Anna Sultana's Zuppa Inglese and Zabaione with Berries / Would Santa Ever Find Me? by Margaret Ullrich

 

Five days until Christmas!
We’ve had over a month of baking - and eating - platters of traditional breads, cakes, cookies and pies.
Time to enjoy something a little less starchy.
A bit of alcohol would be a good idea, too.

The name of the Neopolitan Trifle, Zuppa Inglese, translates into 'English Soup'.
The original recipe called for Alchermes, an Italian liqueur. It was prepared by infusing spirits with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, herbs, vanilla, and other flavouring agents. Its scarlet colour came from the addition of cochineal.

Some say the name is a little joke to tease the English about their love of rum.
It was first served to Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton in the 18th century and there was so much rum in it that it had to be eaten with a soup spoon.
It’s a good idea to eat it with a spoon in the twenty-first century, too.

Zabaione is an Italian dessert made with eggs, sugar and Marsala wine.
It was invented in the 16th Century in the Medici court in Florence, Italy. It is classified as a sauce, and was used to fill pies and tarts. It is not a custard because it does not have milk or cream in it.
It is usually served warm, though it can be served cold, as a sauce, or even frozen.

Hints:

About the Zabaione with Berries…
You can substitute any other sweet wines that you prefer, or have on hand. Try sherry, port, Madeira, Moscato d'Asti, or Grand Marnier.
If you prefer your Zabaione sweeter you can add more sugar, a tablespoonful at a time.

The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
Zabaione needs constant whisking, so that it doesn't overcook or curdle.

Whipped cream can be added to the cooled Zabaione and gently folded together.

It can be served with fruit, such as canned or baked peaches, or between cake layers, or on chocolate pudding, or to fill cream puffs.



                        Zuppa Inglese

Combine in a small bowl
2 1/2 ounces cocoa
1 1/2 ounces sugar

Place in a small pot
1 ounce milk
Heat to boiling, then remove from heat and slowly add
the cocoa / sugar mixture
Blend together and let cool.

Peel the zest from
1 lemon

Combine in a medium pot
3 Cups lukewarm milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place in a large pot
5 large egg yolks
5 ounces sugar
Beat together until well blended and slowly add
3 1/2 ounces flour
Add
the lemon peel
the milk / vanilla mixture
Put the pan on the stove and cook over medium heat.
Stir continuously until the ingredients reach the boiling point.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool.
Stir occasionally and remove the lemon peel. Let cool.

Have on hand
7 ounces lady fingers, approximately
1 Cup rum
1 Cup maraschino

Dip a lady finger on one side in rum and the other in maraschino and place in a deep glass flat-bottomed bowl.
Repeat with enough lady fingers to make a layer on the bottom of the bowl.
Add a layer of chocolate and a layer of the sugar / egg mixture.
Repeat the layering process.
Garnish the top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.


                        Zabaione with Berries

Place in a bowl that fits in a double boiler
6 large egg yolks
1/3 Cup sugar
Add
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup Marsala



Fill the pot of a double boiler halfway with water.
Over medium heat bring the water to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Set the bowl containing the custard mixture over the water. 


Whisk the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale. 
Longer cooking will thicken the Zabaione, giving it the texture of a mousse. When it reaches the desired consistency, take the container out of the pot of water.
Pour it into a serving bowl and serve warm.

If you want to serve it cool, set it aside for about 15 minutes.
Ladle the Zabaione into individual dishes and serve with whipped cream, berries, and / or cookies, such as biscotti.


                                                            ~~~
In 2004 I wrote this story and read it on our CKUW radio show '2000 & Counting - Older & Wiser'. For a few years it was an annual tradition for ‘2000 & Counting’ and for ‘Better Than Chocolate’. I got a few e mails asking if I could post the original story.
Here it is… Merry Christmas!

Change follows us from the cradle to the grave. When I was five years old I was hit with a megadose of change - I moved to another town, got a baby sister, got to go to kindergarten and got Santa Claus.
    
Five years earlier my parents and I had emigrated from Malta to New York and settled in Corona. We didn't have much choice. Five of Pop's brothers and sisters lived in Corona. So, we had to live in Corona, too. 
    
Corona was a little slice of Italy on Long Island. The store clerks were bilingual: English and Italian. The grocery stores in Corona were stocked with Italian necessities. Almost everything in all the other stores had been imported from Italy. 
Corona was where we learned how to be Americans. 
    
Nonni's children, Betty and Angelo, had married two of Pop's siblings, Joe and Helen. So, Nonni was a double Grandma in my family. Since all my grandparents were in Malta, Nonni treated me as a grandchild, too.     
    
Every Christmas Eve we gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home. A whole corner of their living room was filled with Nonni's manger scene. It was not just a shed with Mary, Joseph, three kings and one shepherd standing around Baby Jesus. Nonni had a complete village with houses, trees, hills, paths, ponds and animals. There were people walking around just minding their own business. Some of the figures were really old and we couldn't play with them. But each year Nonni added something new: a woman carrying a basket of eggs, a farmer carrying a head of cabbage, a man carrying a bundle of wood. Nonni’s manger scene was better than any store window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
    
Dinner was a feast. Fish was traditional - eel for the parents, bluefish for the children. There was also soup, pasta and vegetables, followed by ricotta pie, anise biscotti, pizzelle and cuccidati cookies, strufoli, creamy roasted chestnuts and torrone candy. My favourite was the huge golden mound of strufoli: tiny doughnut balls covered with honey and multi-coloured sprinkles. After dinner we played games and our parents talked until it was time to walk to the Midnight Mass at St. Leo's. After Mass we returned to Uncle Joe's for some panettone, a holiday bread made with butter, raisins, almonds and citron.

Then Nonni would tell us to look at the manger scene for the surprise. The blessed Bambino, Baby Jesus, had suddenly appeared!
    
Christmas Eve was a wonderful night. But the big day for us children was January sixth. The night before we had hung our stockings and waited for La Befana to bring us toys. 
    

