The Knotty Pine.

The Knotty Pine was a family run Family Style Restaurant with a Famous Steakhouse. The Preston Ontario restaurant carried a lot of history and The Jacques Family, mother father, four sons and there mates made the Knotty Pine a well known destination consistently serving great food for over five decades. I took over as the Executive chef in 1983 and continue to this day using the recipes and rehearsed cooking skills.

The familiar neon sign and beautifully manicured landscaped grounds was a photographic setting for  family reunions and wedding pictures. The upstairs Kofe-Bar and the Famous Steak House that once hung and aged its own angus beef. The Black Angus Bovine was a great backdrop and many kids had there picture taken riding on top. The menu items were favourites for many area families making the Knotty Pine a Sunday after Church a place to share some of the mouth watering freshly baked goods. June Jacques was always willing with a smile to get you a slice of the Banana or Buttered Almond  Cake.

Four recipes for the entire product:

 

Icing

====

Six pounds of butter browned clarified

Two quarts of 35% cream

Into a bowl containing 22 pounds of icing sugar

 

Almonds

=======

Two pounds of butter

Twenty pounds of sliced almonds

Add a little bit of white sugar (1/2 cup)

Roast nuts @ 400’F with ongoing stirring

 

Cream Filling Custard (small batch)

=====================

Three quarts of homogenized milk

Two cups of white sugar

Twenty four egg yolks

Two heaping cups of corn starch

Two teaspoons of real vanilla

A pinch of salt

At the very end include a scoop of butter

 

White Cake

=========

1-1/2 pounds of vegetable shortening

1-1/2 pounds butter

14 cups of white sugar

Crème well, then add:

Two tablespoons of real vanilla

36 eggs

Crème all

Eight pounds of flour

Twelve Tablespoons baking power

Two teaspoons of salt

Add these alternating with two quarts of homogenized milk.

The steaks were first class and the wee  Hibachi  became a signature item. Along with many of the area folks that made up the staff over the fifty plus years made The Knotty Pine one Fine Dinning Establishment. I will be posting many of the recipes from the original KP kitchen manual.