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----- Original Message -----
From: "Katherine"
To: phaedrus
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 3:31 PM
Subject: banana bread
> Where did banana bread originate? I have reason to believe that it is from
> Jamaica.
>
Hello Katherine,
I did find one website with a statement that "banana bread originated in the West Indies". The West Indies, of course, would be the Caribbean,
including Jamaica. However that was not a scholarly site, and the writer did not give a source for that statement. I could not find anything
stating that banana bread originated in Jamaica.
I'll give the hypothesis a "maybe, but I'm not convinced." The reason is this:
Bananas are native to Southeast Asia and the East Indies, not the New World. They had been eaten in India and Southeast Asia for hundreds of
years before America was discovered. Bananas were brought from Southeast Asia to Africa sometime before 1000 A.D., and cultivated bananas
were discovered in West Africa by the Portuguese around 1400. The Portuguese took them to the Canary Islands off Africa in 1402, and they
became an important crop there. In 1516, a Spanish Missionary brought bananas to Central America. They spread rapidly from there throughout
Central and South America and the Caribbean. However, it was not until the 1870s that exportation of bananas from Cuba through New Orleans
into the U.S. became commercial.
According to food historian John Mariani, the earliest mention in print of a bread or cake using flour and mashed bananas was in
Fannie Farmer's 1896 cookbook.
So, my speculation is that while it is possible that banana bread originated in Jamaica (or elsewhere in the Caribbean or Central America or South America),
it's just as possible that it originated in Africa or the Canary Islands and was brought to the New World by colonists or by slaves, and it's also possible
that it dates all the way back to India or Southeast Asia. Gosh, it's even possible that it was created by some inventive U.S. housewife between 1870 and 1896.
That said, there are many recipes for banana bread, and the one known as "Jamaican banana bread" may have originated in Jamaica, even if it wasn't the first
banana bread recipe. See below for a couple of Jamaican banana bread recipes.
Phaed
Jamaican Banana Bread
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
2 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons dark rum or 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup flaked, sweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Beat margarine and cream cheese at medium speed with electric mixer; add sugar, beating well.
Add egg; beat well.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir well. Combine banana, milk, rum,
lime rind, lime juice and vanilla extract; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture
alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.
Stir in pecans and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake for 60 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool slightly on wire rack.
Topping
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons margarine
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons dark rum or 1/8 teaspoon rum extract
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
2 tablespoons flaked, sweetened coconut
Combine brown sugar, margarine, lime juice and rum in saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute;
stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.
-------------------------------------------
Jamaican Banana Bread
Make sure you use very ripe (almost black) bananas, it really enhances the taste.
Preheat over to 375°. Coat an 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.
Beat:
2 tbsp. Margarine and 2 tbsp. tub light cream cheese at medium speed of mixer; Add:
1 cup granulated sugar, beating well. Add:
1 large egg; beat well.
Combine:
2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda
and 1/8 tsp salt
Stir well, set aside.
Mash:
1 cup ripe banana (you need 1 cup of mashed mixture)
Combine:
Mashed bananas with: 1/2 cup skim milk, 2 tbsp dark rum (or 1/4 tsp rum
extract)1/2 tsp. grated lime rind, 2 tsp. lime juice and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Stir well.
Add:
Flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and
ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.
Stir in:
1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut
Pour:
Batter into prepared pan.
Bake:
at 375° for 60 minutes on middle rack. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove.
Let cool slightly on wire rack.
Glaze
Combine:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tsp margarine, 2 tsp lime juice and 2 tsp rum
(or 1/8 tsp rum extract) in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute,
stir constantly.
Remove:
From heat and stir in 2 tbsp pecans and 2 tbsp. coconut.
Spoon:
Over loaf, allowing glaze to drizzle down sides. Let stand for 1 hour.
----- Original Message -----
From: geneva
To: phaedrus
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 9:27 AM
Subject: Beer bisquits
Hello I visited your site and was looking for a reciepe for beer bisquits have you ever
heard of them? They are supposed to be really light and fluffy If you have the reciepe
I would sure like to have it. Thanks very much
Geneva
Hi Geneva,
I found several recipes. See below.
Phaed
Beer Biscuits
Ingredients :
3 slices bacon
Cooking oil
2 c. self-rising flour
2 tsp. sugar
2/3 c. beer
Preparation :
In a 12-inch heavy, oven-going skillet, cook bacon until crispy,
drain, reserving drippings. Add enough oil to the bacon drippings
to make 1/4 cup; set aside. Crumble cooked bacon (should have about
1/4 cup). In mixing bowl, combine self-rising flour and sugar. Add
the bacon drippings and oil mixture and the beer; stir just until
combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead
10-12 strokes. Roll or pat dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with
floured 2 1/2 inch cutter. Arrange in the 12-inch oven-going
skillet. Bake in a 450 degree oven about 12 minutes or until golden
brown. Makes 10 biscuits. NOTE: If you don't have a 12-inch
heavy, oven-going skillet, fry the bacon slices in a small skillet
and bake the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.