For those unfamiliar with the story, La Befana was a little old lady who had been sweeping her house when the Wise Men knocked on her door. They were looking for Baby Jesus and asked La Befana for directions. They then invited La Befana to join them. The old woman refused, saying she had work to do.
    
When it was dark, a great light and angels appeared in the sky. La Befana realized that the Wise Men weren't kidding about somebody special being born that night. Broom in hand, La Befana tried to catch up with the Wise Men. She never found them or Baby Jesus. Every year she searches for Baby Jesus and leaves presents for good little boys and girls. 
    

La Befana took care of me for four years. Then we moved to College Point so we could live closer to Lily Tulip where Pop worked. Then it was time for my sister to be born. While Ma was in the hospital I stayed with Aunt Betty, Uncle Joe and their daughters, MaryAnn and Carol Lynn. It was nice living in Corona again. The next day, Nonni diNoto took me to the local 5 and 10 and gave me a quarter.      
"Buy for sister."       
I didn't have any idea what a baby sister would want. I liked westerns, so I grabbed a toy gun.      
"No. Buy a rattle."    
A rattle? That sounded boring, but I bought a pink plastic rattle. 
    
In those days children were not allowed to visit anyone in the hospital. When Aunt Betty visited Ma, she gave the rattle to my new sister. I waited outside the hospital and waved to the window of Ma's room. When Aunt Betty returned she had a gift from my new sister for me: three pieces of chocolate. 
    
Well, wasn't that nice of her. Not as nice as a toy gun, but maybe that was all she could get from where she'd been.   
    

After Rose was born we didn't go to Corona as often. It was easier to walk to the local church instead of driving to St. Leo's. I missed seeing my family. 
    
That September I started kindergarten in St. Fidelis School. Some of the good sisters had wanted to travel and meet exotic heathens in far away places. Well, they almost got their wish. I was the first Maltese child they'd ever seen. College Point had been settled by Irish and German families. It was time for me to learn about America through their eyes. 
    
As Christmas approached, the windows of the German bakeries were filled with the most beautiful cookies I'd ever seen. They were in all kinds of shapes: stars, angels, animals and wreaths. They were decorated with coconut, jam, icing and tiny silver balls. Some of my classmates brought in samples of their mothers' baking. I brought some biscotti. My friends were polite and tasted the dry, double-baked bread. Then we ate the lebkuchen, pfeffernuesse, zimtsterne, and jam filled spitzbuben. The stollen reminded me of panettone. I thought a German Christmas was delicious. I planned to eat German and Italian holiday food every Christmas for the rest of my life.

We helped Sister decorate the Christmas tree with sugar cookies which had been twisted into figure eights. Then Sister told us to gather around her. She was going to read us a story. Sister showed us the picture of Santa Claus and his eight reindeer. My friends were delighted.
    
I was confused. 
    
I had never heard any of this before. Santa was supposed to slide down a chimney and land in a fireplace. We didn't have a fireplace. We had a huge, oil-burning furnace in the basement. Ma hung our stockings, along with all the other wet laundry, on a clothesline near the furnace. It made awful noises and had fire in it. If Santa landed in it he'd fry like a strufoli. That would end Christmas forever. I didn't think Santa would take such a risk for a total stranger. The lovely cookies felt like lead in my stomach.
    
Sister talked about Santa checking his list of good little girls and boys. Santa had a list? I knew we were on the Registered Aliens list. Every January the TV reminded Ma to fill out green cards so we wouldn't go to jail or Malta. How could I get on Santa's list? Could Santa get my name from the Aliens list? Did I need to fill out another card? 
    
The afternoon went from bad to worse. Sister told us we could put our letters to Santa in the special mailbox in the classroom. A letter? What language did Santa speak? He'd never heard from me. I wasn't on his list. What could I say? 
    
"Hi, you don't know me, but I'd like some toys." I'd never written a letter to La Befana. She just gave me toys. Would Santa shoot La Befana if she came to College Point? Oh, boy… I was in big trouble.    
    
In kindergarten we learned about God the Father, about how we should pray to Him and tell Him what we needed. I didn't need another Father. I figured if my Pop was always busy working, this guy who took care of everything in the whole wide world would really never have time for me.
    
I needed a Grandma.
    
The next time we went to Corona I told Nonni about Santa Claus and that he was in charge of Christmas in College Point. Nonni listened patiently as I explained the rules.
    
She repeated the main points, "Santa Claus. A letter."     
I nodded.    
"I fix. I write letter to Befana. She give to Santa. No hard feelings. Christmas come."
    
I had my doubts. Nonni had never been to College Point. Maybe nobody ever had to change from La Befana to Santa Claus. Maybe Christmas was lost forever, like some of the packages we never got from Malta.
    
On Christmas Eve we all gathered at Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty's home in Corona. We had the Christmas Eve dinner. Then we went to St. Leo's for the Midnight Mass. Everything was familiar. Latin and Italian. Why couldn't we have stayed there? 
    
When we were leaving the church I saw a pale cloud in the sky. It looked long and thin, with a sort of lump on one end. For a moment I thought it looked like Santa and his sleigh with eight tiny reindeer. I kept looking at that cloud. It followed us from the church to Uncle Joe's house, where we had panettone. When we left, the cloud was still there. I watched from the car. The cloud followed us from Corona to College Point. 
    
I never noticed clouds before. Did clouds always follow people from one town to another? Was it really a cloud? Sister had told us that Santa had millions of helpers, tiny people called elves. Could it have been an elf picking up the letter from La Befana?
    
Christmas morning, Pop was eating breakfast while Ma was cleaning Rose. Ma sent me to the basement to get some dry diapers that were hanging by the furnace. Being a big sister wasn't much fun. I pulled down two diapers. Then I noticed some lumps by the furnace. I thought some clothes had fallen off the line. I walked toward the furnace. 
    
But the lumps weren't clothes. 
They were boxes. 
They were wrapped. 
They were presents! 
They were for me!!

Santa had found me.

