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----- Original Message -----
From: "mia"
To: phaedrus
Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 11:55 AM
Dear Uncle Phaedrus,
I was talking to a 78 year old lady they other day that said her mother used
to brew a mean pot of coffee using EGG SHELLS????? She said that her mom's
coffee was clear, and had the most beautiful amber brown color she had ever
seen. She said that her mother's friends used to beg her to make them a pot
just because she made the best old fashion coffee. Could you PLEASE find
out what this recipe is so that I can make her a surprisingly pot of coffee.
Thank You VERY much,
Mia
Hi Mia,
See below. Adapt to your coffee-maker.
Phaed
How to Brew a Great Cup of Coffee
Cone-style Drip Coffee Maker
Cone Filters: preferably unbleached (no paper towels!)
Cold, filtered water. The worst thing you can do is make coffee from tap
water. Just switching to filtered (or distilled) water will make a world of
difference in the way your coffee tastes.
Fresh or frozen whole coffee beans, unflavored or flavored. If you are going
to use flavored, only use about a 2:1 ratio between plain and flavored.
Flavored beans tend to be a little bitter.
Egg shells (rinsed)
First, clean the coffee pot and if you haven't run white vinegar through it
since you bought it, throw it out and buy a new one. From now on, clean the
pot with vinegar (just pour a quart of vinegar in the water chamber, run it
through twice, then run water through it twice) once every three or four
months. Vow to keep your pot clean inside and out! If you use filtered
water, that will cut down on a lot of the residue build-up.
Pour the desired amount of cold, filtered water into the chamber. Let's say
8 cups. Take the beans out of the freezer (yes, keep them in the freezer,
sealed nice and tight) and grind them in your coffee grinder for 17 seconds.
Count to 17. If you grind them too long, they burn and stick to the side of
the grinder. If you don't grind them enough, they don't extract the flavor
as well.
Using a coffee scoop you got from the can of ground coffee you bought before
your enlightenment, use 1 scoop to every 2 cups of water. So, if we have 8
"cups" (not actual cups, but coffee pot cups) of water, use 4 scoops (level!
exact!) of freshly ground beans. Crush a couple of eggshells and throw them
in the coffee grounds, or better yet, throw the eggshell in before you put
the grounds in the filter. The eggshells make the difference between someone
sipping your fresh brew and nodding in approval, and someone stopping
mid-sentence because of how exquisite your coffee tastes. Start saving them
whenever you break an egg. Just rinse them out and toss them in a little
bowl.
----- Original Message -----
From: Nan
To: phaedrus
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2004 7:15 PM
Subject: Apples and Paste
> Hi! My name is Nan.
>
> When I was little my grandmother, who was Scottish, made a steamed pudding
> that she called apples and paste. It was served warm with light cream. For
> purely nostalgic reasons I would like to duplicate this recipe, if only
> once.
> I know that she cooked the apples first with sugar, a little water and
> some cinnamon. The paste part was of course flour and maybe baking powder.
> I don't have any idea of the steaming time or the actual ingredients.
>
> Thanks for your help
>
Hello Nan,
Well, I didn't have much luck, Nan. No "apples and paste" recipes at all,
and no Scottish steamed puddings with apples.
I did find a recipe called "apples in paste", but it was a baked pie. See below.
Below is a steamed apple pudding recipe.
Phaed
Steamed Apple Pudding
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. shortening
1 1/2 c. diced apples
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 - 3/4 c. milk
Sift and measure flour - then add spices, sugar and salt. Sift together. Cut
shortening into flour with fork or blender. Add 1/2 cup diced apples to make
a soft dough.
Melt butter in a pudding pan or mold. Add remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, and
remaining apples and lemon juice to buttered mold. Pour batter over the
apples. Place mold over (or in) a large kettle of boiling water (uncovered
but covered kettle of boiling water) and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Serve
hot with sauce or topping.
-------------------------------
Apples in Paste
Serves 8
2 large apples, not too sweet (MacIntosh or such) 1 pie crust
1 top crust 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ginger 1 Tbl lemon juice
Core apples and cut them in half (that is, into top and bottom). If
possible, keep the halves intact. Lay in pie crust and fill the core holes
with the sugar. Sprinkle the ginger over the apples, and sprinkle lemon
juice on that. Lay the top crust overall, and pinch the edges down; poke
some holes in the top.
Cook 10 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Reduce heat to 325-350, and cook
30-45 minutes more, until the top is golden brown.
Notes and Variations
Pretty good apple pie. Originally made with 1/3 cup brown sugar, which
comes out a little too tart.
The bottom comes out rather gooey. Try sprinkling some flour in the pie
crust before putting in the apples; Joy of Cooking claims that can help.
