Anna Sultana's Panettone and Gingerbread / Oh, Christmas Tree! by Margaret Ullrich

Panettone

It’s been said that man does not live by bread alone.
Well, sure, a bit of butter - or a dollop of whipped cream for the gingerbread - is always appreciated.

Speaking of bread, it seems every country has a Christmas bread.

There's a legend about Italy’s Christmas bread, Panettone.  
It was created in Milan by a young nobleman named Antonio, who was in love with a baker's daughter.  
He went to work for the baker, whose business was failing. 
Antonio added butter, sugar, candied fruit and eggs to the bread dough.  
People loved the new creation: Pane di Toni or Tony's bread.

Years ago I posted Aunt Betty's recipe for Panettone.
It’s a little bit different from Ma’s recipe.
Why not make both?


Hints:

About the Panettone…
When kneading do not add too much flour.

The dough can be baked in three 1-pound coffee cans, then baked at 400º F for 45 minutes.


About the Gingerbread…
Not all molasses are the same. Those labelled Cooking or Blackstrap are harsh in flavour compared to Fancy molasses.

The batter can also be poured into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan, then baked at 325º F for 50 to 60 minutes.

If you’d like to remove the cake from the pan(s) after baking to serve on a platter, line the pan(s) with parchment paper.

If you don’t have dark brown sugar you can use use more light brown sugar in the Caramel Sauce.

The sauce will solidify when chilled, but will liquify again once reheated in the microwave or a small saucepan.




                                                               Panettone

Grease a deep round pan (a 2 1/2 quart pot would be fine)

Heat  to scalding
1/2 Cup milk
Let it stand until it is lukewarm.

Place in a small mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Beat until creamy.

Pour into a warmed mixing bowl
1/4 Cup warm water
Add
1 Tablespoon yeast
Stir until the yeast is dissolved.
Let sit 10 minutes.
Add the warm milk and the sugar / butter mixture and stir well.

Add
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Cups flour
Beat until smooth.

Blend in
1/4 Cup seedless raisins
1/2 Cup mixed candied fruits
1/4 Cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon extract
Add enough flour to make a soft dough, about 2 cups.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface.
Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

Put in an oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat it with oil.
Cover with a damp towel and let stand in a warm place away from drafts about 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

Punch down the dough and turn out on a board.
Cover with bowl and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape dough in a round loaf and place it in the greased pan.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Cut an "X" in the top.

Preheat oven to 375º F

Combine
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon cold water
Brush egg mixture over the loaf.
Bake 1 hour or until brown.


                                                               Gingerbread

Grease 2 8 inch square pans

Sift together into a medium bowl
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Set aside.

Heat to boiling
1 Cup water
Set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter or margarine or 3 ounces oil
1 Cup brown sugar, packed (either light or dark or a mixture of both)
Cream together, about 2 minutes.

Add
1 Cup Fancy molasses
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, blend until well combined.

Place in a medium bowl
the boiling water
Stir in
1 teaspoon baking soda
Add to the molasses mixture.
Stir well to combine.
Add
the dry flour mixture
Stir until well blended.
Add
2 large eggs, well beaten
Mix well.

Preheat oven to 325º F

Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Serve warm or cold with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

It also goes nicely with

Caramel Sauce

Place in a medium saucepan
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup light brown sugar, packed
3 Tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
2/3 Cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking over medium heat, stir until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
Boil for 4 minutes, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Use immediately or remove to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

                                                            ~~~

For another broadcast of our CKUW radio program ‘2000 & Counting’ we planned to reminisce about when we had gone out into the woods to chop down a Christmas tree.
Yes, this was, and is, a popular Winnipeg Christmas tradition.
And, yes, in Manitoba it can get cold enough to make trees brittle!


God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
I didn't know I'd ever be stupid enough to be outdoors in that kind of cold.
I didn't know I'd been stupid enough to marry someone stupid enough to work with people stupid enough to be out in that kind of cold.

It was December in Winnipeg.

Paul and I had grown up in New York City. There people went to an empty parking lot where the trees had magically appeared, like the pre-wrapped ground beef at the local supermarket. No questions asked. No one wanted to get too personal with an ornament that would be out with the trash in a matter of weeks.

At the New York parking lot we'd browse, find a tree we liked and switch the price tag with the cheaper tree which no one liked. Then we'd carry the tree to the clerk, who gave us the fish eye as he noticed the fullness of such a "good find", sighed and took our money. The whole deal was done in ten minutes. Another Christmas had begun.

Apparently, that isn't good enough for Winnipeggers.
Oh, no, they have to get down and dirty with their holiday bushes.


