tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1696505274364172942024-03-06T10:24:33.232+01:00SEASONING STORIESRecipes and their inspiring background storiesFranniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-75751570109063684472016-05-25T16:25:00.005+02:002016-05-25T16:25:45.616+02:00MIDSUMMER MARKET - BOSCAFÉ MERLIJN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I took a quick look at my blog today and that's when I realised it has been over a month since I posted! That's way too long and I apologise! The reason is my preparing for the Midsummer Market @ Boscafé Merlijn on the 18th and 19th of June. My sisters and I have been labelling, photographing, pricing, instagramming and promoting all the products I will be selling. First I thought: there's no reason to share it with you guys, for it is likely none of you will be in Kranenburg Germany next month. But my sister convinced me to share it with you because it's something I really love doing and what makes me smile every day! So here it is: my Midsummer Market Preparations-story. And I promise I will keep you posted this time. And who knows: maybe I <i>will </i>see one of you next month at my stand. Fingers crossed! </div>
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The first week of May I booked myself a short holiday in the region of Calvados in Normandy, France. Not to relax and wonder around beautiful gardens (altough I did get some of that in Bayeux) but to visit farms, artisan factories and local shops with handmade delicacies. I really love Normandy food and I decided to share my enthusiasm at a local Midsummer Market. So there I was, strolling the small aisle of the store of the best artisan fudge farm of Normandy: that of Caramels d'Isigny. And seriously, I wanted to take everything home! Luckily my boyfriend was there to remind me of my budget, so I didn't go totally wild, but I bought some kilos of the very best Normandy fudge in all the flavours you can imagine (chocolat, vanille, coffee, calvados, strawberry, apple, salted butter). It's like the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from Harry Potter but better. Because these haven't got earwax or vomit flavours, so no worries with these ones! </div>
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After visiting the fudge factory I went on visiting an organic cider farm and I wanted to buy more than they had in their little shop. So I was lucky enough to be invited to their bottling barn! I was allowed to take a couple of pictures and I left with a trunk full of organic apple juice, pear juice, cider and cider vinegar. After that I visited a very small cookie shop in Asnelles, or a <i>biscuiterie </i>as the French call it. I bought very cute little chocolate and butter cookies and rather large beautiful seashell-formed cookies. But I wasn't finished yet... I went to Vire, for the one and only andouille asselot sausages! Dried and smoked handmade pork sausages with different flavours (herbs, camembert, nuts). After that I decided I needed a rest to admire all the lovely products I bought. With a small glass of red wine and a piece of local Neufchatel I celebrated my journey. </div>
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Since then I really can't wait for it to be the 18th of June! </div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-63528412395648997382016-04-22T14:04:00.000+02:002016-04-22T14:04:12.954+02:00VICTORIAN SPONGE WITH STRAWBERRIES & RASPBERRIES <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring! Bring it on with this luscious Victorian sponge cake with strawberries en raspberries! A sponge cake is a cake made of biscuit dough (sugar, eggs and flour). First you whip the sugar and eggs until they have multiplied by ten. Then you fold in the four. This way you will become a light but high risen cake. The British call this a Victorian sponge because queen Victoria had a piece of this cake every day with her afternoon tea. Totally called for when you're the queen of the United Kingdom. After having a piece yourself you can only agree with her 100%! </div>
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This is a first-rate spring recipe and not only because of all the lovely soft fruit. Sponge cake is a yiest-less cake and is therefore a traditional part of Jewish Passover. With Passover the Jews celebrate the exodus of Egypt and their liberation from slavery. They fled during the night and had no time to bake bread using yiest, for it had to rise several hours. That's why they baked flat, unleavened bread. And that's why sponge cake is still baked with matzo-flour during Passover. </div>
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<b>Victorian Sponge with Strawberries & Raspberries </b></div>
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8-10 pieces</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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6 eggs</div>
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150 gr sugar</div>
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100 gr flour</div>
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pinch of salt</div>
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400 ml cream</div>
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250 gr white chocolade in small pieces</div>
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150 gr strawberries, halved</div>
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150 gr raspberies</div>
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icing sugar to decorate</div>
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1. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Place chocolate in a bowl and pour over half of the cream and set aside for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate has melted. Add the rest of the cream and stir until smooth. Leave to cool and place in the fridge for at least one hour.</div>
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2. Preheat your oven to 200C. Line two baking tins with paper. </div>
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3. Mix the eggs and sugar in a large (!) bowl and mix them with an electric mixer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is white and very fluffy. Fold half of the flour into the mixture and if the flour has completely been incorporated fold in the rest of the flour. Pour the batter into the two tins as evenly as possible. Bake for 15-25 minutes in the oven or until they are light golden brown and bounce back when you press them with your finger. Leave to rest. Don't you worry if the cakes sink in a little bit, totally normal, won't affect the taste. </div>
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3. Mix the melted chocolate-cream mix with an electric mixer until you have soft peaks (do not mix too long for you will get chocolate-butter!). Place one of the cakes on a plate using a cake-server or spatula for remember the cake is fragile. Cover the cake with one third of the chocolate mousse. Place the second cake on top of the first and also cover this one with one third of the mousse. Use the rest of the mousse to cover the sides of the cake (you can see I didn't because I was a bit too generous with the mousse in the first place). Place the cake in the fridge for a couple of hours to set. Be sure to cover the cake with plastic wrap if you plan to let the cake set overnight. </div>
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4. Before serving: cover the cake with fresh strawberries and raspberries and dust with icing sugar. </div>
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Have an extra large slice of cake with your afternoon tea and imagine being queen Victoria on her royal balcony. Enjoy! </div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-4956189941899966052016-04-17T16:59:00.002+02:002016-04-17T22:11:59.731+02:00HOW FOOD MADE HISTORY - PART 1.1. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT<div style="text-align: justify;">
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As a cultural historian I'm very interested in the history of food and food studies. Higman's <i>How Food made History </i>(2012) is a fairly recent food study about how food has shaped the (cultural) history of mankind. <i>How Food made History</i> is also a good starting point on my path of sharing food studies with you all, because it offers not only a historical and geographic overview but also explains how food can act as a research object.<br />
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You might not always be aware of all the choices you make considering your food and how you eat it. For example: answer the questions written below about a regular evening meal in your home and discover in what way your choices are influenced by cultural or social rules and rituals:<br />
- do you cook your own food or is someone else doing the cooking for you?<br />
- do you eat in the privacy of your own home or do you go outside to eat?<br />
- do you cook your food or do you eat it raw?<br />
- do you eat together or do you eat alone?<br />
- do you share your meal with others eating from the same pot or do you eat from your own plate?<br />
- do you eat with your hands or do you use cutlery?<br />
- do you divide your meal into several courses or do you serve everything at once?<br />
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Food as a research object.<br />
The historical research of food focusses on choice. Our food choices are a form of social distinction, therefore Higman uses the term <i>social nutrition</i>. Because no human being can survive without food it its connected with every human being that ever lived in every corner of the world. At the same time you can choose for yourself what to eat and what not to eat. Of course you can only do so if the circumstances allow you to be picky. The abundance of food we experience nowadays is a relatively new and not a worldwide phenomenon. Food has been a driving force behind social, cultural, economical and political delevopments for the largest part of human history. Because the one who controlled the food supplies held the power over the ones who did not. </div>
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Pleasure versus pain.<br />
The field of historical food studies is dominated by two opposite paradigms: that of pleasure and that of pain. The pleasure paradigm focusses on the positive, happy side of food: nutrition, flavours and tasting, cooking and recipes, preserving and culinary techniques. The pain paradigm focusses on the negative side of food: obesity, eating disorders, dieting, or the lack of food: famine, malnutrition and food shortage. In <i>How Food made History </i>Higman wants to bring these two paradigms together, beceause he regards these two paradigms as two sides of the same medal.<br />
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Stay tuned!<br />
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Acknowledgement:</div>
B.W. Higman, <i>How Food made History</i> (2012). </div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-35967921264898011582016-04-05T16:28:00.001+02:002016-04-05T16:28:03.890+02:00GOODBYE TO WINTER SOUP WITH ROASTED BEETROOT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Because a couple of my followers on Instagram asked for the recipe of my Roasted Beetroot Soup in English, I decided to post it this week as a goodbye recipe to winter. Beetroot is a first-rate winter veggie so we have to say goodbye for at least six months. This soup is warming, very comfy and therefore perfectly ideal for those days with the last pinpricks of winter that make you doubt your decision wearing your summer coat already. </div>
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<b>Goodbye Winter Soup with Roasted Beetroot</b></div>
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Lunch / main dish for 4. Starter for 6.</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 leek, cut into thin slices</div>
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2 cloves of garlic, cut into thin slices</div>
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2 bay leaves</div>
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2 sprigs of fresh thyme</div>
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2 tbsp tomato paste</div>
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1 tbsp mustard</div>
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1 tbsp caraway seeds</div>
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2 L vegetable broth</div>
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2 roasted beetroot, cut into fine strips or cubes</div>
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100 gr black lentils</div>
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1/2 red cabbage, cut into fine strips</div>
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salt and freshly ground pepper to taste</div>
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Optional toppings: </div>
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some freshly grated apple </div>
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grilled halloumi cheese</div>
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fresh figs with bacon (not in season right now)</div>
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The night before:</div>
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Soak lentils and roast beetroot: preheat your oven to 200C, wash beetroots and dry them with a table cloth, cover with alfoil and roast them for 60 min. in the middle of your oven. Don't worry if they aren't fully cooked after those 60 min., because you want a little bite in your soup. Leave to cool and peel them. </div>
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1. Cut all the veggies into desireable shapes.<br />