Anna Sultana's Ricotta Cheesecake and Cannoli Cheesecake (Baked and No-Bake) / Muriel’s Family Christmas by Margaret Ullrich

Thanks to a huge Colorado Low we folks in Winnipeg have been having our first major snow storm of the season.
And we’re not finished shovelling.
We’re supposed to get more snow during the next two days.
When it comes to Winnipeggers getting exercise in winter, who needs to join a gym?


It’s been a while since I posted a recipe for the no-fail edible tranquilizer, a cheesecake.
In honour of the holiday season, and all its stresses, I’m posting three recipes!

The Ricotta Cheesecake is nice and light and the recipe is pretty simple.
Don’t be confused about the Cannoli cheesecakes.
Many of you know that Cannoli is an Italian pastry made of fried pastry dough tubes, ranging in size from 3 to 8 inches, and filled with ricotta and chocolate bits.
You won’t be expected to deep fry or stuff anything for the Cannoli Cheesecakes.
They are just ricotta cheesecakes with a bit of chocolate.

Ah… cheesecake and chocolate!
Don’t you feel calmer just thinking about that?


Hints:

About the Ricotta Cheesecake and No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake…
If you have a package of graham cracker crumbs, you could use their recipe for the crust.

Don’t have mini chocolate chips? Don’t make an extra trip to the store.
Just use what you have. You could even chop finely a chocolate bar, or two.

About the Cannoli Cheesecake…
If you don’t have a box of cannoli shells you can use any cookies you like or have already.


                        Ricotta Cheesecake

Generously grease a springform pan with butter.

Melt
1/2 Cup butter

Place in medium bowl and crush
18 graham crackers
Stir in the melted butter.
Firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and along the sides of the springform pan, then set aside.

Sift together into a small bowl
1/3 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar

Place in a medium bowl
4 Cups ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoons orange extract
Stir together, then slowly fold in the flour mixture until well blended and smooth.

Preheat oven to 325º F

Add, one at a time
6 large eggs
Continuing to blend after each addition.
Stir in
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour cheese mixture into the graham crust and gently smooth top with a spatula.       
Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until cake is firm throughout the centre.  
Remove pan from oven and let sit on counter 2 hours.
Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Run a knife around to loosen the cake before removing the outer part of pan.
Generously dust the cheesecake with sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Store leftovers in refrigerator.


                        Cannoli Cheesecake

Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment.

Crush
7 ounce package cannoli shells
Stir in
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 Tablespoons sugar
Press crumbs firmly onto bottom of pan.
Bake 10 minutes, then let cool.

Place in a large mixer bowl
4 Cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/4 Cup flour
Beat on medium speed until well blended.
Add
1/2 Cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
Mix well.

Preheat oven to 350º F

Add, 1 at a time
5 large eggs
After each addition mix just until blended.
Pour cheese mixture over the crust.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle over top
1/3 Cup mini chocolate chips
Press chips in lightly.
Continue to bake 10 more minutes, until centre is almost set.
Remove from oven and let sit on counter 2 hours.
Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Run a knife around to loosen the cake before removing the outer part of pan.

Before serving sprinkle with
1/4 Cup confectioners’ sugar
Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Store leftovers in refrigerator.


                        No-Bake Cannoli Cheesecake

Generously grease a springform pan with butter.

Melt
1/2 Cup butter

Place in medium bowl and crush
18 graham crackers
Stir in the melted butter.
Firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and along the sides of the springform pan, then set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl
16 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
Beat cream cheese until fluffy.
Add
1 1/2 Cups heavy cream
Beat until fluffy, then add
1 Cup ricotta
2/3 Cup confectioners’ sugar
Beat until fluffy.
Stir in
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Fold in
1 Cup mini chocolate chips
Pour cheese mixture into graham crust and gently smooth top with spatula.
Top with
1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips
1 Cup crushed cannoli shells, for garnish (optional)
Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.
Let soften 15 minutes before serving, then slice.
Run a knife around to loosen the cake before removing the outer part of pan.
Store leftovers in the freezer or refrigerator.

                                                       ~~~
This was a holiday piece I wrote a few years ago for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ when we decided to chat about family holiday dinners. 
Being politically correct - and politically sensitive - was just starting around the turn of the century.
It was and is still a part of menu planning.

The family that eats a holiday dinner together… can still be in for a whole lot of trouble.


My friend Muriel still hasn't recovered from last Christmas.

The poor dear had tried to please everybody. Solomon couldn't have pulled that off. Muriel was willing to go with the flow, but she was caught in a tsunami. Her husband Tom is a simple man with simple tastes. He just wanted a roasted bird with stuffing and cranberry sauce.

He should never have had children.

Their eldest daughter, Donna, keeps up with trends. Muriel had asked Donna to bring the appetizers. Muriel expected their traditional celery sticks with cream cheese, crackers and cheese cubes. Donna waltzed in with an oriental party pack and assorted seafood and chicken wing platters. Something for everyone. Uh, huh.
Tom backed off when he saw the egg rolls. "I don't like Chinese."
Donna said, "I got you BBQ chicken wings."
Ignoring her, Tom said, "They don't serve bread." He went to the kitchen for bread.


Then Betty arrived. Betty lives in a commune and supports the rights of everything and everybody… except those of the hostess. Betty always carried tofu because she never ate dairy products or anything with eyes or eggs. Muriel had prepared a nice salad for Betty. Not good enough.
"Were the pickers paid a decent wage?"
"The lettuce had a union label."
"I only eat organically grown food. Did they use manure."
"We had to scrub the carrots with bleach to get the E coli off."
"Oh... okay."
Tom heard E coli and reached for another slice of bread.


Finally their son Bill arrived with his wife Carol and their children, Krystal and Jason. Bill and Carol had every allergy in the book. Bill also had high cholesterol and Carol had her waistline. They avoided the platters of appetizers and drank the water that they had brought.

Krystal, a tender-hearted child, burst into tears when she saw the chicken wings.
"Oh, those poor birdies. Do you know how they treat chickens, Grandma?"

