ludja

Thanks! The lemon zest adds a very nice flavor; and gives a final taste that is a bit different than the flavor profile of an American banana cake. I used the full amount of recommended zest (from one med-large. lemon) and would definately do so again. The banana flavor of the cake is nuanced and I think the lemon and vanilla add to the final, slightly mysterious flavor of the cake.

So loverly, Chufi, as I commented on in the discussion thread for the cake... The constrast between the vertical lines of the cake and the cloth are just great. Here is a great tasting Banana Gugelhupf I made over the weekend: It's from a recipe in Rick Rodger's Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest and Prague. We've been sharing some recipes we've made from the book here.

^Wow, that looks beautiful, Chufi! Thanks for sharing your recipe and the tip to increase the spices a bit. So, if I understand correctly, you bake each layer for 5-10 min or something; then add another thin layer of batter and bake again? Repeat the process, alternating between spiced and unspiced batters each time, until you build up the final cake? Sorry if I'm forgetting this from your Dutch blog but is "soft white sugar", the American "powdered" or "Confectioner's" sugar? Any guidance on cooking temperature and times for baking each layer and the approximate pan size you used? Thanks much!

Spring parsley soup garnished with creme fraiche Fresh egg tagliatelle, pinkeye peas, bacon, sage ...?

One place to try may be Otto's Hungarian Import Store & Deli: click (scroll down to section with nut grinders) The online catalog says they have 18 different styles and sizes of nut grinders! (aluminum, plastic or iron, suction or clamp foot) Otto's Hungarian Import Store & Deli 2320 West Clark Avenue, Burbank, California 91506 U.S.A. Telephone (818) 845-0433 Fax (818) 845-8656 I have a Zyliss hand held rotary grater which I use when I need finely grated chocolate or nuts. It has three interchangeable "drums" with different grating surfaces on each. All the parts are metal and there is nothing to bend so it is pretty sturdy. It's not that easy to use for larger amounts though but the chocoalte and nuts do come out dry and even in size.

I recently made a Banana Gugelhupf from Rick Rodger's Kaffehaus that made me think of this thread. The texture of this cake is wonderful, slightly dense and moist. Unlike modern American banana breads/cakes that often use oil to achieve richness and moistness this one uses instead 1/3 cup of heavy cream. I think the flavor and finer crumb texture are much better than many oil-based banana breads and I'll be making this easy cake often. It keeps well for at least five days if wrapped well in plastic and stored at room temp. We've been enjoying it for breakfast with coffee. ... Maybe this combination of pureed fruit and a little heavy cream would work well in other applications as well. (As Rodgers mentions, the Austrian Gugelhupf, from which the American Bundt cake descended, is typically flavored with lemon, vanilla and raisins (sometimes rum-soaked) but this newer version has mashed bananas instead of raisins in it.)

Your post, Jean, this thread and a couple of bananas that were turning soft inspired me to try the Banana Gugelhupf this weekend. As Rodgers mentions, the Austrian Gugelhupf, from which the American Bundt cake descended, is typically flavored with lemon, vanilla and raisins (sometimes rum-soaked) but this newer version has mashed bananas instead of raisins in it. The texture of this cake is wonderful, slightly dense and moist. Unlike modern American banana breads/cakes that often use in excees of a cup of oil to achieve richness and moistness this one uses instead 1/3 cup of heavy cream. I think the flavor and texture are much better; I'll be making this easy cake often. It keeps well for at least five days if wrapped well in plastic and stored at room temp. We've been enjoying it for breakfast with coffee.

There's an interesting pie in this article from the Atlanta Journal Constitution: click A Southern Chess Pie flavored with Sweet Tea. (It's actually found in a James Beard-nominated article written by egullet member John T. Edge. Also, check out the accompanying recipe for Cheerwine Cake developed by professional pastry chef and egullet member, phlawless.!)

