It’s the Holiday Season! This one is not new, but just because it’s Christmas. . .
And a bonus – Happy, sleeping Sam Vimes
Posts Tagged ‘holidays’
What am I buying for Christmas?
November 18, 2012
This lovely and meaningful gift from the Origami Boulder Company. Thank you, Curtis. for this suggestion. You buy now.
What am I celebrating today?
September 17, 2012
Today is Apple Dumpling Day. It is still officially summer, but there’s a little nip in the air and the locally grown apples have begun to appear in our markets.
My mother made the best apple dumplings. I do not have a recipe because she did not use one, but here is approximately how she made them.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pastry, as for a pie crust – these are approximate measurements:
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt – whisk into flour
1/2 cup shortening (she used Crisco) – cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender (or two knives)
moisten the dough with a couple of tablespoons of ice water
– add this a little at a time until the dough begins to come together
Roll into a rectangle about 1/8 of an inch thick
Cut into squares.
Place a peeled, cored apple in the middle of each square. You probably don’t want apples that are really big for this recipe.
What kind of apple? My mother always said, “Don’t buy the computer apples.” But if you don’t mind mushy apples, go ahead and buy the computer apples (also known as Macintosh.) Granny Smiths are good, as are any apple with a lot of flavor and a little tartness.
Fill the hole in the apple with butter and red cinnamon hearts – these will melt and make a sauce. Alternatively, you can fill the cores with sugar, butter, cinnamon, walnuts, raisins, or any combination of the above.
Splash the apples with maple syrup and fold up the dough to cover the apple.
Bake until the crust is browned and the apples are soft – I’m guessing about 30 to 45 minutes.
In my opinion, these don’t need ice cream or whipped cream or any other embellishment – but if that is what you like, go ahead and enjoy! Actually, I do like them with accompanied by a wedge of cheddar cheese.
I love the names of the old apple varieties: Stayman Winesap, Northern Spy, Pippin, Sheepnose, but they are difficult to find these days. The poster above is from MOFGA’s Common Ground Fair from 2009. The Fair takes place every September in Unity, Maine.
What am I celebrating today?
August 11, 2012
August 11 is Raspberry Tart Day. According to Punchbowl, tarts were first introduced in the Middle Ages. I think that may be when they were first introduced into society, but I suspect that those little tarts were around for a lot longer than that. This celebration, however, should focus more on the raspberries. The summer berry season is a short one and fresh red raspberries are a wonderful treat. So celebrate by giving someone you love the raspberries.
For future reference, Harry, it is raspberry…although of course, if I were a Death Eater, I would have been sure to research my own jam preferences before impersonating myself. ~ Albus Dumbledore
Brown Butter Raspberry Tart from Epicurious
Crust:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
Filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
For crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.
Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.
For filling:
Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.
Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.
Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve.
Why am I looking at the sky?
July 15, 2012
Because today is St. Swithin’s Day. Here is some background.
Swithin was Bishop of Winchester in the 9th century. Little is known of his life, although he was rumored to be humble and charitable. He is best known these days because of this weather forecasting ditty:
St Swithin’s Day, if thou dost rain,
For forty days it will remain:
St. Swithin’s Day, if thou be fair,
For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.’
He was said to have asked to be buried outside the cathedral where people would pass by his remains and the rain would fall on him. One hundred years later, his relics were moved (translated) into a shrine in the new church. Miracles were associated with this translation and Swithin was canonized.
What holiday am I celebrating today?
April 30, 2012
Walpurgis Night, the eve of May Day. The holiday has its roots in early fertility festivals . . . some ties to witches, again fertility festivals . . . mostly celebrated in Scandinavia and northern Europe. There is a lot written about St. Walpurgis and the origin of the holiday – just Google it. My take – it features a bonfire and sparkling drink, so I’m there.
What am I Sappy Cat Blogging about?
February 17, 2012The Sappy Cat subjects this week are Isaac and Tinker getting to know each other. Isaac and his family visited over the holidays this year.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 