Anna Sultana’s Apple Kuchen and The False Dawn

This is my 900th post!

I know, time just flies!

Thank you for visiting and for commenting here and on my FB page.

Also a big thank you to those who are following me on Twitter.

Love those retweets and favorites!

It’s been a while since I posted a recipe.

Here we are in September.

Yes, it's back to school time.

Don’t forget to bring an apple to the teacher.

First impressions mean a lot.

Apples are really coming into their own right about now.

Why not buy them while they are on sale and bake a few old favourites?

College Point in the 1950s was mostly made up of German and Irish families.

Ma worked with a lot of German women at Lily Tulip.

Well, you know how it is… the moms exchanged recipes.

Some were clipped from the papers and some were things they had always made.

Ma brought home quite a few recipes.

She also got a few German recipes from Mrs. Kekelia.

Of course the recipes were good as they were.

But, Ma liked to add her own touches.

Which were also good.

Want to get an early start on your Christmas baking?

Here are a few of my old favourites, compliments of Mrs. Kekelia:

Mrs. Kekelia's Stollen, German Christmas Bread

Mrs. Kekelia's Zimtsterne, German Christmas Cookie

Mrs. Kekelia's Pfeffernuesse, German Christmas Cookie

Mrs. Kekelia's Anise Springerle, German Christmas Cookie

Hints:

If you prefer regular sugar in the cake, that’s fine.

I’ve been asked if regular or skim milk should be used.

To be honest, Mrs. Kekelia used butter and whole milk.

Back in the 50s who knew about cholesterol?

About the apples…

Back then we didn’t have as many apple varieties as we have now.

Our moms usually used macs since that was what was most available.

I’ve tried this recipe with Granny Smiths and it was quite good.

Use what you have and see what works best for you.

                        Apple Kuchen

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan

Preheat oven to 375° F

In a medium bowl sift together

3 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a measuring cup place

1 Cup milk

Mix in a small bowl

1/4 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In large mixer bowl place
1/2 Cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 Cups brown sugar

Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Blend in
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk (3 dry, 2 wet).

Mix well after each addition.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Top with

3 Cups apples, peeled and sliced 

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the apples.
Bake 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Serve topped with whipped cream (optional).

About the moon next week…

According to the Farmers Almanac:

On September 10 look to the east before dawn to see the ‘false dawn’.

It’s visible for the next 2 weeks. 

Don’t mistake the Zodiacal Light for morning twilight.  It’s a very faint, whitish, diffuse glow.  Its shape resembles a tilted cone, wedge or slanted pyramid.  
It is sunlight being reflected off of debris left over from the formation of the planets.

Omar Khayyam called it a “false dawn” in his poem ‘The Rubaiyat’.

Also look for the tiny waning crescent Moon team up with Venus in the predawn sky. 

If the sky is dark enough, look for Mars to the left of the pair.

New Moon on September 13.  You can’t see it, of course.