I'll never forget how happy Paul was when he came home and told me we'd been invited to join his co-workers, a group of Winnipeggers, for a real, old-fashioned Christmas experience. If I'd had a clue I'd have realized that giving birth in a barn, unaided, would've been an easier old-fashioned Christmas experience.
We were going to chop down a real Christmas tree, just like our ancestors.

Well, my parents are from Malta, a sunny Mediterranean island. It just wasn't in my genes to know how to dress for a freezing, miserable, forced march through a blizzard-hit forest. The windchill - which I still didn't understand - was in the exposed skin can freeze in 2 minutes range.

That didn't sound good, so I said, Thanks, but no thanks.

Somehow Paul convinced me that his entire future career prospects, our unborn children's college fund, our grandchildren's lives and our golden years' security and comfort would all go up in smoke if I didn't join in the mighty tree hunt.

His Jewish co-workers were going. Everybody, even that ditzy receptionist who always dressed like a showgirl wannabe with skirts up to there, was going.

So, we were going.

God, it was cold.

I thought I had dressed warmly.
That fink, the ditzy receptionist, showed up looking like the Michelin Man. She was ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary. So were the three other women co-workers. The other wives - who all knew better - had begged off. One was even pregnant. Or so she said.

I was alone with four career women who were full of the 1970s I am woman, hear me roar career fever. While they talked shop I felt as welcome as a lump of coal in a kid’s Christmas stocking.

The Jewish co-workers - who I had hoped would keep the tree hunt frenzy within limits - had turned into lumberjacks. They were also ready to march to the North Pole for the perfect tree, if necessary.

After walking five minutes I couldn't feel my toes. We hadn't even gotten out of the parking lot. I was doomed.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
We marched. Finally, someone approved of a tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. The branches that hit the ground broke off the tree.

I said, The bare side could be placed against a wall.

The heat from their glares should have restored my circulation. It didn't. We marched. Someone approved of another tree. The men chopped. The tree crashed. It broke.


God, it was cold.

We were doomed to spend all day wandering like Flying Dutchmen on a quest to find the perfect unbreakable tree. The lot was littered with other broken felled trees. Some trees had landed across their comrades in a criss-cross pattern that looked like a cradle.
A cradle, something soft, something to receive and hold...

Hold it… something to catch a damn tree!

Dripping snot and tears had frozen my mouth shut. If I'd had the equipment I would've written my idea in the snow. I slapped my face trying to restore circulation to my lower jaw. Finally my lips parted. I clutched Paul's arm.

Cradle... tree... cradle, I mumbled and criss-crossed my arms.

The women thought I was pregnant and wanted a homemade cradle. Thank God, months of marriage, misery and love had united Paul's mind to mine. Months of marriage had also taught us that Paul was no carpenter. He knew the homemade cradle idea was bunk. Paul caught on to my pantomime and told the others of my plan.

Someone approved of another tree. It could land on four broken trees. The men chopped. The tree landed on its fallen comrades. It survived.
We marched. Someone approved of another tree. It, too, survived.

Christmas was saved.

God, it was cold.

I didn't know it could get that cold.
I couldn't believe it.

Some fool was planning the next year's tree chopping expedition.

Anna Sultana’s Blueberry Lemon Upside-Down Cake

This has been a very different summer in Manitoba.
We’ve been surrounded by forest fires, which gave the sky a surreal hazy appearance, turning the setting sun and moon orange.
Day and night, it smelled like we were always gathered around a campfire.
Take my word for it… after a day that 'campfire smell' loses its appeal.
We’ve also had to endure 35 days of temperatures above 30º Celsius, matching the record set in 1988, which was another miserably hot summer.

We needed to get away.

After we got double vaccinated we joined McCarthy’s Party to tour Newfoundland and Labrador, a marvelous place to explore.
One of the places we visited was Auk Island Winery which makes wines from Newfoundland berries and fruits, as well as some specialty wines using Iceberg water.
It’s worth the trip.

They gave us lists of their products and allowed us to sample their blends.
A little hint if you’re with your spouse:
Choose ten drinks your spouse didn’t pick and share each sample.
Now you know. It never hurts to get a two-fer.

Auk Island has explored every way one could add a bit of a kick to their local fruits.
Newfoundland and Labrador will probably become the province with the healthiest, oldest Canadians.
Picture it. Seniors gathered together and enjoying wines blended with:
Partridgeberries (lingonberries) which increases the body’s red blood cells and liver enzymes, key factors in antioxidant protection.
Bakeapples (cloudberries) a juicy berry that fights infections and colds, slows the aging process and boosts the immune system.
Crowberries (Newfoundland Blackberries) which is an excellent source of manganese, copper and vitamin C.
Blueberries which are full of antioxidants, and has been one of the top ten health foods for the past decade.