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2. Use your largest cooking pan you have and heat some oil. Fry leek with salt for 3 minutes. Add garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, thyme, tomato paste, mustard, caraway and stir until well combined.<br />
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3. Rinse lentils. Add lentils, beetroot and vegetable broth. Make sure all veggies are covered with broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes (or until the lentils are ready).<br />
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4. Add red cabbage and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. You want the cabbage to have some bite. If you like you can chose to add the beetroot at this step, so they will keep some bite as well.<br />
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5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot (or cold!) with freshly ground pepper, some additional thyme and some grated apple (optional). </div>
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Hope it will live up to its expectations! Fingers crossed... Love to see your soup on Instagram @SeasoningStories #goodbyewinter! </div>
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<br />Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-21353125596504217192016-03-26T11:57:00.000+01:002016-03-26T11:57:00.843+01:00BEEHIVE EASTER BREAD WITH LITTLE BEE BUNS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Goodmorning dear friends! I've baked a beehive Easter bread with little bee buns and they taste divine, especially when you top them with some honeycomb! And because I feel like a little busy bee myself this morning because of all the things I want to get done before Easter (like: hiding Easter eggs, do grocery shopping, assemble a happy Easter outfit because my yellow dress in the making I meant to wear tomorrow isn't finished yet) I decided not to bother you with long history tales about Easter bread. So if you're a little busy bee yourself right now, you can immediately scroll down for the recipe and bake yourself and your loved ones these very happy Easter breads! </div>
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<b>Beehive Easter Bread with Little Bee Buns</b></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1,5 kg flour</div>
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600 ml lukewarm water</div>
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15 gr dried yeast</div>
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large pinch of salt</div>
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zest of 1 orange</div>
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175 gr raisins</div>
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125 ml mead</div>
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100 gr soft butter</div>
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1 egg yolk</div>
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2 tbsp all spice</div>
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150 gr walnuts, roughly chopped</div>
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125 gr sugar</div>
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2 tbsp apricot jam</div>
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1. In a large bowl mix the flour with the salt and the orange zest. Make a fountain in the middle and add the yiest and the water. Stirr the water into the flour and knead until all the ingredients are fully incorporated into the dough. Add water if the dough is too dry. Add flour if the dough is to sticky. Knead for 10 minutes (you can use a mixer to do this) until soft and elastic. You should be able to to stretch the dough without tearing it. </div>
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2. Place the dough in a large, well-oiled bowl. Leave in a warm place to rise for 45-60 minutes, or until it's doubled in size. </div>
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3. While your dough is rising, mix the raisins, walnuts, sugar and mead and set aside. Mix the butter with the egg yolk and all spice.</div>
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4. Preheat your oven to 200C. Tip the dough onto your work surface and knead to knock out any air bubbles. Add the butter mixture and knead until it has been fully incorporated. If the dough gets too sticky, add some flour. </div>
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5. Add raisins and walnuts. Do NOT add the liquid the raisins and walnuts were in, because your dough will become too wet. Only add the raisins and walnuts and knead until they are fully incorporated. If the dough gets too sticky, add some flour.</div>
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6. Devide your dough in two halves. Make a long cylinder shape with one half and place it rolled up in a cirkle on a lined baking sheet. Flatten one side of the cirkle, this will be the bottom of your hive. Make diagonal cuts all over the bread using a large knife and create hive squares. If you can think of a way to make hexagon figures to really imitate a bee hive: let me know!</div>
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7. Bake the beehive bread for 30 minutes. Heat the left over mead-liquid and add the apricot jam. Reduce the liquid to a sticky syrup. </div>
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8. Remove the bread from the oven and cover with the sticky syrup. Place back into the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown. </div>
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9. Make little bee-shaped buns from the other half of the dough and place them on a lined baking sheet. Make vertical cuts on the buns to imitate their yellow and black stripes. Bake the buns for 20-30 minutes. </div>
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10. Remove the buns from the oven and cover with the sticky syrup. Place back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. </div>
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Serve on a large plate: let the bees swarm around the hive. And like I said: they taste divine with some honeycomb. Happy Easter to you all! </div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-16424636312236891082016-03-17T13:26:00.000+01:002016-03-17T13:26:06.889+01:00EXOTIC PINEAPPLE WITH COCONUT & BANANA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nothing tops a fresh pineapple and it doesn't need much embellishment to taste divine. That's why this recipe is very easy and has only five ingredients. This pineapple salad is perfect for your Easter brunch or as a light and sweet dessert after a multiple-course Easter diner. Just make sure the pineapple you use is fresh and ripe, as well as the banana and you will please all your guests, even the kids! </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The tropical pineapple has its roots in South America and is a member of the bromeliads: easily recognizable by the rosette-shaped leaves on top of the fruit. 'Pineapple' means 'exquisite fruit' in the language of the Tupi, the indigenous people of Brazil. And they did a fine job naming it for pineapple contains vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, phosphor, iron, copper, zinc and iodine. After Columbus discovered the New World the Columbian Exchange brought the pineapple to Europe where it quickly became associated with 'exotic othering'. Dutch dilettante botanic Agnes Block cultivated the first pineapple on European soil and life in Europe would never be the same after that...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Exotic Pineapple with Coconut & Banana</b>serves 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Ingredients:<br />1 pineapple<br />1 banana, sliced<br />2 tbsp coconut flakes<br />juice of 1 lemon<br />Optional: 1 tsp honey or a small piece of honeycomb, 1 cm fresh grated ginger and/or zest of 1 lemon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />1. Cut the pineapple in 1-2 cm slices. Peel the slices, cut the core out of every slice and cut the pineapple into small pieces. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />2. Serve the pineaplle with the sliced banana. Sprinkle with lemon juice and coconut flakes. If you like you can add honey(comb), ginger or lemon zest. But I live by the pineapple standard of less is more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Have a lovely Easter! </span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-52839249901870650192016-03-07T19:55:00.001+01:002016-03-07T19:55:42.258+01:00BLOGLOVIN<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14761405/?claim=xnxk7ym9669">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-47376039370853039042016-02-23T13:36:00.000+01:002016-02-23T13:36:52.706+01:00EL JEFE'S CUBANOS FROM 'CHEF'<div style="text-align: justify;">
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After watching Chef you want one thing and one thing only: making yourself a Cubano sandwich. But what exactly is a Cubano? It turns out a Cubano is a Cuban variation on the ham-and-cheese sandwich. Cuban immigrants took it with them to Florida at the and of the 19th century when it was still easy for Cubans to travel back and forth from Havana to Key West in search for employment or to visit family. Sugar mill and cigar factory workers used to eat Cubanos for lunch. Lunchrooms in Key West and Tampa adapted to this practice by serving their own version of the 'sandwich mixto'. Because of this constant cultural interaction between Cubans and Americans the origins of the Cubano are unclear. However, historian Andrew Huse who is specialised in modern American history and 'foodways' is clear: the Cubano has American roots and was first created in Tampa. Loy Glenn Westfall, a historian focussing his research on Key West offers a compromise: the Cubano is born in Havana and educated in Key West.<br />
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The original ingredients of the Cubano are roasted pork, boiled ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and dill pickles on Cuban bread. First the roasted pork is marinated in a 'mojo' marinade: orange, lime, fresh herbs and a lot of garlic. Ideally you would use pork shoulder but since that would mean Cubanos for the whole neighbourhood I chose to use lean pork steak instead. All of the recipes are developed especially for the movie by foodtruck chef Roy Choi.<br />
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<b>Mojo Marinated Pork </b><br />
Enough to make 10 Cubanos<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
500 gr lean pork steak (or use pork shoulder)<br />
180 ml olive oil<br />
zest and juice of 1 orange<br />
zest and juice of 1 lime<br />
8 garlic cloves, minced<br />
15 gr fresh mint, finely chopped<br />
15 gr fresh cilantro, finely chopped<br />
1 tbsp (minced) oregano<br />
2 tsp ground cumin<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp freshly grated black pepper<br />
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1. In a container which you can close airtight, whisk togheter all of the ingredients except the pork and stir well. Add the pork and make sure it is fully covered by the marinade. Close the container and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.<br />
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2. Preheat oven to 220C and transfer the pork to a roasting tray or use a rack over a lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, then lower the oven temperature 160C and roast for another 20 minutes or until a cooking thermometer inserted in the middle registers 70C.<br />
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3. Remove pork from the oven and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Cut into thin slices.<br />
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<b>Cubanos</b><br />
Serves 9<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
500 gr Mojo Marinated Pork, thinly sliced<br />
250 gr boiled ham, thinly sliced (grilled, if you like)<br />
250 gr thin slices of Swiss cheese<br />
500 gr dill pickles, thinly sliced<br />
yellow mustard<br />
soft butter<br />
3 freshly baked French baquette (good alternative for Cuban bread)<br />
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1. Heat a large cast-iron griddle or panini press. Devide each baguette into three smaller breads. and cut open. Generously brush the cut sides with mustard. Layer the ham, pork, Swiss cheese and pickles on the baguettes and close the sandwiches.<br />
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2. Generously butter the outside of the sandwiches and set them on the griddle or press. Cook the sandwiches over moderate heat for approximately 3 minutes until they're browned and crisp on the outside and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.<br />
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-5025676846238694552016-02-23T13:35:00.000+01:002016-02-23T13:37:33.498+01:00CHEF (2014)<b>Heart warming foodgood movie</b><br />
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Chef Carl Caspers is very clear: you eat with your heart and with your gut. And if you eat you should eat well. So you'll eat the best andouille sausages from Louisiana when you're in Louisiana and the best beignets from New Orleans you'll eat when you're in New Orleans. Eating them somewhere else will take you back to a whole world of memories when you ate them in Louisiana or New Orleans. Being someone who has never eaten andouille sausages, beignets, Cubano sandwiches, Texan barbecue or po'boys, watching <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Chef (2014)</a> is a promising experience. The knowledge of such an overabundance of food culture and flavours yet to be discovered fills me with joy!<br />
