ludja

Interesting; that linked recipe does make crunchy layers but they look different to me than the Oblaten I remember seeing in a Pischinger Torte. If I remember correctly, the wafers are like the thin plain, crunchy, sometimes waffled, wafers served with ice cream in many places in Europe. In Maida Heatter's Cookies she has a recipe for "French Sugar Fans" that might be similar. Lastly, here is an older thread that has some discussion of the wafers, their uses and where to buy them: click

I'm sure Russ will have more information, but here is a previous discussion thread on frais des bois and different strawberry cultivars: click I've tasted the Mara des Bois from a local farm in season (late June); they reallly were great. Thank you for sharing a preview of your book with us, Russ.

Making decisions would be difficult for me too! I like the new place for the desk; also a window over the sink is a lovely thing. You'll still have tons of natural light from that wall.

Here are the Calabrian recipes from The Food of Southern Italy by Carlo Middione. Ceci all’Alio (Chickpeas in Olive Oil) Insalata di Cavolfiore (Cauliflower Salad with Anchovy, Capers and Green Olives) Pomodoro Arrostiti (Roasted Tomatoes) Insalata di Bacala (Salad with Salt Cod and Cauliflower) Zuppe di Accia (Celery Soup with Bread, hard boiled eggs, soppresata, Italian sausage and Pecorino) Maccheroni alla Pastora (Macaroni with Sausage and Ricotta, Shepherd Style) Pasta Ammudicata (Broken Percatelli or Bucatini with anchovies, bread crumbs and crushed red pepper) Costelettini di Agnello alla Calabrese (Lamb Chops Calabrian Style, Pan cooked lamb chops with artichokes, red bell peppers, garlic, mushrooms, capers and anchovy) Sformato di Patate di la Cugina Maria (Cousin Mary’s Potato Pudding with Parmesan, bread crumbs, cream, hard boiled eggs and mortadella) (not a typical recipe but one given by a Calabrian!) Pesce Spada in Graticola (Grilled Swordfish with breadcrumbs, garlic and oregano) Tonno alla Calabrese (Tuna, Calabrian Style with bread crumbs, crushed red pepper, a marinara sauce) Spiedini di Maiale (Skewered Pork Rolls with soft Pecorino or Provolone, pancetta and garlic) Pasta e Arrosto (Macaroni and Pork or Veal Roast with Natural Juices; also has quail, rosemary, sage, red wine and pecorino) Fagiolini al Pompodoro (String Beans in Tomato Sauce) Melanzane “non so come si chiamano” (Cousin Mary’s Eggplant with oregano, mint, garlic and vinegar) Polpette di Melanzane (Eggplant Dumplings with Pecorino) Torte di Noci (Walnut “Cake” a walnut tart flavored with candied orange peel, mosto cotta and raisins)

The Food of Southern Italy by Carlo Middione has a few recipes listed as specifically from Basilicata and Calabria. Here are the listed recipes from Basilcata: Agnello con funghi salvatici (lamb stew with wild mushrooms) Ciamotta (Mixed vegetable stew with eggplants, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and garlic) Maccheroni di Fuoco (Fiery maccaroni with garlic and red chiles) Mandorlata di Peperoni (Almond Peppers; fried bell peppers with sugar, toasted almonds, rasins, vinegar and olive oil) Patata con Diavoliccio (Hot devil potatoes Sliced, boiled potatoes layered with chile oil) Pecorella in Salsa (Snails in Spicy Tomato Sauce) Polla alla Potentina (Chicken, Potenza style Pan browned chicken pieces with onions, pepper flakes, crusched tomatoes, parsely and basil; served with pan juices and roasted potatoes) Fritella alla Lucana (Lucanian Semolina Fritters flavored with Bay Leaves) I'll add the Calabrian recipes later...