So, the first menu is: Asparagus with a honey-brown butter sauce & Speck. English Pea Risotto with Preserved Meyer Lemon and Crispy Proscuitto Tasting of Rhubarb - Rhubarb Confit "Batons" - Rhubarb/Creme Fraiche Ice Cream - Warm Rhubarb "Tart" - Pistascio "Crumble" - Rhubarb/Campari "Glace" Next first course: Parsley Spring Soup garnished with creme fraiche (To make it easier for the "next person" in the game, consider copying the precediing the course(s) for the meal you are adding on to...

2007 IACP Cookbook Award Finalists click Awards will be announced in early April. American Category Dishes From the Wild Horse Desert: Norteño cooking of South Texas by Melissa Guerra The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners by Matt Lee and Ted Lee Sharing the Table at Garland's Lodge by Amanda Stine and Mary Garland Bread, Other Baking and Sweets Category About Professional Baking by Gail Sokol Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan Bread Matters: The State of Modern Bread & a Definitive Guide to Baking Your Own by Andrew Whitley Chefs and Restaurants Category: The California Table Grape Commission Award Allegra McEvedy's Colour Cookbook by Allegra McEvedy & Fred Dickieson Happy in the Kitchen by Michel Richard, Susie Heller and Peter Kaminsky Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection; Reinventing Kitchen Classics by Heston Blumenthal Compilations Category The 150 Best American Recipes: Indispensable Dishes from Legendary Chefs and Undiscovered Cooks by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook by Anne C. Cain The Professional Chef/the Culinary Institute of America-8th Edition by The Culinary Institute of America First Book: The Julia Child Award Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners by Matt Lee and Ted Lee Memories of Philippine Kitchens: Stories and Recipes from Far and Near by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan Food Photography and Styling Category The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate Photographer: Deborah Jones, Food Stylist: Susie Heller Secret Destinations: Asian spa cuisine Photographer: Edmond Ho, Food Stylist: Susie Donald Simple Chinese Cooking Photographer: Earl Carter Food Reference/Technical Category Culinary Biographies by Alice Arndt Modern Garde Manger by Robert Garlough The Spice and Herb Bible, Second Edition by Ian Hemphill General Category The Filipino-American Kitchen: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors by Jennifer M. Aranas The Improvisational Cook by Sally Schneider Opera Lovers Cookbook: menus for elegant entertaining by Francine Segan Health and Special Diets Category Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children by Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes Spa Cuisine by Charlie Trotter by Charlie Trotter William-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen: Desserts byAnnabel Langbein International Category: The Le Cordon Bleu Award Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore by James Oseland Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Nodern Flavors by Andrea Q. Nguyen The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Food and Flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson Literary Food Writing Category: The Cuisinart Award The Kitchen Diaries: a year in the kitchen with Nigel Slater by Nigel Slater My Life in France by Julia Child Alex Prud'homme The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation by David Kamp Single Subject Category Hot Chocolate: 50 heavenly cups of comfort by Fred Thompson A Passion for Ice Cream: 95 Recipes for Fabulous Desserts by Emily Luchetti Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen by Deborah Madison Wine, Beer or Spirits Category Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food by Evan Goldstein and Joyce Goldstein The Ultimate Bar Book: the comprehensive guide to over 1,000 cocktails by Mittie Hellmich 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 and Karen Page

