Posted on 12/15/2017 4:39:44 PM PST by Jamestown1630
While enduring a ‘bug’ this week that left me unable to do much but sleep or sit in front of the TV, I happened upon Clarissa Dickson Wright’s series, ‘Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner’, which you can find on YouTube, and which is a really interesting history of how our 'three squares', and the ways we partake of them, have evolved over time.
In the Lunch episode, she featured a pasty (yes, no 'r') crust design, executed by food scholar Ivan Day. This was so beautiful, I had to find the design, and know more about it.
On the way, I found some interesting stuff – including Day's great website on historic food:
http://www.historicfood.com/portal.htm
The pasty design seems to have been derived from Edward Kidder’s ancient ‘Receipts of pastry and cookery, for the use of his scholars’, published in 1720 (you can still buy a copy on Amazon ;-):
http://www.historicfood.com/Edward%20Kidders%20Lamb%20Pasty.htm
I’m not personally a fan of British pasties; but it seems to me that we could decorate our sweet or savory pies just as beautifully – it just takes practice, and starting small! And you don’t need cutters to do this; just find a design, make a cardboard cutout of it, and find a sharp knife to cut the pastry to each of the shapes; then do some detail on the pieces.
Food52 has a lot of starter ideas for ‘fancying up’ your pie:
https://food52.com/blog/8744-9-ways-to-fancy-up-your-pies
-JT
Once ate in the restaurant overlooking the skating rink....the most horrible tasting, most expensive food I’ve ever eaten.
But the view compensated.
I just love the way Kerrygold used whole bread slices and layered them in the baker so artistically .....
.......and that buttered toffee sauce.......mmmmmmmmm.
Thank you. It sounds delicious. Will try it with leftovers from the New Year’s ham.
I love this, Liz. I want to teleport right to that rink. Are you in NYC?
I should go in there and look for those gingerbread houses...So cute!
It’s really on my bucket list to experience Christmas in New York.
Excellent find! Am putting the recipe in my disorganized mess of recipe files ;)
I have been out shopping, etc. so did not get to the breads yet...but I have all the ingredients...Was not sure of expiration date on rum extract LOL...had it a while...Does rum extract expire?!
Anyway going to start my breads today—wished I had made them already—went to lunch empty handed, and someone presented me with a surprise gift (a really nice white wine)...Told her I will be bringing by some goodies next week...She is a baker and a good one, so I have to really get my baking on...;) Treated for her lunch, but still wish I had a bread in hand.
Going to do the egg nog bread , pumpkin bread and maybe the no bake peanut butter balls that Liz posted.
Eh maybe I just won’t answer door for neighbors until the baking is done ;)
Wish me luck ;)
That is actually a good price for that much butter. I’d love to see it around here. I think target. Might have the lowest price for kerrygold, but sometimes a luxury market cuts prices on weird things. I’ve found pastured eggs (vital farms) cheaper at Whole Foods than Ralph’s sometimes.
My mom would love this. Have you tried this recipe yourself? Her birthday is this weekend and if it is as good as it looks, sounds, and comes out well, I’d like to make it for her.
You live in TV land where neighbors are constantly ringing your doorbell? Lol. Wishing you good uninterrupted bake time.
According to legend, a Brennan's, New Orleans, diner exclaimed, “Why, this is as rich as Rockefeller!” The color of greenbacks and so rich-tasting the name signifies the “richest in the world.” Standard Oil's John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), a name once connoting the pinnacle of wealth and position.
ING 36 fresh (live) oysters on the half shell* 6 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons finely-minced fresh spinach leaves 3 tablespoons finely-minced onion 3 tablespoons finely-minced parsley 5 tablespoons homemade bread crumbs Tabasco Sauce to taste 1/2 teaspoon Herbsaint or Pernod** 1/2 teaspoon salt Rock Salt Lemon wedges for garnish
CHEF'S NOTES It is best to use small oyster for this recipe. The oysters themselves (not the shells) should be no more than 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Any variety of oysters will work; just make sure the oysters you choose are as fresh as possible, still alive, and tightly closed. Learn how to Shuck Oysters.** Herbsaint and Pernod are an aniseed flavored spirit, available where liquor is sold.
PREP With oyster knife, pry open, then remove oysters. Discard top shells; wash and dry the bottom shells. Drain the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor.
TOPPING melt butter; add spinach, onion, parsley, bread crumbs, Tabasco Sauce, Herbsaint, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Press the spinach mixture through a sieve or food mill; let cool. Can do-ahea; refrigerate until ready to use.
FINAL Preheat oven broiler. Line an ovenproof plate or platter with a layer of rock salt about 1-inch deep (moisten the salt very slightly). Set oysters in the rock salt, making sure they are level. Place a little of the reserved oyster liquor on each oyster. Spoon an equal amount of the prepared spinach mixture over each oyster and spread to the rim of the shell. Broil approximately 5 minutes or until the edges of the oysters have curled and the topping is bubbling. Watch carefully.
SERVE Garnish the plates or platter with the parsley sprigs and the lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Would make a wonderful birthday dessert.
Just slather lots of Kerrygold butter on the bread slices and arrange them as pictured.
The dish will be superb.
And dont forget the Toffee Sauce and softly whipped cream.
Excellent choices.
LOL not quite TV land, but it is a very nice established neighborhood where we chat outside and keep up with each other’s goings on :) Need to have a block party next year for the newcomers :)
Yes, and for all the haters on FR, it is in Chicagoland ;) Well, actually one of the nice western suburbs :) But actually, I do hope to venture to downtown Chicago and look at the Macy’s (formerly great Marshall Field’s) store windows, and lights next week :) We have so much where I live, sometimes hard to find the need or time.
OK, gotta get off FR or I will never get this done...Getting my baking on now!
Yaelle, enjoy rest of your holidays! :)
Thanks again!
Its magical....no other way to describe it.
Merry Christmas to you Miss M!
Are you spending the holidays in exciting New York City?
Oh no, don’t hide! People love giving. You need to allow them the gift of giving to you.
I’m the same way though, I would rather give than receive.
Not kosher, I’m out. But I used to make oysters at the Century Plaza and that was my closest to wanting to be a vegetarian. I knew each time I sliced the little guy away from his shell, I was killing him. Didn’t enjoy that. I’m a hypocrite: I want someone else to kill my yummy animals for me.
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