Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

Posted on 12/07/2017 4:37:25 PM PST by Jamestown1630

Recently – for some reason that I can’t even remember now – I was looking for information on Germany’s Black Forest. Many of the links that came up were for the famous Black Forest Cake – an extravagant confection of chocolate sponge cake, ‘kirschwasser’ and cherries. Definitely a 'celebration' cake, and it looks very nice for Christmas.

Here, from Genius Kitchen, is a ‘from scratch’ recipe:

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/authentic-black-forest-cake-schwarzwald-kirsch-kuchen-343698

and here is one using prepared cake mix (includes a little history on the cake) from What's Cooking America:

https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/BlackForestCake.htm

I may have been looking up the Black Forest because I’ve become entranced by train driver’s view videos of trains in Europe. This one on the Bergen line in Norway makes you feel as if you're really there - a nice way to enjoy a snowstorm without being in it. For some reason, I just like having this on the television as I putter about the house. (Warning: it's a 2-hour video; but it doesn't take long to get into the storm ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=facDr2lTAUM

-JT


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: blackforestcake; cake; cherries; christmascooking; christmasdesserts; christmasrecipes; kirsch
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 241-244 next last
To: Harmless Teddy Bear

I’m a fan of Veronica Lake so I guess others are as well. That’s a lot of money for a forgotten figure to remember!

Steaming my Boston Brown Bread to go with the Boston Baked Beans I made on Friday. Wrong day to be eating them I suppose but it’s delicious and true Americana doos.


181 posted on 12/10/2017 9:43:47 AM PST by miss marmelstein
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 180 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Are you a bookseller by profession or an Ebay seller?


182 posted on 12/10/2017 9:45:16 AM PST by miss marmelstein
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 180 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall

You’re welcome.


183 posted on 12/10/2017 10:04:23 AM PST by Flaming Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 177 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall

I love the orange flavored cake batter idea. Excellent. Thank you so much. Yes, dense cakes would work best. I can’t believ e I saw somewhere, probably in some amazon review, that someone made a pannetone in them. No way.

Don’t you think, that if you aren’t a sure handed piping expert, that just doing the powdered sugar snow would be prettiest? I like that it doesn’t need fake colors. Some people react to them.


184 posted on 12/10/2017 10:46:51 AM PST by Yaelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 179 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall

It’s a deal. I hate that I will have to buy that nasty joy spray. I comfort myself by thinking we won’t be eating it, it will be used only as a lubricant, lol.


185 posted on 12/10/2017 10:50:30 AM PST by Yaelle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall
Good for you! I never signed up for Prime because it didn't seem worth it. I can usually wait. Even with the pan, it's still in time to make something for Christmas. And very often I get it as if I had Prime anyway, 2 days got something in 1 day I think.

The silicon is a better buy, hope it works for you. Except for my original pan, I will never get my money's worth out of the other two. Cool you get a gingerbread house kit with it, too!

So have fun. All I need right now are some more ink cartridges. The cheap stuff often comes empty or dried up, black ones are the worst,, will try another place. The Dell ones are just too expensive!

If you can, please post a picture of your cake and house if you make that, too!

186 posted on 12/10/2017 12:22:42 PM PST by Aliska
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: miss marmelstein
Book lover by nature, book keeper by profession, book seller (part-time) by chance.

One of my clients, a used and rare bookseller, needed someone to take over his store for a few weeks. I had the time and decided to give him a hand. It morphed into a steady gig and I might buy the store when he decides to retire.

187 posted on 12/10/2017 2:02:51 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 182 | View Replies]

To: Yaelle

Yes I think that’s the best thing about them. Just a layer of “snow” and I am done decorating! LOL. I like simplicity anyway, and it looks like the powdered sugar really brings out the details the best. I can’t remember if that was on the one website I sent you or another I looked at… But it showed the cakes before and after. Before, you couldn’t hardly tell any of the details.

I’ve never use the spray stuff with the flour in it. I try not to use the plain spray stuff, but I do have a can. With my other Bundt pan, the one with little flowers, I would use shortening and then flour . But these little guys look so much smaller with so much more detail, I guess the spray is necessary.


188 posted on 12/10/2017 2:09:16 PM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 184 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Very nice.


189 posted on 12/10/2017 2:12:45 PM PST by miss marmelstein
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 187 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

190 posted on 12/10/2017 2:43:54 PM PST by Liz (One side in this conflict has 8 Trillion bullets; the other side doesnt know which bathroom to use.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 180 | View Replies]

To: Jamestown1630

I have a question for anyone left on this thread about instant pot. I’m looking at one that will be on sale the 12th at Sam’s Club for a pretty good price. Except it doesn’t have the yogurt feature. I’m wondering if anyone that has one of the more fancy pots has used that feature? I’m wondering if I could combine some of the others to emulate it. Such as to cook to raise the milk to 180°, and then maybe the keep warm function? Was it just so darn handy that I would want to spend a bit more?


191 posted on 12/10/2017 3:31:14 PM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aliska

Of course I’ll post a picture, for better or for worse. ;)

I’m in The country, so I figured Amazon prime would be cheaper than me spending gas to go shopping. Plus, after they increased their free shipping total to $50, I ended up buying too much just to hit that limit. This way I can order an item that’s $10 and still get it shipped quickly. I have no idea how they can afford that. Shipping charges are outrageous . I’m thinking it saves me money in the long run because I only buy what I need at the moment. But..It really is too easy to impulse shop.

