Ernest Hemingway would have been 90 years old this year. To celebrate, the Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park is sponsoring a picnic, open to the public, at 7 p.m. July 21 on the Cheney Mansion lawn, 220 N. Euclid St., Oak Park.
Recipes to be served include the Hemingway family`s favorite birthday cake, a chocolate walnut torte, as well as cucumber soup and an Italian-style sandwich called a torta rustica. All the recipes are found in ”Picnic Gourmet” (Random House, 1977, $10.95) by Joan Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest. They will be prepared by Giles Catering of Oak Park. The picnic costs $40 per person.
A.E. Hotchner, author of ”Papa Hemingway,” is the featured speaker at the picnic. Ernest`s sons Jack and Patrick will be present-their first visit to Oak Park, where their father was born.
The picnic is one of the highlights in a week of events from Friday through July 21 that include the issuance of a Hemingway commemorative postage stamp, a Bastille Day street party and performances of Hemingway stories.
Deadline for reservations is Saturday; call the Foundation at 386-1515. The following recipes will be served at the picnic:
COLD CUCUMBER SOUP
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Chilling time: Several hours
Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
This recipe is adapted from ”The Picnic Gourmet” by Joan Hemingway and Connie Maricich.
3 cucumbers
1 tablespoon each: butter, chopped fresh dill or mint
1 leek, white part only, sliced, or 1/4 cup chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon flour
3 cups fresh chicken stock or canned broth
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
White pepper to taste
1 cup half-and-half
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon honey, optional
1. Peel and slice 2 of the cucumbers. Peel, seed and grate remaining cucumber. Heat butter in large, heavy saucepan; add sliced cucumbers; cook over low heat.
2. Add dill, leek and bay leaf; cook over low heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in flour and cook a few minutes, stirring. Add stock and salt;
simmer gently 30 minutes.
3. Let mixture cool slightly. Puree mixture, half at a time, in blender or food processor. Return to pan, add white pepper. Add half-and-half, lemon juice and honey; taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in grated cucumber;
refrigerate until ready to put into a chilled Thermos to take to a picnic.
CHOCOLATE WALNUT TORTE
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Standing time: 1 hour
Yield: One 8-inch torte
Joan Hemingway, author of ”The Picnic Gourmet,” writes: ”This is a special birthday cake made from an old family recipe . . . it can be served outdoors if protected by a cake cover and taken in a car to the picnic site. You can take the chocolate whip topping in a separate container . Wrap the torte in plastic wrap and frost it at the picnic, keeping it cool in an ice pack.”
1/2 cup each: vegetable shortening, sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1/3 cup milk
Walnut meringue:
4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Chocolate whip topping:
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Walnut halves
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour two, 8-inch round cake pans. Cream shortening and sugar in large mixer bowl until light. Beat in vanilla and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Sift flour with baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk. Pour into pans.
2. For walnut meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large mixer bowl at high speed until foamy. Beat in 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. When stiff peaks form, fold in chopped walnuts. Spread unbaked cakes with meringue. Bake 1 hour. Cool completely on wire racks.
3. For chocolate whip topping, add cocoa and sugar to cream, stirring well. Let this mixture stand 1 hour. Then beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff. Use to fill and frost cake layers. Garnish with walnut halves. –
