maggiethecat

I made the Lane Cake yesterday from the Purdey recipe. It is an occasion of sin. (No pix. sorry!) Not as good as it should have been, because my boiled frosting broke. But the cake itself was excellent(And this from someone who dislikes White cake!) The classic Lane Cake Filling verges on Obscene. Eight egg yolk custard. A cup of pecans. Bourbon. Sultanas. Coconut. dates. Maraschino cherries Over the top. I think I'll cut a litle piece now. Just a little won't hurt....right?

Marlene! Girfriend! Me & thee, si? Me and thee, three!

A very beautiful, evocative piece, Louisa. Oh to be young, in Paris, and eating at a Three Star! By the way, the notched flat spoon is called, I believe, a sauce spoon. I was given one a couple of weeks ago at NoMi in Chicago for that amazing parsley sauce with my duck crepes. I am looking forward to your next installment.

Chris, I do (and I have the time). Ontario lamb is excellent. I haven't had American lamb in over two decades so can't say much about it. I've had all three...Ontario, US and New Zealand. Although I've enjoyed the Yank and the Kiwi, the Ontario comes out ahead. Every time.

Vero! If a oeno buddy wants to discuss food and pairings before my party (and buy it!) that is one cool buddy. Otherwise, I consider that bottle a gift, and wait for the pleasant moment when I can open it and drink a toast to the taste and generosity of the kind giver. A note on flowers: I love flowers. But! please bring them in a vase. Oh, the scores of times I've had to neglect the hors d'oeuvres to Deal With The Flowers.

Malarkey: No I haven't...I've been a bit under the weather. But I certainly will when health and stregth return! I'll use the Susan Purvis recipe so we can compare.

Kit: Oh my gosh! Marble Cake? How could I have forgotten! Thank you. Next up. Saffy: Word. Jaymes: Mille mercis. And I have learned so much from this thread. Real cake. I admit it Makes Me Feel Old. When did making a simple cake disappear from a woman's bag of tricks? Or her CV. I am grateful that my stylin' daughter isn't too proud to lick a beater. "Licking a beater." I thnk that phrase has been retired from the language. I admit I fool around a lot with daquoise and genoise and stuff. But I think, not for another few months. Like Jaymes, I might just bake this thread top to bottom. Cake for dessert!

Yes, a terrific piece. Thanks. But Mamster...I am sick of breast bashing. Sure I like thighs and legs better, but a chicken breast need not be dry, dull or flavorless. Reverse food snobism here. Y'know...aint much wrong with a well made chicken Kiev.

And welcome, Victoria!

Yes, "Zuni Cafe," given the young couple has A Clue about cooking. A wonderful, exciting, satisfying book to cook from.

Yup. I have given scores of copies as wedding or shower gifts. Or graduation gifts. Or first apartment gifts. Combine them with Jaymes' and Dave's ideas, and you're hitting for the cycle.

Nerissa: Time, date, address, sweetie! St Jacques? "La Methode" et "Le Technique", bien sur. I am very fond of "Celebrations" and "J and J Cook at Home." All of them are reliable.

Care to elaborate, maggie? What, specifically, do you find inscrutable about the south?? X...Everything! My experience south of the Mason-Dixon is limited to a frantic scramble at Dallas/Ft. Worth to make a connection to Oklahoma City on business(Come to think of it, Texas doesn't count, right?) and three days is Panama City Beach over my father in law's 80th birthday. Lot's of Senior Citizen Buffets. The South has a huge and deep culinary tradition. I know it only from Chicago Soul Food. I am navy blue through and through. Montreal and Chicago. Two great food towns, but Not Southern. I am relying on Varmint and the South/Southeast Forum to shed some light. And yes, I would love to eat en situe. I have yet to taste, say, cheese grits.

26, 272 Arche:Thanks for reminding me to get "Cornbread Nation." The South is still inscrutable to me. Unbeliveably enough I am reading "Reinharts' Women" right now. First edition, huh? Nice. I love it. But it's not really about food, is it? So, sadly, it ain't gonna count. edited for stupis typos

Kim: What an amazing story. I'm going to carry it around wtith me all day. Thanks.

Go ahead and Stand Tall. No crusts whizzing past your ears from this direction! The Lady has Spoken, and the Lady is, as always, right. (I hang my head and admit to once going to Navy Pier)

I think deep dish pizza is enjoyed by the young, male and drunk. All that grease and starch is good at mopping up beer. Enjoyed by rugby players. No, strike male...I seem to remember a couple of tipsy pizza orgies at Gino's a looooong time ago. Now? Well it's still better than tofu, but that's about as far as I'll go.

Craig: Another fine piece for someone (me) who's still just getting her GED in wine! Thank you. And I will fer sure look for it on the label.

I've had an entry or two via PM, and of course, 'S'OK. But the idea is to post to the thread. We release all the entriesafter the winners are announced. Does no one live within a few doors of Otto?

It's dwindling rapidly. I left my camera at my sister in law's on Easter Day, and doubt that I'll get it back before the cakes's gone.

That's it, and brilliantly put.

Really JAZzy, piece, Janet, although you intimidate the hell out of me! Diagramming sentences for fun. Cool Lady. Re cocktails: As I've mentioned elsewhere, at length, I am a scotch and water, martini kinda gal. Sure, a Negroni now and then, or a Gimlet (Yes, Rose's only! ) But I've begun to notice that as warm weather rolls around, a good fruity cocktail seems like just the thing. Lemon Drops....hmmm simple. Friday night.

Jaymes: My mind was romping in some farther pasture of its own while I baked this, and I just plain screwed up on the chocolate. It wasn't deliberate, but it worked! Still buttermilky, but with maybe, a little more depth of flavor. Oil: I'd use the full two cups, but only half a cup of the buttery version. Note: This is the easiest cake recipe, with the best results, I've made in a long time.

Jaymes: He who his mother-in-law calls Impossible to Please Lou is still cutting little snicks off the cake. Actually, I immediately halved it and took it to appreciative neighbours. Talk about girlish figure concerns! Two cups of oil, two cups of sugar. This cake is redder than a Valentine's day garter belt. And almost as expensive. An ounce of red food coloring was 2.69. The butter oil (where you told me it would be, Claire) was 2.29. Toss in the nuts and cream cheese, and you'd find something fetching on sale at Victoria's Secret. Man, is it good! And so mysterious tasting. I haven't had a piece of Red Velvet Cake since the Ford adminstration, and I'd forgotten how good it is. Let me share a few absent minded mistakes I made---no I could not work for Christopher Kimball! I doubled the amount of cocoa...maybe a good idea. I, (How the hell did I do this? Cogitating quarks? ) forgot the butter in the frosting. I did, however,( forgetting I was supposed to be doing a test), threw a big glob of crema in with the cream cheese. Good. The cake took longer than 40 minutes to bake...more like seventy. And next time, I'll cut down the butter-flavored oil by half. But not delete it:it's a good idea. The nuts in the frosting/filling is a great idea. Jaymes: Shoud I need a bigger pair of jeans by Friday, you're getting the bill!. This cake rocks.

You Texans are sicko! (I guess it's Like Calling to Like...I laughed hard both times the cakes were cut!) Thanks for the tip on the oil, Claire