Anna Sultana’s German-Style Apple Pancakes, Potato Pancakes, Cucumber Salad, Potato Salad, Pork Schnitzel with Red Cabbage and Rhubarb Platz

 

It looks like we're having another hot weekend.
Some Dads love playing cook for the day in the great outdoors.
Other Dads prefer staying indoors and sitting down to a complete meal - especially if the weather is begging for the air conditioner to be cranked up to top speed.

No judgement. 

It’s Dad’s day and these recipes are good and easy.
Why not start with a brunch of German-Style Apple Pancakes and ham, followed by a traditional dinner, complete with a dessert?

Don’t want to make a Platz? Take a look at the June 11 post for recipes for German-Style Chocolate Cake, Kuchen and Gingerbread.
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2023/06/anna-sultanas-german-style-chocolate.html

Happy Father’s Day!!


Hints:

About the German-Style Apple Pancakes…
Dousing these apple pancakes in rum and setting them on fire is optional and easy to do.
After you've made the pancakes, take the skillet you used to cook the apples and place in it
1/4 Cup dark rum or cognac
1 Tablespoon butter
Warm over medium heat.
Place the pancakes in the skillet, spoon the rum mixture over them, and remove the pan from the heat. Working carefully, use a long match to set the pancakes on fire. Gently shake the skillet until the flame goes out, then transfer the pancakes to a platter and serve warm.

About the Potato Pancakes…
Kartoffelpuffer can be served with other meats, such as bratwurst sausages.

You can leave out the onion and add chopped apple instead. Serve with apple sauce or another fruit compote, and/or dust with powdered sugar. You can also serve with cranberry sauce and maple syrup.

About the Cucumber Salad…
This recipe for Gurkensalat calls for either sour cream (more traditional) or yogurt (adds extra protein) or a mixture of the two.
If you don’t like raw onions, just leave them out.

This salad is best when chilled for a few hours. It can be made up to one day in advance.

You could make a meal of this by adding cooked shrimp or crab.

About the Pork Schnitzel…
Schnitzel means meat in a crust. Wiener Schnitzel is a popular Viennese dish traditionally made with veal, garnished with a slice of lemon and served with either potato salad or boiled potatoes with parsley and butter.
Schnitzel can also made using pounded slices of chicken, mutton, beef or turkey.

Consider serving with cranberry sauce. In Germany they serve schnitzel with small berries. Cranberry is similar.

About the Rhubarb Platz…
Don’t have light cream? Condensed milk will work in this recipe.

Just like Kuchen, Platz can be made with whatever fruit is available. Instead of rhubarb you can use peaches, apples, plums, apricots, cherries, berries, pears, whatever you have.
If you don’t have fresh fruit use canned or frozen. All you need is 4 cups of fruit.


                                                               German-Style Apple Pancakes

Peel, core, and thinly slice
2 Granny Smith (about a pound) or other tart cooking apples
Place slices in a bowl and add
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Toss to coat.

Place in a medium skillet
2 Tablespoons butter
Melt over medium-high heat and stir in
1/4 Cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Add the apple slices and cook 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Place in a large bowl
3 large eggs
Beat well then add
3/4 Cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
Stir until smooth.
Add
1 Cup whole milk
Beat until you have a thin, smooth batter.

Place in a nonstick 8-inch skillet 
1 teaspoon butter
Warm over medium heat.
After the butter has melted pour in 1/3 cup batter, tilting the skillet to coat the surface.
Cook until the thin pancake has just set, about 2 minutes.
Evenly spread one-third of the cooked apple slices over the pancake.
Pour another 1/3 cup batter on top, tilting the skillet to coat the apple slices with batter.
Cook 2 minutes, until the batter has set, then use two spatulas to flip the pancake.
Cook 2 minutes more, then place pancake on a large platter.
Sprinkle with sugar, then roll the pancake up, like a jelly roll.
Sprinkle with more sugar and drizzle with lemon juice (optional).

Repeat with the remaining batter and apples to make a total of 3 rolled pancakes.


                                                               Potato Pancakes

Peel and coarsely grate
2 1/4 Cups potatoes
Wring out in a clean dish towel to remove excess moisture.

Place in a large bowl
the prepared potatoes
1/2 Cup sliced green onions
1/3 Cup flour
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Combine all ingredients.

Heat in a large skillet
2 Tablespoons oil
Scoop batter, 1/4 cup at a time, and place in the oil. Spread to flatten.
Fry on one side, then flip to fry on second side.
Remove to platter and keep warm.


                                                               Cucumber Salad

Thinly slice
1 peeled cucumber
1 medium to large tomato

Chop finely
2 thin slices onion

Combine in a medium serving bowl
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dill
Pinch of salt
Add
1/2 Cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 to 4 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
Mix well.
Add prepared vegetables and stir until they are coated with the dressing.


