mixture and stir until blended. Then stir in the nuts and raisins.
4. Spoon batter into the loaf pans and bake for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cover with foil for the last 15 or 20 minutes. Cool loaves on a rack before serving. Makes 2 loaves.
*To make sour milk, put 4 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a glass measuring cup. Add enough fresh milk to make 2 cups liquid. Stir and let stand 1 minute.
Wild Mushroom Appetizer
3 cups sliced assorted wild mushrooms (morels, cepes, oyster or imported varieties)
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bread sliced into ovals 1/2-inch thick
1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are soft but not soggy, about 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the mushrooms with lemon juice as they saute. (Lemon juice helps set the distinctive colors of the different mushrooms.) Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon sauteed mushrooms on bread rounds and serve hot. Makes about 2 to 2 1/2 cups.