----------------------------------
Beer Biscuits
Ingredients :
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. beer
3 c. Bisquick
Preparation :
Dissolve sugar with beef. Add Bisquick and drop in muffin tin
sprayed with Pam. Makes about 18. Bake at 425 degrees. Tastes
like yeast rolls. Keeps well for dinner party.
----------------------------------
Mom's Beer Biscuits
Ingredients :
4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
8 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. shortening
12 oz. can beer, room temperature
Preparation :
Sift flour, salt and baking powder; cut in shortening. Add beer
and knead 10 times; roll out 1/2 inch thick. Use 2 inch cutter and
bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
----------------------------------
Beer Biscuits
Ingredients :
2 c. Bisquick
1/2 can beer
2 tbsp. sugar
Preparation :
Mix Bisquick and sugar well. Add beer, stir. Drop by spoonsful
into greased muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Crusty on the outside, moist on the inside with a wonderful yeast
flavor.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa
To: phaedrus
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2003 10:41 AM
Subject: Bean Dumplings
My Grandmother used to make Bean Dumplings. They were so light and fluffy
like you would have in chicken and dumplings. My mom has tried to make them and can't.
This is one recipe that died with my Grandmother. I hope you can help.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Are the below recipes like what you mean?
Phaed
Butter Bean Dumplings
Ingredients :
4 c. speckled butter beans
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. vegetable oil
--Dumplings:--
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Milk
Preparation :
Shell, wash and place beans into boiler and cover with water.
Season and cook until tender. You will need plenty of broth. Make
a stiff dough by adding sweet milk to the flour, baking powder and
salt. Roll out thin and cut in 1 1/2 inch squares and drop in
boiling broth. Simmer about 15 minutes. Do not stir.
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Bean Soup With Dumplings
Ingredients :
1 c. navy beans, soaked overnight
1 qt. water
1 carrot, cut in sm. pieces
1 celery stalk, cut up sm.
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. shortening
4 tbsp. flour
2 eggs
1 c. flour
1 tbsp. water
Salt to taste
Preparation :
Place water, carrot, celery and garlic together in large pot.
Cook on slow heat 1/2 hour. Place shortening in skillet. Add 4
tablespoons flour. Brown. Add to soup. Cook 10 minutes more. Mix
eggs, 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon water together. Drop 1/2
teaspoon of mixture at a time in soup. Cook slowly for 5 minutes
longer. Add salt if desired.
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Dumplings & Lima Bean Soup
Ingredients :
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. Crisco
Water (1/4 c. plus or minus!)
1/2 tsp. baking powder (optional)
Several slices of fatback
Lima beans, amount desired
Preparation :
Mix flour, salt, Crisco, water and baking powder. Roll thin (1/10
inch) with a rolling pin on floured surface. Cut in 3 inch squares
and cook in limas that are boiling for about 8 minutes. Limas:
Boil several slices of fat back for an hour. Add the beans, some
salt and pepper to taste and cook until beans are done. Add the
dumplings and cook for about 8 minutes. Remove fat back.
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Bean Soup And Dumplings
Ingredients :
1 bag white navy beans
1 sm. can tomato sauce
1 can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
4-5 potatoes, diced
1 box Bisquick
Salt & pepper to taste
Ham or bacon to season
Preparation :
Use large soup pot. Fill almost full of water. Add beans,
tomato sauce, tomatoes, onions and seasoning meat. Let cook about 4
hours, then add potatoes. Let cook about 1 hour. Make dumplings
from Bisquick recipe on box. Add dumplings, let cook about 10 to 20
minutes. As soup cooks, add water if needed. Stir occasionally.
Cook on low to medium heat.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lee
To: phaedrus
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 9:36 PM
Subject: recipe search
My Polish Mom used to make a dish with yellow split peas and sauerkraut. I've asked
the remaining aunts I have, and they don't seem to know it. She did not write it down,
and I'm wondering if there is such a thing, or if it was just something she created...
I would love to find out - can you help?
Thanks - I've already been searching the net for an hour with no luck.
Lee @}->--
Hello Lee,
Below are the only recipes that I could find that contained those ingredients.
Phaed
Kapusta
Ingredients :
1 lg. can sauerkraut
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 c. split peas
1 diced potato
1 c. water
Preparation :
Boil peas and potatoes with water until peas fall apart, 15 to 25
minutes. Add more water if needed. Use hand mixer to puree. The
mixture will be paste like. Wash sauerkraut, add to pea and potato
mixture. Add oil and water to make a soup like consistency. Boil
10 to 15 minutes. Serve.
----------------------------------
Split Pea Soup With Sauerkraut
Ingredients :
3 1/2 lbs. pork neck bones
8 c. water
1 c. split peas (cooked)
2 lbs. sauerkraut (rinsed)
2 pieces fatback
1 tbsp. flour
2 onions (diced)
Preparation :
Place neck bones in water, cook for 1/2 hour and skim top. Add
sauerkraut. Saute onions until slightly brown. Dice and fry
fatback. Add the onions and fatback to the sauerkraut. Brown the
flour by adding 1 tablespoon fat. Add to sauerkraut. Finally, put
the cooked split peas into the soup. Salt, pepper to taste. Simmer
for 12 minutes.