                                                               Potato Salad

Chop
1 medium red or yellow onion

Slice
2 pounds potatoes
Boil in salted water until tender.
Drain, place in large serving bowl and sprinkle with
1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar
Set aside.

Cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 slices bacon
Place in a large skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until crisp.
Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside.
Discard all but 2 Tablespoons drippings from skillet.
Add the chopped onion
Cook until soft.
Add to warm potato slices and toss.
Add
cooked bacon pieces
1/2 Cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Serve warm or at room temperature.


                                                               Pork Schnitzel

Place in a shallow dish

1 large egg

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste
Beat to combine.

Place in another shallow dish

1/2 Cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Pound with a meat tenderizer to make thin
4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

Dredge pounded chops in

1/4 Cup flour

Dip chops, one at a time, into the egg mixture to coat, then in the bread crumbs turning to evenly coat both sides of each chop.

Place in large heavy frying pan
2 Tablespoons oil
Heat over medium heat.
Fry prepared chops until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over the cooked chops.
Schnitzel can also be served with cabbage and mashed or roasted potatoes.


                                                               Traditional Red Cabbage

Shred
red cabbage, enough to make 5 Cups

Thinly slice
green apples, enough to make 1 Cup

Place in a large pot

2 tablespoons butter
the shredded red cabbage and sliced apples
1/4 Cup white sugar

Stir in

1/3 Cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons water

Season with

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cloves

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

                                                               Quick Red Cabbage

Shred
red cabbage, enough to make 4 Cups

Thinly slice
1 large shallot

Cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 slices bacon
Place bacon in a large skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until crisp.
With slotted spoon remove bacon from skillet and drain on paper towels.
Discard all but 2 Tablespoons drippings from skillet.
Add cabbage and shallots to reserved drippings.
Cook and stir 4 minutes.
Add

1/2 Cup chicken broth 

1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar 

2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard

the cooked bacon
Stir until blended.
Cook, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 minutes or until cabbage is softened.


                                                               Rhubarb Platz

Grease an 8 inch square baking pan

For the crust:

Place in a small bowl
1 large egg
1/2 Cup light cream
Stir together.

Sift into a large bowl
1 1/2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 Cup sugar
Add and cut in to make large crumbs
1/4 Cup margarine
Stir in the egg / cream mixture
Press the dough across the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of of the prepared pan.

For the filling:

Place in a small bowl
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine
Stir together.

Place in a large bowl
4 Cups chopped rhubarb, or other fruit
1 Cup sugar (or less if fruit is sweet)
1/4 Cup flour
Stir in the egg / butter mixture
Spread fruit mixture over the crust base.

Preheat oven to 400º F

For the crumb topping:

Sift into a medium bowl
1 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 Cup sugar
Add and cut in to make small crumbs
1/4 Cup margarine
Stir in
2 Tablespoons light cream
Sprinkle crumbs over the fruit filling.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Serve warm, topped with whipped cream (optional).

Anna Sultana’s Peach Kuchen, Cabbage Soup and Pretzels / Henderson Has Scored For Canada

Fifty years ago today Team Canada played hockey against the Russians in the 1972 Summit Series.
Heading into the final game in Moscow the series was tied.
Paul Henderson scored in the final seconds to give Canada the victory.
Yes! Canada beat Russia!

Well, now we’re living in the late Covid-19 world, dealing with supply problems and record breaking inflation. We can handle it.
Henderson beat Russia and we can beat high prices.

While we’re strolling down memory lane, soft pretzels were a cheap snack fifty years ago.
In New York, during the 60s, we could buy them for a dime.
When we left in 1972 they were going for a quarter.
Now? Fuhgettaboutit! They cost as much as a cake.
Why pay that price when you can make your own?

One rule for lowering grocery prices is to buy what is in season and, if possible, local.
Kuchen is a German cake that is like a blend of cake and pie.
It’s easy to make and uses whatever you can find, or have in your cabinets or freezer.

Another easy, cheap recipe is Cabbage Soup.
Perfect for using what’s available during Autumn.

Here are a few of the recipes Ma learned from her friends.
Back in the 60s dimes had real value.
Ma figured why buy when I can make at home.


Fight on!!


Hints:

About the Kuchen…
This recipe also works with a pound of fresh plums, apricots or nectarines halved and pitted.
Place the rounded sides up on the cake batter.
You can also use a pound of cored and sliced fresh pears or apples.
If you don’t have fresh fruit you can use frozen cherries or berries.
All you need is 1 1/2 cups of fruit.

About the Soup…
The can sizes are approximations.
A bit more or less won’t affect the soup.
Same for the vegetables.
Frozen vegetables were on sale? Use them.
Use the recipe as a guide and adjust for what you have or is on sale.

Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

About the Pretzels…
Yeast is cheaper in the tin. It’s worth it.