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In most food-related movies food and the preperation of it symbolizes love and sensuality. That's why the food in the movies crackles, rustles, slithers and steams a lot more than on your average Monday evening in your own kitchen. This use of 'foodporn' (excuse me for using this term) definitely makes sure the way to the heart goes through the stomach. Fortunately in Chef this only happens once. Mostly food symbolizes fatherly love, friendship, creativity and attention. Watching Chef Carl Caspers careful and thorough food cutting techniques really is contagious. To portray Carl Caspers as thruthful as possible actor Jon Favreau went to a professional French cooking school while being mentored by foodtruck chef Roy Choi. This really shows on screen and add to the movie's credibility. Even a run-of-the-mill grilled cheese sandwich casually eaten by hand is made with surgical precision. </div>
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Some critical IMDb afficionados complain about the lack of a so called 'third act' meaning that there's not enough hardship or misery to overcome in the first place. Maybe they are right, but I felt wonderful after watching Chef and I don't see the need to turn every feelgood movie into a multilayered pshycological drama. So go and watch Chef if you're in for a heart warming <i>food</i>good movie which will make you hungry for sure. Join Chef Carl Caspers on his fabulous roadtrip across the United States while enjoying a very merry soundtrack.<br />
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After watching Chef I immediately wanted to make those delicious Mojo Pork Cubanos, so I did (with surgical precision). You find the recipe <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2016/02/el-jefes-cubanos-from-chef.html">HERE</a>. </div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-78650575008023798652016-02-15T15:11:00.003+01:002016-02-15T16:45:43.093+01:00HEART SHAPED 'ZEEUWSE BOLUSSEN' (SWEET & STICKY BUNS)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHdQQvPZFHEcnUwdWYhJ0j6YjReJGSNgVDxenf9awrL4znQN1ufn_dgJ4m1PgTmiRP1wB_1pfx-2Pqi_21teOyAKmvFdYboJEmtgwwzIAoH_1AoNIWCz2hiIL3SpeRz6UzJRhz95aoYk/s1600/IMG_8630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHdQQvPZFHEcnUwdWYhJ0j6YjReJGSNgVDxenf9awrL4znQN1ufn_dgJ4m1PgTmiRP1wB_1pfx-2Pqi_21teOyAKmvFdYboJEmtgwwzIAoH_1AoNIWCz2hiIL3SpeRz6UzJRhz95aoYk/s640/IMG_8630.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;">On Valentine's Day I baked some humble pies: heart shaped 'Zeeuwse bolussen'. Bolussen are little Dutch buns covered in treacle and cinnamon. Their sweetness, stickyness and softness are very effective on Valentine's Day for we all know the way to your man's heart is through his stomach. </span><br />
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Originally the bolus is a Jewish bun. It got spead out all over the world because of the Jewish diaspora. It's name and recipe have Spanish and Portugese roots. For 'bolus' is the plural of 'bole', derived from the Spanish 'bollo' which means 'bun'. During the first half of the 17th century the Sephardi Jewish community thrived in the Dutch province of Zealand. Jewish bakers introduced the recipe of their sticky bollo and it's still perfected to this day by Dutch bakers. As of 1998 Zealand hosts a bolus' week every year in March with bolus-baking championships and all. The secret of the soft and sticky buns are the steam ovens. Because of the steam the bread doesn't dry out and the buns stay all nice and gooey while baking. Ofcourse I couldn't use a steam oven at home so I decided to imitate one by placing a small bowl of water on the bottom of my oven. You see, I didn't ride the short bus to school! </div>
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Traditionally bolus buns have a spiral form. But because of Valentine's Day I decided to bake them heart shaped. If you like a little freshness in your bun you can add the zest of one or two oranges to the dough. The buns I baked turned out to be quite large. So you might consider making twice as much out of the same amount of dough I used. I made 11 big ones out of it, so it should be enough to make 22 small ones. </div>
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<b>HEART SHAPED 'ZEEUWSE BOLUSSEN' (SWEET & STICKY BUNS)</b></div>
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11 big ones or 22 small ones</div>
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Ingredients:<br />
350 gr flour<br />
7 gr dry yeast<br />
considerable pinch of salt<br />
200 ml lukewarm milk<br />
40 gr unsalted butter in cubes<br />
1 egg<br />
550 gr cinnamon sugar ('bruine basterdsuiker' in Dutch)<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 tsp ginger powder</div>
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1. In a large bowl mix flour with salt and yeast. Make a hollow and pour milk and egg into it. Add butter and knead the dough for about 15 minutes using a hand-held blender with dough hooks. The dough is ready when you can pull it apart very thinly without tearing it.<br />
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2. Fill a bowl with boiling water and place it on the bottom of your oven. Place your mixing bowl on a rack in the oven for 15 minutes. </div>
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3. Mix sugar with cinnamon and ginger on a very large, flat plate. Roll 11 or 22 dough strings and cover them with sugar. If you're making 11 strings they should be about 20cm long. If you're making 22 strings they should be about 10cm long. Make sure the strings are fully covered in sugar and place them on a lined baking sheet.<br />
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4. Fill a bowl with boiling water and place it on the bottom of your oven. Place your baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes.</div>
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5. Roll the dough strings through the sugar once more and make them twice as long. (If you're making 11 strings they should be about 40cm long. If you're making 22 strings they should be about 20cm long.) Place them in the desirable shape on a lined baking sheet. Cover with a wrung out wet dishcloth and leave to rise on a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes.<br />
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6. Preheat your oven to 250C. Fill a bowl with cold water and place it on the bottom of your oven (make sure you don't burn yourself!). Bake the buns in the middle of the oven for 6 minutes. Immediately place them on a rack to cool.<br />
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-5268128741353632642016-02-11T12:13:00.000+01:002016-02-11T14:50:34.158+01:00APPLE PIE WITH CRANBERRY & CINNAMON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last Tuesday it was Pancake Day! But there are already so many delicious pancake recipes on my blog (<a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2015/05/perfect-pentecost-pancakes-with-red.html">Perfect Pentecost Pancakes</a>, <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2016/01/oatmeal-pancakes-with-cooking-pear.html">Oatmeal Pancakes</a> & <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2015/08/galettes-sarrasin-dete-buckwheat.html">Galettes Sarrasin d'Été</a>) and since I posted the picture of this apple pie already on Instagram and promised it's recipe on the blog this week: here it is!</div>
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I made an English style apple pie, for it has a casing of pastry and is filled with apples. Dutch style apple pie has two crusts, a bottom and a top crust made of butter, flour, eggs and sugar. But let's get into Dutch apple pies some other time. The English style apple pie uses saffron to colour the filling. I used cinnamon and therefore the filling is golden in stead of yellow. Be sure to serve this pie in the sunlight for it will light up your living room and fill it with a little bit of spring.</div>
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English apple pies date back to the 14th century and the apple pie in the first documented recipe of 'Tartys in Applis' is made of apples, spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron, and a 'cofyn' of pastry. After the colonisation of America the English, Dutch and Swedes brought their much loved apple pie recipes with them to the States. Nowadays 'as American as apple pie' means 'typically American', so apple pie has been completely incorporated in American culture. There even is a city called Pie Town in the state of New Mexico, named after the apple pie. On the second Saturday of September Pie Town celebrates it's Annual Pie Festival with pie-baking contests (see photograph below), games and races. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPv5nZ_2FP6rxs0qGrLvdukf2RT6q3tYBkEvlHuiF1cj8adVKNLdP91lziM3eNO0CG-etAtI-en9R8GjvIwSrXyO7u5jijMcVI90j0e7n-aNTRThucPWWSWRNpQHKi620C_SSVOwot5cA/s1600/Russellpiea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPv5nZ_2FP6rxs0qGrLvdukf2RT6q3tYBkEvlHuiF1cj8adVKNLdP91lziM3eNO0CG-etAtI-en9R8GjvIwSrXyO7u5jijMcVI90j0e7n-aNTRThucPWWSWRNpQHKi620C_SSVOwot5cA/s640/Russellpiea.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_Town,_New_Mexico#/media/File:Russellpiea.jpg">Serving food in Pie Town, 1940</a></td></tr>
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<b>Apple Pie with Cranberry & Cinnamon </b><br />
Serves 8-10<br />
With a few adaptions you can make this pie completely vegan. See the instructions below.<br />
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Ingredients pastry:<br />
125 gr whole grain flour<br />
60 gr rolled oats<br />
100 ml melted butter (or 100 ml melted coconutoil)<br />
125 ml honey (or 125 ml maple syrup)<br />
1 egg (or 1 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 3 tbsp water)<br />
1 tbsp cinnamon<br />
pinch of salt<br />
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Ingredients filling:<br />
50 gr dried cranberries (or more!)<br />
600 gr cooking apples in small pieces<br />
50 ml honey (or 50 ml maple syrup)<br />
1 tbsp cinnamon</div>
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1. Preheat your oven to 170C. Make the pastry: add all pastry ingredients to a large bowl and mix until you have an even pastry. Line your baking tin with baking paper.<br />
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2. Cover the bottom and sides of your baking tin with pastry. Cover the bottom of pastry with dried cranberries. Mix apple pieces with honey and cinnamon. Cover cranberries with apple. </div>
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3. Bake your apple pie for 45 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool inside the tin. Serve with tea and whipped cream. <br />
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-10999087840994533972016-02-04T16:51:00.001+01:002016-02-04T16:51:05.158+01:00DUTCH PEA SOUP WITH CARROT & CELERIAC <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever heard of the iconic Dutch pea soup with carrot and celeriac? No? Then you're in for a treat! Ever since Hendrick Avercamp painted his Dutch winter landscape with ice scaters on a frozen river (c. 1608) the Dutch are known around the world as fearless ice scaters on frozen public waters like canals and pools. And after a day on the ice it's tradition (and it still is actually) to eat a warm bowl of pea soup. Nowadays we don't have many icy winters anymore unfortunately. But I think it would be a shame to let the weather dictate not only your recreation on a free Sunday afternoon in February but also your evening meal. So, pea soup it is. Without the ice scating and without the blistering cold. But with carrot and with celeriac. I'm telling you: it doesn't get any Dutcher than this. </div>
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Evening meals in the Netherlands traditionally consist of potatoes, meat and vegetables. Pea soup is basically the same with the only difference that all the ingredients are put together in one large pan and cooked until very well-done. Since when pea soup is made after an afternoon of ice scating is unclear. There is however a Dutch recipe of pea sauce written in the cookbook <i>Een notabel boecxken van cokeryen</i> (A reputable book about cooking) dating back to 1514. The pea sauce is made of roasted bread soaked in pea purée which is sieved and than coloured (no, not 'seasoned') with ginger, cinnamon and saffron. Because the ingredients of pea soup are mainly non-perishable (dried peas and salted meat) it was a perfect meal for on the ships of the VOC. But pea soup isn't exclusively Dutch of course. In Sweden and Finland for instance they usually eat pea soup on Thursday's followed by a big pile of pancakes as dessert. What can I say, music to my ears! </div>
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<b>Dutch Pea Soup with Carrot & Celeriac</b></div>
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Serves 6</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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900 gr green split peas</div>
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2 pieces of (cow-)shank</div>
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2 bay leaves</div>
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2 L water</div>
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1 cube beef stock</div>
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1 tbsp salt</div>
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1 tbsp fresly ground black pepper</div>
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2 onions, finely chopped</div>
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2 potatoes, diced</div>
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2 carrots, sliced</div>
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1 small celeriac, diced</div>
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2 smoked saucages, sliced</div>
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1. Cut all the vegetables in desirable sizes. Place split peas with shanks, bay leaves, water, beef stock, salt and pepper in a very large pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer with a lid on for about 30 minutes.</div>
