Fragrant Hammelsuppe
December 23, 2007
Fragrant Hammelsuppe
by: Luke Indran
Did you know that zesty mutton soup is a well-loved culinary concoction in both European and Asian cultures? All over the globe, be it in the East or West, cooking maestros have long latched on to the potent taste punch that a simple bowl of mutton soup packs. The unmistakably rich muttony flavour then that permeates throughout the broth is pure dynamite when masterfully mingled with egg, cream and pungent spices in the traditional German style, so savour this simple yet satisfying meat delicacy for yourself today!
Hammelsuppe (Mutton Soup)
600g mutton
1t salt
1 onion
1/2 celariac (celery root)
1 leek
1 carrot
3 medium carrots
4t fine farina
1 egg yolk
2t cream (or milk)
Yields 6 Servings
Cut well-washed pieces of mutton into bite-sized pieces. Place in water (1 1/2 liters) with salt and bring to a boil. Add the celeriac and carrots, finely-cut onion, and then put in cubed potatoes. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. If the potatoes do not fall apart, run them through a sieve.
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
December 22, 2007
Bottom Layer:
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs and stir in milk. Add dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. (Batter will be stiff.) Spread in the bottom of greased 9×13 pan.
Middle Layer:
- 4 to 5 cups of rhubarb (cut up)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 three-ounce package strawberry Jello
Measure rhubarb into a mixing bowl. Stir in eggs, milk, sugar and flour. Spread over bottom layer. Sprinkle the dry strawberry Jello over the rhubarb mixture.
Top Layer:
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Use a fork to cut the butter/margarine into the flour and brown sugar. Continue mixing until crumbly. Sprinkle over the rhubarb layer.
Bake at 375 degrees for 70 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
For an added treat, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
About The Author
Traditional Swahili Wedding Recipe : Chicken Biriani/Biriyani
December 21, 2007
Traditional Swahili Wedding Recipe : Chicken Biriani/Biriyani
by: Ken Lukongodo
Biriani is traditional Swahili wedding food. It is usually cooked overnight before the wedding day, so that is ready to be served at lunchtime.
Ingredients needed (serves 6-8 people)
For the stew:
Half a raw papaya
A glass of fermented, sour milk (Maziwa Mala)
6 big tomatoes
6 big onions
5 cloves of garlic
A stem of ginger (or approx. 100 grams)
100 grams dried cumin seeds
2 small tins of tomato paste
Salt to taste
For the rice:
1 kilogram of rice
Yellow or orange food colouring
Preparing the stew:
· Grind the dried cumin seeds to a powder
· Slice the tomatoes; grind the garlic, ginger and papaya.
· Put the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and papaya in a blender, together with the tomato paste and 2 cups of water.
· Blend the ingredients to a smooth paste.
· Cook the paste on medium heat, including the cumin seeds, for about 10 minutes.
· When the stew is boiling, add the chicken and the sour milk and add salt to taste
History of the Cafetiere
December 21, 2007
History of the Cafetiere
by: James Grierson
Cafetieres are probably the most commonly used method of brewing coffee. Many coffee lovers swear on the fact that the cafetiere is the best method, as it preserves the delicate flavours in the oils, giving a smooth, rich bodied coffee.
The exact history and origin of the cafetiere is not clear. Both the French and the Italians lay claims to its invention. What is known is that the first cafetieres appeared in France in the 1850s. These coffee pots were made of metal and fitted with a metal screen attached to a rod. The metal screen would be plunged down, using the rod, forcing the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot.
One story of how the cafetiere was invented involves an old man from Provence. The story goes that the old man used to go for a walk up a hill everyday to get some peace and quiet from his nagging wife. No matter how bad the weather was, blistering heat or driving rain, the old man would make the journey. As he sought to escape his wife for as long a period as possible he would take with him a small amount of food, some firewood and his favourite old coffee pot. When he reached the top of the hill he would take an extended rest, taking time out to light a fire, eat his food and brew some coffee.
Ice Cream In A Baggie
December 20, 2007
Yes, it sounds dangerous and the potential for messes seems highly likely, but you’ll be surprised at the good, “clean” fun you’ll enjoy when you make ice cream.This recipe is enough for one person to make a dish!
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 cups crushed ice
- 4 tablespoons salt
- 2 quart size Zip-loc bags
- 1 gallon size Zip-loc freezer bag
- a hand towel or gloves to keep fingers from freezing as well!
