November 18, 2009 by Tarrant Figlio
Ok…I know not everyone finds traditional foods as tasty as I do. No problem. But Honeybeast has gone too far!
5 Dishes I Wouldn’t Feed a Dog but I do eat to be polite on Thanksgiving
Surely there is some story behind that right? Childhood trauma maybe.
Category retro food | Tags: | 6 Comments
November 17, 2009 by Tarrant Figlio
Some people have a lot of problems with pastry-I do not. Unfortunately, the clean up crew has a problem with the mess I make making pastry. Unfortunately, the clean up crew also DOES NOT LIKE pastry. It doesn’t matter what kind. Flakey, not flakey, doesn’t matter.
However, this one is an easy peasy one for all of you and pretty much the pastry I can make in my sleep. (Yes, I grew up with a biscuit recipe and a pastry recipe in my head) Use shortening. It is good for you. I am sure of it. It certainly makes a better crust.
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water.
1/3 cup shortening
Sift flour and salt together into bowl. (Yes, I mean it-use the sifter. I know it says pre-sifted and modern folk don’t need to pay attention. Just do it. Your kids will love doing it even if you don’t). Measure 1/3 of mixture into a smaller bowl. Add water, stirring to a smooth paste. Cut shortening into flour mixture in the first bowl with pastry blender until like small peas. (oh forget the pastry blender-use a fork. Pastry blenders bug me.) Then stir flour paste into dough. Form dough into ball with hands. Chill if desired. Turn onto pastry cloth. (oh um I have never owned one of these- I toss some flour on the counter or cutting board or wax paper-especially if the kitchen is warm) Roll 1/8 inch thick. Fit into pie plate and flute the rim. Bake in a hot oven (450) for 15 minutes.
Non parenthetical instructions and actual measurements courtesy of Mary Meade 52 desserts of the week, Chicago Tribune, 194*.
Category retro food | Tags: | No Comments
November 16, 2009 by Tarrant Figlio
Denise doesn’t do pie-except pumpkin. This time of year I could probably make a pumpkin pie daily and as long as I didn’t undercook it or burn it-she would be happy.
This recipe though-combines a gingersnap crust (I adore gingersnap crust!) into tarts-a bit tough if you have a big family to feed but a nice choice for a smaller one. Do note the uncooked egg portions-either use pasteurized eggs or skip serving to folks with sensitive immune systems.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups fine gingersnap crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
Filling
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons cold water
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
Whipped cream
Pecans
To make crust, mix gingersnap crumbs, butter and sugar, blend well. Pack into bottoms and around sides of eight small tart pans. (What? No tart pans? Use a muffin tin. I do) Chill for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile prepare filling by softening gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Combine pumpkin, slightly beaten egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Stir in the milk, mixing well. Cook in the top of double boiler until mixture thickens; remove from heat and add softened gelatin, blending thoroughly. Cool. Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually beat in remaining sugar. Fold meringue into pumpkin mixture. Pour filling into crumb lined tart pans. Chill until firm. Pipe a whipped cream garnish around edges of tarts and sprinkle centers liberally with buttered, salted, toasted pecan meats.
From Mary Meade Recipes Booklet-from The Chicago Tribune. No date-sometime before 1950 based on other Mary Meade booklets I have.
Category Desserts, Pastry | Tags: | 3 Comments
November 14, 2009 by Tarrant Figlio
For the last three weeks the commissary bananas have been green. Not “yum, yellow with a bit of green” or “Yellow, but should be ripe by Tuesday.” They were green, green, green. ALL GREEN. You know-the ones that will never ripen.
My mother has been having a yen for bananas. Oh well. But she was very grouchy when I told her that yet again there were no bananas. (like this would be something I wouldn’t buy for whatever reason.) Caregiving is fun! Woo hoo. The secret banana (and also avocado-really Mama out of season avocados here are rock hard and if we let them ripen in the house they become inedible)
So, we stopped by Trader Joe’s, they had bananas that were yellow-but they also looked like some horrid blight was upon them. We picked up a few but…what is going on with the bananas? Is this an Illinois thing? A result of the tropical storms/hurricanes/typhoons? That blight on banana plants much publicized a few years back?
Category retro food | Tags: | 3 Comments
