Steer wrestling, a practice credited to legendary cowboy and rodeo star Bill Pickett, usually involves leaping onto a steer from the back of a specially trained horse. At the Madison
Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to
Yield: 8 servings. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 4 large
Yield: 8 servings. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 4 large
Yield: 8 servings. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 4 large
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 12-16 plums, quartered or sliced 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 ̊. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with 2 tablespoons butter.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream together 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until well blended. Add vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture and mix until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Batter will be thick.
Divide batter into each cake pan. Arrange plums attractively on top of the batter.
Mix remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon together, and sprinkle over plums. Bake for 1 hour, or until edges are lightly browned and center is set. Remove from oven. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, and serve.
Note: We love this recipe for its versatility. Smaller, blue-black Italian plums, available in late summer and early fall, are ideal for this cake. If larger, summer plums are used, fewer fruits are needed. Also, almost any seasonal fruit — apricots, halved and pitted; cranberries or any summer berry; sliced apples, nectarines, peaches and pears — can be substituted for plums. Canned and frozen fruit can stand in for fresh.
Western North Carolina is at its most stunning when autumn arrives and the leaves burst into color. Before you head out leaf-peeping this fall, check in weekly to see what colors our experts are seeing at 22 of our favorite mountain spots.
We’ve picked a bushel of North Carolina apples in every form — from pies to pottery to cider — to enjoy from the first perfect, blue-sky day of October through chilly Halloween. That’s one for each day of the month!