Pretzels are a type of bread, and, like any bread, can be topped with whatever you want.
Don’t like - or have - coarse salt? Make a sweet pretzel.
Combine 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.
After brushing the raw pretzel with hot water sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake and butter, same as the salt pretzels.

Want to make a meal out your pretzel?
After brushing the raw pretzel with hot water spread with tomato paste or pesto.
Bake and butter, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese while still hot.
A slice of mozzarella cheese would be nice, too.





                        Peach Kuchen

Have on hand an 8-inch square baking pan or a 10-inch pie plate

Place in a large bowl
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened
Cream together.

Sift together into a medium bowl
1 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Add to the butter mixture and blend well.
Scoop out 1/3 cup of the mixture and set aside.

Drain
1 16-ounce can sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 375º F

Press remaining mixture into bottom of the pan or plate and about 1 inch up the sides.
Arrange peach slices in a single layer on batter.
Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes.

While the cake is baking place in a small bowl
1 egg
Beat well and stir in
1 Cup light cream
Remove the cake from the over and pour the cream mixture over the fruit.
Bake for another 30 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool before serving so that the custard will set.


                        Cabbage Soup

Chop
5 carrots
3 onions
1 large head cabbage
10 stalks celery
2 green bell peppers

Place in a large pot
the chopped vegetables
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
Stir in
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
8 Cups tomato juice
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
Add enough water to cover the vegetables.
Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Season to taste and serve hot.


                        Pretzels

Pour into a large bowl
1 1/4 Cups warm (105° to 115°F) water
Sprinkle over the water
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.

Stir in
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 Cups flour
Beat with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes.
Set aside for 5 minutes.

Stir in, 1/3 Cup at a time
1 1/3 to 1 2/3 Cups all-purpose flour
Add enough flour to make a firm dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 6 to 7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.

Oil a large bowl.
Place the dough in the bowl and rotate it to coat the entire surface.
Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot until the dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Place oven rack in centre of oven.
Preheat the oven to 425° F

Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets with shortening or oil.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Knead for 2 minutes.
Divide the dough in half and put one half in the bowl and cover it.
Divide the remaining half into 6 equal pieces.
Shape into balls and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
Roll a ball of dough to make a rope 15 inches long.
Shape the rope into a large horseshoe, with the ends pointed away.
Take the first end and attach it near the centre of the bottom of the horseshoe.
Overlap the second end, forming into a pretzel shape.
Place the pretzel on the baking sheet.
Repeat for the other 5 dough balls, leaving space between them on the baking sheet.

Combine in a small bowl
1/4 Cup hot water
1 teaspoon sugar
Stir to blend well.
Lightly brush sugar water on the pretzels.
Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired.
Let rest for 10 minutes.
Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the pretzels are baking melt
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

Briefly knead the remaining dough and divide into 6 balls.
Shape into 6 pretzels and place them on the second baking sheet.

Remove the first batch from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Immediately brush with the melted butter or margarine.

Bake the second batch and brush with butter as you did the first.
Serve warm.

                                                       ~~~
Canadians have been remembering what they were doing fifty years ago.
On September 28, 2012 I posted about what we did that day.
Not as history making as what Paul Henderson did, but major for us!

A few days ago I posted about how plans don't always work.
Well, sometimes not having a plan is the best plan.
I mean, sometimes there are greater forces at work.
We just sort of go along for the ride.
And it works out even better.

We had crossed the border into Canada the last day of June.
By July 18 we were in White Rock.
Our trailer was set up in a nice shady spot.
To make room in the trailer, we threw anything we could into the car's trunk.
Blankets, clothing, a coffee pot, etc.
Our car's trunk and the back seat were our storage units on wheels.

We didn't know what Canada would be like.
So we lived as tourists for a while.
Saw all the sights.
We became very used to the nice four lane highway from Vancouver to White Rock.

Our fellow campers at Hiawatha Trailer Park were friendly.
They were retired folks, snowbirds, and expert campers.
They lived by Marjorie Main's code in The Long, Long Trailer:
I'd like to know what a trailerite is good for if not to help another trailerite.

We joined the local Catholic church.
Father Leo was from the states.
We talked about life there, what we had studied.
Just the usual small talk.
Father Leo knew a local newspaper publisher who needed a fellow with Paul's skills.
By the end of August Paul had a job.

We decided to get our papers in order.
We chose a Thursday to go to the customs station.
Thursday was the day Paul had a later shift at the paper.
The paper was put to bed on a Wednesday, which always was a late night.

Mr. Hastings, Paul's new boss, had written a letter in which he said that Paul was one of the few people in Canada who could operate this certain kind of typesetting machine.
As no one had had the job before Paul, that sounded about right.

