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2003

TODAY's CASES:

Moravian Sugar Cookies

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marcy
To: phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 10:38 AM
Subject: cookies from north carolina

hi
love your site-
i am looking for a recipe for moravian SUGAR cookies - thin, butter cookies
NOT the ginger/spice ones
They are as thin as Pringle chips and are made by ladies in North Carolina -
but I want to try this at home

any ideas of where to find this?
thanks - marcy
baker/author

Hi Marcy,

Yes, I found it. See below.

Phaed

 Moravian Sugar Cookies
  
       Yield: 54 servings

     1/2 c  Butter; softened
       1 c  Sugar
       1    Egg
     1/2 ts Vanilla extract
   2 1/4 c  All-purpose flour; 2 1/4 to 2 1/2
     1/2 ts Baking soda
     1/2 ts Salt
     1/4 c  Buttermilk
            Superfine sugar

   Recipe by: Southern Living
   Preparation Time: 0:30
   Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium
   speed of an electric mixer.  Add egg and vanilla; beat
   well.  Combine 2-1/4 cups flour, soda, and salt; add to
   creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well.
   Add remaining 1/4 cup flour if dough seems very sticky.
   Cover and chill 8 hours.

   Work with one-fourth of dough at a time, and store
   remainder in refrigerator.  Place stockinette cover on
   rolling pin; flour well.  Roll dough to 1/16-inch thickness
   on a lightly floured pastry cloth.  Cut with a 3-inch round
   cutter, and carefully place on lightly greased cookie
   sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or just
   until cookies begin to brown around edges.  Cool slightly
   on cookie sheets, and sprinkle with superfine sugar. Remove
   cookies to wire racks, and cool completely.  Repeat
   procedure with remaining dough.  Store in airtight
   containers.  Yield:  about 9 dozen.

   Old Fashioned Teacakes: Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
   Cut as directed above.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10
   minutes.  Makes about 2 dozen.
 

Griddle Cake

----- Original Message ----- 
From: penny
To: phaedrus
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 9:13 PM
Subject: Griddle cake

> Hello, I have been looking for a chocolate layered
> cake called "Griddle Cake". A friend from mine used to
> make it when I was in Germany. She was from Florida.
> She would pour this batter in a little cast iron
> skillet. put it in the oven when it was done she would
> put it on a sheet to cool and do this until no more
> batter. Then she would put a layer on a plate and then
> knife it and pout this icing that she made on it. she
> would layer,knife and icing it until it was done. This
> was very rich and good. You could only eat a little at
> a time. The icing would get a little hard and be like
> fudge. I would appreciate it if you could find this
> recipe. Thank you Penny 
> 

Hi Penny,

See below.

Phaed

Griddle  Cake  With  Fudge  Icing

 Ingredients : 
 Cake:
 2 c. self-rising flour
 2 c. sugar
 1 c. oil
 3/4 c. milk
 5 eggs
 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
 Icing:
 1 stick margarine
 6 tbsp. milk
 3 tbsp. cocoa
 1 box confectioners sugar
 1 tsp. vanilla

 Preparation : 
    Heat oven to 350-400 degrees.  Beat all ingredients until lumps
 dissolve.  Spray Pam on griddle pan; pour 1/2 cup batter in pan. 
 Cook in oven 5-8 minutes.  Ice each layer while hot.  I use a black
 iron griddle pan.  this cake will make 8-10 layers very thin.  Melt
 butter.  Add milk, cocoa; bring to a boil.  Add 1 box confectioners
 sugar and vanilla.  Boil 1 minute.  Let cool partially.  

Pickled Whole Green Tomatoes

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: Graham
To: phaedrus
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 7:33 AM
Subject: Whole green tomatoe pickles

Do you have a recipe for whole green tomatoe pickles?  I have seen many
recipes for sliced or quartered tomatoes but would be interested in pickling
my tomatoes whole.

Thank you in advance

Hello Graham,

See below.