Some links from the fiery foods website: This link shows and discusses the growing and harvesting of Calbrian peperoncini. There is also a photo that identifies the major various chiles grown there. The Fesitval del Peperoncino in Diamante Some Calabrian recipes that feature chiles from the fiery foods site: click Wild Onion Soup (Zuppa di Cipolle Selvatiche) Spicy-Hot Tomato Soup (Zuppa Piccante al Pomodoro) Chicken with Garlic and Chile (Pollo, Aglio e Peperoncino) Enraged Pasta (Penne all`Arrabiata) Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil & Chiles Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncini) Devil’s Tart (Crostata del Diavolo) Peperoncino Grappa (Grappa al Peperoncino) edited to add: I just see that these fiery food articles are part of an 8-part series on everything chile and Calabrian. If you go to one of the links you can navigate forward and backward between the articles. There is also one that features a trip to the Calabrian Peperonciini Museum! If you read through the stories, you can find out about a lot of the local dishes the authors ate there during their visit.

I think of chiles when I hear of Calabria; I guess because some recipes specify Calabrian chiles. Here is an interesting article that discusses the history of chiles in Calabria: Calabrian Chile Culture The beginning of the article discusses the introduction of the chile pepper upon the return of Columbus to Europe in 1493 and how it was first potentially viewes as a potential cash crop to compete with black pepper. The history given here is that the chile pepper (or peperoncino, in Italian) flourished so widely and easily around the Mediterranean that it ended up not being a replacement for the high status black pepper but began to be heavily used by the populace in local cuisine in Calabria and throughout Southern Italy. The article mentions that many Calabrese immigrated at the turn of the 20th century to locales in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina and that the pepperoncino served as a culinary liason with their roots. The Italian Chile Pepper Academy (L'Academia Italiana del Peperoncino) was formed.

I love your idea of the candied angelica in the cannoli filling; it sounds terrific. I also use sweetened ricotta with candied fruits and sometimes anise flavoring as a filling for cream puffs. I've been looking through Carol Field's The Italian Baker; she has lots of interesting breads and rolls in the "Celebration Breads" chapter that use candied fruits.

Here's an article on chef Gil Logan's preparations for Queen Elizabeth's visit to the Derby and her meal there: click The menu: Barbecue shrimp, Bibb salad topped with sliced strawberries, almonds and feta cheese "Country" Cassoulet of braised chicken, duck, black-eyed peas, country ham and vegetables, Roast Chicken Breast topped with wild shiitake mushroom cream sauce, western Kentucky-style pole beans with fried onions and smoked ham hocks Silks Cookies Mint julep strawberries with spring biscuits. Does anyone know what Silks cookies are? Are they traditional to Kentucky or the Derby? I couldn't find out much about them on the net. Comments on the menu?

These are quotes from awhile back but they perked my interest again upon rereading this thread. One common cake made in Austria with the purchased wafer layers (Oblaten) is the Pischinger Torte. You use 6 or more wafers so at a quick glance it looks similar to a Dobos Torte although it does not have a caramelized top. Typically I think it has a filling of dark chocolate with or without hezelnuts. I could see someone adapting this to a make an easier Dobos torte by caramelizing the top layer, but as mentioned, the traditional recipe uses thin spongecake layers. The Vinatarta sounds pretty interesting middydd; I wonder if it is Czech or Hungarian in origin?

A Dobos Torte is a delicious and showy dessert that can easily serve 10. Here's a discussion thread on it: click Here's a photo: click It's not too difficult to make but it is bit fussy or potentially "expiating. You bake seven or more thin cake layers. The filling is a rich chocolate buttercream. The top layer has a crunchy caramel coating that has to be quickly scored into serving pieces before the caramel completely hardens. I like covering the sides with roasted and chopped hazelnuts. edited to add: How about a whole fish for the main course? Impressive and something that would be expiating for me as I've never attempted cooking one.

This sound great, especially with the horseradish twist and the idea of serving it over fish! Thank you.

Congrats on finishing your thesis and that your committee thinks you should you also translate it into English and turn it into a book! Is it written in French because it was completed for a graduate degree in French?

^Thanks for the white chocolate chunk cookie recipe; I will try this and maybe also add macadamia nuts.... I do lilke that combo.

Thanks for both posts; I'm glad they are bringing it back. I would like to make a real terrine with caul fat some time soon. What do you find yourself using it for mainly?