We enjoyed partridgeberries, bakeapples and crowberries in drinks and desserts.
But now we’re back in Manitoba and only have blueberries.
So it goes…
Blueberries are good, and available year-round in the frozen food section.
Good to know and good to bake in delicious desserts.
About seven years ago I posted the recipe for Anna Sultana's Blueberry Cake.
It’s time I posted another of Ma's blueberry cake recipe.


Hints:

Fresh blueberries work best.
You can add 1 teaspoon lemon extract to the cake batter for extra flavour.

If you’d like to use cranberries use 1 teaspoon almond extract instead of vanilla.
Don’t top with more cranberries.
You can have some on the side if someone likes a really tart dessert.

For that matter, the blueberry cake is delicious without the whipped cream.
Also a little bit healthier.

After you have covered the cake with whipped cream and berries, serve immediately.
If you’re having a slice or two at a time, add the topping to the cake slice just before serving.


                        Blueberry Lemon Upside-Down Cake

Preheat oven to 350° F
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

For the blueberry topping

Place in a small bowl
2 Cups blueberries

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Toss to coat.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread the fruit into an even layer.

For the cake

Place in a medium bowl

1 3/4 Cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk together.

Place in a large mixer bowl
1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup lightly packed brown sugar
Beat together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add, one at a time
2 large eggs
Add
1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat until combined.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until just combined.
Pour in
3/4 Cup milk
Mix until well blended.
Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Pour cake batter over the blueberries and smooth with a spatula.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Gently run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan.
Carefully transfer the cake to a serving platter and allow to cool.

While the cake is cooling

Quarter
3 slices lemon
Set aside.

Place in a medium mixer bowl

1 Cup cold heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake.
Garnish with

1/4 Cup fresh blueberries
The quartered lemon slices

Serve immediately.

Anna Sultana’s Ricotta Pie

Oh, my! It’s almost September!
I hope it’s been a good summer for you.

It seems that we’re going to be a bit more normal this year.
According to the commercials the kids are really looking forward to seeing their classmates in person instead of on a screen.

Hope everything goes well and that everyone stays safe and well.

I took a peak at the ‘Top Recipes’ lists on the right side of this blog.
Carmela Soprano's Ricotta - Pineapple Pie (Cheesecake) is currently the top recipe for both last month and last week.
It was the ricotta pie that Carmela Soprano took to Joan O'Connell in hopes that she would write Meadow a recommendation into Georgetown.
Maybe it did the job.

I posted that recipe in February, 2013, and it sure has proven to be a winner.
But, I never posted Ma’s recipe for Ricotta Pie.
In my opinion Ma’s recipe makes a better pie.
Ma’s pie is lighter than cheesecake, more like a thick custard, and really good.

Ma usually cooked family-sized recipes.
There were times when she was cooking for seven people, so she wanted to get as much as she could for the time she had put into preparing her recipes.

Ma’s recipe for Ricotta Pie will give you two pies.
Don’t worry… it will get eaten long before it goes bad.
Sometimes we ate it for breakfast.
Yes, it’s just that nutritious… and good.


Cheesecake has had a long and interesting history.
The first cheesecake recipe was made around 230 A.D. by Athenaeus, a Greek writer.
Since then, cheesecake in one form or another has become popular around the world.

The New York cheesecake is a simple mix of cream cheese, cream, eggs and sugar, with or without a sour cream topping, while the Japanese cheesecake is a cross between a sponge cake and a souffle, and tastes more eggy than creamy.

A German cheesecake has a flour crust and quark, a dairy product made from sour milk, while the English make their cheesecakes with a crushed cookie crust and topped with a berry compote or lemon curd.

Every country has created its own special cheesecake… including the Maltese.


Hints:

If you’re in a rush you can use a pre-made crust.

Ricotta is a soft bland cheese.
The texture is like a very well blended, smooth cottage cheese.
Ricotta is easier to work with than cream cheese which, if not fully softened to room temperature before blending, will result in a crumbly instead of a smooth cheesecake.

If you’d like you can add about 1/4 Cup mini-chocolate chips or 1 Tablespoon lemon zest per pie - more or less - to the filling before baking.

The pies do firm up in the refrigerator after they have cooled.
If you want a custard with more heft you can add 1/2 Cup rice to the filling before baking.
It is very traditional and will be more like a rice pudding, which is more filling.
Like I said, Ma wanted to get full value for the time she put into her baking.

