USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Foxfyre]

Lucky I live Hawaii...

Snow in paradise? Up to a foot of snow forecast in Hawaii

Wow. The snows are late here in the lower 48 and I suppose probably in Alaska, but Hawaii is ahead of schedule? I know such patterns happen now and then, but it always feels weird.

 

[Foxfyre]

There are three cakes that I only ever liked; Pineapple upside down cake, Carrot cake and Black Forest cake (the real German kind not the crappy, sickly sweet American versions).

I like a nice spice cake with the cream cheese icing. I can't do German Chocolate due to the coconut. Angel food during strawberry season is indispensable.

I saw a show called Cake Boss. It was generally pretty silly, but they used something called fondant. It looked like spackle wrapped around a cake. I wonder what it tastes like?

Black Forest cake is not German Chocolate cake though it is German chocolate, no coconut, two different cakes.

I know. Black Forest has cherries, or at least cherry liqueur, right? Anyway, I can explain the snot out of a Ho-Ho!

Presumably the authentic European recipe for Black Forest Cake is here:
Authentic Black Forest Cake Schwarzwald Kirsch Kuchen) Recipe - Genius Kitchen

And I would imagine it would be pretty rare here in the USA as I had never heard of 'kirsch' and would imagine that even professional chefs don't stock it in their kitchens.

You can buy cherry brandy liquor pretty much anywhere here in the USA.

Ah, well that's probably true. But I haven't been in a liquor store or even the liquor department at the grocery store in decades so I'm not real up on that. Sometimes I wished I had some red wine or other alcoholic ingredient when a recipe calls for it though. Like for chicken marsala.

 

[Montrovant]

They absolutely loved it...ate it all. Many months later, as I was making another dish calling for bean dip, I happened to read the ingredient label. Bean dip has pork fat in it.

Maybe I'm mean, but I found that hilarious for some reason.

 

[Montrovant]

Lucky I live Hawaii...

Snow in paradise? Up to a foot of snow forecast in Hawaii

Wow. The snows are late here in the lower 48 and I suppose probably in Alaska, but Hawaii is ahead of schedule? I know such patterns happen now and then, but it always feels weird.

It's on mountain summits, so I wonder if it's really that unusual.

 

[Ringel05]

I like a nice spice cake with the cream cheese icing. I can't do German Chocolate due to the coconut. Angel food during strawberry season is indispensable.

I saw a show called Cake Boss. It was generally pretty silly, but they used something called fondant. It looked like spackle wrapped around a cake. I wonder what it tastes like?

Black Forest cake is not German Chocolate cake though it is German chocolate, no coconut, two different cakes.

I know. Black Forest has cherries, or at least cherry liqueur, right? Anyway, I can explain the snot out of a Ho-Ho!

Presumably the authentic European recipe for Black Forest Cake is here:
Authentic Black Forest Cake Schwarzwald Kirsch Kuchen) Recipe - Genius Kitchen

And I would imagine it would be pretty rare here in the USA as I had never heard of 'kirsch' and would imagine that even professional chefs don't stock it in their kitchens.

You can buy cherry brandy liquor pretty much anywhere here in the USA.

Ah, well that's probably true. But I haven't been in a liquor store or even the liquor department at the grocery store in decades so I'm not real up on that. Sometimes I wished I had some red wine or other alcoholic ingredient when a recipe calls for it though. Like for chicken marsala.

Usually I'll keep a bottle of red and white wine on hand for cooking and not cheap wine either, it makes a big difference in the flavor. French wines are still the best.

 

[Ringel05]

Presumably the authentic European recipe for Black Forest Cake is here:
Authentic Black Forest Cake Schwarzwald Kirsch Kuchen) Recipe - Genius Kitchen

And I would imagine it would be pretty rare here in the USA as I had never heard of 'kirsch' and would imagine that even professional chefs don't stock it in their kitchens.

I made a traditional Black Forest cake once...for a church social at a church where alcohol is forbidden. Took three days to make and the kirsch was easy to find - I was young and didn't stop to think that a liqueur is more than mere 'flavoring', it is alcohol (buying it at a liquor store should have been my first clue). A very nice lady took me aside and gently asked, Honey, is there alcohol in that cake? I was horrified. btw - Kirsch is a type of brandy, but not sweet. I know these things now.

In confessing one food related sin, I may as well come totally clean and confess another. We had some good friends, a family of five, who had religious based dietary restrictions of which I was well aware. One taboo was pork. They were coming over for dinner and I wanted to serve a meatless appetizer. I decided on a 7 layer taco dip - it has cheese, lettuce, etc. layered over bean dip mixed with sour cream or cream cheese served with tortilla chips. They absolutely loved it...ate it all. Many months later, as I was making another dish calling for bean dip, I happened to read the ingredient label. Bean dip has pork fat in it. I felt terrible - but didn't have the courage to ever tell them.

From that time forward - I always ask dinner guests about dietary restrictions, or allergies beforehand, and pay attention to the ingredients in the food I'm serving.

What they don't know won't hurt them........

 

[Foxfyre]

Presumably the authentic European recipe for Black Forest Cake is here:
Authentic Black Forest Cake Schwarzwald Kirsch Kuchen) Recipe - Genius Kitchen

And I would imagine it would be pretty rare here in the USA as I had never heard of 'kirsch' and would imagine that even professional chefs don't stock it in their kitchens.

