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Just a note to thank those who realized that we were in the path of Katrina and
e-mailed to express their concern for our safety.
Yes, she passed through here, but she was only a shadow of her former self when she
hit us. We had gusting winds of up to 60 mph and lost power for a short time. There
were lots of tree limbs blown down, and a few trees. Our only personal casualty was
a gas lamp in the front yard.
Please, everyone, think of those in New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, and the other areas
that were devastated by Katrina. Read the next letter for how to best to help them.
Thanks,
Phaed
On 30 Aug 2005 at 20:00, Pat wrote:
> I would like to donate to the relief fund for the hurricane victims.
> But I would like to donate to the charity the gives the biggest
> percent of my dollar towards that relief, I know I have seen a list
> on the Internet before but I can't find it. I have come to you before
> and you have come through with my request. I hope you can help this
> time. You have the best site on the net. I visit every day looking
> for new recipes and information. Thanks. Pat
>
Hi Pat,
As usual, the Red Cross is at the top of the list See the rankings here:
Charity Watch
Phaed
On 29 Aug 2005 at 6:31, Joe wrote:
> Hi, This is Joe again,
>
> I'm wondering if you can come up with a Cypriot sausage recipe. It
> begins with an L.
>
> Although I find something called Sheftalia this isn't what my wife
> wants.
>
> Thanking you in advance
>
> Joe
>
Hello Joe,
Perhaps you mean "loukanika"?
"Loukanika, the Cyprus sausage, varies in flavour depending on where it is made. The
meat content is very high and usually crushed coriander and other spices are- added.
Before being smoked, the sausages are soaked in red wine. Loukanika taste good when
fried or grilled."
Recipes below for making the sausage.
Phaed
Loukanika
1 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground lamb
1/4 cup red wine
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 orange, peel only, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf, ground
1/2 tsp ground coriander
salt, freshly ground black pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate and
allow to sit, covered, for 2-3 hours so the flavors will blend.
Roll the mixture in to little balls. Heat a saute pan over medium heat,
add a little olive oil and sauté the Loukanika until they are browned.
Serve as a Meze (appetizer) dish with lemon to squeeze over.
I have found many variations on the recipe for Loukanika, so there is
no single way to make it. This is my personal favorite.
Note – this is “quick” Loukanika as normally this mixture would be put
in to a sausage casing, poached, cooled, sometimes smoked and finally
sliced and cooked as above. You can take the longer route if you wish,
but this more direct method makes a delicious Loukanika.
Serves 20 as a Meze or 4 as a main course.
-----------------------
Loukanika
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 lb Lean pork shoulder, ground
1/2 lb Fresh pork rind
-- boiled for 2 hours,
-- drained, and ground
1/2 lb Pork fatback, ground
1 t Salt
1 Navel orange -- grated rind only
1 t Crushed dried marjoram
-OR- thyme
1 Bay leaf -- ground in a mortar
1/3 c Dry red wine
1 t Ground allspice or coriander -OR- both
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Garlic cloves -- crushed
Sausage casing
Grind the pork, pork rind, and fatback through the fine blade of a meat
chopper. Combine in a large bowl with all the seasonings. Knead
thoroughly. Store in the refrigerator while you prepare the casing.
Usually salted, the casing (pork intestine) especially the interior, must
be rinsed under cold running water several times. (To avoid losing casing
down the drain while doing this, be sure the casing is inside a very large
pan!) Allow to drain on a linen towel.
Use a pastry bag to force the stuffing into the casing. Pinch at 3-1/2 to 4
inch intervals allowing space between to form the sausage links. Normally
the casing will not break, but if it does, that section must be discarded
and a knot tied in the new "end". To cook, poach in water for 1 hour, then
drain, discarding the cooking water. Fry the sausages in a frying pan over
moderate heat, or use as suggested in any recipe. Drain and serve hot.
Note: To store, freeze uncooked in meal-sized batches. The sausages should
be used within a day or two if not frozen.
On 29 Aug 2005 at 11:55, Julie wrote:
> Dear Phaedrus,
>
> I seriously doubt that you'll be able to locate this any more than I
> have... goodness knows I've searched. BUT, you are my last hope.
>
> About fifteen years ago I found a recipe for a cookie that featured
> cardamom as the main flavor. I believe it was Danish. Certainly
> Scandinavian. I don't know if it's specifically a Christmas cookie,
> but it was in a Christmas cookie section of a women's magazine.
>
> It was a drop cookie and it was very buttery. When it was done baking
> it came out thin with a lacy brown edge. It's possible there were
> other spices in it, but if there were they were few. Cardamom was the
> main, if not only, spice.
>
> They were delicious! I wish I'd saved that recipe. Can you help me?
>
> Thanks for looking,
> Julie
>
Hi Julie,
Gosh, Julie. Every Scandinavian country, plus Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands
has cardamom cookie recipes. See below.
Phaed
Danish Cardamom Cookies
Too much cardamom can produce a bitter taste, so don't increase the amount of
cardamom called for in most recipes.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon finely minced lemon peel
Sliced almonds, for cookie tops
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and the cardamom in a medium bowl until
fluffy. Sift together the flour and salt, and add to the butter mixture.