The pies can also be topped with fresh fruit or canned pie filling, either blueberry or cherry or apple.
Or you can make the pineapple topping Carmela made for her Ricotta - Pineapple Pie.
This recipe is enough to top one pie:

Saving 1/2 Cup of the syrup, drain well
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in syrup

In a medium saucepan combine
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch  
Stir in
1/2 Cup reserved pineapple syrup
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Cook, stirring until thickened, about 1 minute.
Add
the drained pineapple
Remove from heat and let cool.

Spread the pineapple mixture over the pie.
Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.


                                                Pat-in Pie Crust

Place in each of two 9-inch pie pan
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar         
3/4 teaspoon salt
Mix together.

Place in a measuring cup
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons cold milk
Beat together until creamy.
Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture in one pan and blend well.
Spread the mixture in the pan and pat in to line the pan.
Set aside.

Make another mixture of oil and milk and add to the flour mixture in the second pan.
Blend well, spread the mixture in the pan and pat in to line the pan.
Set aside.


                                                Ricotta Pie

Preheat the oven to 325º F

Ricotta Filling

Place in a large bowl
2 pounds ricotta cheese
6 large eggs
Stir together until smooth.
Stir in
1 1/4 Cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pour the ricotta filling evenly into both pie pans.
Cover the edges of crust all the way around with foil.
Place pies in the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Take the pies from the oven and remove the foil.
Bake an additional 45 minutes, until the crust is golden and a sharp knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool completely, then refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
Garnish with whipped cream and lemon zest if desired (or see hints).

Anna Sultana’s East Coast Seafood Chowder

Back in December, 2010, I posted the recipe for Ma’s Fritto Misto di Pesce. Don’t bother with google translate - it’s a recipe for a mixed fix fry.

I posted it because I had written about Italian and Maltese Christmas customs.

One of these customs involves eating seven fishes on Christmas Eve.

Back in Malta and Sicily Christmas Eve, also known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes, was a night of seafood splendour.

Most of these holiday customs began when families were larger than they are today, and it wasn’t unusual to have about thirty people around the table.

So, you - and six of the other women - could each prepare one dish, each guest could scoop out one piece from each dish, and, wall-ah!, tradition was respected.

As the years went by and younger family members got busy with their own nuclear families, our parents’ generation made a few adjustments in their holiday menus.

They wanted to keep up the traditions, but there was a limit to how much they could eat, and could fit in their refrigerators.

The fried fish is a bit heavy on a senior’s stomach, so they turned to making chowders.

The leftover soup made a nice light supper for two on Christmas Day.

Ah, tradition…

Hints:

For a smokier flavour, replace the butter with 3 slices bacon, chopped, and brown before adding the vegetables.

Add 1/2 Cup chopped carrots, red bell pepper or corn kernels with onions for extra flavour, colour and nutrition.

Want it a bit spicier? Add a pinch of fish seasoning spice blend.

Want some heat? Add 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes with the seasonings.

This recipe can also be used as a base for a turkey or chicken chowder. Just replace dill with thyme and stir in 2 Cups diced cooked turkey or chicken instead of the seafood.

Curious about other traditional Christmas recipes? 

Here's a post with links for Christmas / Holiday Favourites.

Happy Holidays!!

                                   East Coast Seafood Chowder

Place in a large pot

1 Tablespoon butter

Melt butter over low heat.

Add

1/2 Cup celery, diced

3/4 Cup onions, diced

Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onions start to brown.

Deglaze the pan with

1/3 Cup white wine 

Scrape until liquid is reduced by half.

Stir in to form a thin paste

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir in 

3/4 Cup heavy cream

2 Cups milk

Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Add

1 teaspoon dried dill or dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper  

3/4 Cup yellow fleshed potatoes, diced

Cook until the potatoes are almost tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, place in another large pot 

2 Tablespoons butter

Melt butter over medium heat.

Add

3 ounces salmon, cut into chunks 

3 ounces halibut, cut into chunks

Cook until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Add

3 ounces lobster

3 ounces scallops

12 shrimp

12 scrubbed mussels

12 scrubbed clams

Once the clams and mussels have opened (discard any that did not open), transfer the seafood into the chowder base.

Simmer 3 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and place dill and a dab of butter on each serving (optional).

Serve with crusty rolls or bread.

Anna Sultana’s Easy Tiramisu / The Summer Solstice & the Strawberry Moon

The one thing I’ve learned as I get older is that I really appreciate doing things in the easiest, quickest way possible.

And that includes recipes.

I’m not saying I want to live on bread and water, but I sure don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, especially during the summer when it’s so hot, both indoors and outdoors.

