Recipes from the Bed and Breakfasts of Connecticut East-Mystic Country-Foxwoods-Mohegan Sun-Golf-Mystic Seaport

Hard Apple Cider Cake

6 C Flour , 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp grated nutmeg, 1C butter(softened), 3 C sugar, 4 eggs, 1 C cider (B.F. Clyde's hard apple cider, not sparkling is what we use, any good cider should work but something dry rather than sweet is best)

In a bowl, mix togeher the flour, soda, salt, and nutmeg and set aside.With an electric mixer, cream butter well, add sugar gradually,creaming until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly. On low or "stir" speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the cider, beating until smooth after each addition.

Grease two loaf pans (or four small ones) and distribute batter evenly. Bake at 350 F for about one hour (gas oven may take 10 m inutes longer) until an inserted toothpick coe out clean. Keep moist with a chunk of apple in the container. Freezes well.

This recipe dates back to the 1830s and is quite similar to pound cake.

Effie's Zucchini Bread

Mix: 2C shredded or grated zucchini 3C sugar 1C oil 4 eggs

Add: 31/2 C flour 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp cinnamon 1tsp nutmeg 1 tsp allspice 2/3 C water

Bake @ 350 degrees for one hour.makes 1 bundt pan or 2 loaves.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast with warm maple walnut syrup (serves four)

1 loaf of challah bread of cinnamon swirl bread 4 oz of cream cheese 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp sugar 1 pint fresh strawberries 3 large eggs 1/2 C of half and half 2 C maple syrup 1/2 C chopped walnuts powdered sugar for dusting before serving.

Slice the challah bread into four thick slices. Cut a pocket in the top of each slic. Whip the cream cheese,cinnamon,sugar. Spread the cream cheese into the center of the bread and place the sliced strawberries inside. Whisk the eggs and half and half with an additional 1 tsp of cinnamon. Dip the bread into the egg mixture and cook n griddle with vegetable spray until golden brown. Warm the maple syrup and chopped walnuts. Remove french toast from griddle , place on a platter and dust with powdered sugar.