At that time Canadian immigration was on the point system.
Like passing a Math test.
At immigration, Mr. McGrath told us to cross the border to get our extra 10 points.
We drove to the border, and there wasn't a line-up.
The young U.S. customs agent took a quick glance at our trunk, and said, Oh, you must've been camping, right?
We said yes.
   
We had a coffee in Blaine, Washington, then drove back for our interview.
Mr. McGrath had a small TV in his office, which he turned off.
After a couple of questions, we were done.
We were allowed to stay in Canada!
 
We were sent out to the customs agent.
He was watching a small black and white TV.
He turned and asked what we'd brought across the border.
He was annoyed that we hadn't brought our trailer with us.
But he seemed distracted.
Handing us a piece of paper, he said, Make a list of what you've brought.
He then went back to watching the TV.
We wrote a list of all of our possessions.
It was a short list.

After we handed the list to the agent we drove back to White Rock.
We went to a coffee shop to get our bearings.
Everyone there was also watching TV.

By now we'd figured that folks were watching a hockey game.
There was much cheering.
But we were oblivious to the event.
When Paul went to work he found out what had everyone so excited.

On September 28 Team Canada hockey team had played against the Russians.
It was the 1972 Summit Series.
It was a historic game.
Paul Henderson had scored the 6-5 goal at 19:26 of the final period.
Some compared the excitement to the celebrations at the end of World War II.

Here's a shot... Henderson makes a wild stab for it, and falls...
here's another shot... right in front...
They score!  Henderson Has Scored For Canada!

Almost any Canadian who is old enough can tell you exactly what he or she
was doing on September 28, 1972.
Well, I know we can.

Paul had been told he couldn't work for pay without a work permit.
After a month the permit arrived and Paul received all his back pay.


Like I said, sometimes not having a plan is the best plan.
Paul later worked at Carolina Publications.
There he worked with Mr. McGrath's nephew Rick.
Rick worked as a reporter at The Richmond Review.
The Richmond Review was Carolina Publications main account.

On the 1972 Team Canada hockey team was Fran Huck.
Six years later Paul was working with Fran's ex-wife Barbara at The Winnipeg Free Press.

Coincidences or what?

Sometimes there are greater forces at work.
We just sort of go along for the ride.
And it works out even better than we could have planned.

Anna Sultana's Minestrone with Garlic Croutons and Garden Soup / Christmases Past by Margaret Ullrich

Minestrone

In only a couple of days it will be 2022.
Another year is coming to a close, with its good and bad.
True, Covid-19 and its newest variant - with the potential for more variants - haven’t gone away.
But we have vaccines, we’re doing all we can to prevent the spread, and it will eventually run its course, just like other pandemics have.
So, on to 2022! We can do it!!

Along with our health, Covid-19 has been affecting the supply chains of just about everything.
When we couldn’t find old favourites, or even staples, on the shelves in our grocer’s, we’ve had to make some changes in our usual menu plans.
There’s been talk of food prices going up even more in 2022.

Sounds like it’s time to pull out the soup recipes.
Soup give us a chance to use up every bit of our vegetables, along with getting us extra value from the occasional roast's bone.
It’s like getting two meals for the price of one, or two half-price meals.
Either way you prefer to look at soup, it’s a budget’s best friend.


Italians and Maltese have been making minestrone for centuries.
As a result there are many variations, such as:

Rice and Pea Minestrone
Substitute chicken broth for beef broth.

Add 20 ounces frozen peas
.
Substitute 1/2 Cup white rice for the macaroni.

Minestrone con Carne
When you’re cooking the onion add
1/2 pound ground beef
Cook until the meat is browned.

Another good soup is Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup - Minestra.

If you’d like to serve a soup as a first course with a non-Italian meal then the Garden Soup recipe would be perfect.

Wishing you health, peace, joy and everything good in 2022!


Hints:

About the Minestrone…
If you have a bit more time and a bag of dried chick peas you can use them.
Place in a bowl
1 Cup dried chick peas
enough cold water to cover by 2 inches
Let stand for 4 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.

Drain the chick peas and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 1/2 inch.
Over low heat, bring to a simmer.
Cover the pot and simmer about 1 hour.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.
When the chick peas are soft, drain and use as canned.


About the Garden Soup…
Don’t have a ham bone? You can use beef, lamb or poultry bones.
In a rush? Store-bought broth would do nicely.

If you prefer, you can leave out the salt pork or bacon and use 3 Tablespoons oil.
Instead of fresh spinach you can use thawed frozen spinach.
If you have fresh, use a few leaves each of mint, marjoram, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
Instead of the green or wax beans you can substitute fresh shell beans or 1/2 Cup dried navy beans prepared as you would the chick peas.



                                                               Minestrone and Garlic Croutons

Serves 8 to 12

Chop

1 medium yellow onion

Slice
1 Cup celery
1 Cup carrots
1 Cup zucchini

Finely shred
2 Cups cabbage

Drain and rinse
1 (1 pound 4 ounce) can chick peas


Place in a Dutch oven

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 Cup dried parsley
the chopped onion
Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until the onion is soft but not brown.