Yes, it really does get hot in Manitoba.

One of my favourite desserts to serve in the summer is tiramisu. 

It is easy to prepare and means something like “Cheer me up” in Italian.

Yes, it does lose something in translation.

Tiramisu has a nice ring to it and is easy to remember.

Ma had an easy version of the classic recipe.

It gets the ‘adults only’ rating because it has strong coffee in it.

If you choose to serve it to the kiddies, well, you’ve been warned.

This could make them a bit hyperactive.

Oh, well, it's summer. They'll run it off.

Hints:

If you don’t have ladyfingers, vanilla wafers (Nillas) can be used.

Or you can make Ma’s Ladyfingers.

Your choice - regular or low fat sweetened condensed milk. 

Same with the cream cheese.

You can use one thawed container of whipped topping instead of the whipped cream.

For a bit of an extra kick use 2 Tablespoons amaretto or Cognac instead of the rum extract in the cream cheese mixture.

Want a classic Tiramisu? Make Carmela Soprano's Tiramisu.

In a few weeks, when we’re in the hottest part of summer, the gang will be sure to enjoy Anna Sultana’s Frozen Tiramisu, Maltese Style.

                                                Tiramisu

Place a medium mixer bowl and beaters in the refrigerator.

Brew a pot of coffee (espresso or double strength)

You’ll need 1 1/2 Cups of coffee for the recipe, so pour 1 1/2 Cups of coffee into a bowl and allow it to cool.

You can drink the rest hot or cold.

Have on hand 

48 savoiardi or ladyfingers

Finely grate 4 to 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate.

Take the medium mixer bowl and beaters out of the refrigerator.

Place in the bowl

2 Cups heavy cream

Beat the cream until soft peaks form.

Place in a large mixer bowl 

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

Beat until fluffy.

Gradually add

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 teaspoons rum extract

Beat until smooth.

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese / condensed milk mixture.

Set aside.

Lightly dip into the bowl of cooled coffee

24 savoiardi or ladyfingers

Arrange them in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Spoon half of the cream mixture over the ladyfingers and spread evenly.

Sprinkle over the surface

1/2 of the grated bittersweet chocolate

Lightly dip into the bowl of cooled coffee the remaining

24 savoiardi or ladyfingers

Arrange them in a single layer over the cream mixture in the pan.

Spoon the remaining cream mixture over the ladyfingers and spread evenly. 

Sprinkle over the surface

1/2 of the grated bittersweet chocolate

Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Overnight is better.

About the sky, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

June 20 - First Quarter Moon 6:51 a.m. In this phase, one-half of the Moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.

June 21 - Summer Solstice at 6:07 a.m. This is when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the celestial equator, giving us the longest day of the year in terms of daylight. Summer is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere!

June 23 - Once it gets dark, take note of Jupiter in the south-southeast, shining to the lower right of the bright waxing gibbous Moon. Jupiter was at opposition in early May, so in June it fades ever-so-slightly to magnitude -2.4 and gets a trace smaller in telescopes. Although Venus outshines it, Jupiter is the dominant light in its part of the sky and still offers a generously big disk; given good seeing and a large telescope, it can be rich in telescopic detail.

June 27 - Saturn comes to opposition in grand fashion, being accompanied across the sky by the full Moon, which itself also happens to be opposite to the Sun. Saturn will arrive at opposition at 8:17 a.m. The Moon will pass about 1° to its north about 15 hours later at around 11 p.m. late Wednesday night and will then officially turn full at 12:53 a.m. on Thursday.

June 28 - Full Strawberry Moon at 12:53 a.m. The visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Though the Moon is only technically in this phase for a few seconds, it is considered “full” for the entire day of the event, and appears full for three days.

June 29 - Moon is at apogee 10:29 p.m., its farthest point from Earth. An easy way to remember: Apogee = Away. You can also try to spot the planet Mercury beneath Venus low in the western horizon, 1 hour after sunset. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are the five brightest planets, and all have the possibility of being seen after sunset.

June 30 - Look to the southeast in the evening for the waning gibbous Moon and Mars to rise into the southeast sky about mid-to-late evening.

Anna Sultana’s No knead Orange Scones and Clotted Cream

Goodness, time just flies!

Has it really been about seven years since we baked a batch of Ma's Orange Cranberry Scones to enjoy while we watched Prince William and Kate Middleton get married?

Now we’ll be able to see his brother, Prince Harry, and his lovely fiancé stroll down the aisle.

I can’t wait to see what Meghan will wear!