Muriel figured the birds were better off than she was. They never had to make a holiday dinner for the family. But this was her granddaughter.
"Krystal, dear, these birdies lived in a happy place where they laughed and played and sang songs for a long, long time. Then one day they just went to sleep and, just like butterflies, they turned into chicken wings."
"Oh... okay."
Who says the next generation knows it all?
Tom heard Muriel's tale of the laughing, singing chickens, figured she'd finally lost it, and ate more bread.

Ignored by his elders, Jason gobbled a fistful of seafood appetizers and started wheezing. Muriel packed away the appetizers before her children could start a food fight and led them to the main event.


The table looked like a sailboat regatta that had been designed by Martha Stewart. Every dish had a tiny flag listing all of the ingredients. Muriel did not want to have to call the paramedics again. Krystal cried when she saw the turkey.

When Betty reached for the potatoes, Bill said, "But they have eyes". Betty meant to kick her brother, but got her sister-in-law, Carol, who screamed and kicked back. Muriel yelled at her kids. The holiday dinner was just like always. Damn.

After everyone had eaten what they could, Muriel brought out a carafe of hot cranberry apple cider. This was her gift to herself. Seeing all the different coffees at the supermarket had made her go all whoozie. Whatever happened to plain old coffee, black or with cream? Muriel’s children didn't say a word while visions of cappuccinos, espressos and lattes danced in their heads.

Betty was in charge of the dessert. She had created something that was just what the doctor ordered. No eggs, no cream, no butter, and no taste.
Tom just saw a pumpkin pie and it looked fine. He helped himself to a slice, smiled and thought that Betty was returning to the food of her mother.

But, something tasted... off. Maybe a new spice?
"Betty, what's in this pie," he asked.
"Tofu."
"Geez." Tom reached for the bread.

Jason had wheezed throughout the whole meal.
All in all, it had been just another family holiday get together.


God help Muriel. The holidays are back.

Anna Sultana's Pasta e Piselli, Shrimp Carbonara, Tomato Bruschetta, and Bagna Cauda / Oh, Christmas Tree! by Margaret Ullrich

 

Happy December!
Somebody once said
Life is not measured by the number of breathes we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
I’m wishing you a few breath taking moments this holiday season!
Stay safe and well!

It looks like the holiday season this year is going to be a return to December as it should be.
Gatherings, customs and food.  Yes, lots of food!

After our tree hunting adventure way back when, we gathered in a co-worker’s home, where she had a platter of cookies, and apple cider simmering in a huge slow cooker.
Ma would’ve been horrified.
All that work should have rewarded with more food.

This is how she would’ve done it.
Well, to be honest, she would’ve just gone to a lot and bought a tree.
Followed by a food spread with a bit more heft.


Hints:

About the Pasta e Piselli…
If you’re in a rush, instead of cooking the pasta separately you can place 2 1/2 quarts water in the dutch oven instead of 2 quarts, add the onion, etc. and proceed with the recipe.
When you add the peas also add the 1 pound elbow macaroni. Then cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Add the parsley, taste and season and add more water if you want, along with the oil.

About the Shrimp Carbonara…
For a little more flavour you could add a bit of garlic.
You could use evaporated milk or heavy cream instead of the cream cheese.
This recipe also works with strips of chicken breasts.
The sauce can be served separately so that each person can add as much, or as little, of the sauce and cheese as he wants.

About the Bagna Cauda…

It can be used as a dip for vegetables, such as roasted peppers, or, using olive oil instead of butter, as a hot salad dressing.
For a bit of crunch you can add chopped walnuts.
Don’t dip bread into the pot until everyone has had his fill. Bread would absorb too much of the sauce.
It can also be served over polenta and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and pepper.





                        Pasta e Piselli

Chop
1 large onion

In a large pot place
4 quarts water
salt to taste
Bring to a boil.
Add
1 pound elbow macaroni
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Drain and set aside.

WHILE THE WATER IS BOILING:
Place in a dutch oven
2 quarts water
the chopped onion
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Add
1 pound peas
Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta, mix well and drizzle olive oil over the top.



                        Shrimp Carbonara

Serves 4

Chop
4 slices bacon

In a large pot place
2 quarts water
salt to taste (optional)
Bring to a boil.
Add
1/2 pound spaghetti
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Drain and set aside.

WHILE THE WATER IS BOILING:
Place the chopped bacon in a dutch oven and cook until crisp.
Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Drain bacon drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in the pan.
Add
1 pound large shrimp, uncooked, deveined and peeled
Cook and stir on medium heat 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink.
Stir in
1/2 - 1 Cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables or broccoli
Cook 1 minute.
Add
1 Cup cream cheese
1/2 Cup milk
Cook and stir 5 minutes, or until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened.
Do not let the sauce come to boil.
Add the drained spaghetti to the dutch oven.
Mix lightly and add
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese


                        Tomato Bruschetta

Stem, seed and dice
4 large ripe tomatoes

Mince
2 cloves garlic

Place in a small bowl
the diced tomatoes and the minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Mix well.

Cut into 36 slices
1 baguette
Place the slices on a large cookie sheet.
Brush bread slices with
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
Broil under preheated broiler until toasted.
Remove from heat and place slices on a platter.
Top slices with the tomato mixture.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil (optional)

                        Bagna Cauda

Finely chop
4 cloves garlic

Place in a saucepan
1/2 Cup butter
the chopped garlic
2 cans anchovies fillets, including the oil
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh pepper to taste.
Stir and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Serve with raw or slightly blanched sliced vegetables and crusty bread.


                                                            ~~~
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 Ross il-Forn and Macaroni and Cheese / My Daddy-Daughter Date

 

Well, here we are, the last weekend in August.
There are a few more official summer days we can enjoy this week.
Let’s make them good ones!


Covid-19 is still affecting our food supplies, giving us record-breaking high food prices.
Supply chain problems are also affecting what we can actually find on the store shelves.
It’s time for us to get back to cooking basics.

Rice, pasta, eggs and cheese can usually be found in grocery stores.
They are sometimes on sale.
They can be prepared in dozens of meals at reasonable prices.
Maybe that’s why they are in so many Comfort Food recipes.

Have a large bag of rice in your pantry?
Make a pot of ross il-forn.
Macaroni was on sale and you have cheese in your fridge?
Make a pan of macaroni and cheese.


