Blueberry Peaches, Red Robin Pie

Bring all ingredients to room temperature (this is important as it promotes the fluffiness of the cake). Lightly grease a very large tube pan and set aside. Reserve 1/3 cup of sugar for egg whites. Separate the eggs.

Cream butter thoroughly, adding sugar gradually. Continue to beat for 10 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift flour 3 times and then add alternately with the whipping cream and vanilla. Beat for another 10 minutes until mixture is very light. Beat egg separately until frothy and gradually add in 1/3 cup of sugar. Fold egg whites into the batter.

Pour batter into tube pan and bake at 300°F for 1 and 3/4 hours or until it is done (crust should spring back to touch). Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out and cool on rack. Do not try to remove before cake has had a chance to properly cool.

Please for best results, do not substitute any of the ingredients in this recipe.

I usually serve the cake plain and in very thin slices. I find that thin slices are a definite plus to bringing out the cakes flavor make the cake seem lighter and fluffier.

This is a wonderful cake. It's flavor is delicate, however it is easily overpowered by the wrong accompaniment. It is NOT as good served with ice cream as ice cream tends to overpower the delicate flavor of the cake. It can be given a lemon glaze if desired, but we usually don't do this for the same reason.

However the cake is GOOD served with fresh sweetened strawberries and whipped cream. These seem to compliment rather than detract from the cake. Paul's favorite to add with these is Grand Marnier.

The beauty about this cake is it can be frozen for months, then defrosted as good as new! Since it is difficult for Paul and I to finish a whole cake in the three or so days it takes to dry out, I usually freeze it in quarters in zip-lock freezer bags so that we only defrost as much as we need at any one time.

Cookbooks fill different needs. There is the hostess searching for the perfect recipe to serve her guests. There is the family cook looking for tempting recipes to nurture “finicky” eaters. And then there is the armchair chef who delights in the reading of recipes and imagining their wonderful flavors.

Stella La Violette’s charming Blueberry Peaches, Red Robin Pie happily meets all of these needs.

These are recipes which anyone would be proud to serve to their most honored guests. The best recommendation for the recipes is the ease with which they may be prepared. All ingredients are readily found, especially since many recipes are based on local seafood and fresh garden fruits and vegetables.

Along with each recipe are hints and tips from Stella (hence the “annotated” in the subtitle). She has included suggestions for entire meals as well as ways to embellish individual dishes for “company” or special occasions. Stella is a good cook.

The first recipe that I decided to try was Mario Y Paola Roast Chicken. My choice was guided as much by the combination of flavors as by Paul’s delightful recounting of his being in Italy for work and visiting friends at their weekend home outside of La Spezia. (Paul’s input in the book is to tell these stories at the start of each chapter; as he describes it, “a Greek chorus”).

Stella had not been able to accompany him on this particular Italy trip. Paul tells the story of their friends, the beauty of Italy and the wonders of long distance telephone calls. This chicken dish is very easy to prepare. The smells emanating from my oven were captivating - garlic, fresh rosemary and oil cured olives. Stella suggests serving this dish with long grain rice, but I decided to prepare her Potatoes Whispering Pines, another deceptively simple recipe.

Stella also believes that salads are an important part of a meal. She suggests taking as much time and care to prepare the salad as with all the other parts of the meal - striving for that delicate balance of flavors and textures. Balsamic vinegar is another strong recommendation as well as romaine lettuce instead of the common iceberg variety. There are two recipes that have vegetables, one corn and the other green peas, as their main ingredient. The cold corn salad is made with white shoe peg corn, cucumber, tomato, green pepper and scallions. This is a perfect use of fresh garden produce, especially since so many of us on the Gulf Coast have backyard gardens. The other salad of green peas comes with a strong recommendation that this is Paul’s favorite and I agree.

When it is 90 plus degrees outside a cold salad hits the spot. My favorite of the selection of appetizers is Stella’s Gorgonzola Cheese Spread. Gorgonzola is my new favorite cheese. Recently in a Florida restaurant I had a filet mignon covered with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce that was heavenly. Stella’s cheese spread on a good filet was just as good and it didn’t cost $34.95 to prepare. Over steak is not how it is suggested to be served, but rather with the more traditional fresh fruit and French bread. But however you serve it, be sure to try it. There are many recipes utilizing our abundant seafood. Many are traditional recipes. My favorites include Oyster and Brie with Pasta and Shrimp and Mushroom with Pasta. Both of these are excellent choices for serving to your guests. They will think that you have been taking classes at the Culinary Academy. Brie is my second favorite cheese and I like to use it with oysters.

There are crab recipes and a heartwarming account of grandchildren and crab traps provided by Paul. Scattered throughout the book are Paul’s entertaining accounts of life on the beachfront in Waveland. Paul’s weekly column recounting his experiences appears each week in the Sea Coast Echo newspaper. He has taken the time to write down those marvelous moments that enrich everyday life and allow us a glimpse into lives that are centered around family, friends and simple living.

The simple living part is reflected in the recipes for breakfast. The Spinach Omelet is another of those dishes that can be served to family or for a brunch with friends. Since I seem to have a cheese theme going, why not try Cheese Toast. This recipe is another versatile dish that can be modified by the use of different cheeses. It would also be a tasty appetizer.

Finally we move on to Desserts. It seems that the most recipes with the La Violette’s highest recommendation (six oyster shells) are in the desserts category. Stella’s Pound Cake is almost a kitchen staple. Everyone should have at least one of these pound cakes in their freezer ready to serve with fresh fruit or just by itself as Stella does. Another highly recommended dessert is Stella’s Lemon Ice. This is my personal favorite. I especially like Paul’s use of Grand Marnier and frozen raspberries with the lemon ice.

I didn’t have the time or the extra calories to try all the recipes in the book, but there are quit a few more that are in line for the near future. This “home-grown” cookbook would be a distinctive addition to your cookbook library as well as a great gift. Stig Marcussen of Ocean Springs , MS, has illustrated the book. His winsome depictions of Gulf Coast wildlife are used liberally throughout the book.