Woman Connected to Recipe: Benita Tamara Grigorjeva Stelmachers
Submitted by Kris Thayer (Benita’s daughter)
About Benita and her Debesmanna (Cranberry Mousse, but literally translated as “Manna from Heaven”):
This airy, tart-sweet dessert was a favorite treat for my mother as a child. Benita Tamara Grigorjeva Stelmachers was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1930. She had a safe, privileged upbringing, and was particularly close to her vecmāmiņa (grandmother). WWII forced her to flee her homeland with her mother and younger sister, leaving her beloved vecmāmiņa behind. They spent many years in DP (Displaced Persons) camps all over Europe until they were able to secure an American sponsor. Arriving in America in the early 1950s, with little money and no language skills, they started over. (Her father landed in Stockholm with his mistress, never to be reunited with his family. But that is another story...) With hard work, education, and the support of the Latvian diaspora community, my mother—and most Latvians—flourished in this new home. This simple dessert is a classic Latvian treat, and remains a family favorite many decades later.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup farina or cream of wheat
Bring juice and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in farina, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, and process on medium-high until thick and doubled in volume, about 12 minutes. Serve in bowls with Vanilla Sauce.
VANILLA SAUCE
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or slightly cool (the sauce will thicken as it cools).