Food – Page 8 – Sugar And Spice… Among Other Things

Flavoured, Festive and Wine

Posted on December 21, 2019November 16, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

No festive season is complete without the traditional accompaniment of wine. For winter, the entire holidays and Christmas centers around the mulled wine. Traditionally mulled wine, also known as spiced wine, is usually made with red wine along with various mulling spices and sometimes raisins which may be served warm. While most versions are alcoholic, there are many non-alcoholic variations especially for children during Christmas.

Tracing the origins of mulled wine, the second century Roman cuisine saw records of wine being spiced and heated in some areas. Although their era came to an end, certain aspects of the Roman cuisine had been merged with the local cuisine. As wine and viticulture spread along the rest of Europe and till the Scottish border, various variations and traditions with mulled wine entered into the local cuisine and culture. As recorded in the Medieval English cookbook “The forme of Curry” (1390) mentions “Pur fait Ypocras …” (mulled wine) to grind together cinnamon, ginger, galangal, cloves, long pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, cardamom, and grains of paradise (“spykenard de Spayn”, rosemary may be substituted), mix them with red wine and sugar (form and quantity unstated).

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Early variations include the concept of mulled wine being transferred to mulled ale, mulled cider or mulled apple juice. Though today recipes for mulled wine include the combination of orange, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel seed (or star anise), cloves, cardamom, and ginger. Usually the spices are combined and boiled in a sugar syrup, then red wine is added, heated and served usually in small porcelain glass mugs.

A quick way to make it would be to add a tea bag of spices to red wine, which is heated along slices of orange or lemon. Common variations include the addition of brandy or ginger wine.Served with an orange or lemon slice garnish studded with cloves, cinnamon or star anise; this brings winter Christmas in a mug. Not just confined to wine; mulling spices can be added to beer and cider, as in the preparation of Wassail punch, a recipe since the Victorian Era.

While known as mulled wine in English based cuisine, other varieties are indigenous to the different cuisines with the difference ranging from the type of wine used, method of preparation as well as the spice mix. For instance Glühwein popular in German-speaking countries and Alsace (France) is made from red wine with the addition of vanilla pods to the spices. Glögg, gløgg or glögi, which is mulled wine in the Nordic countries (sometimes spelled as glog or glug) are made wiht stronger spirits like rum, vodka, brandy or just plain fruit juices. Vinho quente served in the Brazil is typically made with red wine, cinnamon sticks and cloves. On the other hand, greyano vino served in Bulgaria is made of red wine, homey and peppercorn.

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With the festive and holiday season in full swing, mulled wine essentially brings the warmth of the season in a cup. In fact, it is one of the best seasons to start the traditional family recipe of own. More than the experimentation, it is the memories that get passed on over the years.

TO MULL WINE.
INGREDIENTS.- To every pint of wine allow 1 large cupful of water, sugar and spice to taste.
Mode.-In making preparations like the above, it is very difficult to give the exact proportions of ingredients like sugar and spice, as what quantity might suit one person would be to another quite distasteful. Boil the spice in the water until the flavour is extracted, then add the wine and sugar, and bring the whole to the boiling-point, then serve with strips of crisp dry toast, or with biscuits. The spices usually used for mulled wine are cloves, grated nutmeg, and cinnamon or mace. Any kind of wine may be mulled, but port and claret are those usually selected for the purpose; and the latter requires a very large proportion of sugar. The vessel that the wine is boiled in must be delicately cleaned, and should be kept exclusively for the purpose. Small tin warmers may be purchased for a trifle, which are more suitable than saucepans, as, if the latter are not scrupulously clean; they spoil the wine, by imparting to it a very disagreeable flavour. These warmers should be used for no other purpose.
(Traditional recipe for Mulled Wine. Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management. 1869. Revised edition. Pg.929-930 (Paragraph 1961))

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Food, Stories Around the World

Chocolate for the Holidays

Posted on December 17, 2019November 1, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

As the holiday season grows near and school is closed till the next year has set into it’s first week, the official holiday snacks and treats season has begun. Young or old, age has never been a bar for the holiday favourites. With the very basic ingredients of crushed cake or biscuit mix, cocoa, sugar (and a little of the rum for that extra holiday spice for the “adults only” time); can result in the favourite holiday treat of the “romkugle, trøffel or sputnik” or simply, the rum balls.

