On 12/11/2013 07:35 AM, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Tue 10 Dec 2013 09:50:08p, gtr told us...
>
>> On 2013-12-10 20:02:52 +0000, Wayne Boatwright said:
>>
>>> On Tue 10 Dec 2013 11:09:56a, sf told us...
>>>
>>>> On 10 Dec 2013 15:10:33 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> If I bake a ham, I
>>>>> always make my own version of a raisin/cumberland sauce to be
>>>>> served hot in a gravy boat. If you'd like the sauce recipe,
>>>>> I'll be glad to post it.
>>>>
>>>> I bet that's similar to the raisin sauce Gary likes, would you
>>>> please post your version? I did find this at Serious Eats (the
>>>> idea of using cranberries instead of currants is appealing):
>>>>
>>>> And while there is no one true recipe for Cumberland, it always
>>>> has at least the following:
>>>>
>>>> - Red currants, either in jelly or syrup or as whole fruits. You
>>>> can substitute other tart red fruit, however, and I’ve used
>>>> cranberries, highbush cranberries, lingonberries and even
>>>> raspberries with good results.
>>>>
>>>> - Red wine or Port. No substitute, so if you cannot use alcohol
>>>> in your cooking, you are out of luck. You can make a facsimile
>>>> of Cumberland without wine, but it will not be the same sauce.
>>>> Citrus. Most recipes have either lemon or orange zest plus some
>>>> juice, too. If you can ever get your hands on bitter Seville
>>>> oranges, they are what was historically used.
>>>>
>>>> - Meat stock. As we just saw, the oldest versions of Cumberland
>>>> don’t have this, but the addition of meat stock — especially
>>>> demi-glace or glace de viande – adds a lot to the flavor. If you
>>>> don’t have demi, use regular stock and boil it down. Only be
>>>> very careful about any other salt in the sauce, as the
>>>> boiled-down stock will get very salty.
>>>>
>>>> - Spices. English dry mustard (Coleman’s) is almost always used,
>>>> and so is freshly ground black pepper. And I mean freshly
>>>> ground: It makes a difference in this case, as black pepper is
>>>> one of the primary flavors in this sauce. A lot of recipes also
>>>> add a pinch of cayenne pepper. This might sound modern, but keep
>>>> in mind that cayenne starts appearing in European food as early
>>>> as the 1600s. The iconic French chef Auguste Escoffier added
>>>> ground ginger to his version of Cumberland.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I love what you posted about Cumberland Sauce. That's to keep!
>>>
>>> Here's what I do...
>>>
>>> 1 c Brown sugar, firmly packed
>>> 1/2 c red wine or hot water
>>> 1 c Seedless raisins or dried currants (or a mix of both)
>>> 2 tb Butter
>>> 4 tb Cider vinegar
>>> 1 1/2 ts Worcestershire sauce
>>> 1/2 ts Salt
>>> 1/48 ts Black pepper, freshly ground
>>> 1 ts dry mustard
>>> 1/4 ts Ground cloves
>>> 1/8 ts Mace
>>> 1 c Currant jelly
>>>
>>> Simmer the brown sugar and water together for 5 minutes, stirring
>>> until sugar is dissolved. Add all remaining ingredients, and
>>> cook until jelly dissolves. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.
>>> May be made in advance and kept refrigerated until ready for use.
>>> Reheat slowly until simmering.
>>>
>>> (If I use both raisins and dried currants, I use white raisins.)
>>>
>>> I've been making this since 1994.
>>
>> Hmm. Makes me want ham. Do you serve it with anythin else?
>
> I've served it with pork roast, but Cumberland Sance was originally
> developed for serving with game; e.g., venison, etc.

Escoffier was mentioned upthread. Here's his complete, unedited recipe
from "A Guide to Modern Cooking", first English translation, 1907:

-----

134--CUMBERLAND SAUCE

Dissolve four tablespoonfuls of red-currant jelly, to which are added
one-fifth pint of port wine, one teaspoonful of finely-chopped shallots,
scalded for a few seconds and pressed, one teaspoonful of small pieces
of orange rind and as much lemon rind (cut finely, Julienne-fashion,
scalded for two minutes, well-drained, and cooled), the juice of an
orange and that of half a lemon, one teaspoonful of mustard, a little
cayenne pepper, and as much powdered ginger. Mix the whole well.

Serve this sauce with cold venison.

-----

I think it is interesting to compare this recipe from over 100 years ago
with more recent recipes to see what has changed and what has stayed the
same. I'm assuming that the things that haven't changed are the most
important ones, the very heart of the recipe. The parts that *have*
changed may be the subject of further experimentation.