Add
4 Cups beef broth
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
the sliced celery and carrots
the shredded cabbage
the prepared chick peas
1 teaspoon dried basil, sage or oregano
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add
1 Cup elbow macaroni
the sliced zucchini
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.
Season with salt and pepper
Ladle into soup bowls.
Top with
the garlic croutons
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Some crusty bread and a salad would round out the meal nicely.

Garlic Croutons

Cut into cubes
8 to 12 thick slices Italian bread
Place on a cookie sheet
Toast in a 300ºF oven until the cubes are dry but not browned.
Place in a skillet
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
the toasted cubes
Heat and stir until they are golden brown.


                                                               Garden Soup

4 to 6 servings

Chop
2 onions
3 stalks celery
1/2 pound fresh spinach or other greens

Peel and dice
2 carrots

Put in a large stockpot
1 ham bone
Cover with water, and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.

While the bone is simmering, place in a frying pan
1/4 Cup chopped salt pork or bacon
Cook over low heat until the fat is released.
Add
1 clove garlic, minced
several sprigs parsley
the chopped onions and celery
the diced carrots
Sauté lightly, without browning.

Remove the ham bone from the pot and skim any fat from the broth.
Cut off any bits of meat from the ham bone and return them to the pot.
Add the onion and carrot mixture to the broth and simmer for 1 hour.
Add
1 Cup green or wax beans, frozen or fresh
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon mint
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
4 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
the prepared spinach or other greens
1 Cup pureed winter squash or pumpkin
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Season with
salt and pepper
Taste and adjust seasoning
Serve hot, with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

                                                            ~~~

This was a holiday piece I wrote a few years ago for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ when we decided to chat about past Christmases… both good and bad.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season full of peace, health, joy and love.
And, of course, favourite foods.
Let's not forget television specials and Christmas music.

For those who don't know the story, the Christmas carol Silent Night was written in the nineteenth century because of a problem.      
In a small Austrian church the organ was broken and couldn't be repaired in time for the Christmas Eve Mass. So, in a couple of hours, Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber created a simple song that could be played on the guitar.
It was called the song from heaven.
      
On Christmas Eve in 1914, the German soldiers singing Silent Night brought a touch of humanity to World War l. The British soldiers responded with another carol, The First Noel. For a few hours, peace returned, thanks to music.


The first year I was on the CKUW radio show 2000 & Counting, Older and Wiser I prerecorded our two holiday shows. That year the holidays occurred on Tuesday, the day we usually broadcasted, and we wanted to be home.
I taped each person telling a story and their favourite Christmas carol recording.
The segments filled the two hours easily.

Normally we did our shows live and, as our listeners knew, we did make mistakes. 
With prerecording, we were able to edit them. We sounded pretty good.

      
Maybe that's the problem with modern life.
We hear recordings and see shows that have had dozens of retakes.
Sometimes they show the bloopers.
It's pretty funny to see that even big stars make mistakes.
But, most of the time, all we only see a smoothly running show where everyone always says the right thing, the dinner is cooked to perfection and all problems are resolved with everybody hugging each other within a half an hour.

It can leave one feeling like he's been cheated or that he should try harder.


The first Christmas was a stinker.  Being in a big city with no available rooms is not fun. Add to that Mary was about to have her first baby in a barn with just a carpenter there to help.
I don't think any Christmas has ever gone according to plan.
And maybe Christmas just isn't supposed to be perfect.


A first Christmas away from all that's familiar can be rough.
Our first married Christmas was a big change.
Paul and I are originally from New York City.  Tons of people.
I came from a huge family - a first generation immigrant family.
My parents and their siblings couldn't get enough of each other.     
But, there we were in 1972, all alone in Surrey, British Columbia.
The two of us in a basement apartment watching Perry Como's Christmas Special.
It was something from home for us.
This was in the days before Skype. We hadn't seen our relatives for six months.    
When we watched Perry Como, it was good to know our folks were watching it, too.
For an hour, we were all together.
Then we went to bed for a long winter's nap.
     
The next morning we awoke hearing our puppy happily yelping and splashing in water.
No, he wasn't in a basin or a tub.
     
Surrey in those days was very rural. 
There were open drainage ditches running along the lengths of the residential blocks. The ditch in front of our house had gotten plugged. The rain had soaked our lawn and was seeping through three walls of our apartment. We were rapidly being flooded.

We piled things onto our bed.
The folks upstairs helped us carry everything else into their apartment.
Within a half hour water covered about two feet of our first Christmas tree.
We were safe and dry upstairs, sharing a cup of coffee.
Then we heard our phone ringing.
My folks had said they would call on Christmas Day.
If we didn't answer they phone, they would worry.
This was in the days before cell phones.
Our only phone was on the table in our apartment.
Our flooded apartment.