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A truffle-like confectionery flavoured with chocolate and rum, these rum balls complete every holiday season. Often coated in chocolate sprinkles, desiccated coconut, icing sugar or cocoa, these cookie, cake or biscuit based treats can be made in a jiffy with no baking required. With the festive preparation in full swing, the less complicated it is, the more popular the recipe.

Making these chocolate balls is an event, for more than the different regional variations, many a time it is a family tradition passed down form one generation tot he next. The basic ingredient is the choclate and as for the rum, that may be replaced by similar rum flavouring or any flavoring of non-alcoholic variant. The basic step is to crush the cake (or biscuit) material, mix it with fat, cocoa, a moist binding ingredient like jam or condensed milk and optional ingredients like chopped nuts, raisins, sultanas, ground walnuts, white chocolate or even peanut butter. Once the mix holds together, it can be rolled into small balls and coated with flavouring of choice. Regional variations as well as names exist for these chocolate rum balls. From the Dansk Romkugl or Trøffel, Deutsch Rumkugel or the Polski Bajadera, each regional recipe has a subtle variation. The Hungarian kókuszgolyó are made with whole cherries placed inside the balls and then rolled in coconut flakes.

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Source:https://www.huffpost.com/entry/easy-chocolate-rum-balls_b_6372858

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Going for a healthy twist from the regular, the Danish Havregrynskugle or the “Oatmeal Ball” may be another new holiday recipe to work on. Slightly smaller than a ping pong ball and made of oatmeal, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, butter with a small amount of coffee mixed to a compact mass, these balls are formed and then rolled in shredded coconut, nib sugar, sprinkles or toppings of choice. Similar to this confectionery is the Israeli Kadur Shokolad, where these chocolate balls are made with Petit Beurre crumbs.

Although these treats are holiday favourites, they are in no way confined to it. More than “just desserts”, they become a part of the family tradition as all hands, the tiny ones as well as the experienced hands join in for the holiday memories. As for alterations and combinations, chocolate for the year end would be loved in any form or any manner, liquid or solid, elaborate or simple; the year end sugar and choclate rush is the norm. As for gifts, there is nothing like a gift of choclate covered rum balls or cakes to bring the present year to a delightful and delicious end.

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Daily, Food, Photography Art, Uncategorized

Tea with a Difference

Posted on December 14, 2019October 13, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Catching up with the extended family cousins who have been seriously bitten by the “travel bug” leads to often enlightening conversations and interesting accounts. In the course of discussion was their recent rove into the Tibetan lands. Asides the details of their stay and visits, what caught the curiosity of yours truly was their tea culture.

“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment?” Muriel Barbery (author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog)

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Interestingly the Tibetan tea culture primarily includes the butter tea and the sweet milk tea. Other varieties include the Pu’er Tea, green tea, milk tea and boiled black teas. The most favoured tea is the butter tea, known as po cha (Tibetan, Wylie: bod ja, “Tibetan tea”) or cha süma ( Eastern Tibet, Wylie: ja srub ma, “churned tea”) or suyóu chá (Mandarin Chinese) or gur gur (Ladakhi language). Made from tea leaves, yak butter, water, and salt in the traditional way, wherein the butter, milk and salt are added to the brewed tea. Although the variation today is to use the butter made from cow’s milk based on the latter’s wider availability and lower cost.Had by itself or used as an accompaniment for eating tsampa by pouring onto it or dipping the tsampa into it and mixing well.

The quality of the butter tea is enhanced by boiling the tea leaves to achieve a dark brown colour (takes almost half a day) or turns black (steep the tea leaves). One method involves skimmed the dark brown tea, pouring into a cylinder filled with fresh yak butter and salt and then the whole mix is shaken. The resulting thick liquid is then poured into tea pots or jars. Another method is to add salt to the steeped black tea, stirring the mix through the horse air (or reed) colander into the wooden butter churn with a large lump of butter then added to it. Then it is churned (or rapid stirring in wooden bowl) till the proper consistency of the tea is achieved and then transferred to copper pots kept warmed on a brazier. Modern day alternatives include tea bags, butter and blender.

$Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\$

Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\

$Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\$

Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\

$Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\$

Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-tea-culture.html\

Like the detailed preparation of butter tea, the Tibetan tea drinking culture has many rules. As per their custom, butter tea is drunk in separate sips. After each sip, the host refills the bowl to the brim. As a rule the guest never drains his bowl, instead it is to be constantly topped up. If the guest doesn’t wish to drink, the best thing to do is leave the tea untouched until the time comes to leave and then drain the bowl. This signifies the observance of etiquette, without any offense to the host. Another set of rules to follow is when one is invited to a house for tea. The host will first pour some highland barley wine. The guest must dip his finger in the wine and flick some away, which is done so three times to represent respect for the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Then the cup will be refilled two more times and on the last time it must be emptied or the host will be insulted. After this the host will present a gift of butter tea to the guest, who will accept it without touching the rim of the bowl. The guest will then pour a glass for himself, and must finish the glass or be seen as rude.

Not just limited to drinking but also serving butter tea has it’s own special set of tea-ware. From special porcelain cups to wooden bowls set with gold, silver or copper, or made from these metals as well jade, the Tibetan tea-ware is an art by itself. Interestingly like Tibet, most of the East Asian countries have their own special tea customs, so much so that the tea culture of each country has a rich and varied history behind it. That for tea connoisseurs is the beauty of tea, in itself and being a part of rich vibrant cultures, their customs and traditions, lending the subtle depth and significance to the art and concept of tea.

“The first cup moistens the throat;
The second shatters all feelings of solitude;
The third cleans the digestion, and brings to mind the wisdom of 5,000 volumes;
The fourth induces perspiration, evaporating all of life’s trials and tribulations;
With the fifth cup, body sharpens, crisp;
And the sixth cup is the first on the road to enlightenment;
The seventh cup sits steaming – it needn’t be drunk, as from head to feet one rises to the abode of the immortals.”
–Lu Tong, 9th century

Source:https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-tea/

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Food, Stories Around the World

From Muffin to Cruffin

Posted on December 10, 2019October 21, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“You don’t get tired of muffins. But you don’t find inspiration in them.” George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

While the busy mornings may start off with a muffin, a regular dose of the latter may inspire a change from the regular. What happens when the dough of the muffin is not poured but moulded in with something different? Voila, then is the cruffin, the brainchild of Kate Reid of Lune Croissanterie in Melbourne (2013). The “cruffin” is a hybrid of the croissant and the muffin. The pastry is made by proofing, shaping the laminated dough which is then baked in a muffin mould.

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Source:https://culture-crunch.com/en/2019/05/06/cruffin-mi-croissant-mi-muffin-la-recette-complete/

Source:https://sightseeingscientist.com/everything-need-know-eating-cruffin-san-francisco/

Although the entire procedure may sound quite simple, the delight of the cruffin lies in the filling and the garnishing. From the double choclate chip to caramel flavoured choclate or salty flavoured cream or rich strawberry jam, cruffins can be filled with a variety of creams, jams, crème pâtissières, curds and garnished with slivered almonds, pine nuts, glazed cherries, candied fruits, honey, maple syrup and the like. The entire cruffin, though a bit messy, is worth the long queue at the bakery. As far s homemade baking is concerned, cruffins are perfect for weekend or holiday baking and as far as fillings are concerned, let the favourites rule.

Extrapolating the idea over to the other morning regular, the donut; adding a little spice by making the donut dough a bit more pastry like, the cronut was born. The cronut, a croissant-doughnut pastry was invented by pastry chef Dominique Ansel of Dominique Ansel Bakery based in New York City(2013).

Source:https://lushtoblush.com/diy-cronut-recipe/

Source:https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/9-super-tasty-homemade-cronuts-recipes.html

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronut#/media/File:April_2016_Cronut%C2%AE_2_Burnt_Vanilla_Caramel_-_photo_by_Dominique_Ansel_Bakery.jpg

Made from croissant-like dough which was filled with flavored cream and fried in grape seed oil, this pastry doughnut had caught the flavour and imagination across the globe. So much so that these cronuts with flavoured cream were listed as one of the best “extremely fun” inventions by TIME Magazine (2013).

With the cronut and the cruffin, various combinations like cookie shots, zonuts have been seen. For the home chef, whether it be the standard regular recipe or not, the kitchen is a place to mix and match. As for dessert lovers, the change of taste, flavours and art are what makes the tasty moments of the day.