Hints:

Either recipe can be served with a salad or cooked vegetable.

About the Ross il-Forn...     
it’s an easy, economical recipe, but it has to bake for 90 minutes, so plan ahead.

About the Macaroni and Cheese...
Instead of the dry mustard you could also use onion powder, Worcestershire sauce or prepared mustard.

Old Cheddar Cheese is usually used in the traditional recipe, but this recipe also works with Gouda, mozzarella, marble cheese, Feta, Asiago, Emmental - also known as Emmenthaler, Emmenthal or Emmenthaler - or jalapeño cheese or your favourite blend.

Instead of topping with tomatoes you can use buttered breadcrumbs:
Place in a small pot
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter  
Melt over medium heat.
Add
1/2 Cup fine breadcrumbs 
1 teaspoon salt                 
1/2 teaspoon pepper         
Stir to coat the crumbs.


                                                               Ross il-Forn

Finely chop
1 onion
2 slices bacon

Place in a dutch oven
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Fry over medium heat
the chopped onion and bacon                     
           
After the bacon has cooked add
12 ounces ground beef or pork, or a mixture of the two
Stir until the meat has browned.

Add
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes, undrained                                    
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Simmer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º F  

Mix into the sauce
1 1/2 Cups uncooked white rice
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 Cups water
Stir well, cover and bake 30 minutes.  
Take the pot out of the oven and stir the mixture thoroughly.
Sprinkle on top
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Continue baking for 60 minutes.
                                                                               

                                                               Macaroni and Cheese

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan

Grate
1 pound old Cheddar Cheese
Set aside.

In a large pot place
4 quarts water
salt to taste
Bring to a boil.
Add
4 Cups elbow macaroni
Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.
Drain the pasta well and set aside.

WHILE THE PASTA IS COOKING:
Place in a dutch oven
1/2 Cup margarine
Melt over medium heat.
Blend in
1/2 Cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Stir in
4 Cups milk
Cook and stir over low heat until thickened.

Preheat oven 350º F

Stir in
the grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Add the cooked macaroni and stir gently to mix well.
Turn into the greased pan.
Spoon over the macaroni
28 ounces canned whole tomatoes, drained
Bake 40 minutes.


                                             ~~

PBS recently had a documentary, 'On Broadway', about the history of Broadway over the past 60 years.
Ah, Broadway… what changes you’ve seen since the 1960s!
I wouldn’t recognize the place now.

The PBS show reminded me of a story I wrote a few years ago about when Pop was my escort for our first taste of New York culture.


A few weeks ago there was an article called Daddy-Daughter Date in the newspaper.
No, they weren't going all pervy.
The Winnipeg Free Press is a family paper.
No funny business. Hey, this is Winnipeg.

The date in the article took place in Chicago.
A nice dinner and a Tony-award-winning comedy.
Shopping at the Oprah store.
No funny business. Hey, we're talking Oprah.


Daddy-Daughter Date.
What can I say?
Been there, done that.
More or less.

The pair in the article was going for a bonding experience.
When Pop and I had our date, I was a teenager living at home.
We’d had more than enough bonding.
The date wasn't our idea.
We were being ordered to go out together.

The date was Ma's idea.
No funny business. Hey, we're talking about my Ma.


One of the illusions about New Yorkers is that they fill their days going to plays, symphonies, operas and ballets.
Yeah, right.
Maybe some folks live like that.
The folks who live in Manhattan.
Not the bridge and tunnel crowd of New York.
Not folks, like us, who live in Queens.


One of the perks of colleges in New York during the 60s were the ticket offers.
We're talking plays on Broadway, opera and ballet at Lincoln Center.
Discounts, two-fers, buy two/get one free.
Anything to get butts into the seats.
If New York had had dollar stores then, they would've sold tickets there.

I was going to Pratt and had my own column in the school paper.
Shakespeare it wasn't, but I was being published every week.
I wrote about the tickets available at the student services' desk.

I picked up tickets every week, along with press releases.
They were reference material for my article.
After I wrote my piece, I just tossed them.
It was only a matter of time before I'd want to use one.

Only problem was, all the shows were in Manhattan.

Let me explain.
Ma had a terror of me going into Manhattan alone.
My choice of colleges was limited to what was on Long Island.
So I ended up at Pratt.

Pratt was in the heart of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, a rather unpleasant area.
My first week at Pratt, the top story in the school paper was the rape, in broad daylight, of two nuns.
It had happened a couple of blocks from our campus.
We were being told to "Be Careful". Okee dokee.


I really wanted to see The Nutcracker.
It was being performed at Lincoln Centre.
Ma panicked when she heard where I wanted to go.
The only way I could go to Lincoln Centre was if my Pop took me.
Pop was outnumbered.
The poor guy was going to get some culture.


Showtime!! We were in our bargain balcony seats at Lincoln Center.
Pop wasn't thrilled.
He was more uncomfortable than Cher's Dad was in the movie Moonstruck when they met at Lincoln Center.

The music began.
Pop settled down in a chair and, within minutes, was sound asleep.
Or so I thought.
He was wide awake for the belly dancing bit.
Then he was asleep again.
So much for sharing great art in Manhattan.


A few years after our date, my parents visited us in Winnipeg.
Lucky for Pop, Winnipeg keeps farmer's hours.
The theatre, ballet, etc. shut down in the summer.
Paul and I decided to take them for a riverboat ride.
That's what passes for an experience in Winnipeg.

So we went to the Red River.
Pop wasn't thrilled at the idea, but he was outnumbered.  Again.
We were on the deck.
Pop settled down in a chair and, within minutes, was sound asleep.
Or so we thought.

Ma and I started talking about what to make for supper.
Ravioli... lasagna... ross il-forn?
Pop muttered, "Ross fil forn."
Then he was asleep again.

I'll always wonder if Pop did actually watch and hear The Nutcracker.