During William and Kate’s wedding one of the TV announcers mentioned how folks in Merry Old England were sitting down to a brekkie of tea and scones, too.

In keeping with the situation, I plan to bake scones to serve with Twinings English Breakfast tea.

Tradition is important, after all.

Scones are very easy to make.

As it is a British recipe, we Maltese make them, too, using an assortment of fruits and juices, as well as milk and cream.

Want to serve a variety? Try one or two or all of these recipes:

Anna Sultana's Orange Cranberry Scones

Anna Sultana’s Lemon Cranberry Scones

Anna Sultana’s Cream Scones

Anna Sultana’s Scones with Clotted Cream

All would be delicious with a cup of tea… or a Cosmopolitan or two. 

To do it up in a right proper, veddy British way, the scones should be served with clotted cream, which is also called Devonshire or Cornish cream.

Clotted cream has a nutty, cooked milk flavour and as much fat as butter.

It is a thick cream made by heating cow's milk and then letting it cool slowly so that the cream rises to the surface and forms "clots”. 

The Clotted Cream will keep for about a week in your fridge and can be added to mashed potatoes, risotto or scrambled eggs.

It is also delicious with berries, fruit, a slice of pie, or as a topping on any dessert you’re serving.

Well, just about any dessert... probably not on an iced cake.

Hints:

About the clotted cream…

You might be able to find clotted cream in the dairy section of your supermarket.

Most likely, you won’t find it in a North American store.

Not too worry. It’s not hard to make.

If you don’t have a double boiler place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water.

After you scrape off the thicker part of the clotted cream, you’ll be left with cream that is thinner than heavy cream.

Don't toss it. It can be added to beverages or dishes, as you would half and half.

In a rush? Have mascarpone? You’re in luck. You can use mascarpone to make fake Clotted Cream:

Place in a large bowl

4 ounces mascarpone

1 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 or 2 Tablespoons sugar

Zest of lemon or lime (optional)

Beat until the mixture looks like softly whipped cream.  

Use right away or cover and refrigerate the cream until serving time.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Not sure if you'll have any use for a tub of mascarpone?

It is a soft unripened cheese that has the texture of sour cream.

Its mild flavour is great with fresh fruit and it is an ingredient in Tiramisu.

You've probably enjoyed it already.

                        

                           No knead Orange Scones

                       

grease a large cookie pan         

preheat oven to 375º        

bake 30 minutes

Makes 15 scones

In a measuring cup beat together

1 Cup orange juice

1 Egg

Add

1 Cup raisins

Set aside

In a large mixer bowl mix together

3 Cups flour

1/2 Cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cut in 

1/2 Cup margarine

Add

orange juice / egg / raisins mixture

Stir just enough to combine well

Drop on prepared sheet

Bake 30 minutes

Serve warm with butter or clotted cream

                           Clotted Cream

Yield: about 1 cup clotted cream

Place in a double boiler

4 Cups heavy cream

Heat over medium heat to bring the cream to 175º F, stirring occasionally so that the cream will heat evenly. 

Once you reach 175º F, bring up the temperature to 200º and allow the cream to cook about 45 minutes to an hour. The cream should get a cracked skin. 

Remove the top of your double boiler or bowl and place the container of cooked cream in a pan of ice water to cool quickly. 

Cover the cream with plastic wrap and place the container in the refrigerator.

Let it sit overnight. 

Carefully skim the clotted cream off with a shallow spoon and layer it into a bowl.

Serve it as you would serve butter.

Anna Sultana’s Fettuccine Alfredo and January’s Two Full Moons

The Twelve Days of Christmas season has just begun. The broadcasting of dozens of mass-produced, made-for-TV Christmas-themed movies has finally ended.

Most of them were interchangeable - a woman has a problem, gets stranded at a quaint motel in a really cute town, saves the hotel and / or the town, and finds the love of her life.

Just a bit of visual prozac to get us through the holiday baking and chores.

Then there were a few movies that I enjoy seeing during December.

One of my favourites is The Holiday, a 2006 American romantic comedy filmed in California and England, starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black.

If you missed it, the two women have romantic problems, swap homes (one is in California, one in England) for two weeks during the holiday season, and find the loves of their lives. 

Yeah, I know, the plot is pretty similar to the interchangeable ones, but, trust me, it’s way better.

And the houses… pure house porn!

Toward the end of the movie three of the stars sit down with a plate of fettuccine to help them cope with life’s problems.

I know I’ve often said cheesecake can solve many of life’s problems.

But sometimes, especially on a cold winter night, it helps if the cheese is served warm and with carbs.

And what could be warmer or carbier than a nice plate of Fettuccine Alfredo?