Another book by an egullet member, Robb Walsh's The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos. click There is a discussion thread set up for the book as well: click I've really enjoyed his previous book on Tex Mex Cooking so I'll definately be checking this one out as well.

mmm... I'm thinking I would also like it as a brulee topping over a plain vanilla creme brulee or over a baked rice pudding.

Here are the winners indicated in red. click 2007 IACP Cookbook of the Year What to Drink with What You Eat: the definitive guide to pairing food with wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea - even water - based on expert advice from America's best sommeliers by Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page Other winners: Jane Grigson Award: Recognizes distinguished scholarship in the quality of its research and presentation Memories of Philippine Kitchens: Stories and Recipes from Far and Near by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan Design: Recgonizing creativity and innovation in design Au Pied De Cochon: the album by Martin Picard and Jean-Francois Boily

I started a thread topic in Elsewhere in Europe about coffee in Vienna and Austria but thought the posting would fit in this discussion as well. click The list of terms for the different types of coffee drinks in Vienna coffeehouses is fascinating in its variety and length. Some of the simpler variations are available all over Austria while some may only be in a true "Kaffehaus" found in Vienna and to some extent in other larger cities like Salzburg and Graz. When I've been to Austria previously I've had some of the simpler concoctions, but as I'm planning a longer trip to Vienna, home to many wonderful traditional coffeehouses. this summer, I thought I would look into the terminology a bit more. Some of the terms I know from experience; others are new to me and were found by reading--so I appreciate any input or clarification from those that may know more. The primary information source I used was Rick Rodgers' Kaffeehaus but I supplemented this with information from other books. To aid searches, I haven't used the umlaut symbol when it comes up in a given word but have instead used the convention where a vowel with an umlaut is replaced with the vowel followed by an "e". For example, “Verlangerter” has an umlaut over the “a”; to spell without the umlaut as I’ve done, it becomes “Verlaengerter”. In the first list I've given the most common coffee orders that I think are available at most coffeehouses in Austria. Kleiner Schwarzer espresso (“small black one”) Kurz I think this is another way to order an espresso; not sure if or how it differs from a Kleiner Schwarzer Kleiner Brauner espresso with dash of milk (“small brown one”) Grosser Schwarzer or Brauner double espresso or double “Kleine Brauner” Verlaengerter Schwarzer or Verlaengerten espresso “stretched” with hot water Mokka or Mocca very strong drip coffee; I think the default is served without milk or cream Melange Quintessential Viennese coffee: half Viennese Roast coffee and half steamed milk. It is sometimes served with a dollop of whipped cream iin which case it is called Melange mit Schlag (Melange with whipped cream) Milchkaffee half coffee/half milk (not sure, but perhaps the distinction here is that the milk is not necessarily steamed) Cappuccino espresso with steamed milk froth Einspaenner tall espresso and milk; topped with plenty of whipped cream (Wiener or Viennese) Eiskaffee iced coffee with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream; when ordering just ask for an “Eiskaffe”. It's served in a glass parfait glass and it usually accompanied by a a thin sugar wafer in the shape of a wedge. Other Coffee Drinks Some of these may be more commonly available in large city coffeehouses, certainly in Vienna but also in the more elaborate coffeehouses in Salzburg or Vienna Kaffee Crème coffee served with a little pitcher of milk Franziskaner coffee with enough milk to resemble the color of monks of the Franciscan order Kapuziner coffee with enough milk to resemble the color of monks of the Capuchin order (lighter than a Franciscan). Sometimes has a sprinkle of grated chocolate on top Konsul black coffee with a spot of cream Nussbraun “nut-brown”, a little lighter than the Kapuziner Nussgold “nut-gold”, a little lighter than the “Nussbraun” Gold very light coffee and milk Vehrkert almost white with milk (not sure if this is the same or lighter than a “Gold” Eidotter glass of coffee with an egg yolk (hangover cure) Fiaker or Pharisaeer hot coffee with rum or brandy; often with whipped cream on top; one distinction I’ve seen is that the Fiaker is a Verlaengerter with rum and whipped cream while a Pharisaeer is a Mokka with rum and whipped cream Maria Theresia hot coffee with orange liqueur and whipped cream Mazagran or Masagran iced coffee with Maraschino liqueur; sometimes rum is used instead I think Tuerkischer coffee boiled in the Turkish style; served in copper cups or may be served in a copper pot with the coffee grounds on the bottom. Other terms and conventions: Doppelschlag (double the amount of whipped cream) You might also hear the word Schanigarten, which is the outdoor area of the coffeehouse, where chairs and tables are set up on the sidewalk. In classic or more formal coffeehouses with at least some of the drinks it is traditional to serve the drinks on a silver tray and with a glass of iced water It's clear that many of these terms originated from a "non-self serve" and non-take out environment; thus the need for many descriptions describing how much milk is added. Hopefully I'll know more after my trip, but thought it would be fun to start this topic and see if others have comments or experiences. In previous visits to Graz my most common orders were for a "Schwarzer" or "Brauner", "klein" or "gross"; and in the summer an "Eiskaffee" but I hope to try some of the others in the trip to Vienna. The Mazagran sounds like a particularly interesting summertime coffee drink. Please share comments or experiences!

