Memories of place live on…
When I was a little girl, my mother and I made a lot of memories while galavanting.
I remember taking my first plane trip with Marian from exotic Lebanon, NH to New York aboard an Eastern Airlines “Yellow Bird.” I received a little yellow bird pin from the pilot that I proudly wore on my Polly Flinders dress hoping someone would ask about it.
Every year, right before the beginning of the school year and again between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mom and I would hop in the car for an overnight or two in Boston. Shopping was our mission, but dining was our passion.
From NH, we’d head south stopping north of the city in Reading, MA where we picked up the train to North Station. Marian was spooked by city driving (and parking) so making the last leg of the trip by train was smart, and ever-so-exotic.
My little bumpkin mother had some city gal skills, though! She could hail a cab like Dorothy Parker and knew how to palm the M’aitre’d a ten dollar bill to get a prime table.
In Boston, we always stayed at the Parker House, hard by the State House on Tremont Street and just a block from the shopping power duo of Jordan Marsh and Filene’s. We liked the city and enjoyed many wonderful places from Bailey’s for hot fudge sundaes served oozing fudge goodness onto silver serving dishes and tea time blueberry muffins at the Jordan Marsh restaurant to fancy dinners at Locke Ober. We liked the bossy waitresses and prime rib at Durgin Park but avoided the slimy crustaceans from Union Oyster House. (We were young, what did we know?!)
Usually arriving a little before noon on Friday, we’d drop our bags then enjoy lunch in the lovely Parker House dining room surrounded by politicians and business people working on their second or third martini.
Somewhere between cocktails (Bloody for Marian and Shirley for me) and chicken salad, a basket of golden, buttery, folded ambrosia would find its way the table. Those eponymous “Parker House” rolls were the best part of the meal, we thought. And so have millions of other diners.
This year for Christmas dinner, I have made Parker House Rolls. They’re a little fiddly, but worth the trouble. Using a combination of all purpose and potato flours with milk, egg and plenty of butter, these rolls are something worth making but perhaps saved for “best” on account of the, well, calories.
I have transitioned from dry measuring in my baking to weight calculation. With a good baking scale and a “tare” setting, putting things together is quick, accurate and dirties fewer dishes.
Like most yeast breads, these rolls require two rises. I did the first in my oven the night before using the proof setting and the second, after assembly of the rolls in their baking pan, overnight in the fridge.
Try these rolls. They’re soft as hotel pillows and decadent as, well, lunch at the Parker House!
The Real Deal Parker House Rolls
Known for their characteristic “fold” and unbelievably buttery taste, these rolls will make you forget the rest of the meal.
Equipment
Large Pyrex Measuring cup
Stand mixer fitted with paddle
9 x 12 baking dish
Pastry brush
Ingredients
1 C whole milk
1 Egg
2.5 t SAF Red Yeast
39g Granulated Sugar
8g Salt
6 T soft unsalted butter
360 g All Purpose Flour
50 g Potato Flour
1 - 1.5 sticks melted unsalted butter for greasing and brushing
Method
Place milk, salt, sugar and beaten egg into Pyrex bowl. Microwave for 30
seconds to bring mix to room temperature.
Sprinkle yeast over milk mixture. Whisk and allow to bloom. (5 minutes or so.)
Sift flours together and place in stand
mixer bowl.
Add liquid to flour with machine on low. (If you have a splatter guard, use it until the flour is incorporated.) Mix until the dough starts to come away from the edge of the bowl.
Incorporate soft butter in chunks allowing each piece to work in before adding the next.
Beat till smooth.
Turn dough onto floured surface and knead 10 times or so.
Form dough into a ball and place in buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise about 90 minutes.
Melt butter and liberally grease baking pan.
When risen by almost double, punch down dough and divide into two pieces.
Roll each piece into 8 x 12” rectangles then cut in half the long way yielding 4 - 4 x 12” strips. (I do one half of the dough at a time.)
Generously brush melted butter onto each strip then fold in half yielding a 2 x 12” strip.
Cut each strip into 4 - 4” x 2” rolls. place them fold-side down in the baking dish placing 4 rolls along the long edge of the dish.
Continue in this way until baking dish contains 4 rows of 4 rolls (16 total). Leave space between pieces to allow for rising.
For the second rise, either cover with wrap and refrigerate over night or
return to proofing spot for another hour or so rise. Rolls will rise but will not quite double.
Bake for 20-25 Minutes in 350 degree F. Oven.
Brush generously with remaining melted butter.
Devour.
What are your food memories from treasured places gone by? Frango Mints from Marshall Fields? Chocolate Chip Cookies from Neiman Marcus? Datenut and cream cheese sandwiches from G. Fox in Hartford (my husband’s favorite?) Tell me more!