Nominees : James Beard Foundation 2007 Books Awards click Awards will be announced in early May. I spy at least two members of the eGullet Society on the list of nominees: Andrea Nguyen and Dorie Greenspan! There are other books also already mentioned on this thread in addition to quite a few others. Asian Cooking: Cradle of Flavor by James Oseland Into the Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen The Sushi Experience by Hiroko Shimbo Baking and Dessert Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters by Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking by The Bakers at King Arthur Flour Cooking from a Professional Point of View Alain Ducasse’s Desserts and Pastries by Frederic Robert Happy in the Kitchen by Michel Richard with Susie Heller and Peter Kaminsky The Professional Chef, 8th Edition by The Culinary Institute of America Entertaining The Big Book of Appetizers Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking and Entertaining by Cheryl Alters Jamison Opera Lover’s Cookbook Francine Segan Food of the Americas Dishes from the Wild Horse Desert: Norteno Cooking of South Texas by Melissa Guerra Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table by Kathy Casey The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee General The Family Kitchen by Debra Ponzek The Improvisational Cookbook by Sally Schneider Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Everyday by Roy Finamore Healthy Focus The Diabetes Menu Cookbook: Delicious Special Occasion Recipes for Family & Friends by Barbara Scott-Goodman and Kalia Doner EatingWell Serves Two by Jim Romanoff Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass International Arabesque by Claudia Roden The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson Spice by Ana Sortun Reference Culinary Biographies: A Dictionary of the World’s Great Historic Chefs, Cookbook Authors and Collectors, Farmers, Gourmets, Home Economists, Nutritionists, Restaurateurs, Philosophers, Physicians, Scientists, Writers and Others who Influenced the Way We Eat Today by Alice Arndt The Organic Cook’s Bible by Jeff Cox What to Eat by Marion Nestle Single Subject Braise by Daniel Boulud The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen by Deborah Madison Wine and Spirits Keys to the Cellar: Strategies and Secrets of Wine Collecting by Peter D. Meltzer Romancing the Vine by Alan Tardi The Wines of France: The Essential Guide for Savvy Shoppers by Jacqueline Friedrich Writing on Food Heat by Bill Buford The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation by David Kamp Photography Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto’s Kikanoi Restaurant, Photographer: Masashi Kuma Michael Mina, Photographer: Karl Petzke Tartine, Photographer: France Ruffenach

^ Thanks, C.sapidus. This book was not on my radar screen at all and it sounds great. I also saw that it was recently nominated for a James Beard Award.

About 18 months later... Charges of 19 felonies, including arson, interstate transportation of fraudulently obtained property, fraud and tax evasion were recently filed against Mark Anderson in the Mare Island wine warehouse fire. click The article reports that 75-80% of the 6 million bottles of wine stored in the warehouse were damage or destroyed. These bottles were owned by 92 wineries and 43 private collectors. Initial estimates of monetary loss were $100 million but newer estimates put the value at closer to $250 million.

Very good. I really can taste the Marillenknödel when looking at the picture. I'll use "Topfen" (farmer's Cheese) dough for the dumplings instead of potato dough. Other goodies I'll serve once in a while are "Powidltascherl"; "Liwanzen"; "Zwetschgenpovesen" "Böhmische Dalken"; "Buchteln"; "Prager Palatschinken"; "Semmelbaba" etc, etc. There are so many desserts and cakes I like. ← Thanks, legourmet! I think my grandmother usually uses Topfen dough for Marrillenknoedel (apricot dumplings) and potato dough for Zwetschgenknoedel (plum dumplings) but I had a hankering to try the potato dough this time... Thank you for sharing some of your favorites. I've not made any of these but I know some of them. They sound like they fall in the category more similar to the Apricot Dumplings and Palatschinken than to tortes, that is, homey, filling desserts. I really like both! Powidltascherl: Potato dough dumplings in which the dough is rolled flat as for pasta, cut into rounds, filled with plum/prune butter, formed into half-moons (“pockets”) and cooked. They are then served with sugared and butter-sautéed breadcrumbs. Boehmische Dalken "Bohemian Pancakes” Small, usually yeasted, pancakes that are sandwiched with jam (usually plum jam (Powidl) flavored with rum.) Another filling might be sweetened Topfen with lemon and maybe rum-soaked raisins. Topfen is the Austrian-German term for Germany’s “Quark” and the U.S.’s Farmer’s Cheese. These can sometimes be topped with a mixture of ground poppyseeds, sugar and cinnamon. Buchteln: “Jam Rolls” Yeasted sweet rolls filled with jam, brushed with plenty of butter, loosely packed into a pan and baked (I’ve been hearing that these are a specialty served fresh and warm at Café Hawelka in Vienna; I hope to sample them this summer.) I read in one place that these are sometimes served with a Vanilla sauce? Semmelbaba (‘Semmel” is a roll; “baba” is a grandmother or old woman?) As far as I can tell, this is an apple-bread pudding flavored with cinnamon, raisins and almonds. At the end of baking it is covered with a meringue and cooked for a short time and then topped with vanilla or powdered sugar. ^Do these descriptions sound correct? Not as sure about these... Zwetschgenpovesen a Czech dish with plums…??? As far as I can tell Liwanzen seem similar to Boehmische Dalken? Does it imply a different filling or is there some other difference? Prager Palatschinken Are these different than Austrian versions of Palatschinken? (crepes) Are the typical fillings apricot or plum jam or sweetened Topfen or something else?