Mix the milk, vanilla and sugar together in one of the quart size bags. Seal tightly, allowing as little air to remain in the bag as possible. Too much air left inside may force the bag open during shaking. Place this bag inside the other quart size bag, again leaving as ittle air inside as possible and sealing well. By double-bagging, the risk of salt and ice leaking into the ice cream is minimized. Put the two bags inside the gallon size bag and fill the bag with ice, then sprinkle salt on top. Again let all the air escape and seal the bag. Wrap the bag in the towel or put your gloves on, and shake and massage the bag, making sure the ice surrounds the cream mixture. Five to eight minutes is adequate time for the mixture to freeze into ice cream.
Poker and Cigars - Together Forever?
December 19, 2007
Poker and Cigars - Together Forever?
by: Jeff Hudson
At one time those who sat at a poker table considered cigars and poker as part of the same package. They freely puffed on their cigars as they rolled their hands over their piles of poker chips. Men skilled at the game of Texas Hold’em were usually equally skilled at the art of lighting and maintaining a smoking cigar. The cigar enthusiasts at BuyDominicanCigars.com mourn the day in age when this scene was easy to find. Many of us think this pastime may become a thing of the past unless the current trend is reversed.
At the dawn of the last century, and for a period that lasted until well into that century, all manner of gambling establishments were populated by cigar smokers. Blackjack tables, as well as poker tables had rings of cigar smoke floating above them.
A host at a poker game or at a game of blackjack might be called on to provide an implement for the cutting of one or more cigars. Such hosts needed to furnish guests with more than poker chips and a pack of cards. They also had to provide their guests with plenty of cigar ashtrays. Preparations for a long poker or blackjack game demanded more than just the accumulation of drink and snack foods. Such preparations also included the purchase of extra butane lighters.
10 Mind-Easing Ways To Make Sure Your Childs Bag Lunch Is Safe
December 18, 2007
Perishable food must be kept cold while commuting via bus, bicycle, on foot, in a car, or on the subway. After arriving at school or work, perishable food must be kept cold until lunchtime.
Why? Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the “danger zone” (the temperatures between 40° F and 140° F). So, perishable food transported without an ice source won’t stay safe long. Here are safe handling recommendations to prevent food-borne illness from "bag" lunches.
1. Perishable food, such as raw or cooked meat and poultry, must be kept cold or frozen at the store and at home. Eggs should be purchased cold at the store and kept cold at home.
2. Transport perishable food as fast as possible when no ice source is available. At the destination, keep it cold. Food should not be left out at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90° F).
3. Prepackaged combos that contain luncheon meats along with crackers, cheese, and condiments must also be kept refrigerated. This includes luncheon meats and smoked ham which are cured or contain preservatives.
Accra Banana Peanut Cake
December 17, 2007
Accra Banana Peanut Cake
by: Luke Indran
No matter how many cakes you may have chomped down in your lifetime, I’m pretty sure you’ve never before chanced upon this dainty West African goody. Forget the nondescript junk you can pick up at any time in cake shops, because this classified Ghanaian dessert blueprint will get you dancing to the Gold Coast beat in no time! Now who says you can’t have your cake and eat it at the same time?
Accra Banana Peanut Cake
1 1/4 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs, beaten
4 c flour
1/4 c cake flour
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
8 bananas, mashed
1/2 c peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the bananas and peanuts.
Australia Is More Than Jacobs Creek
December 16, 2007
The Jacobs Creek Brand of wines have taken the world by storm. And so they should. They are excellent Australian wines which are consistently good. They have clearly won the battle for everyday wines at their particular price range.
But they are a made from classical French grape varieties, Chardonnay, Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. As such they represent the successes of Australian winemaking in the 1980s and 1990s.
What will be the wines of the new century? As the wine boom of the 1990s in Australia unfolded, a quiet revolution was taking place. The area planted to grapes expanded rapidly to underpin massive increases in production and exports of Australian wine. But a large number of vignerons and winemakers were also planting alternative grape varieties.
The profile of the Australian wine scene has changed as dramatically as the scale of production. During 2003 a new winery was opened in Australia every day. About half of these new enterprises were growing or using varieties other than the classics mentioned above.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
December 16, 2007
You will need:
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
Frosting
Sprinkles or other decorations of your choice
Directions:
Prepare cake mix batter according to directions, or make any standard cake recipe batter (i.e. white, chocolate, etc.)
Place flat-bottomed ice cream cones in the cups of a regular muffin pan.Pour enough batter into each cone to fill from 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake at time and temperature as recommended for cupcakes. After they have cooled, frost with your favorite canned or home-prepared frosting recipe.
Decorate with sprinkles or other decorations of your choice.
About The Author
Merle lives in the mountains of Colorado. She is a mom and teacher. She loves to help others with fun ideas. Stop by www.gratefulbaby.com and www.recipes4learning.com for more fun.
