Food Basics

The Ketchup Conundrum

Mustard now comes in dozens of varieties. Why has ketchup stayed the same? Malcom Gladwell ponders the progress, or lack thereof, of this unique condiment.

Carnival of the Recipes #6

The Carnival is up at Mellow Drama. You don't need to be a foodie to enjoy these homey goodies!

A reminder -- next week I'm "it" so send me your recipes at recipe.carnival-at-gmail.com
Please note updated address!
You needn't even have a blog for this one! If all you've got is a specialty to share with the world, (or your blog's readers wouldn't sit still for a segue into epicurean delights), then send the whole recipe and I'll post it right here for you!

Please get it to me before 11:59 PM PDT Thursday, September 30.

Cherry Crap

Through all the 1950s and most of the 1960s, my mother went to her Pinochle Club twice a month. Each lady took a turn hosting, and the dessert during a break in card playing was an important element of the evening. Everybody would exclaim how lovely that night's dessert was, and later on in the car, my mother and my aunt would say what they really thought. (One of the reasons they called it "Cat Club," no doubt.

A lot of the recipes in that era were based on convenience foods and Jello, and it wasn't too often Ma came home with a recipe. She was great at pies and cakes made from scratch, but every once in a while there would be one of the "Cat Club" desserts showing up at our house.

The following recipe for Cherry Crap is one of those, and nobody remembered how it got its name. I can only imagine the scene the first time Ma presented this, circa 1955:

Ma: (setting a glass cake pan on the dining room table) I got this recipe from Leona at Cat Club.

Dad: (viewing the dish with suspicion) What is it?

Ma: It's a Quick Cherry Pie!

Dad: Looks more like Cherry Crap to me.

Anyway, no matter what Dad thought of the looks, we all liked it, and I still make it today. Here's the recipe:

11 graham crackers, crushed, or pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs for two crusts (found in the baking aisle of the store)
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
1 can cherry pie filling
Cool-Whip or spray whipped creme

Melt butter in microwave in microwave-safe mixing bowl. Add crumbs and sugar; mix well.
Layer half the crumb mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 square cake pan, spread pie filling over crumbs. Top with the rest of the crumbs. Refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.

Serve with your choice of topping.

Note: I tried making this once with fresh cherries from our tree, and real whipped creme but it just wasn't the same. You really want that chemical-y goodness for this one!

New Kid on the Block!

Let's Play Restaurant is brand-new and says some lovely things about us here at FB. Why not go over and have a look?

Carnival of the Recipes #5

This new blogger Carnival is now up at Prochein Amy Take a look at the wide variety of recipes to be had! This group is not made up of all foodies, so you might just find that long-lost recipe you've been looking for.

I'll be hosting here on October 1, so don't hesitate to get your link in ahead of time! If you don't have a blog, send the whole recipe. Submissions go to: twschuett-at-peoplepc-dot-com

Dragon's Bowl

Dragon's Bowl

Developed by Abe Cohen
Abe Cohen is the main character in Dragon, the story of a man who turns his back on Hollywood for a more 'normal' life in Arizona. Among the many things he learns, is the art of cooking.

I originally published this book in 2002. Dragon is serialized in blog form here

2 lb beef stew meat, cut in cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, sliced
3-4 ribs celery, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
4 T butter or olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp-1 T whole peppercorns
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp-1 T salt
2 tsp instant beef bouillon
½ cup pearl barley
½ cup white rice
½ cup brown rice
½ cup wild rice
½ cup lentils

Brown beef in butter or oil, add veg and mushrooms, sauté. Add spices and seasonings. Add barley, rices, and lentils, in whatever combination you have on hand, with total volume adding up to about 2 ½ cups. Add 6 cups of water to start, adding more as the soup cooks depending on the consistency desired. We allow a minimum of 2 hours for the soup to simmer—this recipe works well in the crock-pot. Just dump everything in and walk away. It helps to sing as you add the herbs. ;>) Dancing is optional.

This recipe also freezes and reheats well in the microwave. We freeze it in individual portions.

Those Magic Thawing Trays

You've probably seen them on TV for $19.95. These things are touted as wonderful to quickly thaw your frozen meat or whatever without the partial cooking you get from a microwave thaw. Yes, they do work, but here's the secret: they're made out of cast aluminum, which has great temperature-conducting qualities. So check your cupboards (or your mom's) for a heavy cast aluminum baking pan. These were popular in the 50's, and may also be found at rummage and/or estate sales for a fraction of the cost. They don't actually thaw in minutes, but do cut thawing time significantly.