I *would* like to make the Esterhazyschnitten pictured on the cover of Rodger's book! I've tasted them before but have not made them myself. I'd like to try them with the kirsch-flavored buttercream although he also mentions rum or cognac as a substitute flavoring. (For those that don't have the book, here is Rodger's version of Esterhazy "slices": Six thin, nut meringue layers made with a mixture of ground hazelnuts and almonds. The layers are filled with a kirsch buttercream The top layer is covered with an apricot glaze and is then covered with a faux fondant icing which is feathered with melted dark chocolate. (The dessert is named after a well-known Austrian/Hungarian noble family: The Esterhazy's. Among other things, the family was the major patron for composer Joseph Haydn.) With the marbled fondant icing on top and the layers, the Esterhazyschnitten look like a Napoleon at a quick glance. The rest of the pastry is quite different though given the nut-meringue layers and buttercream filling. Austrians and Hungarians make something similar to Napoleons that also use crisp puff pastry layers. The filling, as Rodgers describes, is usually a pastry cream lightened with whipped cream unlike the straight pastry cream used in Napoleaons. He give a variant with coffee icing called, "Francia Kremes" although more generically without the icing they're simply called "Cremeschitten" or 'cream slices.

I made some Palatschinken during the Crepe Cookoff Thread . Seeing all the different crepe recipes and having a few different Palataschinken recipes at home, I scaled a number of my Palataschinken recipes to the Julia Child crepe recipe in order to see if there was a consistent difference in ingredient ratios since they are a bit different in texture. These are the conclusions I came up: Anyway, way more than anyone else wants to know about Palatschinken and crepes but I found it interesting at the time since I make both!

Yes, you can definately make the Palatschinken in advance. After they are cooled to room temp, they'll keep very well for a couple days in a sealed plastic bag with sheets of waxed paper between them. I haven't tried freezing them myself, but one might be able to do that also. I made them earlier in the day for a dinner party I had, but I ate up the remainder quite happily for a few days aftwards. I always eat "leftovers' when just cooking for two also. To serve, you want them warm though. So when I had extra left over I just briefly reheated them on a skillet. You can then fill and keep them for a little while in a warm oven. They can be a little crispy on the edges but you want to maintain some of the softness and tenderness of the main body of the Palatschinken as well. I think I have also warmed them briefly in a covered baking pan as well and then filled them after warming them up. Like French crepes or American pancakes, the first one or two in the batch will be less than perfect. The first side you cook will be the prettiest, so make sure that is forms the outside when you fill them. The Palatschinken should be nice and thin. It takes a little practice but the trick is to swirl the pan as quickly as can once you pour the batter into the heated and buttered pan. I don't have a crepe pan but use my well-seasoned cast iron skillet. A small measuring cup or ladle is good for getting the proper and consistent amount of batter in there quickly. The final texture is similar to French crepes but it is also distinct in a subtle way. They are both thin but the Palatschinken have a little more heft and tenderness than typical French crepes.

