Last week, I visited friends in South Carolina. Along with the culture shock that accompanies a trip to a different region of the United States, I found that the eating patterns there are different too. Restaurants take a lot more pride in eating local that the restaurants I tend to visit in New York or New Jersey.
Even the heartiest dishes like shrimp and grits, succotash, and greens sauteed in bacon fat seem less indulgent because produce is fresh and brightly colored and ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible.
Though I only experienced a small portion of the South Carolina culinary landscape I agree with this food philosophy. When I know that I am eating whole, natural foods, regardless of their calorie count, I can enjoy them with far less guilt than if they were produced from packaged mixes with a lot of ingredients ending in -ose.
I decided to keep the momentum going when I came home from vacation by baking this week's Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge, Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread.
Now, when you have a loaf - no, make that two loaves - of Cinnamon Raisin Walnut bread just sitting on your counter staring at you like deer in headlights - and a craving for something hearty, to boot - you have some choices to make. Simple choices: Butter or jam? Toast or French toast?
Bread pudding is a dish traced back to 18th century England, when it was traditionally a "poor man's dish." Now, no matter how local your eggs, butter and cream, bread pudding is definitely something that falls under the "once in awhile treat" umbrella.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
(Inspired by Paula Deen, modified with significantly less butter)
Ingredients
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cup 1% milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
6 slices cinnamon raisin walnut bread (or your favorite cinnamon raisin bread - you can even use bagels) cut into cubes
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350F. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add milk, raisins and butter. Mix well.
2. Sir in bread cubes and mix until evenly coated. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Once bread has soaked up liquid (and there should still be some liquid remaining in the bowl. If there isn't, you can add more milk).
3. Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake for about 40 minutes or until bread cubes are puffy and golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature with the topping of your choice.
At first I was thinking french toast, but bread pudding sounds like a better idea! Lovely!
Posted by: Sophia | July 16, 2009 at 03:42 AM
That picture is amazing and I agree with you about fresh whenever possible.
Posted by: Daryl | July 16, 2009 at 04:16 AM
waw,...this deesrt looks amazingly beautiful!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Posted by: Sophie | July 16, 2009 at 04:23 AM
A bread pudding like this would be elegant enough to serve as the ending to a fine meal -- which is what I'd have to do, or I'd be tempted to eat the entire thing myself!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | July 16, 2009 at 06:54 AM
Wow, the texture of that bread looks amazing. And must admit, I love a good bread pudding. Grew up with them. So simple and delicious!
Posted by: Julia @ Mélanger | July 16, 2009 at 06:58 AM
Love your philosophy about avoiding packaged products with ingredients ending in "-ose," haha :-D Love the bread pudding!!
Posted by: VeggieGirl | July 16, 2009 at 07:45 AM
Great looking bread and a terrific idea to make bread pudding.
Nice baking along with you,
Susie
Posted by: Susie | July 16, 2009 at 08:19 AM
beautiful! i love cinnamon raisin bread, so bread pudding made with it should be heaven.
Posted by: brandi | July 16, 2009 at 08:37 AM
Oh yeah that bread just screams out to be used in bread pudding!
Posted by: kat | July 16, 2009 at 09:11 AM
well I'm hooked... anything, anything with cinnamon raisin has my attention ! :)
thanx
gp
Posted by: gp | July 16, 2009 at 11:35 AM
I can't wait to make this loaf this weekend. I'm hearing nothing but good things about it. YUM.
Posted by: Wendy | July 16, 2009 at 01:05 PM
Great use of your bountiful of delicious bread! I think this is better than French Toast, more comforting and gooey!
I've never been to the south, but every southerner I've met takes huge pride in their traditional cuisine. They always make me hungry with their talk... :)
Posted by: Marta | July 16, 2009 at 04:37 PM
Awww, perfect crumb! Couldn't get any better then this.
Posted by: elra | July 16, 2009 at 06:03 PM
Cinnamon raisin bread is just so yummy and making it into bread pudding is an awesome idea!
Posted by: Kerstin | July 16, 2009 at 10:29 PM
mmmm bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts. its a toss up betwn that and custard of some kind, or tres leches cake. HOWEVER, have you ever tried a savory bread pudding? they are equally delicious. while i am not a fan of either, our chef at work made a bacon and bleu cheese bread pudding.
Posted by: bodelou | July 16, 2009 at 10:31 PM
I love seeing menus of restaurants here in Tennessee, when they mention all local farms they get their produce or meat from. I'm always excited to see that one of the farms is also I get my CSA produce from. I guess I didn't know they didn't do that everywhere!
Posted by: Erin | July 17, 2009 at 03:21 AM
LOVE bread pudding, as it's always a delicious way to take care of any leftover, stale bread (outside of french toast and bread crumbs..lol). Yours look spectactular, but everything you make is spectacular, so what else is new? :)
Posted by: Lisa | July 17, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Looks fantastic, I love cinnamon raisin bread. I also love that you wrote recipe "modified with significantly less butter!"
The pudding looks delicious....So many lovely things you can do with that gorgeous loaf!
Posted by: lisa (dandysugar) | July 17, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Love the new site! Congrats on the move. This bread looks divine. I would love to have it with butter and drizzled with honey. Yum!
Posted by: alexandra's kitchen | July 17, 2009 at 08:28 PM
I am trying to figure out how it is that you have enough of this amazing bread left to make bread pudding? It looks way to good not to eat simply fresh maybe smeared with a bit of butter. Truly beautiful. Okay, I love bread pudding, too, and can really see how scrumptious this would be!
Posted by: Jamie | July 18, 2009 at 08:59 AM
i agree... homemade, natural foods are always the better choice over prepackaged stuff!! that bread looks amazing! :)
Posted by: sunny | July 18, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Yum! When you start with good bread, the pudding almost takes care of itself. Sounds very comfy, and a great sweet to indulge in during these unseasonably cool/rainy days we're been having lately.
Posted by: Susan | July 21, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Those photos make me warm and happy! I love cinnamon raisin walnut bread, and the bread pudding makes me want to be home on the couch with a blanket and a huge portion. My brother lives in South Carolina but, unfortunately, when visiting him, I've only seen tourist traps and golf courses - next time I'll have to venture further out to find the good food!
Posted by: Chrissy | July 28, 2009 at 09:01 AM