Stir in the almonds. Combine the powdered sugar and the lemon peel.
Form 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough into a ball. Roll it in the powdered
sugar mixture. Place the ball on the prepared cookie sheet, and flatten it
with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in the powdered sugar.
Press a few sliced almonds onto the top of the cookie. Repeat with the
remaining cookie dough, spacing the cookies 1-inch apart.
Bake on the center rack of the oven until the cookies are light brown,
about 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely
on a rack before serving.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
-----------------------------
Cardamom Christmas Cookies
Ingredients :
1 c. soft butter or margarine
3/4 c. lard or Crisco
3 c. flour (and 1 more to work with)
3 tsp. baking ammonia
1 tsp. cardamom
Preparation :
Grind baking ammonia to consistency of baking powder. Cream
shortening and sugar, adding sugar gradually to shortening. Add
cardamom; sift flour and baking ammonia. Add dry ingredients to
first mixture; knead well. Form dough in long roll. Let stand 24
hours in cool place. Pinch off as large as walnuts. Bake 20-25
minutes in 300-325 degree oven.
----------------------------------
Cardamom-Butter Cookies
Ingredients :
1/2 lb. soft butter or margarine1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. cornstarch
Preparation :
Found this many years ago. Delicious, melt-in-your-mouth
greatness. Definitely not for the dieter. Cream well. Sift
together. Add to above ingredients. Cream well. Divide into 2
equal portions; wrap each in foil. Store in refrigerator at least 8
hour but no longer than overnight. Remove one portion from
refrigerator; shape into balls about size of large marble. Place
balls on ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart; flatten with
floured tines of fork or floured cookie molds. Bake at 325 degrees
for about 20 minutes until delicately browned.
----------------------------------
Cardamom Cookies
Ingredients :
2 1/4 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. ground cardamom
Preparation :
Sift together flour and baking powder; cream together butter and
sugar. Add cardamom and eggs, then dry ingredients gradually.
Chill at least 4 hours. Roll out very thin on floured board and cut
with cookie cutters. Decorate if desired. Bake 6-8 minutes at 400
degrees. This dough is very sticky, so keep in refrigerator when
not using. You can color dough with food coloring, if desired.
----------------------------------
Sliced Cardamom Cookies (Finnish)
Ingredients :
6 eggs
1 lb. brown sugar
1/2 lb. butter
1 lb. almonds, ground
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. soda
4 c. flour
1 tsp. ground cardamon seeds
Preparation :
Cream butter and sugar until very fluffy. Add eggs, one at a
time, beating well. Sift flour with soda and spices. Add to
creamed mixture, a little at a time. Add almonds. Refrigerate
overnight. Form 1 inch thick logs. Place on greased cookie sheet
and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (20 minutes). Slice them
diagonally into 1/2 inch wide slices while still warm.
----------------------------------
Swedish Cardamom Cookies
Ingredients :
1/2 lb. butter
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. light or dark Karo syrup
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. cardamom
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Preparation :
Cream together butter and sugar. Add Karo syrup and egg yolk,
mixing well. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll into 1 inch balls and
flatten with a fork or cookie press. Bake in preheated oven, 375
degrees, for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen
cookies. *Can be somewhat liberal on amount of spices used. Add or
subtract to taste. I like to add a bit more cardamom, it's
expensive, so not too much! These cookies freeze very well.
On 29 Aug 2005 at 10:20, Lori wrote:
>
> Hi I love to can my own things they taste better. I would like the
> receipe for canning blackberry syrup. Thank you Lori
>
>
Hi Lori,
This is what I have.
Phaed
Blackberry Syrup
Ingredients :
4 c. blackberry juice
4 c. sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
Preparation :
Mix all ingredients and simmer until sugar dissolves. (Will
thicken more if cooked longer.) Pour into clean hot jars and
process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
----------------------------------
Blackberry Syrup
Ingredients :
1 1/2 c. blackberry juice
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. white Karo
Preparation :
Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Put in containers and
freeze.
----------------------------------
Blackberry Syrup
Ingredients :
3 c. fresh blackberries
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/3 c. water
Preparation :
1. In heavy 3 quart saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar,
lemon peel and water. Mix gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until sugar dissolved.
2. Bring to boiling over medium high heat. Reduce heat. Simmer,
uncovered, for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft.
3. While cooking 2 to 3 more minutes gently mash fruit against
pan with wooden spoon.
4. Cool to lukewarm. If desired, strain fruit mixture by pressing
through a sieve. Pour into a storage container.
5. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Yields 2 cups syrup with
pulp, or 1 cup strained syrup.
----------------------------------
Blackberry Syrup
Ingredients :
6 c. mashed peaches
6 c. sugar
1 pkg. frozen blackberries, mashed
1 c. crushed pineapple, with juice
1 (8 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, chopped (optional)2 (6 oz.) pkgs. blackberry jello
Preparation :
Cook these ingredients 20 minutes, then add: Bring to a good
boil. Fill pint jars; seal.
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