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Source:https://currentlyexploring.com/5-reasons-mr-holmes-bakehouse-line/

Source:https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/9-super-tasty-homemade-cronuts-recipes.html

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Food, Stories Around the World

The “Brownie” Way

Posted on December 7, 2019October 29, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“And I’ve just pulled a new brownie out of the oven: a deep, dark chocolate base with a praline pecan topping, sort of a marriage of brownie and that crispy top layer of a good pecan pie.” Stacey Ballis (author of Wedding Girl)

Something quick, easy and delectable are few of the pre-requisites required for adding to the list of holiday baking. If chocolate is added in, the better. It would be something that blend in with other well loved and basic desserts. That something would be square, baked or frozen cut choclate cake pieces, more popularly known as the “brownie”. Coming in a variety of forms, from fudgey to cakey with nuts, fudge, frosting, cream cheese, chocolate chips and the favourites included in the batter; the brownie is an all-time favourite of many. Like sheet cookies, they may eaten by self or with milk, ice cream (a la mode), topped with whipped cream or sprinkled with powdered sugar and fudge.

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Source: http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/cookies/cookies2/history-of-the-brownie.asp

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Like all delectable treats, brownies have their own share of legends. As one legend credits the brownie to the creative ingenuity of Palmer House Hotel pastry chef (1893) for the Palmer House Brownie with walnuts and an apricot glaze made for the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition on the request of the owner’s socialite wife Bertha Palmer. The first-known printed use of the word “brownie” was to describe a dessert in the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer (1896 version) in reference for a cookie-type confection that was colored and flavored with molasses and made in fluted marguerite molds. Later further publications like The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (1906) edited by the same Fannie Merritt Farmer records a recipe brownie as an adaptation of her chocolate cookie recipe to a bar cookie baked in a rectangular pan. Another well record as written in the Baking Classics (Betty Crocker) is of a housewife who was making a chocolate cake but forgot to add baking powder. When her cake didn’t rise properly, instead of tossing it out, she cut and served the flat pieces (Bangor, Maine) which would probably account for the Bangor Brownies.

As food historians try to still trace the exact inventor of the “brownie” while the legends credit it to added melted chocolate to a batch of biscuits (added by mistake) or the cook who didn’t have enough flour while baking a cake; brownie are one of the simple things that can be made quite elaborate for the festive season. For instance consider the sandwich brownie (with an ice-cream, cream, icing sugar, meringue or peanut butter as the filling in the middle) or the layered brownie with double chocolate chip at the base, then the layer of Oreos and finally brownie batter on billows of cream cheese, a delight for the wintry holidays. As for the mix, add a scent of cinnamon, essence of the vanilla (blondie twist), sprinkle of the flavours of star-anise, honey or even a little of the cayenne for that extra “hot” to the sweet; brownie can be made as to own choice, flavours and twists. A platter of homemade special brownie can give an extra zest to the holidays. So set, get and go experimenting for a new family festive tradition.

1907
Lowney’s Cook Book
Boston, Massachusetts

Bangor Brownies (p 261)
¼ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 squares chocolate
1 egg
½ to ¾ cup flour
1 cup nut meats
¼ teaspoon salt

“cut in strips”
Source: New England Recipes

Source: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/the-ultimate-brownie/7c67b3a9-5f92-48e4-a029-28170d777abb

Source:https://cookiesandcups.com/mms-brownies/

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Source:https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/cheesecake-brownies/

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Daily, Food, Stories Around the World

Madeleine for holidays

Posted on December 3, 2019October 20, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

Entering into the last month of the year, the delight of enjoying the twilight mornings with the warm cup of tea in the bitter chill of the air, would be better with a little of the small crunchy or tiny delights to add to the tea. In fact with holidays round the corner, a regular stock of the ready homemade sweet dry desserts especially cakes, cookies and biscuits would come in handy.

Among them are the treats of small sponge cakes with their distinctive shell-like shape, baked in pans and can be made with the basic ingredients. Known as the madeleine or petite madeleine, these traditional small cakes trace their origins to the Lorraine region in northeastern France. By legend these cakes have been there in the 17th century French cusine, although the increased use of metal moulds (18th century) had led to their increased use. By the end of the 19th century, the madeleine is considered a staple of the diet of the French bourgeoisie.

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By etymology, the term madeleine describes “a small cake”. Made from génoise cake batter (with the suspended air in the mixed batter giving the volume to the cake) with traditional recipes adding on finely ground almonds, nuts or lemon zest for their special lemony flavour. In Britain, similar cakes are baked in dariole molds, they are coated in jam, desiccated coconut and topped with glacé cherry.

