This season is all about comfort food and drinks, so why not combine the two? You can elevate your seasonal meals with the recipes found in the new The Catskills Farm to Table Cookbook.
Author, photographer, and Catskills native Courtney Wade offers seventy-five delicious recipes and breathtaking imagery to take you on a journey of upstate New York, and bring these seasonal flavors to your very own kitchen. The Catskills have become a food destination; from its specialty farms to farmers markets and top restaurants.
Among Wade’s delectable recipes, we found this one for Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie that’s perfect for the holidays. It’s a magical mix of bourbon, butter, syrup, and toasted pecans. The warm flavors of pure Catskill maple syrup and local bourbon (try Taconic Distillery or Black Dirt Distillery) elevate this boozy take on a classic.
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the Crust Pastry:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lard
4–6 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
4 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups toasted pecans
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup dark maple syrup
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons local bourbon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
To create pastry, combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut lard into flour with a pastry blender or fork, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, while tossing lightly with a fork until dough is moist enough to form into a ball. Shape dough into a ball and flatten into a 1/2-inch thickness, rounding the edges. On a floured surface, roll lightly into an 11-inch circle. Place into a 9-inch pie pan, crimping the edges and refrigerate until ready to fill.
Preheat to 350°F. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, eggs, bourbon and salt. Pour filling into the prepared crust. Bake until just set in the middle, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
About the author: Courtney Wade is a chef and photographer who lives on a farm in the Catskills in upstate New York.
The Catskills Farm to Table Cookbook
Courtney Wade
978-1-57826-842-9
Hatherleigh Press
Softcover: $ 20.00 US
Order a copy here