Do you have any idea how I would use the silicone gingerbread molds? I’m thinking I make a cookie dough and squish the dough into them?

Oh yeah ink, thanks for reminding me. I usually like to have a little stockpile of printer ink, just in case. I can’t even remember the last time I bought any. I must not be printing much…

Or Tuesday I have a dentist appointment. So I have plans to go to Walmart and buy that flour and oil spray. Wednesday the pan shows up. Thursday I’m baking!


192 posted on 12/10/2017 6:29:18 PM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 186 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall
Heh, baking Thursday. Sounds like a plan.

I have cut down my spending because I look back and don't really need a lot of the stuff I got and it's just taking up room. They will let you stick stuff in your cart and keep it there. That's what I do. It's empty now.

No, I don't think cookie dough is a good idea. Look up some gingerbread recipes or get a couple mixes (or more) at Walmart. I love gingerbread with whipped cream. It's a little different from cake texture but would probably work better than cookie dough which is too thick. I think it would bake on the outside and stay uncooked dough on the inside.

My superstore has this, yum. You would put different amount of liquid in for cookies than you would for cake. If you make it from scratch, which I have never felt a need to do, some recipes use hot water.

They also have house mixes, you could look up what yours might have if you just put in gingerbread. Unless yours isn't online.

My other store doesn't seem to carry gingerbread mix. I think Krustaetz (sp?) makes one; their stuff looks good but never tried it. I used to buy Pillsbury. I loved the taste and convenience of it. Just mix with water and bake in ungreased square pan (I prefer glass).

193 posted on 12/10/2017 6:52:48 PM PST by Aliska
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 192 | View Replies]

To: Aliska

But aren’t gingerbread houses made of something more like a cookie? Something that ends up pretty stiff. I guess there are two types of gingerbread, the cookies and the cakes. Actually I don’t really like either, ginger isn’t my favorite. Unless it is freshly shredded, but that goes better in Chinese food then baking.

We are having some pretty cold weather, so looks like a good baking time. And my husband is on travel for two weeks. So I think I’ll just happily do domestic things, inside. Although I will try to get outside to split and stack some firewood. As Thoreau says, it warms you twice :-)

The only time I’ll have to get out to civilization is to drop off my baked goods. Otherwise I’ll get even more potato – shaped if I eat them all!


194 posted on 12/10/2017 7:03:41 PM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 193 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall
Be careful splitting firewood. I'm impressed though.

Yes, the houses are made from cookies. And glued together and decorated with royal icing. The bundt village should be more cakelike and not made with cookie dough imo.

Sorry you don't like it. I only like ginger in a couple things (besides Oriental cooking and not too much in that). But that's another story.

195 posted on 12/10/2017 7:33:17 PM PST by Aliska
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 194 | View Replies]

To: Aliska

Oh it wasn’t the village I was asking about using cookie dough - that would end up really weird! It was the gingerbread house mold that I get as well. I see why you thought that and your answer was really tactful!

I think after having fresh ginger, I cannot stand the powdered stuff now. Same with freshly grated nutmeg. That is my favorite spice now, the beautiful pattern the emerges as you grate the nutmeg is so pretty and smells so good. I might have to buy some eggnog....


196 posted on 12/10/2017 7:42:54 PM PST by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 195 | View Replies]

To: miss marmelstein

I always loved the Spanish bar cake from A&P years ago. Then one day, I made an apple butter cake (Musselman’s recipe). I used cream cheese frosting, and it tasted just like Spanish bar cake. I didn’t put nuts in it, just raisins. Here’s a recipe link, but when I first found the recipe, it didn’t have that fancy frosting or nuts in it:

http://www.musselmans.com/recipes/recipe-detail/?id=1911&name=Apple+Butter+Cake+with+Dulce+de+Leche+Buttercream


197 posted on 12/10/2017 7:57:33 PM PST by Flaming Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: CottonBall
I feel deprived because I don't have a nutmeg. I would love that grated fresh. The aroma can't even imagine. I do have a nice microplane I don't use enough.

Ginger, it smells nice. Maybe I need to get used to fresh. My grandma didn't have that on the Illinois prairie. I wonder what would happen if you made gingerbread from scratch and grated your own ginger?

I don't keep it on hand and don't use much. You probably wouldn't want to but you can freeze a piece of it so it will keep longer.

Somehow I see you in one of those off-the-grid earthship homes :-). The style with the banks of windows for solar and a greenhouse is the one that intrigues me the most. I never honed up my susvival skills by actually DOING something about it.

198 posted on 12/10/2017 8:03:44 PM PST by Aliska
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 196 | View Replies]

To: Aliska

https://saramoulton.com/2014/02/fresh-ginger-gingerbread/

Here is a recipe for gingerbread that contains fresh ginger.

I keep ginger in my freezer for general cooking. I can

grate it as needed-with a microplaner. I learned that trick

from Michelle Tam, the author of Nom Nom Paleo. She has a

website and a number of cookbooks centered on a paleo diet.


199 posted on 12/10/2017 8:32:45 PM PST by Califreak (Take Me Back To Constantinople)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 198 | View Replies]

To: Flaming Conservative

I don’t know what a Spanish bar cake is. Tell me.

I made a delicious pumpkin-gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting from a Guardian recipe. It was delicious!


200 posted on 12/11/2017 3:47:02 AM PST by miss marmelstein
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 241-244 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson