Birthday boy Vincent Price (b. 1911) is an icon of the horror genre, and his films stand the test of time. Outside of his career in film and radio, Price was interested in other creative pursuits including art appreciation and cooking. He wrote books on both subjects, and his book called A Treasury of Great Recipes, co-authored by his wife Mary, is still a sought-after and acclaimed volume. It is so beloved that Dover published a 50th Anniversary edition in 2015.
I love to cook, so naturally I had an interest in this book. There are wonderful recipes for recreating dishes from famous restaurants around the world including Sardi's in New York.
But while I love making fancy meals for my family, including my very picky children who never like to try anything new, no matter how long it took to make it, I have a strong sweet tooth, and opted to try Price's recipe for Pineapple Nut Bread.
The Recipe
Pre-heat the oven to moderate, 350 degrees. Butter two 1 lb loaf pans.
Sift about 1 lb flour and measure 3 1/2 cups. Sift together measured flour and 4 teaspoons double acting baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts.
In mixing bowl, cream 6 tablespoons soft butter and 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed. Beat in 2 eggs until smooth. Stir in half of flour/nut mixture. Stir in 2 cups canned crushed pineapple including juice. Stir in remaining flour/nut mixture until well-blended.
Divide batter into prepared pans.
Combine 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture over loaves and bake for 50-60 minutes or until bread tests done. Let cool 5 minutes.
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts
6 tablespoons butter plus more for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups canned crushed pineapple with juice
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
The bread came out crispy on top and soft in the middle, like banana bread. It tastes sweet without tasting like cake, and the nuts give it extra texture. It pairs nicely with cinnamon-flavored or coconut-flavored coffee.
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