The taste of honey

The freshly made pralines my new husband and I indulged in daily in the old market area of Charleston, S.C., invariably work their way to the foreground of my memories of our 2001 honeymoon - in delicious, mouthwatering detail. Warm, buttery, sweet, chewy, caramely... But honestly, it's just candy.

Let's face it: Everything looks better, sounds better - and tastes better - when you're in love.

So it's no wonder that many couples can recall in intimate, sensual detail the food they savored on their honeymoons.

In honor of St. Valentine's Day, we asked readers to share their honeymoon dining memories. In exchange, we promised to try to secure the original recipe for any dish they recalled with special fondness.

Our efforts had us calling and e-mailing restaurants in Hawaii, Canada, the Virgin Islands, New Mexico and Switzerland. We traveled with you as far back in time as 1954.

While we weren't successful in every case, we did manage to acquire and test half a dozen recipes inextricably linked to love. You'll find them on Page 3G.

Following is a sampling of the newlyweds' stories:

Peter Raferty and Jill Ness of Madison felt lucky on their 2003 honeymoon to find anything to eat in Halifax, Nova Scotia, let alone a sublime dish combining fresh lobster, cream and Irish whiskey.

It was late September, and the couple chose this northern destination over the Caribbean to avoid hurricane season. Nice try. Their flight from Newark, N.J., was one of the first to arrive after Hurricane Juan ravaged the Nova Scotian coast.

"It was a dark and stormy night," wrote the couple about that quiet arrival. "The drive to our hotel was very dark, very foggy and littered with downed trees and debris. We didn't know what to think. . . ."

Their hotel had just gotten its power back, "and there were certainly no functional restaurants - a dire test of newlywed teamwork and problem-solving skills."

The first night they "managed to scrape together a mediocre pizza and bottle of cheap bubbly." The next evening they stumbled upon O'Carroll's Restaurant, which led, to their surprise and delight, to "a phenomenal and memorable meal."

"With a bottle of their local Domaine du Grand Pré, we dined on superb salmon, halibut, shrimp and scallops," they wrote. "But the pinnacle of this meal was the Dublin Lawyer. . . . It was a whole lobster, the meat prepared in cream, garlic, chives, and Irish whiskey and served back in the shell. . . . We have yet to have better lobster."


Marylin Banzhaf of Whitefish Bay got off on the wrong foot, gastronomically speaking, on her 1991 honeymoon to Hawaii by picking up food poisoning on the flight over.

But things soon improved. She and her new husband, Harry, stayed at a bed and breakfast on Maui called the Plantation Inn, with a restaurant called Gerard's.

"For breakfast they served thick slices of French toast the likes of which we have never tasted again," Marylin wrote. "I have no clue what was in the batter, but the toast was like manna from the gods.

"It became a sensual way to begin the day. The taste was so velvet-like, smooth and rich."


For Lori and Trent Madison of Greendale, another breakfast food - pancakes - became their most-memorable honeymoon treat from Hawaii in 1998.

Although they enjoyed "many wonderful, romantic dinners overlooking breathtaking views," Lori wrote, dining on everything from ahi tuna to mahi-mahi, near the end of their honeymoon they stayed on Kaui. Their last morning there, they headed to a place called Eggbert's, "with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other," for breakfast.

Trent had the macadamia nut pancakes, Lori the banana-stuffed pancakes, both accompanied by "the freshest pineapple and papaya you could imagine."

"The Macadamia Nut pancakes were the perfect consistency, nice golden brown, filled with the tastiest macadamia nuts grown nearby," Lori wrote. "My Banana-Stuffed Pancakes were the most delectable pancakes I have ever had. . . . Again, the wonderful consistency of the pancakes coupled with the delicious bananas . . . made them just melt in your mouth.

"Now with two little boys of our own, it seems like the most exciting breakfast we have these days is a brimming bowl of Lucky Charms," making this memory that much more special.

(Chuck Cressa, general manager of Eggbert's, wouldn't share the recipes but did describe the large, fluffy, plate-size pancakes.

(Each macadamia pancake features ¼ to ½ cup of the rich nuts in the batter and more sprinkled on top. The banana pancakes are made by slicing very ripe bananas into the basic batter while the pancakes are on the griddle.

(They can be topped with coconut or maple syrup, whipped cream, butter - "whatever you like," he said.)


"In Santa Fe, we had some really great meals," wrote Carrie Bickerstaff of Milwaukee of her October 2005 honeymoon with husband, Russ, to New Mexico. That included "Frito pie (yes, that's chile on top of a bag of Fritos) from the local five and dime, some more elaborate Southwestern-style dining and home-style enchiladas and apple pie."

Then they spent a couple of days in the Taos ski resort area, and she got a cold.

"Whether it was from the stress of wedding planning, bad air on the flight over or some allergies to tumbleweeds, I'm still not sure. What I am sure of is that the green chile stew at Abe's Cantina y Cocina in Arroyo Seco, N.M., was just what I needed."

At Abe's, a place "where the locals ate," wrote Lori, "they roast their own green chiles, and the flavor of the green chile stew was authentic, hearty, very spicy and so tasty . . . just the thing to warm me up from my cold and the chilly mountain air."

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By contrast, temperatures were in the 90s to 100s in South Dakota in July that same year, when Michael and Denise Luedcke of Hartford checked out Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood. But soup hit the spot for them, too.

They found the museum in the saloon and the live re-enactment of the shooting of Wild Bill Hickock there "amusing," and then headed upstairs to the restaurant.

The soup of the day turned out to be "the greatest tomato soup we have had, that had just enough 'bite' to it." In fact, the food there was so good, they're planning to return this year.

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Although Cynthia Hlavac of Milwaukee and her husband eloped to and honeymooned in Las Vegas in 1990, she had to wait for her special "honeymoon meal" until their return. That was at the now-closed Boulevard Inn, which had relocated downtown.

During their courtship, her husband-to-be had introduced her to the restaurant's veal sweetbreads, "exquisite gems prepared to perfection," as she recalled. "The entrée, Veal Sweetbreads in Sherry Cream Sauce with sautéed mushrooms, was the meal I learned to appreciate and hoped to devour on our honeymoon. The entrée was not to be found, not even at Caesar's Palace. . . ."

When they returned, they held a reception at the restaurant with a selection of entrees, including the veal sweetbreads. "I was the only taker," she wrote.


A different veal dish enchanted Susan Woodward of Brookfield and her late husband, George, on their honeymoon to Europe in 1976. It was the wienerschnitzel at the Old Swiss House in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The Old World restaurant had been recommended to them by Gus Mader at Mader's restaurant, where the couple had lunch after getting their marriage license.

Upon ordering the schnitzel, "we found that we got not only dinner, but entertainment, too, as the veal was prepared at the table. A cart was wheeled out with a plate of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, a plate of seasoned breadcrumbs, and a plate of veal. The veal cutlets had been pounded to paper thinness and were so large that they hung over the sides of the plate.

"The veal was dredged in the flour, dipped into the egg, covered with the crumbs, and sautéed very quickly in a skillet with some butter. It melted in the mouth."

(The restaurant was built in 1858. Philipp Buholzer replied to our e-mail: "The wienerschnitzel is, since almost 60 years, our house specialty. It is my grandmother's invention and it is always prepared at the table in front of the guest."

A sketchy recipe is available at their Web site, www.oldswisshouse.ch/. Click on English, then Cuisine, then Wienerschnitzel).

Finally, three couples married 50 years or longer tell their stories:

Rita and Harold Lange of Kohler were married in October of 1954 in New York City. Their first night they enjoyed dinner together at the Hawaiian Room, and the next morning they headed for "the East's honeymoon mecca," Niagara Falls.

But nature intervened. A worsening rainstorm found them in Pennsylvania "practically alone on the road at almost 8 p.m. We had no idea where we were."

A neon motel sign caught their eye. They got a room but were told that all roads were flooded. Forget finding a restaurant. To help out, the motel clerk opened his attached general store.

