When I was a little girl, our local grocery store was Petrini’s. Frank Petrini was the owner of the chain of stores that opened in San Francisco in the 30’s, and I wonder if people like Sam Mogannam of Bi-Rite know just how much Frank paved the way. I remember being able to get a several kinds of pâté at the deli and oh, the salumi! There were fresh baguettes, and the butchers cut your steaks. Frank is said to have selected the cows for all of his beef, himself.
One of the things I remember most about Petrini’s is the zabaglione ice cream. My parents absolutely loved the stuff, and I really wanted to like it because it was ice cream AND it started with a Z, but I could only get a bite or two down. Usually, when my parents would get it, I would beg for the spumoni ice cream, which sat right next to it in the freezer.
Petrini’s was owned as a family market until 1996. Now, Mollie Stones a generically upscale market sits in it’s place in my home town. I can’t remember the last time I had zabaglione ice cream, and I the last time I ate actual zabaglione was years ago at an Italian American joint by the ubiquitous name of Big Joe’s on an awesomely cheesy date with my hubby.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to see that Christianna of Burwell General Store had selected zabaglione the recipe for our vintage recipe swap. This is our second month working with our new book, The Second Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes From Famous Eating Places. Be sure to check out my fellow swappers, you’ll find links to their recipes at the bottom of this post.
I decided I would do a sabayon, the French cousin to the Italian zabaglione. Sabayon, is often made with champagne or port, but due to my love all things bourbon, I opted for something a little boozier, and boy am I glad, because, the shots of bourbon came in handy during my fails!
When it finally did work (mostly) the bourbon sabayon became velvety sauce for my first ever bundt cake. The cake itself is all dark and luscious and full of juicy pears which is a contrast from the slightly caramelized bottom and the toothsome bite from the spelt flour. All of the whisking and singeing of the hair on my arms was worth it.
- INGREDIENTS FOR PEAR AND BOURBON BUNDT CAKE
- 2 cups white wheat flour (8 oz, 227 g)
- 1 cup spelt flour (3 oz, 85 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tablespoon ginger
- 1 cups sugar (7 oz, 198 g)
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (7.5 oz , 213g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whole milk powder (1 oz 28 g)
- 2/3 cup bourbon
- 3/4 cup grapeseed or light olive oil oil
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 large pears, peeled, cored, and very thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- INSTRUCTIONS PEAR AND BOURBON BUNDT CAKE
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix flours, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, sugars, and salt
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine bourbon and whole milk powder until completely smooth
- In another bowl, lightly beat egg. Add oil, vanilla extract, bourbon and milk mixture and whisk again.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in pears.
- Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and pour the batter in. Cook for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, and then remove from pan to cool completely before cutting. Dust with sugar and serve plain or serve with bourbon sabayon sauce.
- INGREDIENTS BOURBON SABAYON
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup bourbon
- 1/3 cup sugar (2.65 oz, 66 grams)
- INSTRUCTIONS BOURBON SABAYON
- Set a pan of water to simmer over medium high heat
- In a large, heat proof bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks, add bourbon and sugar and whisk until sugar is just dissolved.
- Hold the bowl about an inch or two above the pan of water and whisk like your life depends on it. Do not let the sides of the bowl or the bottom of the bowl touch the pan or the water or your eggs will scramble.
- The sabayon is done when the whisk makes ribbons from the sauce when you lift it and the sauce has tripled in volume.
Don't you love those profound food memories? It's funny too how it seems they sit idle for years, decades, then come back to present in such a memorable way. I have a similar memory about visiting Molanari's in San Francisco when I was not nearly tall enough to even look into the glass cabinets with all the delicious meats and cheeses. The older men who run the store were so unbearably handsome and would give me Baci's. Would not have the heart to visit it now to see how it's fared. You've done a beautiful tribute to that little grocery store which has clearly had such a memorable place in your life. AND given us all a wonderful new recipe to try; thank you!
Now I'm dying to try this! I did do champagne zabaglione and loved it but I'm a bourbon AND a bundt cake fan and girl…this looks SO up my I love boozy cakes alley!
I love that picture with the sabayon rolling over the cake – just perfect. Pear and bourbon is such a winning combination, especially at this time of year.
You can't go wrong with making thins boozier, that's for sure! The sabayon looks just stunning poured over the bundt!
Sabrina, I love how this post takes me back in time. I don't own a bundt pan, now I want to go grab all the traditional pans, cheesecake tin, angel food mold, bundt… and just spend a weekend digging through old cookbooks. I miss you, dear! Thanks for being a part of the swap, I always look forward to your posts.
Bourbon! Pears! I think I'm in heaven. This is gorgeous, and congrats on a GORGEOUS bundt cake!
this cake looks delicious! I've never had sabayon, but it sounds right up my alley! thanks for the sweet story also!
Sounds like you really worked hard for this swap! I love that you call it a "remake" by the way, because that's really what it is.
Great story about your childhood zabaglione memories! What could be more tempting to a kid than an ice cream that starts with Z?
What a great trip down memory lane. The bourbon sabayon sounds divine and a perfect complement to the cake. Lovely take on the swap!
I love how food evokes such clear memories of our childhood. You really did an outstanding job with this recipe. It's not only stunning but I bet the taste is out of this world.
Love the pear and bourbon combo- both the cake and Sabayon sound divine!
Sabrina, anything with bourbon calls my name really loudly! And your bundt cake looks beautiful:)
I don't recall ever seeing a zabaglione ice cream, but I know that I would love it.
We were lucky to grow up with stores like those supplying our daily fare. Sometimes I feel ancient when I talk about "good old days" to my girls and I feel sad that they will not have a chance to experience the same (but, there are always the trips to Serbia:)
That bundt looks great with the pear and the spelt, it might become my first bundt too… and the sabayon must complement it so well! Another great recipe!!
I want that bourbon sabayon right this minute. yum.
Sabrina! Oh my gosh, you did not actually hold the bowl the entire time. YIKES. That is some serious dedication. This sounds amazing. Gorgeous dessert.
Love reading the memories you have of the Petrini market. Sounds like it was pretty amazing. Your cake is fabulous and the sabayon is just calling my name. Bourbon must make this exceptionally yummy. 🙂
Aw, I love the memories that you have associated with this! And suddenly, I feel so no cultured. I had no clue what zabaglione was before this swap. Whoops. But your interpretation looks amazing. Really, you can't ever go wrong with bourbon.
What a great combo to use pears and bourbon…so rich and fruity! Wow you were ahead of the game by knowing what Zabagloine was at such a young age!
I am drooling! This looks so moist and delicious!
Sabrina,
I'm drooling here-just rolling bourbon sabayon around my vocal cords is making me hungry. Thanks for giving me the link to include in my upcoming Band Fruit Fundraiser Recipe Round Up! It will be published on 12/4/2013!
Thank you Kristen! Pear and bourbon is one of my favorite flavor combinations- I\’m guessing it\’s not quite appropriate for the kids in the band, but I\’m sure moms appreciate it 😉
Can\’t wait to see the post!