About five years ago I posted a fettuccine recipe.

Fettuccine is another type of pasta, similar to linguine, a wider cousin of spaghetti.

Yes, the Italians have invented a lot of pasta types.

Different strokes for different folks.

Try something new or not - suit yourself.

Fettuccine was a regular part of the menu in our house when I was a kid.

But Ma just tossed the cooked fettuccine with butter and Parmesan cheese. 

Nothing complicated, nothing to write down.

I mean, who writes down the recipe for buttered bread?

Then the aunts told Ma about Fettuccine Alfredo, the fancy version, with heavy cream and other stuff.

Of course each aunt had her own version, thickening with eggs, flour or sour cream.

After a while, Ma did, too.

Back to that movie, The Holiday.

I don’t know what exactly Cameron Diaz or Kate Winslet and Jack Black were eating.

It could’ve been the basic pasta with butter and cheese, or it could’ve been pasta with a cream-based sauce.

Whichever, they felt better after eating it.

And, whichever version you choose, you’ll feel better, too.

Hints:

If you prefer to use margarine or a parmesan cheese blend, no problem.

These recipes also work with 2% or skim milk.

If you want a stronger Parmesan taste, add 1/4 to 1/2 Cup more.

The sauce will thicken as it cools.

If you find the sauce is too thick, stir in a small amount of milk or pasta cooking water to thin it.

if you want to make this more of a meal add one to two cups of hot cooked shrimp or cooked, sliced chicken.

Oh, that fettuccine recipe I posted five years ago was

Carmela Soprano's Fettuccine Primavera - Fettuccine and Vegetables in a Cream Sauce

It can be made any time of the year. Really.

                        Fettuccine Alfredo 

Serves 6

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

1 pound fettuccine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Drain and return to the pot.

Alfredo Sauce

Place in a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan

3 Tablespoons butter

Melt over medium heat.

Add

2 garlic cloves, minced

Stirring, fry for 1 minute.

Stir in

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons flour

Stir until smooth.

Add, 1/2 Cup at a time, stirring well after each addition

2 Cups milk

Increase heat to medium high. Cook and stir until it is bubbling and thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. 

Stir in 

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 teaspoon dried basil (optional)

Cook for 1 -2 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Stir in 

1⁄2 cup sour cream (low-fat is fine)

Dip a spoon into the sauce to taste. Adjust the seasoning if needed. 

If you want a stronger Parmesan taste add more to and continue to stir.

Cook until heated through.

Pour sauce over fettuccine and toss to coat.

                        Fettuccine Alfredo - light

     

Serves 6

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

1 pound fettuccine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Drain (reserving some of the water), rinse and place in a large deep platter or bowl.

Alfredo Sauce

Place in a heavy bottomed medium sized saucepan

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Melt over medium heat.

Stir in

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 Tablespoons flour

Stir until smooth and the mixture turns a pale brown.

Add, 1/2 Cup at a time, stirring well after each addition

2 Cups milk

Add

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Stir until the cheese melts in and the mixture is smooth.

Dip a spoon into the sauce to taste. Adjust the seasoning if needed. 

If you want a stronger Parmesan taste add more to and continue to stir.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sauce becomes thick. Once thickened remove from the heat. 

Pour the sauce over pasta and mix well.

Serve immediately.

About the sky, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

January 1 - The January Full Wolf Moon will be this year’s largest Supermoon.

January 31 - January’s second full moon, the Blood Moon, is also called a Full Blue Moon. There will also be a total Lunar Eclipse.

February will not have a full moon this year. Just the way it worked out.

March 1 - March’s first full moon is the Full Worm Moon. 

March 31 - March’s second moon is called a Full Blue Moon. 

April will have a full moon. Yes, we'll be back to normal.

Anna Sultana’s Scones with Clotted Cream, and the Sturgeon Moon with the Perseids Meteor Shower

Summer is just flying by!
It seems like it was March just last week.
Now, here we are, August, with just a month left to enjoy summer before it's back to school.

The start of August is a fun time in Winnipeg.
For two weeks we celebrate Folklorama, where we get a chance to travel the world, yet are able to return to our own beds every night.
No worries if the mattress is too hard or soft.
I mean, what senior could ask for more.


The United Kingdom Pavilion is one of my favourites.
There you can see cultural displays and shows featuring the art and talents from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
They also have fun with theme nights - James Bond and Harry Potter to name a few.
While enjoying the show one can dine on traditional food or sample the treats at a traditional English Tea Room.
Ah...  a proper tea and scones!


A few weeks ago I posted the recipe for Ma’s Cream Scones.