Phaed

Pickled  Green  Tomatoes

 Ingredients :
 Sm. to med. green tomatoes
 --Ingredients Per Quart Of Water Used:--
 2 tbsp. coarse salt
 1 tsp. pickling spice
 1/2 tsp. mustard seed, slightly bruised
 1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns, slightly bruised
 Handful of stalks of fresh dill with flower heads
 1 med. unpeeled clove garlic, slightly flattened

 Preparation :
   Sort and rinse tomatoes.  Measure by quarts and put into a large
 crock.  Pour cold water to cover the tomatoes.  Measure quarts of
 water into pot.  To water in pot, add salt, pickling spices, mustard
 seed and peppercorns.  Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes.  Cool
 completely.  Prick each tomato in several places with fork and
 return to crock.  Add dill and dill seed to tomatoes in crock.  Pour
 the brine and spices over drained tomatoes in crock.  Put a clean
 heavy plate over tomatoes to hold them under the surface.  Cover
 with cloth and let set in cool place (70 degrees) for 1-3 weeks
 until as tangy as you want.  If white scum forms, skim off.  When
 tomatoes are pickled, put in clean jars and pour brine over them,
 adding some sprigs of dill, if you like.  Put on lids and
 refrigerate.
 ----------------------------------
 Pickled  Green  Tomatoes

 Ingredients :
 Green tomatoes
 Celery
 Green and red peppers
 Garlic
 2 qts. water
 1 qt. white vinegar
 1 c. salt
 Dill to taste

 Preparation :
    Use firm small to medium tomatoes.  Wash and place in sterilized
 quart canning jars.  Add stalks of celery and chopped peppers to
 each jar. Pack the jar firmly with the vegetables.  Add 1 clove of
 garlic to each jar.
 ----------------------------------
 Pickled  Green  Tomatoes

 Ingredients :
Wash tomatoes and pack in sterile jars.  Add several garlic buds.  (May also add strips of celery, pepper, carrots.)
Boil the following five minutes:
 2 qt. water
 1 qt. vinegar
 1 c. canning salt
 2 tbsp. dill seed

 Preparation :
   Pour brine over tomatoes.  This makes enough brine for 6-7 quarts
 tomatoes.  Add fresh dill if available.  Ready to serve in six
 weeks.
 

Fern Cakes & Custard Slices

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Evelyn
To: Phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 2:20 PM
Subject: Needed - a recipe for Fern cakes / tarts and a recipe for custard
slices

> Hi Uncle Phaedrus!
>
> I'm looking for an authentic recipe for Scottish Fern Cakes / Tarts.  They
> seem to be a tart with an almondy filling and a layer of jam with icing on
> top and a hand drizzled chocolate fern on the top.
>
> I am also looking for custard slices.  These have flaky pastry top and
> bottom and the same icing and drizzle on the top as has the Fern tarts.
>
> I'm having a Mad Hatter Tea Party in two weeks and I had wanted to serve
> these then.
>
> Hope you can help.
>
> Thanks for any assistance you can give.
>
> Evelyn

Hello Evelyn

The recipes below were all that I could locate.

Phaed

Fern Cakes

Part 1 - Pastry shell of sweet dough
6 cups flour
2 cups crisco
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup or a little more of milk

Mix together all the ingredients and roll out like a pie dough

Cut to be about the size of a cupcake shell and mold the shell into cupcake
pans.

Once you have all the shells placed into the cupcake pans, drop 1/2 teaspoon
of strawberry jelly into the bottom of each shell.
Part 2 - Cake filling
1 white cake mix (follow mixing instructions on cake as to water, oil and
eggs) then add the ingredients below:
2 teaspoons rum flavoring
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Now spoon the cake filling into the shell with the jelly.  Fill like you
would a cupcake to about 3/4 full.
Heat oven to 350°
Bake each tray for about 30 min.  Tops of each cake should be a dark golden
brown.  Allow to cool till the cake feels cool to the touch on top and slip
a knife in beside each to help lift it out of the cupcake pan and finish
cooling completely.
Part 3 - White icing
The white icing consists of powdered sugar, a few tablespoons boiling water,
a tablespoon of crisco, and a couple drops of milk.  If you need to make it
creamier, add more water to it.  If it is too runny, add more powdered
sugar.
 Ice each of the cakes with the white icing and allow it to harden.

Part 4 - Fern design
With the remaining white icing, add some cocoa powder to give it a rich
chocolate color and taste.  Use a cake decorator to make a vertical line
down the center of the white icing.  Now place to V's over the chocolate line to
make what looks like a tree (fern) which is where this got it's name from.

These look the same as Queen cakes but with a different topping.  The fern
design makes it easier to tell them apart.
------------------------------------
Scottish Fern Cookies

Scottish recipe, similar to the more popular Scottish favourite shortbread.