----------------------------------
Sauerkraut Soup
Ingredients :
1 lb. spare ribs or country ribs (pork)
1/4 lb. salt pork or ham hock, smoked
2 qt. water or chicken broth
1 pkg. yellow split peas (12 oz.)
1 lg. can sauerkraut
1 to 2 cubed potatoes
1 tbsp. flour
Salt & pepper to taste (may not need
it)
1 onion, chopped
Preparation :
Cook meat, peas and onions 1 hour. Remove meat and debone.
Drain sauerkraut; add potatoes and kraut to cooked peas and cook
until tender (20 minutes). Add flour. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Serve
with rye bread.
----------------------------------
Split Pea Soup With Spareribs And Sauerkraut
Ingredients :
1 1/2 lb. spareribs
1 bag split peas
4 med. white potatoes (cut up)
2 lb. bag fresh sauerkraut (rinse
thoroughly)
2 onions (cut up)
6 gallons of water
1 tbsp. of salt (optional)
Preparation :
Combine all ingredients except sauerkraut into a large soup pot.
Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Add sauerkraut and cook for about 10
more minutes.
----------------------------------
"Kapusniak"
Ingredients :
1/2 lb. yellow split peas
1 lb. spareribs or ham bone, plus 3 c. cubed ham
Whole onion (take out before adding sauerkraut)
3 or 4 carrots, shredded
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1/2 can sauerkraut, drained
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
Sour cream (optional)
Preparation :
Cook split peas until soft, using about 2 quarts of water. Add
the ham, cubed ham and onion and cook the mixture with the softened
peas. Remove the onion and then add the carrots, cabbage,
sauerkraut, salt, pepper and caraway seeds. Simmer the mixture
about 1 1/2 hours or so until peas are tender. Add more if needed.
Serve with dab of sour cream, if desired. Serves 8 to 10.
----- Original Message -----
From: Marilyn
To: phaedrus
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2003 8:19 AM
Subject: fried cornbread
Some good friends took us to a little restaurant in KY, and their food was nothing like
we get here in the Arizona desert! It has been a year, and I still pass out when I think
of that meal.
Our Best Restaurant, Smithfield, KY, makes a bread called fried cornbread, and it is to die
for, especially if you have high cholesterol!
I have tried to duplicate it, and of course, it won't work for me. Could you help me a bit.
It is sort of like a pancake. They serve it with deep fried pork chops, which also helps the
waistline!
Thanks so much, if you are able to help, and even if you don't find it, thanks also.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
Sure, I can help - not with "Our Best Restaurant's" recipe, buit with fried cornbread recipes. I grew up on this stuff. My Mom always made these with her regular cornbread recipe,
maybe adding a little more buttermilk to make the batter thinner. She'd just fry them up like pancakes in an iron skillet but with bacon grease instead of butter. There are endless
varieties of cornbeard recipes, but the best ones, IMHO, use a mix of cornmeal and flour, use buttermilk, have no sugar in them and usually no egg. See below for some recipes. The
first one (without the egg) is closest to my Mom's.
Phaed
Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
1 c. self-rising white cornmeal
1/4 cup self-rising flour
1 tbsp.bacon drippings
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c. of buttermilk
1 egg (optional)
Preparation :
Mix ingredients thoroughly. The batter should be the consistency of pancake
batter. If needed, add a little extra buttermilk. Pour into a frying pan which has
1/2 inch of bacon grease in it and fry until brown, turn and brown other side.
Slather with butter while still hot.
-------------------------------
Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
1 c. meal
1 tbsp. flour
Dash of salt
1 to 1 1/2 c. of water
Preparation :
Mix meal flour salt and water. Pour into a frying pan which has
1/2 inch of grease in it and fry until brown, turn and brown other side.
----------------------------------
Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
1 c. self rising flour
2 c. self rising white corn meal
1 1/2 c. chopped green onions, white
and green lightly packed
2 tsp. sugar
2 1/4 c. cold milk
Preparation :
Mix dry ingredients and onions. Add cold milk to make a medium
batter. Drop 1 tablespoon of batter at a time into hot oil 1/4 inch
deep in skillet. Turn only once (as a pancake). Drain on paper
towel. 1/2 of recipe will serve 4 to 6 persons.
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Skillet Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
2 tbsp. oil
1 c. plain meal
4 tbsp. self-rising flour
2 tsp. salt
1 c. water or milk
Preparation :
In skillet, put oil, on top of stove, on medium high. Mix
together all other ingredients, patty or spoon into hot oil and cook
until brown on both sides. Thinner patties are easier cooked.
----------------------------------
Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
1 c. cornmeal
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 c. plain flour
Dash of salt
1 egg
Little milk
Preparation :
Melt grease in skillet. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into
skillet like pancakes. Fry until brown. Turn once to brown other
side.
----------------------------------
Fried Cornbread
Ingredients :
1 c. meal mix (below)
2/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
Enough water to make a stiff mixture
Meal Mix:
2 c. white cornmeal
2 c. yellow cornmeal
2 c. plain flour
Preparation :
Drop in hot oil and deep fry until golden brown. Mix together.
Keep in plastic bag in refrigerator or freezer.
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