So intereesting to hear about using a cookie/tart crust layer as what appears to be a base layer with this cake. As audrey551 mentioned in her first post I've never seen this in any cookbooks (some in German). Can anyone shed any light on the practice? Are these versions in German cookbooks and/or is this an older version of the cake that people know about from speaking with Germans? An American variation? Thanks in advance for sharing information on this!

Results from a recent sardine taste test conducted by San Francissco Chronicle staff: click Look at the rest of the article comments on the top five; the article should be available for a week or so more. Ratings for Sardines King Oscar Tiny Tots 72 Crown Prince 59 Skin/boneless Crown Prince Brisling 57 Bela-Olhao 55 Reese Skin/boneless 53 King Oscar Cross Pack 49 Reese Golden Smoked 38 Brunswick 19

Some spring cookbook releases mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle: click Lidia's Table: 140 Simple and Delicious Recipes From the Ten Places in Italy Lidia Loves Most by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich (Alfred A. Knopf, 366 pages, $35). A Twist of the Wrist: Quick Flavorful Meals With Ingredients From Jars, Cans, Bags, and Boxes by Nancy Silverton with Carolynn Carreno (Alfred A. Knopf, 264 pages, $29.95). The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink edited by Andrew F. Smith (Oxford University Press, 693 pages, $49.95). Classic Stars Desserts by Emily Luchetti (Chronicle Books, 312 pages, $29.95). Luchetti’s personal favorites from her previous four books And another mention for Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop.

Here's some more background on Black Forest Cake from wiki: click I've seen recipes for the Swiss "Zuger Kirschtorte". The cake has meringue/almond layers in addition to spongecake layers but there is no chocolate involved in the cake or frosting and also no fresh cherries. Rather kirsch is used in a syrup to brush on the cake layers and in the buttercream.

Interesting; I haven't seen a recipe with a cookie bottom; only with chocolate cake layers... When you say "cookie" do you mean some crunchy type of chocolate cooke or tart? Here is a previous topic on Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake): click Two recipes mentioned there: recipe from the Time Life Series "The Cooking of Germany" (three layer chocolate cake, layers brushed with kirsch syrup, filled and frosted with sweetened whipped cream with kirsch, sour cherries in between layers, chocolate shavings on the side) recipe from Pierre Herme's "Chocolate Desserts" by Dorie Greenspan this is a modern adaptation and is described futher in the thread. Swisskaese also gives a link similar to that from her uncle's bakery in Germany; I believe that is also cake-based. I'm curious to hear more about this "cookie" version assuming it's not just a translation blip. By the way, welcome to egullet, audrey551!

This sounds like a great idea, annimal. Thanks for sharing it. I have a few recipes for chocolate frosting (not mocha) in which a little coffee adds a great depth to the flavor. I like nuts in my chocolate chip cookies. I usually use the classic walnut but sometimes use pecans or hazelnuts for a different flavor. I wonder if using a mixture cacao nibs and dark chocolate would interesting. This sounds intriguing as well; especially with the addition of buckwheat. I recently posted in a thread where I listed the Toll House recipe as one that I don't like to muck with as I like the results of the basic recipe very much but the coffee liqueur and the buckwheat additions sound good.