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2. Add all the vegetables and let simmer again with a lid on for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.</div>
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3. Remove shanks. Blend peas and celeriac (try to avoid the carrots) using a immersion blender so you'll get a creamy, porridge-like consistancy. Turn up the heat for another 10 minutes while stirring.</div>
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4. Stir in the slices of smoked saucages. Serve with rye bread topped with smoked bacon or cheese. And have a blast: serve pancakes as dessert!</div>
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Pea soup will keep for three days in the fridge. Frozen it will keep for at least three months. My freezer is filled with it, so all I need now are some frozen canals.</div>
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Acknowledgements:</div>
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Wilma de Rek & Bert Wagendorp, 'Der Nederlanden: Nederlandse taal, De; Snert', in:<i> de Volkskrant</i>, 23-10-2010.</div>
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<i>Een notabel boecxken van cokerijen</i> (Brussel 1514).</div>
Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-13579619795796291762016-02-02T17:25:00.002+01:002016-02-02T17:36:41.226+01:00GLOWING HONEY WINE WITH GINGER SYRUP <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My Dutch blog <a href="http://pollepelindekeuken.blogspot.nl/">Pollepel in de Keuken</a> celebrated it's 2 year anniversary last month and I made myself a warming drink to toast to that landmark: glowing honey wine with ginger syrup. The honey wine and the recipe are made by the young <a href="http://mederij.nl/">Dutch company 'De Delftse Mederij'</a> (The Meadery of Delft) lead by a bold and talented visionary. Because I really admire his artisanal style and his delicious products I decided I wanted to celebrate my blog's anniversary with some honey wine. And as if it isn't enough to create such wonderful wine De Delftse Mederij also publishes recipes on its website!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Honey wine is also known as mead, or drink of the gods and goes back a very long time. 8000 years ago it was already drunk in China. The origins of honey wine can be found in Hindu culture, more specific in the Rigveda, a sacred Vedic book which contains the first written recipe for honey wine. But the warming drink also has roots in Scandinavia. According to the old English epic poem <i>Beowulf</i> the Danish warriors drank honey wine. Furthermore, Odin, Norse god of war (but also of healing, poetry and knowledge), received his visions after a small cup of honey wine which he got from Heidrun, Thor's goat. And seriously, if you know Thor had anything to do with this wine, I really don't have to convince you </span>any further <span style="font-family: inherit;">to try it, do I? And in that case we will just put up with it's popularity amongst LARP- and reenactment societies, won't we? Let's toast to Thor! </span><br />
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<b>Glowing Honey Wine with Ginger Syrup</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
20-250 ml honey wine (enough to fill your cup)<br />
peel of 1 orange<br />
2 tsp ginger syrup<br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
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1. Pour boiling water into a mug or glass cup. Heat honey wine together with the orange peel and the cinnamon stick in a sauce pan on low heat, do not let it boil. Put the lid on the pan en leave the honey wine to rest for 10 min. to infuse the flavours.<br />
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2. Empty the mug or cup. Remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick from the pan and pour the honey wine into your mug. Stir in the ginger syrup. Serve on its own or alongside a cheese board. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheers! To the next 2 years! </span></div>
Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-12116131837173967932016-01-20T13:59:00.000+01:002016-01-20T13:59:25.085+01:00OATMEAL PANCAKES WITH COOKING PEAR COMPOTE <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favourite cereal together with my favourite winter fruit happens to be a breakfast match made in heaven: oatmeal pancakes with cooking pear compote. Last week I ate it every single morning and I'm still not bored with them! The pancakes are fluffy and hearty while the pears are soft and sweet. To think that I was convinced no breakfast could top my <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2016/01/happy-new-year-granola.html">Happy New Year Granola</a>... Little did I know. </div>
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Looking at the history of the pear I'm not surprised my pear compote outshone my Happy New Year Granola for according to the north Kaukasian Vainakh mythology pears are the fruit of the holy pear tree. Before the rise of Islam walnut and pear trees were being worshipped by the people in Chechnya and Ingushetia for they were considered to be the home of benevolent spirits. Cutting down pear trees was therefore prohibited and pears were considered a very precious fruit. The subjects of Henry III of England for example pledged their fealty to their king by granting him a ship fully loaded with pears. Far into the 18th century the pear remained regal: Louis XVI, the Sun King, at his coronation in Reims received a glass of champagne and a pear. </div>
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Compared to the pears the oatmeal pancakes have rather humble origins. In my post about the <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2015/05/perfect-pentecost-pancakes-with-red.html">Perfect Pentecost Pancakes</a> you can read all about the history of pancakes <i>and</i> about the origins of Scottish Pancake races on Shrove Tuesday, planned this year on Tuesday 9th of February. </div>
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<b>Cooking Pear Compote</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 K cooking pears (about 8)<br />
pulp of 1 vanilla pod<br />
zest of 1 lemon<br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
pinch of salt<br />
200 ml water<br />
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1. Peel and core the pears. Cut the pears in little dice and put them together with all the other ingredients into a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil.<br />
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2. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 1-3 hours with the lid on. Stir occasionally. When the pears colour a dark red, your compote is ready. Remove cinnamon stick and serve with Oatmeal Pancakes.<br />
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<b>Oatmeal Pancakes</b><br />
serves 2<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
80 gr rolled oats<br />
4 tbsp raisins<br />
2 ripe bananas, mashed<br />
4 eggs, beaten<br />
1 tsp cardamon<br />
pinch of salt<br />
oil or butter for baking<br />
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1. In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients. Add mashed bananas, beaten eggs and stir until you have a thick batter.<br />
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2. Heat a little oil or butter in a small frying pan and bake the pancakes one at a time on both sides until they're golden. Use about 100ml batter for one pancake (you can pour your batter into a measuring cup before baking).<br />
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Pile your pancakes up on a plate and spoon some Cooking Pear Compote on top of them. Sprinkle with bee pollen. Enjoy your best breakfast in weeks (or at least I hope so :)!<br />
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<br />Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-82662762087744797842016-01-08T14:53:00.000+01:002016-01-08T14:53:31.780+01:00ORANGE-PUMPKIN CAKE <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pumpkin. The first one of the season is like a big ball of gold. The last in your pantry feels like a golden millstone around your neck. I mean no offence but after 10 gallons of pumpkin soup and numerous roasted pumpkin I'm just tired of it. It's like the complaint of the trolls in The Hobbit: 'everything tastes the same!' And in this case it's even worse, because everyting tastes like pumpkin, even the pumpkin! What to do? Then I thought: why not turn it into a cake? And this time a cake which has nothing to do with Halloween. A fresh cake for a fresh and good mood. Orange and pumpkin. And suddenly orange plus orange equals gold again! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last time I wrote about the simplicity of January. It turns out to be harder than you might expect to keep it simple with pumpkins, for they are traditionally connected with the supernatural. Folklore links pumpkins with magic and witchcraft. In more popular culture pumpkins appear in almost every wizardry story. In Cinderella the fairy godmother turns a pumpkin into an epic carriage. The wizarding world of Harry Potter wouldn't know what to do without their daily cup of pumpkin juice and Jack Pumpkinhead coming from the Land of Oz is a brought to life scarecrow. Despite these depictions I've tried to keep this cake simple. And earthy. If there's any magic in this cake then it must be the orange for it's a serious mood booster, that's for sure! Try this cake again next week and Blue Monday will be gone without you even noticing it. </span></div>
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<b>Orange-Pumpkin Cake</b> </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 pumpkin (about 500 gr.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">zest and juice of 1 orange</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">100 gr soft butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp allspice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">100 gr sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">125 ml yogurt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">300 gr spelt flour, sieved</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp baking powder </span><br />
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1. Preheat oven to 220C. Cut the pumpkin in half. Cover one half in clingfilm. Remove seeds from other half and place flat side down on a lined baking tray. Roast for 30 min in the middle of the oven or until the peel is soft. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.<br />
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2. Mash the pumpkin in your food processor. Spoon out half of the puree and set aside.<br />
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3. Add butter, sugar, orange zest, salt and spices to your food processor and pulse for a smooth batter. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the yogurt. Pulse again.<br />
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4. Pour the batter into a large mixing bowl. Stirr in the spelt flour and baking powder. Then add the rest of the pumpkin puree and stirr to mix.<br />
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5. Line a cake tin with baking paper and pour the batter into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.<br />
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6. Let cool on a rack. Pour the orange juice over the cake. Enjoy with a cup of tea.<br />
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-17343545682286606492016-01-03T17:28:00.004+01:002016-01-03T17:38:53.638+01:00SPICY APPLE JELLY WITH ORANGE & STAR ANISE<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Since I'm enjoying a very long Christmas holiday I decided to make something I rarely make: jelly! The fact that you have to throw away almost every ingredient in the end is the reason I make jelly hardly ever. It was just the same with this apple jelly. My organic waste bin was overflowing with apples, oranges and spices, such a waste. But hey, it was the week before Christmas and you want to live a little. So I cleaned some jars and got started!<br />
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Because this jelly goes very well with cheese boards and the holidays were upon us I thought it was the exact right moment to make it. Furthermore it doesn't have to ripen, mature or be fed before you can enjoy it. You can spoon it right out of the jar when it's finished, yay! Besides the obvious cheese board you can also enjoy this versitale jelly on (American) pancakes, French toast or with roast chicken. So you really needn't worry about any leftovers.<br />
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Jelly is a way to preserve fruit. Besides jelly there's chutney, confit, conserve, fruit butter, fruit curd, fruit spread, jam and marmalade. The main ingredient of jelly is fruit juice, seasoned with sugar and/or herbs and spices. Because you have to sieve the jelly you won't use any fruit bits in the final result and you will become a clear jelly. You can make either sweet, savoury or spicy jellies, for instance tomato jelly or red pepper jelly. And in the words of Ruth Berolzheimer:<br />
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'Good jelly is clear and sparkling and has a fresh flavor of the fruit from which it is made. It is tender enough to quiver when moved, but hold angels when cut.'*</blockquote>
Berolzheimer is right of course, but less set jelly tastes just as good and is easier to spread out on pancakes and toast!<br />
