Good cooking has always been a part of John Jones’s life. He was born in Hampton but, he said, “I grew up in Guinea. My mother is a native of Guinea. It was from her that I learned how to cook.”
John now is sous chef at Nuttall’s Store in Ware Neck. Come February 2025 he will have been a year at the popular spot where he makes desserts, preps meats, and does some baking. Another employee at Nuttall’s said to this writer, “I hope you get a slice of John’s cake before you leave. It’s mighty good.” The store also does some catering. The grill is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the deli is open to 5 p.m.
In his culinary world John has had various exposures to all types of cooking. Always getting recipes from his mother, he recalled trying to make a “Pig Licking cake,” one that his mother, Peggy Jones, always made. (Peggy was featured in this column in 2016.) “Don’t know where the name came from but it’s mighty good cake.” John asked for directions from her on the phone. “One of those directions was a pound of flour.” When he had a chance to watch her make the cake, not measuring, “I said, ‘Mom, that’s about two cups of flour, not a pound. ‘Oh well’ was her reply.”
John’s father was an engineer in the service and did a lot of traveling in East Asia. It was through his father that John was exposed and learned about the various cuisines. “My father was not a cook but may have done a little cooking, but my mother always did all the cooking.”
In 2011, John moved to California to be with “my best friend” who was also a cook. There was a different type of food business developing. One turned out to be a small restaurant called Scolari’s. “I worked at that one for seven years.”
In 2021 John returned to Virginia. He, his partner Sarah McCoy and his 12-year-old son, John Paul Jones, who is showing interest in cooking, reside in Gloucester. John says he does most of the cooking at home. “I would like to develop a type of business where I can receive orders, especially desserts, on the side.” John has a Facebook site with pictures of his creations. “I like to bake best of all but I really enjoy cooking it all.”
PEANUT BUTTER, CHOCOLATE AND CARAMEL TRIFLE
Brownie Layer
1 batch of brownies (box mix or homemade, about 8×8 inches)
Vanilla Custard
2 c. whole milk
½ c. granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce
(can use store bought)
1 c. granulated sugar
¼ c. water
½ c. heavy cream
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
Chocolate Sauce
(can use store bought)
½ c. heavy cream
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
Peanut Butter Whipped Cream
1½ c. heavy cream, cold
¾ c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Make the brownies and let cool completely. Make the vanilla custard. In a medium saucepan, heat milk until warm (not boiling). In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk warm milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely.
Make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat. Cook without stirring until it turns amber in color. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream (it will bubble up). Stir in butter and salt until smooth. Cool.
Make the Chocolate Sauce. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool.
Make the peanut butter whipped cream. Beat heavy cream, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to use.
Assemble the Trifle. Layer 1: Brownie pieces (cut or crumbled). Layer 2: Drizzle caramel and chocolate sauces. Layer 3: Vanilla custard. Layer 4: Peanut butter whipped cream. Repeat layers until the trifle dish is full, finishing with peanut butter whipped cream on top.
Optional: Garnish with brownie crumbles, caramel drizzle, or chocolate shavings. Chill and serve.
Note: Refrigerate the trifle for at least 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld.
MAPLE BAKLAVA
For the Baklava
1 lb. phyllo dough, thawed
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1½ c. chopped cooked bacon (crispy but not too dry)
2½ c. chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or a mix)
½-¾ c. graham cracker crumbs (or crushed digestive cookies)
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cardamom (optional, for warmth)
For the Syrup
(cooled ahead of time)
¾ c. pure maple syrup
¼ c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. water
Zest and juice of 1 orange (or lemon for a tarter note)
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves (or ¼ tsp. ground cloves)
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Prepare the syrup (ahead of time). Combine maple syrup, sugar, water, orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, and nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out the spices, and let the syrup cool to room temperature. Set aside.
Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon until crispy, then chop finely. Let it cool on paper towels to absorb excess grease.
Prepare the nut mixture. In a bowl, combine chopped nuts, bacon, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using).
Assemble the Baklava. Preheat oven to 350°F. (175°C.). Grease the half-sheet pan with melted butter. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover it with a damp towel to prevent drying out. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat for 10 layers. Spread ¼ of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo. Add another 6 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Repeat nut and phyllo layering until you have 4 nut layers, finishing with 10 sheets of phyllo on top, buttering each sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds or squares, ensuring you cut all the way through.
Bake the baklava. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crisp. Syrup the baklava. Once the baklava is out of the oven, let it cool slightly (5-10 minutes). Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the warm baklava. Let it soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results.
BLUEBERRY CAKE WITH CRUMB TOPPING
For the Flour-Butter-Sugar Base
3 c. all-purpose flour
1½ c. granulated sugar
¾ c. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
For the Crumb Topping
1 c. flour-butter-sugar mixture (reserved from above)
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
For the Cake Batter
Remaining flour-butter-sugar mixture
2 lg. eggs
1 c. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ c. fresh blueberries
Prepare the base mixture. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly and evenly moistened.
Separate for Crumb Topping. Remove 1 c. flour-butter-sugar mixture and place it in a separate bowl. Add the ground cinnamon to this reserved mixture and mix until combined. Set aside.
Make the cake batter. Preheat oven to 350°F. (175°C.). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan or line it with parchment paper. To the remaining flour-butter-sugar mixture, add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined (do not over-mix). Toss the fresh blueberries with 1-2 Tbs. flour (to prevent them from sinking) and fold them into the batter.
Assemble and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon crumb topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
PIG LICKING CAKE
For the Cake
1 box Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix
3 large eggs
7 Tbs. butter, melted
1 can (15-oz.) mandarin oranges, drained (reserve about ¼ c. juice)
For the Frosting
1 tub (8-oz.) Cool Whip
1 box (3.4 oz.) Jell-O vanilla instant pudding mix
1 can (20-oz.) crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)
Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. (175°C.). Grease and lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter cake mix, eggs, melted butter and about ¼ c. reserved mandarin orange juice. Mix according to the cake mix package instructions. Gently fold in the drained mandarin oranges. Avoid over-mixing to keep the oranges intact. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan.
Prepare the Frosting: In a medium bowl, mix the Cool Whip, vanilla instant pudding mix, and drained crushed pineapple. Gradually add the reserved pineapple juice, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches a light and fluffy consistency. Avoid adding too much juice to keep it from becoming soupy.
Assemble the Cake: Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1-2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the frosting to set.
PINOT NOIR BROWNIES
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 c. Pinot Noir wine (divided)
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
1½ c. granulated sugar
½ c. brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. (175°C.). Grease and line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. In a medium saucepan, heat ½ c. Pinot Noir and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to simmer. Remove from heat, add the chopped bittersweet chocolate, and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly. In a small saucepan, simmer the remaining ½ c. Pinot Noir over medium heat until reduced to about 2-3 Tbs. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and pale.
Slowly whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir the reduced Pinot Noir into the batter, ensuring it’s evenly combined. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge comes out with a few moist crumbs (for fudgy brownies). Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan.
PINOT NOIR GANACHE
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
½ c. heavy cream
¼ c. Pinot Noir wine
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and Pinot Noir over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat immediately and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then gently whisk until smooth and glossy. Stir in the butter until fully incorporated. Let the ganache cool slightly until thickened but still pourable. Spread evenly over the cooled brownies in the pan.