We braved the icy water and the risk of electrocution to answer the phone.
We wished my folks a Merry Christmas.
Keeping our teeth from chattering, we made small talk.
No mention of of our apartment suddenly becoming a wading pool.
What would've been the point of worrying them?


Living in British Columbia is just a memory.   
Perry Como's Christmas Specials are just a memory.
My parents, also, are just a memory.
But thanks to memories, we can enjoy a Christmas from the past.


During the holidays people often feel a bit down.
If this is your first Christmas after a major loss or change, be gentle with yourself.
Forget 'the rules'. Do what will make it easier for you.

It won't be perfect.
So what?
It will be real… another Christmas memory.

Folklorama: Bigos and Nalesniki

Bigos

In 1980 Poland was represented by two pavilions, just like Hungary and a few other countries were.

During the current Folklorama a few countries have more than one pavilion, but they share the audience - one is set up in Week 1, the other in Week 2.

Back in 1980, all of Folklorama took place in the same week, so the pavilions from the same country were in competition for the same audience.

Ah… well… so it goes….

The Warsaw Pavilion at 1364 Main Street was sponsored by the Polish Combatants’ Association of Incorporated Branch 13.

No, it wasn’t a fight club, just a veterans' association.

Yes, this was the Polish Pavilion that almost got us arrested.

Their piece started with a Zapraszamy / Welcome and went on to say

You’ll meet people with an inexhaustible capacity for fun and enjoyment of the good things in life.

Visitors were invited to join in the dancing or just relax and be entertained by the national fold dance ensemble ‘Iskry’.

There were displays of artifacts, handicrafts in wood, pottery, hand-woven articles, costumes and photographs depicting the folklore and character of Poland. 

After browsing the displays one could sit down to a meal of beet soup, Hunters’ Stew (Bigos) and sausages, washed down with Zubrowka or the Polish beer, Zywieckie.

And that's just what we did!

The Krakow Pavilion, at 717 Manitoba Avenue wished everyone Witamy, which also means welcome, and was sponsored by the Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol No. 1.

There was crystal and amber from Poland and dolls dressed in costumes from different regions of Poland, in addition to artifacts, wood handicrafts, Polish-Canadian pioneer artifacts, pottery, and hand-woven articles.

The Polish Sokol Choir and Dancers performed while the visitors feasted on Galereta, Bigos, Pierogi, Golabki, Nalesniki, and a variety of salads, followed by homemade Polish pastries, pierniki, crusty tortes and cheesecakes.

There was an assortment of alcoholic drinks which had been imported from Poland: Wyborowa, Zobrowska, Wisniowka, Jarzebiak, Krupnik, and Cassis, in addition to Polish beer, Zywiec, as well as domestic beer and liquor, fruit punch and coffee.

In the current Folklorama50 brochure there’s only the Polish Pavilion and it’s being held in the second week in the RBC Convention Centre.

They wish everyone Witamy, entertainment includes the dance ensemble ‘Iskry’, and Bigos is on the menu.

I don’t know if they’ve combined forces or if one pavilion drew in a larger audience than the other one did.

Ah… well… so it goes….

Hints:

The Bigos recipe started with:

All meat should be salted and broiled before cooking with sauerkraut or fresh cabbage.

If you use sauerkraut, drain the liquid and reserve one cup of it, then rinse the sauerkraut once with cold water.

Fresh cabbage must be shredded, salted and left for 30 to 60 minutes to crisp.

About the wine, I would imagine they used a dry red.

No, I don’t know how big the bottle was. Suit yourself.

They mentioned storing it in an earthenware bowl.

Maybe they just didn’t want it in anything metallic.

What with the meats in it, I would refrigerate leftovers.

They also said reheating this dish enhances its flavour.

The batter for the Nalesniki should be thin. If it’s thick, add more milk.

The recipe also suggested using a 9-inch teflon coated pan.

                        Bigos 

Place in a large kettle

2 quarts sauerkraut or 2 large heads cabbage, prepared as in hints.

2 Cups water

2 Cups tomato juice

Cook until just tender.

Place in a large pot

4 slices bacon, chopped

Fry until crisp, then remove and set aside.

Drain the fat until you have about 3 Tablespoons of fat in the pot.

Add

1 onion, chopped finely

Fry until it turns golden.

Stir in

1 Tablespoon flour

! Cup of liquid from the sauerkraut

Add this roux to the sauerkraut, along with

4 pounds pork steak, which has been salted and broiled

1 pound Polish sausage, cooked

any left-over fowl or game

1 bay leaf

5 to 8 whole black pepper corns

1/2 bottle wine (optional)

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Taste and correct the seasonings.