Perfect for when you have a leftover cup or two of heavy cream.

But leftover cream can also be used to make clotted cream.

Clotted cream was mentioned in The Shepheardes Calendar, a poem written by Edmund Spenser in 1579:

Ne would she scorn the simple shepherd swain,

For she would call him often heam,

And give him curds and clouted cream.

Clotted cream, also called Devonshire or Cornish cream, is a thick cream made by heating cow's milk and then letting it cool slowly so that the cream rises to the surface and forms "clots”. 

It has a nutty, cooked milk flavour and about the same amount of fat as butter.

Clotted cream can be added to mashed potatoes, risotto or scrambled eggs.

It is also delicious with berries, fruit, a slice of pie, or as a topping on any dessert you’re serving.

Well, just about any dessert... probably not on an iced cake.

Clotted cream is similar to kaymak, a delicacy that is made throughout the Middle East, southeast Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, India, and Turkey.
Don't know if the recipe got around or if everyone knew it was just a great way to use up leftover heavy cream.

In a rush? Have mascarpone? You’re in luck.

You can also use mascarpone to make fake Clotted Cream.

Place in a large bowl

4 ounces mascarpone

1 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 or 2 Tablespoons sugar

Zest of lemon or lime (optional)

Beat until the mixture looks like softly whipped cream.  

Use right away or cover and refrigerate the cream until serving time.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Not sure if you'll have any use for a tub of mascarpone?
It is a soft unripened cheese that has the texture of sour cream.
Its mild flavour is great with fresh fruit and it is an ingredient in Tiramisu.
You've probably enjoyed it already.

Back to that English Tea...

Want to serve a variety of scones? Try these recipes:

Orange Cranberry Scones

Lemon Cranberry Scones

Hints:

If you don’t have a double boiler place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water.

After you scrape off the thicker part of the clotted cream, you’ll be left with cream that is thinner than heavy cream.
Don't toss it. It can be added to beverages or dishes, as you would half and half.

The Clotted Cream will keep for about a week in your fridge.

Have butter with salt? Fine, use it for the scones, just don’t add the 1/4 teaspoon salt.

                                                   Clotted Cream

Yield: about 1 cup clotted cream

Place in a double boiler

4 Cups heavy cream

Heat over medium heat to bring the cream to 175º F, stirring occasionally so that the cream will heat evenly. 

Once you reach 175º F, bring up the temperature to 200º and allow the cream to cook about 45 minutes to an hour. The cream should get a cracked skin. 

Remove the top of your double boiler or bowl and place the container of cooked cream in a pan of ice water to cool quickly. 

Cover the cream with plastic wrap and place the container in the refrigerator.

Let it sit overnight. 

Carefully skim the clotted cream off with a shallow spoon and layer it into a bowl.
Serve it as you would serve butter.

                                                   Scones

Yield: about 12 scones                       

Grease a large cookie pan.             

In a measuring cup beat together

5 Tablespoons milk

1 large egg

Set aside

In a custard cup or small bowl beat

1 large egg

Set aside

In a large mixer bowl, mix together

2 Cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut in 

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Add

the milk/egg mixture

Mix to form a soft dough.

Preheat oven to 425º F  

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together. 

Roll out the dough to an inch thick.

Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass.

Place the scones on the prepared cookie pan. 

Brush the tops with the beaten egg.

Bake 8 minutes or until golden.

Serve warm with 

the clotted cream

sliced strawberries or jam (optional)

Don’t forget a pot of hot tea for the total experience!

About the sky next week, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

August 7 –  August’s full Sturgeon Moon at 2:11 p.m. Passing overhead at around 10 p.m. local daylight time this week are four small, faint constellations spread out near and within the Summer Triangle.  The Triangle itself is easy enough to find, being composed of three of the brightest stars in the sky (Vega, Altair and Deneb).

August 8 – Because the Moon is now in its waning gibbous phase, it rises in the east later and continues to rise later and later each evening until you can spot the daytime Moon over your western horizon after sunrise in the next few mornings.

August 11-13 – The Perseids Meteor Shower. August is often regarded as “meteor month” with the appearance of one of the best displays of the year. Viewing may be hindered by the bright glow of the waning gibbous Moon but still worth a look. 

Best time to watch: After midnight and before dawn. These showers are named for the constellation Perseus but are bits and pieces of the Comet Swift-Tuttle which visited the inner part of the Solar System in 1992. These meteors, no bigger than grains of sand or pebbles with the consistency of cigar ash, enter the Earth’s atmosphere about 80 miles above its surface.

What you can expect: 50-100 meteors per hour