Anna Sultana’s German Potato Soup with Rivels and Peasant Bread

 

Last December was dry, much like the earlier months of 2021, and we didn’t have much snow in Manitoba.
Well, January has been playing catch up on the snow and temperature front.
We’re back to having every-other-day snow falls, strong winds, and our traditional ‘skin can freeze in 5 seconds’ temperatures.

With traditions like that, it’s best to stay home.
While you’re hunkering down, why not make a big pot of soup and a loaf of bread?


My family has been Maltese since before St. Paul's shipwreck, when he dropped in for a visit on his way to Rome.
But, in the 1950s we moved to College Point, a German / Irish town on Long Island, and my parents worked at Lily Tulip.
Other women worked with Ma and, as usually happens, recipes, including soup and bread recipes, were exchanged.

In addition to being a warming meal during winter, soup is usually a great way to use up bits and pieces in the kitchen.
Soup is also delicious a few days after it's been made, making it perfect for busy women who came home tired from a full day of working at the factory.
Ah, the good old 1950s, when men weren’t expected to know their way around a kitchen.

Whatever... we’re still busy and a leftover meal is always a good thing to have.
German Potato Soup is an old recipe and, like most other old recipes, there are many variations.
Experiment and enjoy!

Peasant bread is easy to make, nothing like making sourdough bread.
The crusty loaf is delicious served warm and buttered, with soup or salad.
Or with Anna Sultana's Minestrone with Garlic Croutons or Garden Soup.

Hints:

About the German Potato Soup...
You could substitute 1 Cup heavy cream and 1 Cup whole or 2% milk in place of the 2 Cups whole milk to make it richer.
Or you can use 1 Cup evaporated milk and 1 Cup water.

Don’t have cream but want a thicker soup? No problem.
Boil a few potatoes in enough water to cover.
Drain, mash and stir into the soup.
Add whole milk and butter for taste.
You can also use chicken stock in place of the water for more flavour.

Or you could make a roux to thicken the soup.
A roux is a mixture of fat, margarine or butter, and flour, and is used to make sauces.
Just melt the butter, stir in an equal amount of flour and cook, stirring, a few minutes.
Slowly stir in the milk or other liquid and cook a little longer until you have a sauce.

You can add:
cheese and sour cream
onion and garlic
some diced pork chop
chopped or shredded carrots (about 1/4 Cup)
sliced hard boiled eggs
a teaspoon of cider vinegar in the soup and chopped onion sprinkled on top

You can also leave out the bacon and add more butter.

Rivels are little homemade egg noodles.
They are good in beef and chicken stew, as well as in vegetable soups.
If you’re in a rush you can substitute 2 cups egg noodles.

About the Peasant Bread...
You can add different spices for a little extra flavour.
Flour your hands to make it easier to handle the dough.

You can use bread pans or you could shape each half into a loaf and place the loaves on a greased baking sheet. 

If after the bread has baked you decide you want a browner loaf you can place the loaves under the broiler for a few minutes.

                                                               German Potato Soup with Rivels

Serves 6 to 8

Peel and dice
3 Cups potatoes

Chop fine
3 slices bacon
1 small onion
2 stalks celery with leaves

Place in a dutch oven 
the chopped bacon
Fry until crisp and brown.
Add
the diced peeled potatoes
the chopped onion and celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Cover with water and cook until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

While the soup is simmering make the rivels:
Place on a flat surface such as a cutting board
1 Cup flour
Make a well in the centre, then add
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Scraping the board when needed, work these ingredients together.
Knead once or twice, then chop the dough into small pieces.

Put the rivels into the gently boiling soup, stirring constantly so they stay separate.
Stir in
2 Cups milk
3 Tablespoons butter
Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until rivels or noodles are done.
Ladle into bowls.
Garnish each serving with a bit of butter and fresh minced parsley (optional)

                                                               Peasant Bread


Place in a large bowl
2 Cups warm water
Stir in
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
Let sit for five minutes.

Add

4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
Stir until the dough forms a ball.
You do not knead this dough.
Cover with a cloth and place in a warm place.
Let sit for 1 hour.

Grease 2 1-quart bowls.
Remove the cloth, punch the dough down and divide the dough into two pieces.

Place each piece in a prepared bowl.
Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425º F

Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Turn heat down to 375º F and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let bread cool for 15 minutes before removing from bowls.

Anna Sultana’s Quiche Lorraine & Pat-in Pie Crust / Mercury Goes Direct

In a couple of days Mercury will go direct.

For those who know about these things, that’s a good thing. 

Well, there may be something to that idea.

I mean, I don’t think that even planets find it easy to go backwards.

Some people just love to look back and to talk about the “good old days”.

Well, sometimes the stuff we did in the past was downright dumb.

It’s hard to believe, but in 1982 there was a book named Real Men Don't Eat Quiche by American author, Bruce Feirstein.

On the New York Times Best Seller list for 55 weeks, it sold over 1.6 million copies.

Real Men was meant to be a humorous book, focusing on the worries of middle class men who just didn’t know how they were supposed to act when feminists were becoming more a part of the mainstream.

Yeah, I know, men confused by feminists’ wanting to be treated fairly… Big yucks…

So much for the 80s being a great time.

With a name like quiche many people thought it was a French recipe, something really fancy, not for simple, meat-and-potatoes type of folks.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The English - the creators of meat-and-potatoes dishes - have been eating eggs and cream in pastry at least as early as the 14th century, while the Italians have been making dishes like this as far back as the 13th century.

As you might expect, a recipe that’s been around for a few hundred years has seen a lot of variations. In addition to the eggs and cream and / or milk, it can include cheese, vegetables, meat or seafood.

It's a handy way to make use of bits and leftovers one usually finds in any kitchen.

As you can see, there's nothing fancy about this recipe at all.

A few of the most popular combinations are:

quiche au fromage (quiche with cheese) 

quiche aux champignons (quiche with mushrooms)

quiche florentine (quiche with spinach) 

quiche provençale (quiche with tomatoes)

But it’s definitely not limited to those mixtures.

My Ma often made a Greek Spinach Cheese Quiche, using Feta cheese.

She made a Mushroom and Ham Quiche when she had ham leftover from the holidays.