                        Nalesniki  

Makes 10 pancakes

Batter for Pancakes

In a small bowl combine

1 Cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Place in a medium bowl

1 egg

Beat well and add

1 Cup milk

the flour mixture

Beat until lump free.

Add

1/4 Cup oil

Fry the pancakes and set aside.

Cheese Filling

Place in a medium bowl

500 mL dry cottage cheese

1 egg

1/4 Cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix well until soft like butter.

Place a spoonful of cheese on the centre of a pancake and spread it out.

Tucking in the sides, roll the pancake and place in a buttered casserole dish.

Repeat with the other pancakes.

Dot with butter, cover and bake at 350º F oven for 1/2 hour.

Folklorama: Hungarian Goulash Soup and Szekely Gulyas

Hungarian Goulash Soup

In 1980 there were two Hungarian pavilions to greet you with a hearty Isten Hozta!                

They were within walking distance of each other, but the sponsors decided to not share a location.

We’ll never know why.

The Hungarian Kapisztran Folk Ensemble of Winnipeg not only set up the Pannonia Pavilion at 371 Burnell Street, but both their senior and junior groups performed folk dances during Folklorama week.

Visitors could hear folk songs and dance to live Hungarian music.

Displays of Hungarian costumes, embroidery and handicrafts were also there.

They also had a listing of the food they would serve, both the Hungarian name and the English translation:

Laci Pecseyne - a fast-fried seasoned pork

Toltott Paprika - stuffed green peppers in tomato sauce

Palacsinta - light crepes with a variety of fillings

Bogracs Gulyas - Hungarian Goulash

They also had kremes, vanilla cream-filled pastries, desserts and tortes ‘too numerous to mention’.

They shared the recipe for Gulyas Leves - Hungarian Goulash Soup.

I know… I would’ve liked one of the dessert recipes, too.

There were soft drinks, liquors, brandy and beer, as well as Hungarian wine.

In the brochure was a quote from an unnamed famous Hungarian:

There are two kinds of Hungarian wine - Good and Better!

The pavilion was in the Catholic church, St. Anthony, which began as a Hungarian church and is still serving the community.

The Budapest Pavilion was set up at 732 Ellice Avenue, and was sponsored by the Hungarian United Church.

It featured embroidery, fine lace knit-work, carvings, costumes and art objects.

A variety of folk songs and dances were presented by the Children’s Folk Dance Group.

The Hungarian dishes included Goulash, Lecso, Langos and Szekely Gulyas. 

There was a variety of soft drinks, including Malnaszorp (raspberry soda), which is a Hungarian speciality, as well as coffee.

No alcoholic beverages were served.

Maybe that’s why there were two Hungarian pavilions.

The location is now the home of the Ethiopian Medhanialem Orthodox Church, and is across the street from the Winnipeg Central Mosque.

Yes, Winnipeg has changed a bit over the years.

In the current Folklorama50 brochure we still have two Hungarian pavilions: the Hungary-Pannonia Pavilion and the Budapest-Hungaria Pavilion.

I’m glad they both have Hungary in their names.

We got confused by the Pannonia name, too.

Hints:

Szekely Gulyas (Transylvanian Goulash) may be cooked in a 350º F oven until tender.

Mix in the sour cream before serving.

                        Hungarian Goulash Soup 

Cut into small pieces

1 pound beef or pork

Dice finely

1 small onion

Place in a Dutch oven

2 Tablespoons lard

Over medium heat fry the diced onion.

Add 

the meat

1 Tablespoon paprika

1/4 Cup water

Simmer for 1 hour.

Dice

1 small onion

2 carrots

1 small kohlrabi (or 1 celery)

2 sprigs parsley

2 pounds potatoes

Add to the pot

the diced vegetables, except the potatoes

2 quarts water

Simmer for 1 hour.

Add the diced potatoes and simmer for 1/2 hour.

                        Szekely Gulyas  

Cut into small pieces the meat from

2 pounds pork shank

Save the bones.

Chop

1 small onion

Slice 

1 cabbage

Place in a Dutch oven

3 Tablespoons shortening

Over medium heat fry the chopped onion.

Add 

1 Tablespoon paprika

the meat and bones

1/4 Cup water

Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

In a large skillet melt

1 Tablespoon shortening

Add

1 pound sauerkraut

the sliced cabbage

1/4 Cup water

Cook until the cabbage is tender.

Add

1 Tablespoon flour

! Tablespoon salt

Add the cabbage mixture to the meat.

Before serving stir in

1 Cup sour cream

Anna Sultana's Cioppino & New Year Pork Roast & Lucky Foods For The New Year

Hard to believe, but 2018 is drawing to a close.

Hope it’s been a good year for you, and that 2019 will be an even better one!

Everyone has traditional Christmas recipes - as well as a few old favourites - so I didn’t post any new recipes. 