“On a pound of flour, you need a pound of butter, eight egg whites & yolks, three fourths of a pound of fine sugar, a half glass of water, a little grated lime, or preserved lemon rind minced very finely, orange blossom praliné; knead the whole together, & make little cakes, that you will serve iced with sugar.”
“Cakes à la Madeleine”. Menon, Les soupers de la Cour ou L’art de travailler toutes sortes d’aliments, p.282 (1755)

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The madeleine has been mentioned by the culinary writers during the Napoleonic era, especially in the recipe books of Antonin Carême and Grimod de la Reynière. One record of the first recipe traces to the “cakes à la Madeleine and other small desserts” (1758) of a French retainer of an Irish Jacobite refugee, Lord Southwell. Tracing the roots of “Madeleine”, there are several interesting legends pertaining to the origin of the cake. While one considers the name centered from a female character of Lorraine, probably a chef with the patron being Paul de Gondi (17th century cardinal), owner of a castle in Commercy. Another legend consider the inventor to be Madeleine Paulmier, cook for Stanislaus I, duke of Lorraine and exiled King of Poland (18th century). As the legend goes, Louis XV (son-in-law of the duke) charmed by the little cakes prepared by Madeleine Paulmier (1755), named them after her and Maria Leszczyńska, his wife had introduced them soon afterward to the court in Versailles which soon became a favoured French recipe. Two legends link the cake with the pilgrimage to Compostela (Spain) where Madeleine, a pilgrim is said to have brought back the recipe from her voyage or a cook named Madeleine is said to have offered little cakes in the shape of a shell to the pilgrims passing through Lorraine. While another legend states that Madeleine was the creation from the kitchens of Prince Talleyrand by the pastry chef Jean Avice (19th century) who is said to have baked little cakes in Aspice moulds.

Not just in the kitchen, but Madeleine have made their significant impact in literature with Proust’s “episode of the madeleine” as an instance of involuntary memory in his book In Search of the Lost Time. Similar to the madeleine are the “financiers” or the Malaysian Bahulu. One of the benefits of getting down to making Madeleine for the holidays is the ease in its’ preparation, variability of ingredients as well as the versatility of it being a part of the small and the large holiday get-togethers. As for the simplicity in style, a little of “food art” will make the difference. Adding to the festive spirit, madeleine can indeed spice up the holiday season this year.

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Daily, Food, Photography Art

Art in the Jar

Posted on November 30, 2019October 2, 2019 by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“The wonder of imagination is this: It has the power to light its own fire.” John Landis Mason

Rummaging through the church sale, there were numerous purchases, not just the clothes and books sections, but also collectibles ranging from the funny shaped lanterns to glass bottles and finally the mason jars. Speaking of the latter, these were a staple of the kitchens during the prime years of my grandmother and the generations before her. Without the existence of modern day refrigerators, the winter supply was primarily contributed by canning and preservation techniques.

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Though the technique of preservation of food were in many rudimentary forms, it was the French chef Nicolas Appert who had brought about the method of preserving food by enclosing it in sealed containers. Among the earliest glass jars used for home canning were wax sealers (named so as attributed to the sealing wax poured into a channel around the lip to secure the tin lid). Although this process was complicated and error-prone, the wax sealing process was largely in popular use. As this method got slowly modified with screw on cap, till John Landis Mason took over with his innovative twist.

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For every canning enthusiast, antique collector or simply any collector, the Mason Jar is a must on the list. A Mason jar, named after John Landis Mason, is a molded glass jar used in home canning to preserve food. From the first patented form of 1857, to the present, Mason jars have had hundreds of variations in shape and cap design. Although the collector’s treasure is the “Patent Nov 30th 1858,” signifying the date of Mason’s patent, as embossed on thousands of jars, which were made in many shapes, sizes, and colors well into the 1900s.

Today mason jar aren’t confined to the “canning section” alone, but form a big part of many aspects. From the aesthetic turn to food art, serving jars as well as “healthy shakes”, party essentials to leaflet holder, coin jars or quote jars, gift ideas and many more, owning the original one is a collector’s dream. Over the years though technology as well as modern science has progressed in leaps and bounds; there are certain “antique” things in life which still remain in the personal favourite or choice list.