Quiche Lorraine, named after the Lorraine region of France, originally was an open pie with eggs, cream and lardons (fatty bacon or pork fat). 

Modern recipes can also include mature cheeses, such as Cheddar cheese, and vegetables, while the lardons have been replaced by regular bacon.

Hints:

Quiches are perfect for brunches or light suppers, as well as for when a friend or two have popped in for a casual visit that's lasted until mealtime.

Quiches can be made in advance and frozen. Ma kept a few in the freezer so she'd have something easy for when the relatives hadn't notice how late they had stayed.

Quiche Lorraine is a recipe that is very accommodating.

Instead of the Swiss cheese you can use Gruyère or Cheddar. 

You can also add sautéed onion, leeks or shallots to the filling.

Or you can add whatever else is beginning to look a bit sad in your crisper.

Have chives in your garden? 

Finely chop enough fresh chives to make 4 teaspoons to replace the onion powder.

Want to avoid the eggs and dairy?

Make a vegan quiche with spinach, onions or green onions, and green herbs like dill, parsley or celery, olive oil and a little wheat flour. Top off with leeks, chard and / or sorrel, then bake until the top vegetables are a bit crisp. 

You can also use tofu instead of the cheese, or your favourite pastry recipe or a frozen pie shell instead of the pat-in crust.

About the pat-in pie crust recipe below:

If baking an empty shell: prick and bake 15 minutes at 425º F. 

If baking it with a filling: use the filling's instructions

If you’re using the pat-in pie crust to make a dessert pie that’s being baked with a filling you could use this crumb topping:

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/2 Cup flour

1/4 Cup margarine

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together and sprinkle over the filling in the pastry-lined pie pan and bake.

You can also double or quadruple the ingredients and store what’s left in a covered container in the refrigerator for topping other pies.

                                                Pat-in Pie Crust

Place in a 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 and blend well.

Spread the mixture in the pan and pat in to line the pan.

Set aside.

                                                Quiche Lorraine

Cook 4 slices bacon.

Cool slightly and chop the cooked bacon.

Shred enough Swiss cheese to make 1 Cup.

Place the oven rack in the centre of the oven. 

Preheat oven to 325°F

Place in a medium bowl

4 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon onion powder, more or less

3/4 Cup 18% light cream

1/4 Cup milk

Beat together. 

Sprinkle the prepared bacon and cheese over the pie crust.

Pour the egg mixture over the bacon and cheese. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (the filling is set but still jiggles slightly in the centre) 

Remove from oven, place on a wire rack and let stand for 15 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

If you’d like to make it more of a meal, serve it with a salad.

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

August 18—First Quarter Moon at 3:48 a.m. In this phase, the Moon looks like a half-Moon — one-half of the Moon is illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing, on its way to full.

August 19—Mercury is no longer in retrograde, instead goes direct at 12:25 a.m.

August 20—As darkness falls, look for Saturn well to the lower left of a 75% illuminated gibbous Moon. Saturn can be easily located by going out in late twilight and looking south-southeast at the beginning of August, or due south around month’s end. Saturn is the bright “star” roughly a third of the way up in the sky; the farther south you are the higher it will be. Later in the evening, Saturn swings low to the southwest. Below Saturn is the Teapot in Sagittarius. The pot starts August upright during twilight, then gradually tilts as if pouring in the following hours and weeks.

August 22—A wide gibbous Moon can be found sailing far above Mars, which dominates the sky east of Saturn. Fresh from last month’s opposition and close approach to Earth, Mars is still very bright and fiery. But it fades noticeably during August.

Slurpees, Water & Golden Milk Lattes / Friday the 13th Supermoon Solar Eclipse

Over the years I’ve posted about Winnipeg’s love affair with the Slurpee.

One of the things Winnipeg prides itself on is being "The Slurpee Capital of Canada".

Oh, well, it’s better than being known as other types of capitals I can think of.

I know Slurpees are pure sugar.

And, yes, the resulting brain freeze headache is something this side of a kick in the head. 

But we are Winnipeggers and Slurpees are given away FOR FREE on July 11th!

A few years ago, as we sat outside sucking the slush and freezing what few remaining brain cells we had, the 7-11 manager walked by and said, “It tastes better when it’s free, doesn’t it?”

Oh, yeah!!

Paul and I have enjoyed quite a few Slurpees since we moved to Winnipeg in 1975.

But, to be honest, water is becoming our preferred summer drink.

Ah… water!

It is the single most important thing your body needs to survive. 

Really. You can survive longer without food than without water.

Water makes up more than half of your body weight.

It helps you digest your food, improves your skin and hair, and helps you to maintain a healthy weight.

Feeling hungry? Have a glass of water - or a cup of broth in the winter.

Way less calories than having some junk food and it's good for you.

Water helps your body do a lot of things. For example:

Water in your blood carries oxygen to all the cells of your body.

Lymph, a fluid that helps you fight off disease and infection, is mostly water.

Sweat rids your body of toxins and helps you to stay cool.

Don’t like plain water? No problem.

Try a carbonated water, such as mineral water or seltzer. 

You can also add natural flavour to your water.

Add slices of cucumber to a pitcher of water, stir, and place the pitcher in your fridge for a great, low calorie, inexpensive refresher.

The cucumber makes the water smoother and adds a slightly tangy flavour.

Lemon, lime, or orange slices, both alone or in combination, can also add a punch to your glass of water.

The citrus slices also combine well with slices of cucumber.

Mix or match and stay healthy!


Golden Milk Lattes are also good for what ails you.
Turmeric, ginger and cinnamon are said to have health benefits.
As well as being tasty!

Hints:

Unsweetened almond milk can be used instead of regular milk in this recipe.
You can use a 1 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger in place of the ground ginger.

If you have fresh turmeric, substitute a 2 1/2 inch piece of peeled fresh turmeric.

If you do use the slices of fresh ginger and turmeric, transfer the cooked mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.

You can also enjoy Golden Milk Latte without refrigerating before serving. After you stir in the vanilla let it sit for 10 minutes, then pour the milk into a glass and enjoy. 

