Category: Dear Dad

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making and baking ladyfingers

home made ladyfingers or Savoiardi
home made Ladyfingers or Savoiardi are delicious!

Do you know what I love about many professional recipe makers, chefs and test kitchen cooks? In truth, I have a great deal of respect for many… but few tell their ‘secrets.’ My grandmother was far more blunt, she would often say,” when it comes to disclosing our recipes, we all lie!” Anyone who has tried to make a good meringue by following a cookbook recipe knows exactly what we mean!

When so many recipes try to discourage you from making your own ladyfingers, I should have known that something foul was afoot!

Obviously, I had to play around with all the of the self described ‘classic’ recipes to find something that would be acceptable. In addition, I planned to use these in my own Tiramisu so I wanted something nicer than store bought. The basic physical techniques for making ladyfingers are all very similar regardless of the recipe; however, it is the proportions and the fact that the recipes are incomplete that is so interesting.

Here’s how I made them!

Tomorrow we’ll discuss Tiramisu.

Bon appetite

Roger

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make her tiramisu for valentine’s day

tiramisu inspired by the film 'no reservations'

I think it is part public service and part a reflection of economic reality that we have movies encourage cooking and baking. Not only can you save money, but when one learns to cook, one can make something nicer and more nutritious than what can often be purchased. In the film “No Reservations”, one of the many featured items was a more recent culinary creation called ‘Tiramisu.” Tiramisu is an Italian dessert whose origination is debated. I do remember various layered ‘lady finger’ desserts from childhood and all were marvelous! However, “Tiramisu” has been around no earlier than the late 1960’s.

Italian Lady fingers are called ‘Savoriardi’ and although chefs try to discourage you from making them… they are very easy to make using a pastry tube! Tiramisu is best made this way.

In any event, if you (Men) would like something easy to make — but doesn’t seem so — for that special person in your life and you really don’t know much about cooking… allow me to suggest  the wonderful Italian dessert Tiramisu!

Although this isn’t the way I make it… here is a nice recipe for a Kaluha version of Tiramisu!

You can buy her candy and flowers… but nothing says love like a home made dessert.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Roger

UPDATE: thanks to a helpful chef … here’s the recipes that appeared in the movie “No Reservations”

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the secret of life is butter

the perfect honey cake
whether Greek, Egyptian or Turkish it is all wonderful

For those who know, I had a bit too much fun over the holidays. My daughters and I cooked and baked and celebrated the season to the point that I have had to … it’s called ‘dieting.’ Usually, this sort of activity makes me a tad bit grumpy, but I have found ways to amuse myself in exploring some of the recipes for things that I haven’t had time to make myself.

Desserts are wonderful things to research while dieting and I have two that — although similar in appearance — are distinctively different and wonderful in their own ways. The Greek Honey cake is marvelous with a cup of coffee as is the Egyptian Basboosa! Although they are similar in appearance, their construction is different. The Egyptians often use semolina, nuts and rosewater while the Greeks have honey and cinnamon. Both include ample amounts of butter! Isn’t butter the secret of life?

This brings me to the story of how we almost lost ‘butter’ and those foods that I have no interest in ever recreating : Fruitcake and  Stollen (German Fruitcake). I am convinced that all the fruitcake that has ever been made is still circulating in the mail systems around the world constantly being received and re-mailed to the unsuspecting! However, fruitcake did have a positive spot in history. I mention this because in Europe until Pope Innocent VII decreed in 1490 what was called ‘the butterbrief”… butter could not be used. It was because of the Saxony Germans who wanted to use butter in their ‘Stollen’ that butter become ‘legal’.

Anyway, I am waiting until I can make a honey cake!

Roger

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another day on the central coast

laguna lake

I confess that I love Saturdays as this is the day for Farmer’s Market near where we live. This provides a nice 2 mile walk one way, a walk back stopping at a wonderful little coffee shop to sit in overstuffed chairs and watch the tourists. To keep us from being too ‘bad’, Laura brings a couple of small snacks to enjoy during coffee time.

Saturday Farmer's Market in west San Luis Obispo
Saturday Farmer's Market in west San Luis Obispo

Not all is perfect in little San Luis as the local downtown business association is making a power grab to wrest control of the market from the Farmers.

You can let Mayor Dave know how you feel:

dromero@slocity.org

save the farmers!