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Throughout the world there are many national jelly specialities. The most remarkable being the Hitlerszalonna ('Hitler bacon'), a dense fruit jam from Hungary. It is made of mixed fruit and sliced in brick shaped blocks, a bit like bacon. During World War II it was eaten by Hungarian troops who gave it its distinctive name. The reason they called it 'Hitler bacon' goes back to the Austrian Empire. Before World War II the Hungarian soldiers were aligned to the Austrian emperor, or 'Kaiser'. The bacon they received from the Kaiser they called 'Kaiser-bacon'. During World War II when they fell under German militairy power they called the fruit bricks provided by the Germans 'Hitler-bacon'. Hitlerzalonna is now sold by the name 'gyümölcs íz', which means 'fruit flavoured'.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spicy Apple Jelly with Orange & Star Anise</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Makes 2 large jars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 kg cooking apples</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cinnamon sticks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 star anise </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">15 clove</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp ground nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 pink peppercorns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">peel of 2 oranges</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8 bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">450 gr jelly sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">100 ml apple cider vinegar </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Wash and cut the apples into small chunks, leaving the core and peel in. Place the apples with the spices, orange peel and bay leaves in a large pan. Reserve 2 star anise, 4 cloves and 2 bay leaves for the jars. Cover the apples with 600 ml water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for about 1,5 hours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Place a sieve lined with a thin cloth into a large bowl (or use a jelly bag), pour the apple mixture into the sieve, leave to drip for 2 hours (or overnight). Do not push the fruit through the sieve for you will get a cloudy jelly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Measure the juice. You should have about 600ml. Pour the juice into a pan together with the jelly sugar and the apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil while stirring. Do not turn down the heat and boil for 15 minutes or until the jelly starts to set. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Pour the jelly in sterilized jars and put a star anise, a bay leaf and 2 cloves in each jar. Close the jars, put upside down. Chill overnight or until set. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">* R. Berolzheimer (ed), <i>Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook</i> (Chicago 1959), 826.</span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-41382601979756073472016-01-02T10:54:00.000+01:002016-01-02T10:54:29.178+01:00HAPPY NEW YEAR GRANOLA<div style="text-align: justify;">
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A new year, a fresh start! And what could be a better start of your day than this homemade granola with roasted nuts and dried fruits? As a matter of fact it's quite simple to make and it could be a welcome change from your hard work in the kitchen during the holidays. No lamb which has to marinate for hours, no saddle of hare all day on your stove, or endlessly kneading a homemade Christmas bread. Just oats and a baking sheet. I would like to call it the enchantment of January: easy, healthy, and nourishing. Happy New Year Granola! </div>
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Granola is a form of baked cereal. Swiss physician and nutricionist Maximilian Bircher-Benner invented cereal in the 19th century. He started a sanatorium where he would feed his patients a diet of fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts and veggies, instead of the regular diet of meat and white bread of that time. Bircher's cereal consisted of raw oats with nuts and fresh fruit. Granola is the baked alternative of cereal and is sweetened with honey or other sweeteners. The fruit you add after baking.<br />
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Granola is actually a trademark of whole grain cereals which were baked until crisp to set them aside from the super healthy muesli from Bircher-Benner. It was James Caleb Jackson, an American colleague and contemporary of Bircher-Benner, who invented granola. He replaced the oats by wheat flour and added whole grain wheat and barley. Jackson called his invention 'granula'. At the start of the 20th century John Harvey Kellog came up with a similar dish. At first he called it 'granula' too, but to prevent trouble he changed it's name into granola. </div>
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The dishes of the three gentlemen unfortunately got forgotten in the first half of the 20th century. With the First World War, the Depression and the Second World War people had other things on their minds than breakfast cereal. This changed in the sixties during the first healthy hipster movement: the flower power. The hippies embraced the healthy cereals of Bircher-Benner, Jackson and Kellog and suddenly granola was all over the place. And it hasn't been off the menu ever since.<br />
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<b>Happy New Year Granola </b></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
300 gr oats<br />
150 gr red quinoa<br />
150 gr buckwheat<br />
100 gr almonds, roughly chopped<br />
100 gr hazelnuts, roughly chopped<br />
pinch of salt<br />
5 tbsp honey<br />
5 tbsp coconut oil<br />
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Add after baking:<br />
100 gr dried cranberries<br />
100 gr raisins<br />
100 gr coconut flakes<br />
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1. Preheat the oven on 170 degrees Celsius. Put the honey and oil in a medium saucepan and heat until melted. Turn of the heat. In a large bowl mix the oats, quinoa, buckwheat nuts and salt. Pour the honey/oil into the bowl and stirr well.<br />
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2. Line two bakingsheets with baking paper and divide mixture onto the two sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and flip the granola on the sheet. Then place back in the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from over. Check whether the quinoa and buckwheat are edible, i.e. not rock hard, if not, bake for another 5 minutes.<br />
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3. Let cool completely on a rack and pour in an airtight container. You can keep the granola up to three weeks.<br />
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Serve with curd cheese and fresh fruits (blueberries and persimmon) like on the picture, or eat it with milk, plain yogurt or oat porridge. Sprinkle it on your desserts or eat it as a snack in the afternoon. Happy New Year everybody! I'm off to my granola jar!<br />
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-34112618031794094502015-12-24T20:34:00.000+01:002016-01-02T20:42:00.583+01:00CHRISTMAS CAKE <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The lights in our Christmas tree are shining bright, our Christmas angel is watching us from the window-sill and Christmas carols are ringing in the livingroom. The only thing that's missing is the Christmas Cake! I've been working on this cake since October, so you can imagine my expectations were high! Needless to say it didn't let me down. I mean, the way it looks is already satisfying! </div>
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This Christmas Cake - I got the recipe from Mary Berry and her Christmas Collection - is a traditional British Christmas classic. The main ingredients are dried fruit marinated in alcohol, flour and eggs. Because it contains relatively little flour you can only eat the cake at least 3 weeks after baking for otherwise it will crumble into pieces. By feeding the cake every two weeks with a little extra alcohol (sherry, rum or brandy) the cake will get moist and tasty. And because of the alcohol you don't necessarily need to keep it in the fridge. A cool place anywhere in your house will do. </div>
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There are of course serveral types of Christmas Cakes and the favourite one of many Brits is the Scottisch Whisky Dundee. It goes without saying it's made in Dundee with Scottisch whisky. And of course you immediately think of orange marmelade when you think of Dundee and you should. Marmelade maker Keiller from Dundee made the first Whisky Dundee cake in the 19th century and naturally he used candied orangepeels in it. Traditionally the Whisky Dundee is decorated with blanched almonds for - as the story goes - Mary Queen of Scots under any circumstances didn't want candied cherries in her cake! </div>
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After baking and feeding the cake for several months, one week for Christmas the best part has yet to come: glazing and decorating it! To glaze it with royal icing you first need to apply a thin layer of marzipan to prevent colouring of the icing. You need to let the marzipan dry out for a couple of days and after that you can apply the royal icing. Let the icing harden for about one night and then decorate your cake. If you want to use figures that have to stand up in the icing, press them into the icing before it sets rock hard. Last but not least: put a ribbon round your cake and present it to your loved ones!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Christmas Cake</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/classic_christmas_cake_04076">Thanks to the unequivocal Mary Berry</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Note: start making preparations for this cake at least 4 weeks before Christmas. Traditionally you bake it on Stir-up Sunday, usually the Sunday before First Advent. This will give you time enough to marinate the fruit, to bake the cake and to feed. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">175 gr raisins</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">350 gr candied cherries, dried, quartered (optional, if you're not Mary Queen of Scots)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">500 gr currants</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">350 gr sultanas</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">150 ml sherry + more for feeding</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">zest of 2 oranges</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">250 gr soft butter</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">250 gr sugar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 tbsp treacle</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">75 gr blanched almonds, roughly chopped</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">75 gr self-raising flour</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">175 gr wheat flour</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1,5 tsp allspice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For decoration:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 tbsp apricot jam</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">150 gr marzipan (ready to roll - come on you have enough going on with this cake as it is, you don't need to make your own marzipan as well, do you?)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">one portion royal icing (see recipe below)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. For the cake, place all the dried fruit, including the cherries - if you're using them, into a large mixing bowl, pour over the sherry and stir in the orange zest. Cover with clingfilm and leave to soak for three days, stirring daily.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Grease and line a 23cm deep, round tin with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 140C.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle and almonds into a very large bowl and beat well (preferably with an electric free-standing mixer). Add the flour and ground spice and mix thoroughly until blended. Stir in the soaked fruit. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 4 - 4.5 hours, or until the cake feels firm to the touch and is a rich golden brown. Check after two hours, and if the cake is a perfect colour, cover with foil. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake sould come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">5. When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a fine skewer and feed with a little extra sherry. Wrap the completely cold cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper and again in foil and store in a cool place for up to three months, feeding at intervals with more brandy. (Don't remove the lining paper when storing as this helps to keep the cake moist.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One week before Christmas: </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">6. For the covering, stand the cake upside down, flat side uppermost, on a cake board wich is 5cm larger than the size of the cake.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">7. Brush the sides and the top of the cake with warm apricot jam.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">8. Liberally dust a work surface with icing sugar and then roll out the marzipan to about 5cm larger dan the surface of the cake. Keep moving the marzipan as you roll, checking that it is not sticking to the work surface (you can also roll it out between two sheets of baking paper!). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">9. Carefully lift the marzipan over the cake using a rolling pin. Gently level and smooth the top of the paste with the rolling pin, then ease the marzipan down the sides of the cake, smoothing it at the same time. If you are careful, you should be amble to cover the cake with no excess marzipan to trim (ehhm...) but, if necessary (yes!), neatly trim excess marzipan from the base of the cake with a small sharp knife. Cover the cake loosely with baking parchment and leave for a few days to dry out before adding the royal icing. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Royal Icing</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 egg whites </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">675 gr icing sugar, sieved</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 tbsp lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">optional: 1,5 tsp glycerine</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they become frothy. Mix in the sifted icing sugar a tablespoonful at a time. You can do this with a hand-held electric whisk, but keep the speed low. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2. Stir in the lemon juice and glycerine - if you're using it - and beat the icing until it is very stiff and white and stands up in peaks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. To ice the cake, place all the icing onto the top of the cake. Spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake with a palette knife. For a snow-peak effect, use a smaller palette knife to rough up the icing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">4. Leave the cake loosely covered overnight for the icing to harden a little, then wrap or store in an airtight container in a cool place until needed. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Serve the Christmas Cake as dessert or together with a cup of coffee while watching Home Alone. Thanks to the sherry you will lie under the table until you can say 'Merry Christmas'. So, in advance: Merry Christmas! </span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-51773033916374380102015-12-16T17:08:00.000+01:002015-12-16T17:08:16.394+01:00CHRISTMAS YOGURT WITH POMEGRATE & CAPE GOOSEBERRY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsjhemsupxvHR9XgsGu8l5eqrMXv9gxhEY5N3g9oKElHicunPLG-CoDTDGgUqDcyLeax5Nk_N0i_BgJnyNRbidabjCyWHA__lZrhwmui8Vpv5mL3RA2So7h-CORyKxsWLJQ_QH_3AZnk/s1600/IMG_8451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsjhemsupxvHR9XgsGu8l5eqrMXv9gxhEY5N3g9oKElHicunPLG-CoDTDGgUqDcyLeax5Nk_N0i_BgJnyNRbidabjCyWHA__lZrhwmui8Vpv5mL3RA2So7h-CORyKxsWLJQ_QH_3AZnk/s640/IMG_8451.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Looking for Christmas inspiration I have been all over the internet the last couple of weeks. One thing I know for sure after reading recipes and looking at Christmas pictures to get in the mood: this year you cannot celebrate Christmas without at least one dish that incorporates pomegrate. It's pomegrate here, and pomegrate there. Seriously, it's pomegrate everywhere! And because of their radiant red colour and because they come out very well in photographs I decided to also share a recipe with pomegrate. After all I wouldn't want to be left out this Christmas! </div>
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Every evening we make ourselves a large bowl of yogurt decorated with fruit, nuts, honey and other tempting ingredients from our kitchen. A couple of days ago we made such a colourful bowl I immediately wanted to post it on the blog. You can easily change your daily dessert into a dish worthy of Christmas! Just use some colourful ingredients such as cranberries, pomegrate, blueberries, raisins and combine them with nuts and honey. It will be a certain winner at your Christmas table because it's as colourful as it is delicious! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwNRbo6-mCHn_y0_Okge0TNPXbPmuI0ZE-hrGub_PIls69ACO_BRqbAc80t1nFMVJ75CrKkwrbWER8GBxpagjkQdYkgd7k-SMDcUShpOvIr-FsHlRh4Q6HF25mRqQafLEO2ZgY_FSHqU/s1600/IMG_8452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwNRbo6-mCHn_y0_Okge0TNPXbPmuI0ZE-hrGub_PIls69ACO_BRqbAc80t1nFMVJ75CrKkwrbWER8GBxpagjkQdYkgd7k-SMDcUShpOvIr-FsHlRh4Q6HF25mRqQafLEO2ZgY_FSHqU/s640/IMG_8452.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Since the pomegrate is already everywhere I would like to focus on the Cape gooseberry, originally from the Andes, but cultivated in South Africa in the region of the Cape of Good Hope since the 19th century - hence the name Cape gooseberry. A special feature of the Cape gooseberry are its papery leaves which enclose the fruit like a little lantern. The taste of Cape gooseberries are sweet with a hint of savory which makes them perfect for jams, pies, and tarts, and of course for this Christmas yogurt!</div>
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<b>Christmas Yogurt with Pomegrate & Cape Gooseberry</b></div>
serves 1<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
4 tbsp Greek yogurt (cottage cheese would also be lovely)<br />
2 tbsp liquid honey<br />
7 Cape gooseberries<br />
1-2 tbsp pomegrate seeds<br />
1 tbsp yellow raisins<br />
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Optional other ingredients:<br />
1 tbsp cranberries (fresh or dried)<br />
1 tbsp roasted almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts<br />
1 tbsp coconut curls<br />
1 tbsp ginger syrup<br />
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1. Spoon the yogurt on a large soup plate. Drizzle with the honey and decorate in style with the other ingredients or with the ingredients of your choice. </div>
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Find a seat underneath the Christmas tree and enjoy your colourful dessert!<br />
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<br />Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-66998505979076005582015-11-30T17:50:00.000+01:002015-11-30T17:50:42.033+01:00AUTUMN LEAVES SHAPED GINGER COOKIES WITH LEMON ICING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally. I have spent almost a whole Sunday baking cookies. It had to
happen once and last Sunday I plucked up my courage and prepared my icing
pistol, cookie cutters, and cookie dough and took a leap of faith. In a week we
will be celebrating Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, an annual party with lots
of presents and ginger cookies and that’s why I chose to bake some ginger
cookies with lemon icing. And guess what!? I loved it! It went marvellous! I
hadn’t expected it to be so cosy and homey and so easy at the same time! I
caught myself singing while cutting out the cookies and crying ‘I love this!’
Totally unexpected. I immediately bought extra cookie cutters for Christmas and
Easter, so who knows what I’m up for next. First I’m going to eat all these autumn
leaves ginger cookies with lemon icing. Yum! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ginger cookies are a traditional bake with Sinterklaas and Advent. And
we don’t call it ginger cookies but we call it speculaas (pronunciation:
spe:ky’la:s). Speculaasjes (little speculaas cookies) are a type of spiced
shortcrust biscuits and are characteristic Dutch and Belgian cookies but are
also common in the North of France, Luxembourg, and in the German regions of
Westphalia and Rhineland. Traditionally speculaas is made of rye flour, butter,
brown sugar and special speculaas spices. These speculaas spices consist of 8
parts cinnamon, 2 parts nutmeg, 2 parts cloves, 1 part ginger powder, 1 part
cardamon, and 1 part white pepper. If you wish you can also add star anise,
cilantro or mace. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the beginning of the 20<sup>th</sup> century the speculaas spices
where so expensive the Belgians began baking ‘speculoos’ (sort of gingerless
cookies), without the spices. Speculoos are cookies with caramel. They are also
baked in Germany and there they’re called Karamellgebäck. The origins of the
word speculaas vary a lot. One explanation is that it’s derived from ‘spice’
because of all the used spices. Another explanation says it’s derived from the
Latin word ‘speculator’ (he who sees) because of the all-seeing Sinterklaas.
The most probable explanation however is the one which links speculaas to the
Latin word for mirror, ‘speculum’, because the speculaas doll takes the
reflection of its mold after it’s baked. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I used cookie cutters with the shape of autumn leaves but obviously you
can use any shape you like. Therefore you can easily make these Sinterklaas
cookies into Christmas cookies by using a star or snowflake shaped cutter. And
after baking you can decorate them with any colour icing you like. You can use
edible colouring agent or use other ingredients to colour your icing. A pinch
of turmeric will turn your icing yellow, a drop of beet juice will make it turn
pink, and a dash of orangejuice will turn your icing orange. I found
experimenting with colouring icing like a little pandora’s box. You never know
how it will turn out! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Autumn Leaves shaped Ginger Cookies </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Makes about 50 cookies (5 x 5cm)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">300 gr flour<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">150 gr brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">150 gr cold butter, diced<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pinch of salt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 tsp ground cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp ground clove<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ tsp ground ginger<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ tsp ground white pepper<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ tsp cardamom <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 portion Lemon Icing – see the recipe below<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. In a large bowl squeeze the cold butter through the flour making a
shortcrust pastry. Add all the other ingredients, mix together and shape the
dough into a ball. Cover with cling wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at
least one hour, preferably all night for then the dough will absorb all the
lovely flavours of the spices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Preheat your oven on 175 degrees Celsius. Cover your working space
with a little flour and roll out your dough until you have a large rectangle.
Make sure your dough patch isn’t any thicker than 5 millimeters. Cut out your
cookies using a or several cookie cutters. Cover a baking tray with baking paper
and place your cookies on it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Shape any leftover dough into a ball again and repeat. If your dough
gets too warm cover it with cling wrap and let it cool down in the fridge for
10 minutes. Your dough needs to be cold because otherwise your cookies will
ooze after cutting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Bake your cookies 15 minutes or until they are golden. When out of
the oven immediately place them on a rack so they can cool completely. Do not
leave them on the hot baking tray for they will overbake. Decorate with Lemon
Icing (see recipe below) and serve with a cup of hot cocoa. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">Lemon Icing</b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Enough for about 50 cookies or more<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">175 gr icing sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 tbsp lemon juice<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Optional: edible colouring agents like beet juice, turmeric, orange
juice or any colour lemonade. Bear in mind that the icing will take on a little
of the colouring agents flavour! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Sieve icing sugar into a large bowl. Add lemon juice, one tablespoon
at a time and whisk until it’s fluid enough to decorate your cookies. Put the
icing into a glaze pistol or a pastry bag with a small tip and decorate your
cookies. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #303030; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let the icing set completely before putting your cookies into an
airtight container. They will keep for one week. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-47342423231337780812015-11-20T12:55:00.000+01:002015-11-20T12:55:57.442+01:00CHRISTMAS LIQUEUR #2<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2015/11/christmas-liqueur-1.html">MY PREVIOUS POST</a> I announced a couple of extra Christmas liqueur recipes. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Behold! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cranberry Gin Liqueur with Thyme<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Makes 1
L<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Takes 4
weeks to mature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Peel of
1 organic lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">375 gr
fresh cranberries <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3
sprigs of fresh thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">450 ml
gin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">450 ml
water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">425 gr
sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
preserving jar with a volum of 1 L<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
bottle with a volume of 1 L or several smaller bottles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
little funnel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">1. Peel the lemon. Cut the cranberries in
half. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Put the peels into the jar togheter with the cranberries, the thyme, and
the gin. Leave to mature on a dark place for about 3 weeks. Shake the jar two
or three times a week to mingle the flavours. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">2. In a
saucepan on medium fire bring water and sugar to a boil. Let simmer for about
15 minutes on low fire until the sugar is dissolved, now you have a sugar syrup
to sweeten your liqueur with. Turn off the heat and let cool down completely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.