"We bought a loaf of bread, a half pound of sliced baloney, a small jar of mustard, Oreo cookies and a quart of milk." Then it was back to their room, equipped with "an incandescent ceiling bulb with a pull string, no bathroom door, no radio."

"We sat on the bed and thoroughly enjoyed our memorable dinner," Rita wrote. "The honeymoon had a great start."

They paid in the morning: $3 for the room, $2.60 for dinner. And off they went again.

"Believe us, we both had steaks every evening on our honeymoon, but we will never forget that dinner in bed."

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Car trouble shortened the Canadian honeymoon of Dolores and Danny Zimmer in 1956, but it was still "wonderful," she wrote.

After losing a day for repairs, "Our goal was to reach Quebec and have a dinner at a castle-like chalet on a hill (recommended by her employer). . . . The restaurant was very elegant, but alas, it was a Friday when we arrived, and being the good Catholics that we are, we could not order meat.

"Lobster Thermidor was on the menu. Being only 20 and not used to fancy restaurants, I had no idea what it was.

"When it arrived, it was most delicious. My taste buds still recollect the taste of the lobster pieces in a buttery wine sauce. It was served in the lobster shell. I have not had it since."

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Ken and Phyllis Weeden of Lake Geneva celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last Friday.

Married in Janesville, they had time and money only for a weekend in Milwaukee. They spent Saturday night at Heaven City Hotel in Mukwonago.

"We honestly don't even remember eating dinner . . . but breakfast at the restaurant there the next morning really stands out.

"We had French toast, sausages and honeydew melon. We had not tasted honeydew melon before that time - it just wasn't generally available in the '50s and certainly not in February. It was a very special breakfast."

In Milwaukee they ate at the Black Steer and on their way home stopped at a burger place and split a cheeseburger and a shake, "and went home totally broke!"

"We were both 19 - what did we know?

"Quite a bit I guess, since it has been a great marriage - so far!"
RECIPES

We offered to track down honeymoon recipes for readers, and we succeeded with six. They hail from as far north as Nova Scotia, as far west as Hawaii and as far south as the Virgin Islands.

The collection includes three soups or stews, a creamy lobster classic, Caribbean rice and beans, and a rich French toast.

Marilyn and Harry Banzhaf of Whitefish Bay remembered this French toast from their honeymoon on Maui in 1991. It's made by Gerard's restaurant for the Plantation Inn, a B & B.
Gerard's French Toast (Plantation Inn on Maui)
Makes 6 servings

1 French baguette

4 eggs

2 cups milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream

½ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon

Use day-old (or two-day-old) bread. Cut baguette crosswise into 4 pieces, each about 6 inches long. Remove the crust. Place in shallow dish just large enough to hold pieces in single layer.

In bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread. Turn pieces over once and soak overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place soaked bread pieces on a buttered cookie tray. Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes or until they rise and turn brown in color. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Danna and Steve Winfield of Sussex were taken by this red pepper soup from Las Fuentes restaurant in the Bishop's Lodge Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, N.M.

"Making this soup would bring back memories of a beautiful time in my life," Danna wrote.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Bishop's Lodge Resort & Spa)
Makes 4 servings

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter
1 jar (7 or 8 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained

½ cup white wine

3 cups chicken stock

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream

In saucepan, sauté garlic and onions in butter until tender. Add roasted peppers and wine and simmer 10 minutes over low heat.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, then add cream. Bring soup to a boil and puree in a blender. Season to taste and serve with a drizzle of sour cream.


Pam and Mike Wulf of Jackson asked for this recipe from their honeymoon trip to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

"One of our favorite restaurants on the island was Cuzzin's Caribbean Restaurant. This restaurant served local cuisine and it was absolutely fantastic!

"The funny thing is, I do not remember the main courses as much as the side dishes. May favorite side dish was the peas and rice. I have been trying to get a recipe off the Internet that would equal the taste of Cuzzin's, to no avail."

Peas and Rice (Cuzzin's Caribbean Restaurant)
Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 cups water

1 cup white rice

½ to 1 (16-ounce) can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet (liquid seasoning)
2 tablespoons ketchup

½ rib celery, minced

½ medium onion, minced

½ small green pepper, minced (optional)

½ teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

In saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice, beans and remaining ingredients and return to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer slowly (stirring occasionally) until done, 15 to 20 minutes.