About those Slurpee posts - some of them had recipes. Why not check them out?

Piña Coladas and Slurpees by Margaret Ullrich - Piña Colada recipe

Safeway Tuscan White Bean and Zucchini Soup

Slurpees and Flapper Pie 

                        Golden Milk Latte

Makes 4 servings

Combine in a medium pot
1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons dried turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 to 4 teaspoons honey or 1/4 Cup golden yellow sugar 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir in 

2 Cups milk

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat to low and, stirring occasionally, cook for 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Let cool to room temperature.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.

Fill 4 tall glasses with ice.

Stir and divide chilled latte between the glasses. 

Garnish with ground cinnamon and serve.

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

The term Dog Days of Summer means the 20 days before and 20 days after the alignment of Sirius with the Sun (from July 3 to Aug. 11).

Yesterday Jupiter became stationary in the night sky and resumed its eastward course, meaning Jupiter will no longer be in retrograde (westward motion). 
If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere you can see the planet high in the southwest sky as soon as darkness falls.

July 12 - New Moon at 10:48 p.m. EDT.  It is completely invisible to the naked eye.

July 13 - The Friday the 13th supermoon solar eclipse will be the first of its kind since Friday the 13th on December 13, 1974. The partial solar eclipse begins after dark at 9:48 p.m. EDT, and unfortunately will only be visible to penguins, as the viewing area will fall in open waters between Australia and Antarctica.

July 14 - Catch the waning crescent Moon pair up with Mercury after sundown. You may need binoculars to spot them, especially if you live in the mid-northern latitudes like the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

July 15 - Following its proximity to Mercury, the waning crescent Moon with move on to Venus. With the unaided eye or binoculars, you may be able to spot the soft glow of earthshine (twice-reflected sunlight) on the nighttime side of the Moon.

Anna Sultana’s Tapioca and the Blood Moon / Full Blue Moon

About a month ago I posted the recipe for Ma’s Fettuccine Alfredo.

I posted the recipe because I had recently seen the movie The Holiday, and the stars, Cameron, Kate and Jack, had felt much better after enjoying plates of fettuccine.

I hope you felt better after enjoying a plate or two of fettuccine yourself.

Another winter movie which has a bit of food in it is New in Town, which starred Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr.

The wintery scenes were supposed to take place in New Ulm, Minnesota, but were actually filmed in Winnipeg and Selkirk, Manitoba.

It’s always a bit of a kick for Winnipeggers to see local places in a movie.

Well, in the movie Renée manages to save everybody’s jobs when she adapts a former yogurt production line to produce her secretary’s recipe for tapioca.

I know, that must be some tapioca recipe!

If you’ve never tried it, tapioca is a sweet pudding that is a bit lumpy.

It can be thin or thick or firm enough to eat with a fork.

You won’t find tapioca on any low-carb diets as it is pure starch, from the same plant as cassava.

You can find packaged tapioca mixes in the pudding section of your grocery store.

It’s fine if you’re in a rush.

Tapioca made with pearl tapioca takes a bit longer, but isn’t hard to do.

I haven’t a clue what Blanche Gunderson’s recipe has in it.

I do know what Ma’s recipe had, and that was pretty good, too.

I don’t know if it would save anybody’s job, but it would be a nice way to finish off a winter meal... or a meal any time of the year.

About the upcoming first eclipse of 2018, which will also be the first total lunar eclipse in over two years…

A lunar eclipse happens when the earth is positioned between the sun and the moon. Some indirect sunlight still escapes around the earth’s edges, giving the moon a bit of light. But this light is passing through the earth’s atmosphere, which filters out all blue and green light. So the only light that is passing through is a reddish-brown colour. 

The moon will be reflecting this colour and is called a Blood Moon.

This full moon will be extra special since it is the second full moon of the month and will be called a “Blue Moon”. 

This might be a good time to do some good deeds. 

Tibetan Buddhists believe that the deeds you do - both good and bad - during a lunar eclipse are multiplied tenfold.

Hints:

Brown sugar gives a nice caramel flavour.

While you are cooking the tapioca the pudding will look watery. Don’t worry - the liquid will be absorbed as it cools. 

If you don’t like a skin on your pudding you can press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the top surface before you put the bowl of pudding in the refrigerator.

Yes, you can also do this with regular pudding.

After the pudding has cooled you can add either

minced maraschino cherries, and a teaspoon of almond extract, or 

mandarin oranges, flaked coconut and drained, crushed pineapple or

whatever you like.

You can also just sprinkle servings with nutmeg or cinnamon.

                        Tapioca 

Serves 6

Place in a large bowl 

1/2 cup medium pearl tapioca

1 quart cold water

Cover and let soak for at least 12 hours. 

Drain off the water and set the soaked pearls aside.

Place in a large saucepan

4 Cups whole milk

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Set aside.

Place in a large bowl

3 large eggs

Beat until they are well blended.

Slowly add a little at a time

1/2 Cup sugar

Beat constantly, until all of the sugar is added and the egg mixture is a very light yellow colour.

Set aside.

Place the saucepan with the milk mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer. 

When the mixture begins to bubble, remove the pot from the heat.

Temper the eggs with the hot liquid by beating the eggs while adding the hot liquid a little at a time.

Once the two mixtures are completely combined, pour the custard back into the original pot and and add the tapioca. Beat constantly over low heat. 

The mixture will begin to thicken and the pearls will become translucent. 

Stir in

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Scrape the pudding into a bowl. 

Chill in therefrigerator at least 2 hours.

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

January 28 - The waxing gibbous Moon can be located inside the Winter Circle asterism. The Winter Circle is really more the shape of a hexagon, and made up of these first-magnitude stars: Sirius, Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Castor, Pollux, and Procyon.

January 31 - Full Moon at 8:27 a.m. In this phase, the visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. 

We’re also getting a total lunar eclipse, which occur when the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, and lines up precisely so that it blocks the Sun’s light, which otherwise reflects off the Moon. Learn more about this eclipse here.

January’s second full moon, the Blood Moon, is also called a Full Blue Moon.