Sieve the jar into a jug. Taste. Pour small amounts of the sugar syrup into the
liqueur and keep tasting afterwards. Start with ¼ of the sugar syrup and keep
adding more syrup until your liqueur is to your liking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Pour
the liqueur in one or more bottles using a little funnel. Leave to rest for 1
week. If you’re planning to give the bottles away as a Christmas present
decorate them with homemade labels and a sprig of fresh thyme. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brandy with bouquet garni <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Makes 1 L<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Takes 2 weeks to
mature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3 bay leaves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">5 juniper berries <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3 sprigs of thyme<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">4 sprigs of
parsley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">600 ml brandy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">350 ml water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">250 gr sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
preserving jar with a volum of 1 L<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
bottle with a volume of 1 L or several smaller bottles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1 little funnel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1. Put all the
herbs in a jar. Pour the brandy into the jar. Leave to mature on a dark place
for about 1 week. Shake the jar every day to mingle the flavours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">2. In a
saucepan on medium fire bring water and sugar to a boil. Let simmer for about
15 minutes on low fire until the sugar is dissolved, now you have a sugar syrup
to sweeten your liqueur with. Turn off the heat and let cool down completely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3.
Sieve the jar into a jug. Taste. Pour small amounts of the sugar syrup into the
liqueur and keep tasting afterwards. Start with ¼ of the sugar syrup and keep
adding more syrup until your liqueur is to your liking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Pour
the liqueur in one or more bottles using a little funnel. Leave to rest for 1
week. If you’re planning to give the bottles away as a Christmas present
decorate them with homemade labels and a couple of bay leaves. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pear Liqueur with
Star Anise & Vanilla </span></span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Makes 700 ml<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Takes 2 weeks to
mature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">2 ripe pears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3 star anise<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1 vanilla pod, cut
open lengthwise<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">400 ml brandy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1 ripe pear<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">250 ml water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">225 gr sugar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
preserving jar with a volum of 1 L<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1
bottle with a volume of 1 L or several smaller bottles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1 little funnel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">1. Wash 2 pears
and cut them into thick slices and put into a jar together with the star anise,
the vanilla pod and brandy. Leave to mature on a dark place for about 1 week.
Shake the jar two times a week to mingle the flavours. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">2. Cut the last pear in slices and remove the core. In a saucepan on medium fire bring the pear, the water, and the sugar to a boil. Let simmer for about 15 minutes on low fire until the sugar is dissolved, now you have a sugar syrup to sweeten your liqueur with. Turn off the heat and let cool down completely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">3. Take
the vanilla pod and the star anise out of the jar. Pour the sugar syrup into
the jar. Close it and leave to mature for 2 days and shake the jar every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Sieve
the jar into a jug and pour the liqueur in one or more bottles using a little
funnel. Leave to rest for 1 week. If you’re planning to give the bottles away
as a Christmas present decorate them with homemade labels and a couple of star
anise. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You might have noticed it already but the liqueur process is just about the same every time. So if you’re inspired by now to make your own liqueurs you just have to search for flavours you like and put them in a jar! Have fun and if you discover some amazing flavour combination I would love to hear from you! </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-60071941963360906352015-11-14T20:52:00.001+01:002015-11-17T17:36:28.006+01:00CHRISTMAS LIQUEUR #1<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a;">It’s</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a;"> beginning</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a;">
</span><span style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a;">to look a lot like Christmas! Because after a couple of weeks of
maturing my Christmas liqueurs are ready to drink. Actually I wasn’t at all
interested in the flavours at first, because my main goal is to have as much
colourful jars in my pantry as possible. But after tasting the various liqueurs
I was dazzled by the rich flavours and bright colours even after sieving. And
while I started out thinking I was making lots of Christmas gifts now I’m not
so sure of that anymore. Maybe I wil keep it. All of it. And celebrate
Christmas all winter and probably all spring long because I made so much I can drink a small glass of liqueur
everyday and still have supplies by the end of May. Anyway, these liqueurs have
already gone above and beyond my expectations so even if you’re remotely into
sweet, flavourful, and colourful drinks I advice you to make these. Immediately,
so they have enough time to mature for Christmas. And alright, I will give some
of this epicness away as a special Christmas gift. But only because it doesn’t
feel right to not share your epicness with Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But what did I make exactly? Liqueur, not to be confused with
liquor, is an alcoholic drink made from a distilled spirit which is flavoured
with fruit, flowers, spices, herbs, nuts, or cream and sweetened with sugar or
syrup. Therefore liqueur is especially sweet and it doesn’t have to age long.
But because of the various flavouring components liqueur usually does have a
resting period so all the flavours can come together. Liqueur has an alcohol
percentage of at least 20 percent and can be used as a digestive after meals or
as an ingrediënt for cocktails. The origins of liqueur can be found in herbal
medicines brewed by monks as early as the 13th century. Monks would create medical
elixers by extracting herbs in alcohol. To create something that was actually
drinkable the monks would add a lot of sugar. The best known liqueur brewed by
monks is the French Chartreuse. Chartreuse is made by the monks from the Grande
Chartreuse monastry in Grenoble in the French Alps. Chartreuse is not only the
best known liqueur it’s also the most complex one for it’s made of more than
130 different plants, herbs and spices. The Chartreuse basis is an elixer which
recipe leads back to 1605 and back then was already considered ancient. Some
varieties of Chartreuse have to mature for four to twelve years. Good luck with
that. Some serious next level liqueur. These liqueurs are not such professional material but are very
nice </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a;">nevertheless</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit;">. And come on, you seriously wouldn’t want to wait for it until 2027?! If
you start making them now they will all be ready in time for this Christmas!
Next week I will post another three delicious liqueur recipes so stay tuned!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #4a4a4a;">Vodka Orange Liqueur with Rosemary </span></b><span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">Makes 1 L</span></div>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: justify;">Takes 6-9 weeks to mature</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">5 large organic oranges </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">625 ml vodka</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">3 sprigs of fresh rosemary + more for decoration</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">1 large organic orange</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">325 ml water</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;">300 gr sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1 preserving jar with a volume of 3/4 L</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1 bottle with a volume of 1 L or several smaller bottles</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">little funnel </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1. Peel the 5 oranges and put the peels into the jar together with the vodka and the rosemary spigs. Leave to mature on a dark place for about 3 weeks. Shake the jar two times a week to mingle the flavours. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">2. Peel the last orange and put the peels together with the water and the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 15 minutes on low fire until the sugar is dissolved, you now have a sugar syrup to sweeten your liqueur with. Turn off the heat and let cool down completely. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">3. Sieve the jar into a jug. Sieve the suger syrup into a smaller jug. Taste your liqueur. Pour small amounts of the suger syrup into the liqueur and keep tasting afterwards. Start with 1/4 of the sugar syrup and keep adding more syrup until your liqueur is to your liking. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">4. Pour the liqueur in one or more bottles. Leave to rest for 1 week. If you're planning to give the bottles away as a Christmas present decorate them with homemade labels and a sprig of fresh rosemary. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #4a4a4a;">Whisky Liqueur with Coffee and Cardamom </span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;">Makes 1 L</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;">Takes 2 weeks to mature</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">125 gr ground coffee<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">400 ml water<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 bruised cardamon pods<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">200 ml water<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">175 gr brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cardamon pod<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">350 ml Scottish whisky<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1 preserving jar with a volume of 3/4 L</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1 bottle with a volume of 1 L or several smaller bottles</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">little funnel </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Pour the water over the ground coffee and leave to rest overnight. Cover a sieve with a coffee-filter and pour the coffee into the sieve. Leave to drain for half an hour. Discard the coffee grounds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Put the 3 cardamon pods in a saucepan together with the water and the brown sugar and bring to a boil. <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 22.4px;">Let simmer for about 15 min on low fire until the sugar is dissolved, you now have a sugarsyrup to sweeten your liqueur with. Turn off the heat and let cool down completely.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Pour the coffee into a the jar together with the last cardemon pod, the sugar syrup, and the whisky. Leave to mature for 2 weeks. </span></span><span style="color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 22.4px;">Shake the jar two times a week to mingle the flavours. </span><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: inherit; line-height: 16.8pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. <o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 22.4px;">Sieve the liqueur in one or more bottles. If you're planning to give the bottles away as a Christmas present decorate them with homemade labels.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.seasons.nl/2015/magazine/mail-win-acties/likeurwedstrijd-doet-u-mee/" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #394280; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Thanks to the magazine 'Seasons' and Dosia Brewer.</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-32228032431440109312015-10-29T16:52:00.000+01:002015-10-29T16:52:09.876+01:00WILD BLACKBERRY & PLUM JAM <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">O yeah! We had a jam-making weekend again! <span lang="EN-GB">This time we made wild blackberry and plum jam with a dash of lemon juice.
I know how theatrical it sounds but I really think every jam we make tastes
more delicious than the last and every time I’m so very enthusiastic about the
results I can’t help giving half of my supplies to friends and family. So it’s
no surprise my supplies run dry way earlier than my mother’s and that she is in
a constant state of shock about my jam-consuming habits. But I haven’t give
away this supply just yet because I made homemade labels and it looked so good
I couldn’t help becoming a little greedy. This jam is mine, my owny, my… well
let’s not go there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In England there
appears to be a superstition about eating blackberries after September the 15<sup>th</sup>.