Jill Ness and Peter Raferty of Madison have fond memories of this rich lobster dish with Irish whiskey from a meal at O'Carroll's Restaurant in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dublin Lawyer (O'Carroll's Restaurant & Irish Pub)
Makes 2 servings

3 to 4 tablespoons sea salt

2 fresh lobsters, 1½ pounds each (see note)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

¼ cup Jameson's Irish whiskey

½ cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper

Add sea salt to a large pot of water; bring to a rolling boil. Add lobsters, return water to a boil and then set timer for 10 minutes (lobsters will be slightly undercooked). Remove from pot and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Remove meat from the claws and knuckles.Split each tail lengthwise and remove the shell. (Cut up larger pieces of lobster meat.) Save the body and tail shell (for presentation). Lobster can be prepared to this point and refrigerated up to 6 hours.

In medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add meat from both lobsters and toss to combine.

Remove pan from heat. Add the Irish whiskey and, using long-handled match or lighter, ignite. When flames go out, add cream, fresh chives and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Prepare two plates. Stand lobster body up on plate (for presentation). Place two "bi-sected" tail shell pieces on each plate (the two pieces will curl together to form a "bowl"). Divide lobster meat between both plates, piling it in the tail shell. Pour remaining sauce over the lobster meat and garnish with fresh herbs.

Serve with garlic-roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus.

Note: Lobster tail (frozen and thawed) can be used in place of live lobsters. Cook tails until just slightly underdone; cool slightly, remove meat from shells and save shells for presentation, if desired. You will need from 1 to 1½ pounds of cooked lobster meat.

This green chile stew was just what the doctor ordered for Carrie Bickerstaff, who had picked up on cold on her 2005 honeymoon with Russ to New Mexico. Abe's is in Arroyo Seco. Chef Lina Garcia sent the recipe.

Green Chile Stew (Abe's Cantina y Cocina)
Makes 6 servings

1 ½ pounds boneless pork, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic salt

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes (undrained), pureed

¾ pound mild Hatch green chiles, diced (see note)

½ cup hot Hatch green chiles, diced (see note)
1 tablespoon diced onions

Cook diced pork with salt and garlic salt about 1 hour in pressure cooker. (Alternatively, simmer pork in water just to cover on stovetop until tender.) Transfer meat with broth to a pot. Add potatoes.

Cover and cook on stovetop until potatoes are slightly cooked, then add tomatoes and both chiles and the onions. Simmer until potatoes are completely cooked. Add more salt and garlic salt to your taste. If chile is too mild for your taste, add more hot green chile.

Note: Hatch green chiles are a particular variety grown in New Mexico. They are available there fresh only in summer; otherwise the restaurant uses frozen. Therefore, this recipe will not taste exactly as it would at the restaurant.

New Mexico green chiles can be ordered from various Web sites, including www.nmchili.com (888-336-4228).

Because frozen chiles are so expensive, manager Gary Maricle suggested using a 16-ounce jar of Santa Fe Ole green chiles (for the mild) and hot green chile powder to taste (for the hot; taste before adding, then add gradually, starting with 1 teaspoon, if more heat is desired). This was used to test the recipe.


Based on this tomato soup enjoyed on their 2005 honeymoon, Michael and Denise Luedcke said they would recommend the Deadwood Social Club in Deadwood, S.D., to anyone.

Creamy Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup (Deadwood Social Club)
Makes about 3 quarts, 12 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ medium onion, finely chopped

2 to 3 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons chicken base
1 can (28 ounces) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 ½ cups tomato juice

1 quart heavy whipping cream

1 quart water

¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste

¼ bunch parsley, chopped

½ cup cornstarch, mixed with ½ cup cold water to make a slurry
Kosher salt and pepper

In heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil. Add onion, celery, garlic and chicken base and sauté until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, tomato juice, cream, water, red pepper and parsley. Bring just to a boil.

Whisk in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

By Nancy Stohs. Source: www.jsonline.com