Photo courtesy of David Haas - Storycuse.com
Tubbert's is one of those long-gone Syracuse restaurants that stirs wistful memories in Central New York residents of a certain age.
Old newspaper articles on the restaurant -- and family members with fond memories, including my Aunt Dorothy (Sarvay), of Cortland -- paint the picture of a large, rambling restaurant, housed in a stately mansion on Court Street, at North Salina Street, in Syracuse. The restaurant was destroyed by fire in the 1960s.
Tubbert's was noted for its home-style cooking, generous servings and gracious service. The restaurant had multiple dining rooms, kitchens on two floors and is said to have employed an army of cooks, bakers and servers. The dinner menu offered items like prime rib of beef, steaks, Virginia ham with raisin sauce, chicken and seafood, with the diner's choice of potato and salads. Vegetables were served family style and wise patrons left room for homemade cake and pie for dessert. Meals started off with a relish tray and a basket of Tubbert's Brown Bread, which, according to newspaper accounts was either a simple, hearty brown loaf or a brown bread studded with dates and nuts, served with a ramekin of cream cheese.
FOR MORE ON THE HISTORY OF TUBBERT'S, visit my friend David Haas' website, Storycuse, and check out his Instagram account, @SyracuseHistory.
I found this recipe for Tubbert's Brown Bread, clipped form the Syracuse Herald-Journal, in my mother's recipe file. Since we had all the ingredients on hand, I decided to give it a try. It makes a dense brown loaf, with a slight sweetness from the molasses and sugar. Slice it thick and slather with butter -- or cream cheese.
Tubbert's Brown Bread
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
3 tablespoons melted shortening, cooled slightly
1 cup sour milk (see note)
Heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Grease and lightly flour a loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl, leaving a well in the center. Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Bake about 1 hour (or a little more, depending on your oven), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
To make sour milk: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup then add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir and let stand for five minutes or more before adding to recipe.
Note: The recipe makes a large, dense loaf that is best on the first and second day. If you like, cut bread in half, double wrap half in plastic wrap and freeze for later use.