2   cups flour
1   cup butter (softened)
1   cup sugar
1. In large bowl, mix flour and sugar.
2. Add softened butter, and mix to make a crumbly dough.
3. Form small balls with the dough.
4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and then smoosh the balls down to make a
flat cookie shape.
5. Cook in 400 degree oven until very lightly browned on top.
6. im not 100% sure how long the browning process will take, so watch them
as they cook.
7. it should take about 20 minutes.
8. They can be eaten warm, or they can be cooled, whatever you prefer.
9. Enjoy!
--------------------------------
Custard Slices
(Cremesnitter)
You can buy the puff pastry ready made or use our puff pastry recipe. We
sell Danish custard in our shop.

Ingredients:

200 g puff pastry

custard:
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp corn flour
1/2 stick vanilla
200 ml milk or cream

filling:
75 g raspberry jam
100 ml whipping cream

icing
2 tbsp icing sugar
warm water or orange juice

Method:

Roll out the pastry into 3 long pieces of 8 by 21 cm. And prick with a fork.
Bake at 225°C (440°F) for about 15 minutes.

Custard: Whip the egg yolks in a pan together with sugar, corn flour and the
vanilla sticks. Add the cream and bring to the boil while stirring. Leave to
cool. Whip the whipping cream.

Spread raspberry, custard and whipped cream on two of the bases. Make the
icing of the icing sugar and very hot water or orange juice, and spread on
the third base.

Place the 3 bases on top of each other, the one with the icing on top, and
slice with a sharp knife into 8 x 3 cm cakes.
---------------------------------------
Custard slices

Ingredients
200 g ready made frozen or homemade puff pastry thawed
Custard Filling:
450 ml milk
60 ml sugar
45 ml cornflour
2 egg yolk
5 ml vanilla essence
Glacé Icing:
60 g icing sugar
7 ml lemon juice

Method:
Preheat oven to 220 ºC. Roll out pastry to a 24 x 20 cm rectangle on a
floured surface. Cut pastry into 6 rectangles with a sharp knife. Place on a
large, ungreased baking sheet. Bcake for 15 minutes, or until pastry is
puffed up and golden. Cool on a wire rack. FILLING Place all ingredients
except vanilla essence in a saucepan over medium to low heat and cook until
mixture coats the back of a spoon - about 20 minutes. (Do not boil or it
will curdle). Stir in vanilla essence. Cool, then chill for 30 minutes.
ICING Sift icing sugar into a bowl and gradually add lemon juice, beating
well. TO ASSEMBLE Carefully split each puff pastry rectangle in half
horizontally. Spread custard filling on bottom half of each rectangle. Place
pastry top over filling and drizzle glacé icing over. Makes 6.
 ---------------------------------------------
Custard Slices

400g ready-rolled puff pastry
thick cold prepared custard
glacé icing
toasted flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 200°C
Cut pastry into oblong slices
Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for +/- 20 minutes or until golden
and well-puffed

Homemade Custard

500ml (2 cups) milk
83ml (one-third cup) sugar
3 large eggs
5ml vanilla essence

Place 11/2 cups of the milk in a saucepan and heat
Combine sugar and flour in a mixing bowl
Make a well in the centre
Break in the eggs
Add the rest of the cold milk (1/2 cup) and beat until creamy
Gradually add the hot milk while whisking
Return to gentle heat and cook until thick
Remove, stir in vanilla essence
Cool completely
Split the baked pastry and spread the custard and sandwich together
Dribble glacé icing and sprinkle almonds

Tips When Making Custard:

If cooked too quickly, the egg will curdle
Stirring continuously is important for a smooth custard
Use cold milk

Keep Her 88s Straight

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kristin
To: Phaedrus
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 1:16 AM
Subject: old song title / singer

Hi Phaed,

I used to listen to an 'oldies' station (hits of the 50's - 70's) that
played a song sung by a woman. The chorus went

I like to get high,
but my oh my
I gotta keep my 88's straight

It looks like I'll just have to wait!!

It was kind of a jazzy number with heavy piano playing, and male vocalists
who were backing up the lead female soloist.

Can you find who sang this song, or the title?  I tried the radio station,
but it has gone out of business!

Thanks,
Kristin

Hello Kristin,

I believe that the song you heard is "Tryin' to Keep Her 88's Straight" It's been recorded a couple of times, both times by Canadian bands. The first time was by Downchild Blues Band; the second was by Mother of Pearl. If the version you heard had a female singer, then it must have been Mother of Pearl, since Downchild Blues Band is apparently all male.

Phaed

""


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