Beanie

Thanks for giving me enough "clues" to make mama's secret recipe.

That looks really delicious. What is the French style? It looks more cakey than a dense, NY-style cheesecake. Would you share the recipe?

Each Amish community has its own rules. During the past year, an Amish community from Ohio relocated to my town. They do not have electricity in their barns or homes. However, they will use kerosine to operate equipment as well as their summer cook stoves (in the winter they use wood cook stoves) and they use electricity in facilities owned by others. They deliver milk each day to a centralized facility that they constructed (basically a small pole barn with metal siding and roof), but the electricity and refrigerated tank are owned by a dairy processor. A tanker truck picks up the milk on a regular schedule. The Amish also have their own ice houses and cut their own blocks of ice from ponds on their property. This summer I sold lots of ice to the Amish because they had not yet lived here through the winter and didn't have their own supply on hand. It has been fascinating to get to know them and learn about their ways. Oh, and yes, they do use cell phones ... as long as they don't own them.

This sounds great. I'll try it as soon as my saffron shipment arrives. Thanks!

Jackal10, I believe the water conversions should say US cup, not pint: Pre-ferment: 250 ml = approx. 8.5 US fluid ounces Dough: 300 ml = approx. 10 US fluid ounces (Source: measuring cup in my kitchen)

I'll double check the recipe when I get home tonight and report back. ← I couldn't find my recipe so I checked the epicurious site again and saw the two versions. I am sure I used the Gramercy Tavern gingerbread recipe, and hope I didn't cause any confusion . It calls for 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar. It is for a 10-12 cup bundt pan while the other version is for a 6 cup bundt. Also, 94% of epicurious reviewers would make this again compared to 86% for the other.

I'll double check the recipe when I get home tonight and report back.

Patrick, We once had a discussion about Lindt white chocolate not being avalable anymore except with coconut in it. Or was it just the large bar that is no longer available? What size do you get? The photo looks great, even using flash.

Here's a picture of the Guinness Stout ginger cake baked in a bundt pan. I also made them in mini bundt pans. Sorry I have no photo showing the crumb. I was very pleased with the results. As I mentioned in an old post, I bought a 6-pack of Guinness; one for the cake and 5 for me.

How did you get the graham cracker crumbs to stick? I tried it once and they all felt off ← Really? I wonder why. The surface of the marshmallow is very sticky. I cut the slab in cubes and dredged them a few at a time in a bowl of crumbs. The crumbs stuck without any problem. I did not first roll them in the xx sugar/potato starch mix as I did with the strawberry marshmallows.

My dipping technique leaves alot to be desired, but they tasted good anyway. Strawberry marshmallows on the bottom and vanilla rolled in graham cracker crumbs, dipped in chocolate, on top.

That does sound like a good deal. Iranian Saffron has a higher coloration strength than Spanish saffron -- it tastes a little different, not necessarily better, just different. I've had it in ice cream flavored with Saffron and rosewater, it adds a nice flavor to it. ← I'll report back when I receive it. I've been meaning to order from that web site for quite some time. ← It was already shipped! I just received UPS tracking info. I'm having dreams of arroz con pollo.

That does sound like a good deal. Iranian Saffron has a higher coloration strength than Spanish saffron -- it tastes a little different, not necessarily better, just different. I've had it in ice cream flavored with Saffron and rosewater, it adds a nice flavor to it. ← I'll report back when I receive it. I've been meaning to order from that web site for quite some time.

This thread prompted me to order an ounce of Iranian saffron from this company. Looks like a great deal. $35.95 ounce; free shipping; free 2 oz. bottle of pure vanilla extract; free bar of saffron soap

Don't put an electric percolator on a gas burner.

Altaf, There have been alot of discussions about cupcakes. For starters, here is a good thread. I'm not sure what you're looking for. Do you want to make cupcakes that look like this? These are only slightly domed, but you could then add swirls of icing like this. A few weeks ago I made chocolate cupcakes using a recipe in the best chocolate cake thread. I think it was this recipe. I used papers in the muffin tin and filled each about two-thirds full. They came out slightly domed above the papers like the chocolate cupcakes in the above photo. When they cooled, I dipped the tops in caramel ganache. They were awesome. I'm not sure how they would have turned out if I had filled the cups to the top. When I make jumbo muffins with high tops, I use a very different batter, a thicker muffin batter that is not mixed very much, and fill to the top. But those are muffins, not cupcakes. Maybe you an describe what you want in more detail and one of the more experienced bakers can add to this. Ilene

Interesting point, but you have to read THIS to understand why muslims cannot use alcohol. I have a knowledge that cream of tartar is made from an agent left in wine barrels, then it is chemically trasformed into powder. But the finished product does not containe alcohol. Correct me if i'm wronge.? ← Thank you for the above link. It is very interesting. I did a Google search and found this web site for a description of cream of tartar and this web site regarding permissibility.

Oh, man, am I nostalgic. I lived on the UWS for 20 years and I really miss these places. Thanks for the update. I'm glad a few of the old places are still around, but really surprised to hear about red staters repopulating the area. I sometimes forget how long I've been away. It's a different city.... but that's a different thread.

Wow. Those cupcakes look great. Let us how they turn out with more baking powder. Would you pass along the recipe? What kind of icing is that? Mmm good.

Wonder what's on the menu down there? ← Chinese take-out.

This should be a good resource for you. ← i checked out the site u referred me to and i am somewhat confused..it seems to basically be a site for an upscale trade show? which would be fine were i actually going to attend..but as of yet will nto be attending any trade shows either as a buyer or as a vendor... i was trying to locate an online source for just reauglar cookie type tins( and yes aestetics do matter since this is for my business and not something being sent to just freinds or family for the hoidays..were it just to serve that purpose..it would not really matter all that much... i just think when you are trying to get you online business up and running, you need to find a supplier who does handle these types of tins...and thus far the only thing i have managed to find are tins that are already filled with cookies, which led me to ask where one might find an online supplier of the empty tins... thanks for ya'lls help...much appreciated..just not , i think, what im looking for? ← The Fancy Food Show link that Mayhaw Man provided has a search feature that lists companies by type of product. A listing of packaging suppliers included the US Can Company, click here. A Google search came up with these: Tin Box Company Creative Food Packaging (no tins, but lots of other interesting packaging products and ideas) ACN Gift Packaging Another possible source is Harold Imports, Lakewood, New Jersey. They distribute many lines of kitchen accessories to retail stores and they may carry tins. They have low minimum order requirements. 1-800-526-2163 I've seen displays of tins at the Fancy Food show, but many more at giftware trade shows. Suggest you spend some time googling the food packaging industry and giftware industry to find additional sources, but the above should be a start.

Not only am I old enough to remember the 1980 strike, but at the time I worked in the Mayor's Office of Economic Development and it was our job to estimate the impact on the city's economy We outreached to the major industry sectors -- restaurants, hotels, garment district, financial, etc. etc. -- and came up with estimates that were used by the major media outlets There will always be businesses that do well during adverse times, but I believe the overall economic impact will be negative.

Allura, The reason there is no "stupid baking questions" thread is because there are no stupid baking questions. As a novice baker who has never made layer cakes, I was not aware of the icing dam technique and have learned something from your post. The reason I love this forum so much is that all levels of bakers -- from novices like me to advanced home bakers such as PatrickS (who is also a great photographer ) and Ling, to the professionals such as Wendy, Nightscotsman and so many others -- we are all here to share, learn, and advance our skills. Keep those "stupid" questions coming!

Also Numi Tea. Click here. Then click link to "flowering teas."