What a nice idea! I started a thread a while back for baking tarts with the seasons but I fell off the wagon. This will be great to see your's and other's ideas for pies to bake in spring,summer, fall and winter! Here are a few ideas: Spring months Rhubarb Pie Strawberry Chiffon Pie Lemon meringue pie Summer months Coconut Cream Pie Buttermilk Pie with Peach Sauce Black and Blue Pie (half Blackberries, half blueberries) Fall months Pear Ginger Pie Sweet Potato Pie Apple Pie (could try an open-faced, streusel topped pie if you've not made one, a "Dutch" Apple Pie) Winter months Pear Ginger Pie Pecan Pie Apple Pie

← As guests, when we're in a tasting room and it is crowded, we always move away from the counter when we are drinking so that others can receive a tasting. Most people just seem to park at the counter no matter how crowded it is. It's somewhat similar to people who crowd in front of paintings in a museum instead of standing back a bit. If it isn't crowded we'll stay at the counter and ask questions/chat with the pourer if they're not too busy.

^ Can you describe your disappointing lunch experience at Chez Panisse Cafe a bit more, Sararwelch? Was this your first experience there? Just curious to hear what contributed to the negative experience. I haven't been to the Cafe for lunch in awhile but it's always been great there for me over mulitiple visits. Thanks!

You're in a for treat when you peruse, Chufi's thread, CdnLifegard! The thread is central for home Dutch cooking on the eGullet forums! Let us know what you make if you get inspiration! Welcome to eGullet, by the way and good luck cooking something nice for your grandmother!

I find that starting out with potatoes that have been boiled in their skins, cooked through and then chilled in the fridge work well. Overnight chill is great or at least a few hours. Peel and slice into pre-heated pan at medium heat and coated with butter. Use plenty of grease (oil or bacon fat), medium high heat, don't disturb until the first side is browned. Re-apply fat for cooking the other side. Cast iron pan works well for me.

This does look great including the bread. I might like the bread just a wee bit thinner but it looks very good. I may link this photo to the thread on soft, squishy bread as a good example of non-Wonder, but not crusty bread!

Yes, there is lots of overlap between the foods of Austria and Hungary and all the other countries of the old empire-especially in Burgenland and Styria. Most of the names I know are the Austrian ones... Thanks for posting the recipe! I guess the only other thing to mention is to make sure one uses "floury or mealy" potatoes for the mashed potatoes, i.e. russets (in the US) rather than waxy ones. And, as far I know--just potatoes that are mashed--i.e. no cream, butter, salt and pepper.... (Or as my Oma would say, 'mehlig erdapfel'.) ... ← Last summer I made some potato dumplings filled with apricots... Later in the summer, small plums (called "Italian plums" in the US) are used for the filling. Marillenknoedel (Apricot Dumplings) These dumplings are made with a potato dough (similar to a gnocchi dough) and are a special seasonal dish I look forward to each fleeting moment in summer when fresh apricots are available. A half sugar cube inside the apricot adds a needed touch of sweetness. I like adding some ground walnuts to the toasted and sweetened bread crumb coating as well.

Leite's Culinaria published their best 20 cook and food-related books of 2006. Here's the list: click They chose Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma as their best book of the year. This is the only book which they described. Honorable Mentions: The Ominivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan Heat by Bill Buford Mostly True by Molly O’Neill The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain The Reach of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation by David Kamp Red, White and Drunk All Over by Natalie MacLean Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon by Claudia Roden Cradle of Flavor by James Oseland Into the Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver Kitchen Sense by Mitchell Davis Lobel’s Meat and Wine by Stanley, Leon, Evan, Mark and David Lobel The Lee Bros. Cookbook by Matt and Ted Lee The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt I've read The Omnivore's Dilemma, Heat and The United States of Arugula. All very good and I wouldn't mind having copies of them. Comments on any of chosen books? Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, The Lee Bros: Southern Cookbook and Dorie Greenspan's book are already on my list.