Presumably they have been claimed by the devil by then and the devil has marked
the leaves with his satanic sign. This
of course for us was reason enough to make this blackberry jam in the middle of
October. We’re living life on the edge people! But then we learned the devilish
blackberry effects vanish after you cook them. So no exciting events while
eating this jam were registered so far. Too bad. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the Netherlands
you can find wild blackberries everywhere: in the bushes (‘First you must find
a shrubbery!’), alongside roads, in the forest and even in the public parks. I
love to pick my own wild blackberries and I have a little trick to check
whether the blackberries are ripe and ready to pick: if the flair comes off
with the fruit then the blackberries are ready to eat. Don’t pick them if the
flair stays on the bush because they will be very sour. You can brew tea from
the leaves of a blackberry bush and the berries you can use in jam, compotes,
bavarois, crumbles, muffins, jelly, tarts, soufflés and smoothies. Blackbarries
are divine in combination with white chocolate and taste delicious with game. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wild Blackberry & Plum Jam</span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fills 9 jars of 400ml<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 107%;">1 K wild plums, stoned and quartered (weight is after stoning)
</span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">800 gr wild blackberries <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1800 gr
jelly sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Juice and
zest of 1 lemon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB">1. Put
all the ingredients in one very large stockpot and bring to a boil on high
fire. </span>Don’t stir too often. <span lang="EN-GB">When
the fruit’s boiling turn the fire down to medium. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Perform
the jelly-check after 5-10 minutes: drip a drop of jam on a cool dish and place
in the fridge to cool. Then hold the dish upright and check if the drop holds
its shape. If it does the jam is ready. If it oozes the jam needs to be cooked
a couple of more minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3.
Sterilize the jars and lids you want to use. Pour the jam into the jars and
close immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For
more jam-making tips and tricks you can check out <a href="http://seasoningstories.blogspot.nl/2015/04/rhubarb-strawberry-jam-chia-jam.html">my post about Rhubarb &Strawbery Jam</a>. There you can also read about chia jam alternatives! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Serve
the Wild Blackberry & Plum Jam on toast, as part of a cheese board, with
game, on top of your overnight oats or with ice cream. Yum! </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-48856050878829406602015-10-28T17:11:00.000+01:002015-10-28T17:11:00.567+01:00HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE WITH SPOOKY SPIDER WEB FROSTING<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week I
celebrated my birthday! I had a wonderful day full of party festoons, very nice
and thoughtful presents (board games, cookbooks, stylish tableware to use on my
blog), congratulation phone calls and of course, cake: I baked myself a pumpkin
spice cake with a spider web frosting because it’s Halloween soon. Although I
do not dress up like a walking skeleton and I do not visit my neighbours in
search for candy - because I’m actually a hard-core scaredy-cat and won’t sleep
for weeks after one scary clown’s head - still, I really like the playful
cookies and other baked goods associated with Halloween, such as this pumpkin
spice cake with creepy spider frosting. Seriously, is this as spooky as my
Halloween gets? Yes, I’m afraid so…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the night of
the 31st of October people all around the world – but especially in Canada,
the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland – come together to celebrate
Halloween. The name ‘halloween’ is a deterioration of Hallow-e’en, which comes
from All Hallows Eve. So Halloween is the night before All Hallow’s Day which
is celebrated on the 1st of November. Halloween is therefore a very old feast
that incorporated Christian as well as Celtic traditions. The Celts, who lived
in the United Kingdom from around the ninth century before Christ, celebrated
their New Year on the 1</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">st of November. Their New Year’s Eve on the 31st of
October was dedicated to that year’s harvest and all the hard work they had
done to cater to the crops. On New Year’s Day the Celts commemorated all their
loved ones that had died during the last year and anticipated the homecoming of
their spirits. They anticipated good spirits as well as evil spirits and they
prepared themselves accordingly: the Celts would lay all sorts of food by their
doors to lead the good spirits to their homes and to protect themselves from
evil spirits they would wear masks. During the Middle Ages, somewhere around
850 the Irish and English came across a continental Christian tradition
celebrated on the 2</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of November: All Hallow’s Day. On All Hallow’s
Day Christians would cover themselves in rags and would beg for soul cakes.
Traditionally these soul cakes were filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon,
ginger, raisins, and currants and people would bake them and give them to the
poor and the beggars so their loved ones would be able to leave the purgatory a
little sooner. Through time the Celtic celebration of New Year’s Eve and the Christian
traditions of All Hallow’s Day moved towards each other and eventually blended
together. Today people dress up for Halloween which can be traced back to the
Celtic masks and go around for ‘trick or treat’ which can be traced back to the Christian beggars. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But how did the pumpkin get connected with Halloween in such
an indissoluble way? Well, the Irish had something to do with that too!
Traditionally the Irish made lanterns from large roots to light up their Halloween festivities, but once they arrived
in the United States and came across large and round pumpkins they found them much
more suitable than the roots they’d been using for decades. There you have
it: the jack-o’-lantern was born! And that’s not the only way to use pumpkins
around Halloween for they are marvellous in cakes! Especially if you use those
traditional spices used in soul cakes centuries and centuries ago. Try this
recipe and be convinced: those Christians knew what they were doing back then! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Halloween Pumpkin Spice Cake with Spooky Spider Web Frosting <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ pumpkin, seeded, peeled and in little pieces<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lemon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">250 gr sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">250 gr butter<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 eggs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">50 ml whipped
cream<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 ½ tbsp allspice<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 ½ tbsp. ground
cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp baking
powder<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">250 gr
self-raising flower<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">100 gr icing sugar <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a couple of
tablespoons black treacle <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Prepare the
pumpkin. Put the pieces in a small pan and cook for 10 minutes. Put the pieces
in your food processor and make a puree. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
Celsius and line a baking tin with paper. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Grate the
lemon. Mix the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light and foamy, this
should take about 5 minutes. Then add the eggs one at the time. Add another egg
after the last one is fully incorporated in the mixture. Whisk in the flour,
the baking powder, and the spices. Then stir in the lemon zest, the whipped
cream, and the pumpkin puree. Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake in
the oven for about 70 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Place the cake
on a grid and let cool down completely. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Make the
frosting: mix the icing sugar with a couple of drops of lemon juice and stir
well. Stir until the frosting is shiny and bright. Cover the top of the cake
with frosting. Pour the black treacle on the frosting making a spiral figure.
Then pull a skewer through the treacle from the inside of the spiral to the
side of the cake, repeat until you’ve created a spider web. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy birthday to
me! And Happy Halloween to all of you! And I’m so curious: where are you from
and are you hard-core Halloween celebrators? Will you be going around your
block in search for candy or do you prefer to make sweet little Halloween
cookies at home? Please let me know!</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169650527436417294.post-13062279015309085882015-10-18T13:34:00.001+02:002015-11-02T10:40:21.345+01:00JULIA CHILD'S BOEUF BOURGUIGNON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At last! This week I finally made Julia Child’s famous boeuf bourguignon. After watching the lovely picture Julie & Julia again (and again) it was only a matter of time. The boeuf bourguignon would come out of my oven eventually and this week the conditions were perfect: one and a half kilo of beef, one bottle fine red wine and I had a lot of time on my hands. And let me tell you one thing: you will need a lot of time for this recipe. But let me also tell you right away: it is worth it and you will not regret it! The only thing you really need is large cast-iron pan suitable for the oven. But if you follow the recipe carefully you will find it’s not very hard. And you will find yourself being overwhelmed by the magnificent tender and juicy beef alongside the profoundly tasteful red wine sauce and soft buttery mushrooms. It actually turned out to be a little over the top for a casual weekly dinner. The dish is more suitable for a nice dinner with friends or family or to serve at Christmas. Because of the long time it has to stay in the oven you can entertain your guests and share their company during that time rather than being busy in the kitchen while your guest are enjoying themselves without you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s probably quite obvious, but boeuf bourguignon is a Burgundy dish with beef. Looking at the list of ingredients (beef, bacon, red wine, mushrooms) you will not find it strange that in Dutch Burgundy not only stands for the French region but is also the name for bon vivants. Traditionally, boeuf bourguignon is a peasant dish made with leftover beef that was normally too tough to eat. The farmer’s wife might consider turning the beef into boeuf bourguignon. By inserting strips of fat bacon she would improve the beef’s flavour and tenderness. Then she would simmer the beef in wine or vegetable broth for hours, until the beef was tender enough to eat. Through time boeuf bourguignon found its way to the higher spheres of French cuisine: the haute cuisine. After French chef Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) took the dish under his wing it was further perfected and the recipe was specified and coded. For Escoffier is known for his skills with sauces – he has coded the basis recipes of the five French ‘mother sauces’: béchamel, espagnol, velouté, hollandaise and tomato sauce. After Escoffier’s work the boeuf bourguignon eventually found its way to Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961 and thereby starting its road that would lead to world fame. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t be put off by the length of the recipe. Do read it at least twice before you start. Don’t skip the flour-part not even when your meat already has a golden brown colour because the flour will hold your sauce together. Serve with mashed potatoes. Don’t go over the top with other side dishes for the boeuf bourguignon will totally justified claim all the attention anyway. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;">Boeuf Bourguignon</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serves 4</span></div>
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Ingredients</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6 ounces (170 g) of chunk bacon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 pounds (1360 g) lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 carrot, sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 onion, sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tablespoons flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhone or Burgundy)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon tomato paste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cloves mashed garlic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon thyme</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A crumbled bay leaf</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">18 to 24 white onions, small</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 1/2 tablespoons butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks one quarter-inch thick and one and a half inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for ten minutes in one and a half quarts water. Drain and dry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230C).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Sauté lardons in one tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole pan over moderate heat for two to three minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with one half teaspoon of salt and one quarter teaspoon of pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for four minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Toss the meat again and return to oven for four minutes (this browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9. Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees F (160C).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. Stir in wine and two to three cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">11. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">12. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for three to four hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">13. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">14. Heat one and a half tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">15. Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about ten minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">16. Add one half cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">17. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">18. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">19. Toss and shake pan for four to five minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">20. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">21. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">22. Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about two and a half cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">23. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">24. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer two to three minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">25. Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Acknowledgements: </span></div>
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Julia Child, <i>Mastering the Art of French Cocking - Volume 1</i> (1983), 333.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Boeuf_Bourguignon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to Julia Child (1912-2004): ‘bon appetit!’</span></div>
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Franniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13732791731250536186noreply@blogger.com0