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Cookbook vs. Catalog Follies

Smithy

By Smithy
in Food Traditions & Culture

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

This could be subtitled a lot of things:

  • "More ambition than sense"
  • "When expensive might be better"
  • "Whom do you think you're kidding?"

 

The list of possible subtitles goes on.

 

So, the back story is that when I was growing up, once in a great grand while someone we visited around the Holiday Season would have petits fours. Oh, how I loved those things! And how I pined for the advertised delicacies in the Swiss Colony catalog! To the best of my knowledge, my family never indulged in them. Too expensive, probably not even very good junk food, and we had plenty of good homemade Christmas cookies.

 

Still. A few days ago a catalog from Swiss Colony arrived at my house, saying that it might be my last catalog because they didn't want to bug me, and pretending that I've ordered from them in the past. I haven't. I know it's a marketing ploy. But there are those petits fours. And Dobosh tortes and other delicacies that I've savored once in a while.

 

I haven't made Christmas plans yet. I expect to spend it here in Minnesota, with extended family or friends, but without my late and sorely missed husband. He wouldn't have approved of petits fours, although he might have wolfed them down anyway, scoffing as he scarfed (as he used to with warm chocolate chip cookies). Still. He isn't here. My blood family isn't here. My marriage relatives have a number of food intolerances. But I want those petits fours!

 

i dithered, and looked, and have been dithering and looking. Would I even think those mass-produced things are good any more? They're expensive!

 

I also found an old Petits Fours topic here that might could stand updating, but doesn't provide the level of detail I think I need.

 

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

 

Have I mentioned that I'm trying to weed my cookbook collection?

 

That cookbook is on its way. And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

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Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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Smithy

Smithy

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
21 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

The apple caramel cheesecake has my name on it.  The petit fours are all yours.  Deal?

 

Shall we start an "ambition vs. catalog sense" cook-off?

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

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DesertTinker

DesertTinker

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Smithy said:

… And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

Don’t expect much. We’ve gotten a Swiss Colony assortment pack for the last 10 - 15 years, petit fours are always included. Keep your expectations low. The quality always seems to take a little slip every year.

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Smithy said:

This could be subtitled a lot of things:

  • "More ambition than sense"
  • "When expensive might be better"
  • "Whom do you think you're kidding?"

 

The list of possible subtitles goes on.

 

So, the back story is that when I was growing up, once in a great grand while someone we visited around the Holiday Season would have petits fours. Oh, how I loved those things! And how I pined for the advertised delicacies in the Swiss Colony catalog! To the best of my knowledge, my family never indulged in them. Too expensive, probably not even very good junk food, and we had plenty of good homemade Christmas cookies.

 

Still. A few days ago a catalog from Swiss Colony arrived at my house, saying that it might be my last catalog because they didn't want to bug me, and pretending that I've ordered from them in the past. I haven't. I know it's a marketing ploy. But there are those petits fours. And Dobosh tortes and other delicacies that I've savored once in a while.

 

I haven't made Christmas plans yet. I expect to spend it here in Minnesota, with extended family or friends, but without my late and sorely missed husband. He wouldn't have approved of petits fours, although he might have wolfed them down anyway, scoffing as he scarfed (as he used to with warm chocolate chip cookies). Still. He isn't here. My blood family isn't here. My marriage relatives have a number of food intolerances. But I want those petits fours!

 

i dithered, and looked, and have been dithering and looking. Would I even think those mass-produced things are good any more? They're expensive!

 

I also found an old Petits Fours topic here that might could stand updating, but doesn't provide the level of detail I think I need.

 

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

 

Have I mentioned that I'm trying to weed my cookbook collection?

 

That cookbook is on its way. And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

You'll be able to compare the ones you make with the store bought version!

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the Chocolate Doctor
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chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, Smithy said:

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

 

That's a really great cookbook, and I'm going to gift myself a copy one of these days (though like you, I've been culling my shelves, this one's well worth owning).

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“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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Katie Meadow

Katie Meadow

Posted
Posted

@Smithy, you had me at dobos torte. I grew up in NY a half block from the best bakery on earth. The owner was Lithuanian I believe, but he made the most perfect dobos torte. It was my mother's favorite pastry. Mmmm, that hard caramel topping...... 

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