I posted Ma’s East Coast Seafood Chowder as a suggestion for other seniors who might like to simplify the seven fish for Christmas Eve tradition.

Over the past month over 12,000 of you dear folks have looked up recipes in this blog.

Thank you for visiting - I’m glad I could be of help.

I hope you, your friends and families enjoyed the festivities at your table.

There are also a few food traditions for New Year’s Eve and Day.

I’ve heard that some customs will even bring you wealth and luck.

Well, anyway, they’re a bit of fun and fine recipes for when folks gather to celebrate the coming year.

Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year is something folks say in the southern United States, where they usually eat black-eyed peas, along with ham, greens, and cornbread on New Year’s Day in the hope that the meal will bring good luck and wealth. 

Greens represent the green bills, while peas and cornbread stands for coins and gold.

Lentils and beans also promise a shower of coins in the coming year. 

Along with American southerners, many other folks eat pork on New Year’s Day.

The thinking goes that pigs root around in a forward motion, so pork symbolizes progress for the coming year.

I know... practically all animals walk in a forward motion, but, for some reason, folks focused on pigs for this good luck custom.

If you’re planning to serve leftover turkey a side dish flavoured with pork, ham or sausage is fine.

A side dish of pork and beans, even if it’s canned, works just as well to get the New Year's luck mojo working.

The Pennsylvania Dutch have a similar pork recipe for success.

They don’t feature collared greens as the southerners do, but serve cabbage or sauerkraut with the pork to guarantee good luck and good fortune in the new year.

In Germany it’s believed that eating sauerkraut on New Year's Eve will bring blessings and wealth. 

Before the meal those seated wish each other as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of sauerkraut.

It’s time to really shred that head of cabbage!

Fish symbolize abundance in the new year. Asians feast on whole fish to celebrate Lunar New year, while Europeans eat cod, herring, and carp. The silvery scales stand for coinage.

A few weeks ago I posted Ma’s recipe for East Coast Seafood Chowder.

It should bring some luck on New Year’s Eve, too.

Fruits and grains also have their place on New Year’s Eve:

People in Spain and Mexico eat 12 grapes at midnight for luck for in the new year. 

In Greece people throw pomegranates to the floor to release a flood of seeds that symbolize life and abundance.

A generous sprinkling of pomegranate seeds on a bowl of pudding should do the job, and is way less messy.

Extra long noodles are thought to bring long life if you eat them without breaking them in the middle, and rice is all about fertility and wealth.

And for dessert… ring shaped cakes and rounded sweet treats bring a full circle of luck to the eater.

Hope you made - or bought - some round cookies for Christmas and have a few left.

Hints:

Here’s an easy way to prepare A New Year Pork Roast

Preheat oven to 350º F 

Combine

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 Tablespoon dried sage

Rub the mixture over 

2 pound boneless pork loin roast

Place the meat in a baking pan or casserole. 

Surround the meat with 

4 Cups sauerkraut 

Cover and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

You want the internal temperature has reached 145º F 

Remove roast to a platter and surround with sauerkraut. 

Serve with cornbread and beans extra luck.

If you prefer shredded cabbage, sprinkle it with vinegar and dill.

About the timing for the pork roast:

Some roasts are on the squarish side, some are more like a long sausage. 

If your roast is on the long side, and you prefer it a bit pink, 40 to 45 minutes 

should be enough. 

Take it out after 40 minutes and check.

Back to the Seafood Chowder…

Next time you’re in your market take a peek at the bagged seafood mixtures.

One I often use has squid, shrimp, cuttlefish, octopus, mussels and clams.

Add some cubed cod - or if you really feel like celebrating, some lobster - and you’ll have the seven items needed for the Christmas Eve traditional dish.

You could also buy a box of bacon-wrapped scallops, heat and serve as an appetizer.

Seven fish - no problem.

About that bagged mix, the shrimp is on the tiny size.

Some larger shrimp tossed into the pot would add to the presentation.

                                   Cioppino

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator

about 1 1/4 pounds seafood: squid, shrimp, cuttlefish, octopus, mussels and clams

3/4 cup mussel meat (optional)

3/4 cup clam meat (optional)

4 ounces cod or lobster

8 large shrimp (optional)

1 pound box of mussels in wine

Finely chop

2 medium onions

Place in a large pot

1/4 cup olive oil

Heat over a medium low flame.

Add

the chopped onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons dried parsley

Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.

Add

28 ounces canned diced tomatoes, undrained    
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Mix well. 

Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in

the thawed seafood and mussels

Bring to a boil. 

Lower heat, cover and simmer 7 minutes or until mussels open. 

Remove the mussels that don’t open.

Ladle soup into bowls.

Sprinkle over each serving

chopped parsley (optional)

Serve with warm, crusty bread to sop up the broth.

Happy New Year!!