The original source also suggests making with honey and a bit of black
pepper as an alternative to sugar, although it is clear that sugar is
preferable. Sounds like an interesting variation, though. Jane suggests
that it may work better with brown sugar; she's probably right, although
that's a bit less period. Might omit the lemon juice, which isn't in the
original and appears to be unnecessary.
----- Original Message -----
From: "James"
To: phaedrus
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2004 1:07 PM
Subject: Need specific tofu recipe
> Dear Uncle Phaedrus,
>
> Several years ago in China we ate a delicious, non-sweet pudding type
> baked dish of tofu, served cut into about inch-square pieces. We can't
> find a recipe for it. Most other baked pudding-like things are sweet, and
> most baked tofu are just seasoned tofu baked on a cookie sheet. The baked
> tofu we ate in China was sort of like cornbread, but more moist.
>
> Any hints?
>
> James
>
Hello James,
Gosh, there are so many recipes with tofu that finding a particular one
without knowing the name for it is almost impossible. Below are some
non-sweet baked tofu recipes.
Phaed
Title: Baked Tofu
Keys: Asian Oriental
Yield: 1
Ingredients:
1 lb Tofu
Method:
Slice 1/4" thick. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides. Onion and/or garlic
powder may also be used. Or, sprinkle with onion or garlic salt. Bake in a
toaster oven or put cake racks on regular grates in oven. lay slices on racks.
Bake at 350F. for 40 minutes
Note: Ingredients in capital letters refer to either another recipe or a
cooking method which can be found elsewhere in the series.
---------------------------------------
Title: Baked Tofu Nuggets
Keys: Main Dish Snacks Nibbles Asian Oriental
Yield: 1 Servings
Ingredients:
1 lb Firm or hard tofu, pressed for 15 to
30 x minutes
2 tbl Nutritional yeast flakes
2 tbl Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 tbl Brown rice vinegar or other mild vinegar
1/2 tsp Onion powder
Method:
(Wrap the tofu in a clean towel, and weight down with a heavy pan or can)
1. Cut tofu into about 36 cubed-shaped "nuggets." Arrange cubes in a single
layer in a shallow container.
2. Stir together remaining ingredients. Brush mixture evenly over tofu
cubes. Turn cubes to coat all sides. Refrigerate at least an hour, or
overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Arrange coated cubes in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. If any
marinade mixture wasn't absorbed, brush it over the cubes.
5. Bake nuggets for 30 to 45 minutes, turning two or three times, until
desired crispness is reached.
Makes about 6 servings.
NOTES : Keep a supply of these tasty morsels in your refrigerator
------------------------------------------
Title: Baked Tofu Nuggets
Keys: Vegetarian Asian Oriental Hot
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
16 oz packaged firm or extra-firm tofu, well drained
1 lrg egg white
3 tbl wheat germ
2 tbl yellow cornmeal
1 tsp seasoned salt
Marinara or barbecue sauce, warmed OR ketchup
Method:
These breaded nuggets become firm and chewy as they bake. People will enjoy
dipping them into their favorite sauce.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil non-stick baking sheet.
Cut tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot well between kitchen towels or
several layers of paper towels, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. In shallow
bowl, beat egg white with a fork. Add tofu cubes; stir gently to coat.
In small bowl, mix together wheat germ, cornmeal and seasoned salt until
well combined. Add tofu in small batches and toss until evenly coated.
Transfer tofu to prepared baking sheet, spacing well apart. Bake until
golden and firm, 15 to 20 minutes, turning with spatula every 5 minutes.
Serve hot with sauce for dipping or topping.
----- Original Message -----
From: Paula
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 1:18 PM
Subject: Mushroom Battonette recipe
Hi There,
Someone on our board asked for the above recipe. I'm not sure the spelling
is correct. Have you ever heard of this and if so, do you have a recipe?
Many thanks.
Paula
Hi Paula,
"Batonette" is a method of cutting vegetables, such as julienne and rondelle
are. It's not a method of cooking them. Batonette vegetables would be small
sliced vegetables cut 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/2 inch, just a mite larger than julienne
vegetables. A restaurant might serve "mushrooms batonette", but that would
not give a clue as to how they were cooked. It would just mean that the
mushrooms were cut into small strips. I could not find a recipe with that
name.
Phaed
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mel"
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 3:41 PM
Subject: Help
> I am trying to find an after-shave lotion called
> " Rothchild " . I bought it at a men's clothing store some years ago in
> Columbia, S.C. which
> no longer exists ! Not sure that you do this sort of thing , but help
> would be appreciated !
>Gratefully : Mel
>
>
Hello Mel,
No problem. I welcome occasional breaks from the recipes.
Try these sites:
Backstage USA
Beneash
Phaed
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