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2002

TODAY's CASES:

Angel Cake Dessert

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dee 
  To: phaed 
  Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 7:40 AM
  Subject: Help!

  Looking for a lost recipe.  It contains a cubed angel food cake, 
  softened vanilla ice cream, orange juice concentrate.  It's all 
  mixed together in a 9X13 pan.

  Thanks....
  Dee 

Hi Dee,

I can't find anything exactly like you describe. I did find the below recipes.

Phaed

  Angel Cake Dessert
   
  1 angel food cake, cut into 3 equal layers

  orange juice

  vanilla ice cream, softened

  Place the first layer of the angel food cake in an 
  angel food cake (tube) pan. Lightly sprinkle the layer 
  with orange juice and spread with ice cream. Place the 
  next layer atop the first. Sprinkle lightly with orange 
  juice and spread thickly with ice cream. Add the last 
  layer of cake. Sprinkle lightly with orange juice and 
  spread with ice cream. Put cake in freezer until ice 
  cream hardens.

  Remove from freezer and gently unmold onto a serving plate. 
  Spread ice cream over the entire cake and return to freezer 
  until ice cream hardens.

  Serves 10 to 16.
  --------------------------
  Orange Sauce     

  Makes 6 servings  

  1 cup white sugar 
  1/2 cup butter 
  1/2 cup light corn syrup 
  1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 
   

   Directions    
   
  1 Combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and orange juice 
  concentrate in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring 
  to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve 
  over softened vanilla ice cream and cubes of angel food cake.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  Angel  Food  Delight

   Ingredients : 
   Angel food cake
   1 sm. pkg. lime Jello
   1 sm. pkg. orange Jello
   1 sm. pkg. strawberry Jello
   1 qt. vanilla ice cream (strawberry ice cream, opt.)
   2 sm. pkgs. frozen strawberries with juice
   1 sm. pkg. blueberries, frozen
   2 sm. cans mandarin oranges, drained

   Preparation : 
      Divide angel food cake into 3.  Break into small pieces, 3
   different bowls.  Mix Jello according to package.  Pour over each
   bowl with individual cake pieces. Work it in to cover all pieces. 
   Spray pan with Pam.  Layer: vanilla ice cream, strawberry cake,
   strawberries (juice and all).  Layer ice cream, lime cake,
   blueberries with juice, layer ice cream, orange cake, 2 cans
   mandarin oranges (drained).  Top with vanilla ice cream.  
   Cover, put in freezer.  Serve, flip on plate. 

Carrot - Almond Soup

----- Original Message -----
From: Anna
To: phaedrus
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 11:15 PM
Subject: carrot-almond soup

> Dear Uncle Phaedrus
>
> I have been looking for the recipe of a beautiful soup, Middle Eastern
> in orgin, whose principle ingridents are carrots and almonds.
>
> Can you help me?
>
> Cheers
>
> Anna

Hi Anna,

I found several carrot soup recipes with almonds. See below. However, none mentioned a Middle Eastern origin, and I could not locate one that said "Middle Eastern". Perhaps Middle Eastern is too broad. If you can be more specific, or give the original name of the soup, perhaps I can do better.

Phaed

Carrot  Soup

 Ingredients :
 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped
 4 c. water
 1 1/2 tsp. salt
 1 med. potato, chopped
 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
 1 c. chopped onion
 1 to 2 sm. cloves garlic
 1/3 c. almonds, chopped
 1 c. soy milk
 1/2 to 1 tsp. each; thyme, marjoram, basil

 Preparation :
    Bring carrots, water, salt and potato to a boil.  Cover and
 simmer 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.  Saute in
 oil, onion, garlic and almonds.  Puree everything in a blender until
 smooth.  Return puree to a kettle or double boiler and whisk in soy
 milk.  Season with thyme, marjoram and basil. Heat very slowly.
----------------------------------------
Carrot Soup

2 lbs carrots, peeled or scrubbed and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth or water (I use water)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium potato, peeled or scrubbed and chopped

Bring the above ingredients to a boil. Cover and simmer
12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Let cool to room temperature.

1 cup chopped onion
1-2 small cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup chopped cashews or almonds

Saute the above ingredients in 1 Tablespoon butter

Puree the carrots and onion mixture together in a blender
until smooth. Return to the soup pot and whisk in 1 cup yogurt.
Saute 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger in small amount of butter
and add to the soup. Add a dash of sherry and serve.

Takes approximately 45 mintues to prepare and serves 4 - 5.
---------------------------------
Chilled carrot soup with mace

Make this soup when garden-fresh carrots are available. The sweetness 
of the soup is heightened by mace, which draws out and concentrates 
the sugar in the carrots. The soup can be served hot or chilled.

Serves 6.

1 1/2 pounds carrots, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 small baking potato, peeled and sliced
1 pound Italian plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
6 scallions, green and white parts, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups skim milk or water
2 cups lowfat (2%) milk
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons minced basil or cilantro

1. Combine the carrots, onion, potato, tomatoes, scallions, ground red
pepper, mace, ginger, salt, and skim milk in a large pot and bring to a
boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the
carrots are soft. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender or a food
processor and process in batches until smoothly pureed.

2. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the lowfat milk. Reheat the soup
until very hot or cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4
hours. (The soup keeps well, tightly covered, for up to 3 days in the
refrigerator.)

3. To serve cold, taste and add salt if needed. To serve hot, reheat the
soup, taste, and add salt if needed. Either way, ladle the soup into bowls,
garnish with toasted almonds and basil, and serve.

Chocolate Volcano

 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Julia 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 10:40 AM

  Do you have a recipe that is called "Chocolate Volcano"? 
  It is a warm, soft centered, chocolate cake-like dessert.

  Thanks for looking, J.C.

Hi Julia,

Well, I found too many desserts called "chocolate volcano." There are different recipes at each of these sites, with pictures:

Chocolate Volcano 3

Chocolate Volcano 3

Chocolate Volcano 3

Plus, I found the recipe below.

Phaed

  Chocolate Volcano Cakes

  9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (270 g)
  1/2 cup butter (125 mL)
  1/2 cup granulated sugar (125 mL)
  2 teaspoons vanilla (10 mL)
  4 eggs, separated
  1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (1 mL)
  3/4 cup all-purpose flour (175 mL)

  Ganache:
  3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (90 g)
  1/3 cup whipping cream (75 mL)

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).


  Line small baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside.

  Ganache: Place chocolate in bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream 
  over medium heat just until steaming and bubbles form around 
  side of pan. Pour over chocolate, whisking just until melted. 
  Refrigerate, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until think enough 
  to hold shape. Spoon ganache onto prepared pan in 6 mounds, each 
  about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) high. Cover loosely with plastic wrap 
  and freeze for at least 4 hours or until firm. 
  (Make ahead: Freeze for up to 1 week.)

  Generously grease six 3/4-cup (175 mL) soufflé dishes or ramekins. 
  Line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.

  In large heatproof bowl set over hot (not boiling) water, melt 
  chocolate with butter, stirring. Remove bowl and let cool for 30 
  minutes or until at room temperature. Beat in 1/3 cup (175 mL) of 
  the sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs yolks, 1 at a time and scraping 
  down bowl after each addition, until slightly thickened.

  In separate bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites with cream 
  of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining sugar in thin 
  steady stream until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third each of egg white 
  mixture and flour into chocolate mixture just until blended; repeat 
  twice. Divide half among prepared dishes; place frozen ganache mound 
  in centre of each. Cover with remaining batter, smoothing top. 
  (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.)

  Bake on baking sheet in centre of oven for 22 minutes or until top is 
  puffed and edge is set but centre is still soft. Let cool on rack for 
  2 minutes. With fingertips or knife, gently loosen from dishes. Unmould 
  onto dessert plates. Serve immediately. 
  

Semisweet Chocolate Cake

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mak
  To: phaed
  Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 3:49 PM
  Subject: Hershey's cake

  I'm looking for a HERSHEY'S chocolate cake recipe that 
  my mother used to make between 1938-1948.  
  She remembers it had: 

  3-4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 
  3 eggs 
  cake flour 
  baking powder 
  milk 

  I have looked in all the Hershey's cookbooks I can find 
  and on the internet and can't find this recipe.  
  Do you know where I can find it? 
  Sincerely, Mark  

Hi Mark,

Well, let's see. All of the Hershey's Chocolate cake recipes that I can find from years ago call for either Hershey's Cocoa or Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. However, I found the chocolate cake recipe below that sounds almost exactly like your mother's recipe, except that it calls for Baker's chocolate. Baker's has always been noted for their semisweet baking chocolate. Perhaps, even if this is not the exact recipe that your mother recalls, it may be close enough?

Phaed

  Chocolate  Cake

   Ingredients : 
   2 c. sifted cake flour
   2 c. sugar
   1/2 c. Crisco
   1 1/4 c. milk
   3 sq. Baker's chocolate, melted
   1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
   1 tsp. baking powder
   3 eggs
   1 tsp. vanilla

   Preparation : 
     1.  Beat together the flour, sugar, Crisco, 3/4 cup of the milk,
   chocolate squares and baking soda for at least 2 minutes.  2.  Stir
   in baking powder, eggs, remainder of milk, and vanilla.  3.  Beat
   together for 2 more minutes.  4.  Grease and flour an 8 inch pan and
   pour mixture.  5.  Bake at 350 degrees until cake is risen and a
   broom straw inserted into the cake comes out dry.

Sea Salt

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2002 1:41 AM
  Subject: sea salt

  Many recipes call for sea (or Kosher or coarse) salt. I can 
  understand how that would be different if sprinkled on top 
  of a bread, for instance, but why shouldn't we use ordinary 
  table salt otherwise?  Health?  Taste?  Other?

  --David

Hi David,

Well, ordinary table salt can contain up to 23 additives, but none has ever been shown to have any deleterious effects. Some, like potassium iodide, are actually added for health reasons. Dextrose is added to stabilize the iodine and keep it from evaporating. The others are either to prevent the salt from caking or to make it pour better. All are food-grade chemicals. Table salt is fine-grained

Sea salt may be fine or coarse grained. Sea salt is touted by natual foods enthusiasts because it doesn't contain any additives and because it contains trace minerals that we need for health, such as :

  Calcium (0.40%)
  Potassium (0.12%)
  Sulfur (0.11%)
  Magnesium (0.10%)
  Iron (0.06%)
  Phosphorus (0.05%)
  Iodine (0.002%)
  Maganese (0.0015%)
  Copper (0.001%)
  Zinc (0.0006%)
  

But look at how miniscule the amounts are. Don't rely on sea salt to provide your daily intake of trace minerals.

Kosher salt usually doesn't contain any additives, but it may contain one anti-caking agent. Kosher salt is coarse grained. It was developed for preparing kosher meats. Many cooks prefer kosher salt because they like its texture. It forms flakes, which stick to food better. Many cooks and gourmets claim that kosher salt tastes better than any other form of salt.

Here's Unc's bottom line on salt:

I can't taste any difference between kosher, sea, and table salt, and I like the convenience of salt that works in a salt shaker. None of the additives in table salt are harmful, nor do they change the taste of salt in any way that I can discern. As for sea salt, the trace mineral content is so small that it's not worth the trouble of using the stuff, which cakes badly here in the humid south.

If you can taste the difference in kosher salt, or if you find it works better because it clings to the food, then I would recommend using it for cooking. Otherwise, I'd stick with good ol' Morton.

Phaed

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