I made a traditional Black Forest cake once...for a church social at a church where alcohol is forbidden. Took three days to make and the kirsch was easy to find - I was young and didn't stop to think that a liqueur is more than mere 'flavoring', it is alcohol (buying it at a liquor store should have been my first clue). A very nice lady took me aside and gently asked, Honey, is there alcohol in that cake? I was horrified. btw - Kirsch is a type of brandy, but not sweet. I know these things now.

In confessing one food related sin, I may as well come totally clean and confess another. We had some good friends, a family of five, who had religious based dietary restrictions of which I was well aware. One taboo was pork. They were coming over for dinner and I wanted to serve a meatless appetizer. I decided on a 7 layer taco dip - it has cheese, lettuce, etc. layered over bean dip mixed with sour cream or cream cheese served with tortilla chips. They absolutely loved it...ate it all. Many months later, as I was making another dish calling for bean dip, I happened to read the ingredient label. Bean dip has pork fat in it. I felt terrible - but didn't have the courage to ever tell them.

From that time forward - I always ask dinner guests about dietary restrictions, or allergies beforehand, and pay attention to the ingredients in the food I'm serving.

What they don't know won't hurt them........

I agree though I also agree with Seagal that we do try to accommodate our guests as best as we can. Thus, we don't deliberately deceive--at least much--but I don't see any good thing coming from tainting a nice occasion with a confession of an inadvertent mistake that caused nobody any harm or distress.

My shirttail cousin (Uncle Ed's niece), is a type II diabetic and she follows Biblical dietary rules--no pork, etc.--and is convinced artificial sweeteners are tools of the Devil and, except for the very expensive Stevia, should be avoided. I confess I was preparing dessert for a dinner party, and I was out of Stevia to add a little sweetner to her fresh strawberries, blackberries, and blue berries--the rest of us were having berry shortcake. So I set out the empty Stevia bottle but actually used a little Splenda to sweeten her berries.

My conscience did/does bother me a bit about that, but it was a really fun occasion for us all and I haven't fessed up as I want her to continue to come to our house for dinner when she is in town..

 

[Ridgerunner]

Lucky I live Hawaii...

Snow in paradise? Up to a foot of snow forecast in Hawaii

Wow. The snows are late here in the lower 48 and I suppose probably in Alaska, but Hawaii is ahead of schedule? I know such patterns happen now and then, but it always feels weird.

It's on mountain summits, so I wonder if it's really that unusual.

Actually some accumulation of snow happens just about every year on the Big Island... It is peculiar to be on a beach at 80+ degrees and look up at snow caps...

 

[SeaGal]

.
My conscience did/does bother me a bit about that, but it was a really fun occasion for us all and I haven't fessed up as I want her to continue to come to our house for dinner when she is in town..

Hopefully she doesn't read usmb....

Though embarrassing, I was able to laugh at the taking of a cake reeking of alcohol to a church social whose members were teetotalers. I think those who got a taste before I tossed it enjoyed it mightily. But no harm done, and we later attended that church for a number of years.

The pork fat in the bean dip very much bothered my conscience. To me it was a matter of honor to respect their traditions. If I hadn't read the book 'Shadow of the Moon' though, a historical novel about India, the British East India Company and the Sepoy Mutiny I might not have given it much thought. (India nationals fighting under the Crown)

One of the (many) grievances that led to a bloody uprising were the rumors that the British purposely greased the rifle casings with beef and/or pork tallow as a plot to a)convert them or b)lose caste. You had to bite down on the casing to release the powder. I think history regards it as a regrettable oversight, or little more than rumor.

Anyway, I felt as though I had dishonored my friends even though it was wholly by accident.

 

[peach174]

Has anyone heard from Ernie S.,?
He hasn't posted on the board since Nov. 1st.
I hope he's just busy and is OK.

 

[Foxfyre]

Has anyone heard from Ernie S.,?
He hasn't posted on the board since Nov. 1st.
I hope he's just busy and is OK.

No. I was asking about Ernie a week or two ago for the same reason. He doesn't seem to be waiting out an involuntary time out, so I agree I hope he is just pleasantly busy. Hope he is well. Kat would you know?

 

[Kat]

Has anyone heard from Ernie S.,?
He hasn't posted on the board since Nov. 1st.
I hope he's just busy and is OK.

No. I was asking about Ernie a week or two ago for the same reason. He doesn't seem to be waiting out an involuntary time out, so I agree I hope he is just pleasantly busy. Hope he is well. Kat would you know?

I don't know, but if I had to I could find out. I do think he is or has been busy with Holiday stuff.

 

[Michelle420]

Has anyone had snow yet?

 

[Nosmo King]

Has anyone had snow yet?

It flitted around a couple weeks ago, but nothing to shovel yet. But December is at the end of the week, so, as they say at the roulette wheel, "No more bets!"

The last White Christmas we had was maybe 2009. We'll get snow in December, don't worry about that. But for some reason we get a little warm up sometime during the last week of Advent and snow on Christmas is seen as a rare but welcome treat. Funny, but snow is cursed after Yuletide.

 

[Foxfyre]

Has anyone had snow yet?

Our friend Dana in Salt Lake City--she will be home within the week though. Ridgerunner has seen snow on Hawaii's high peaks. Northern Colorado has had a pretty good snowstorm that lasted a few hours. But I don't think there is going to be any serious winter weather much of anywhere until after mid December at least.

 

[Foxfyre]

Has anyone had snow yet?

It flitted around a couple weeks ago, but nothing to shovel yet. But December is at the end of the week, so, as they say at the roulette wheel, "No more bets!"

The last White Christmas we had was maybe 2009. We'll get snow in December, don't worry about that. But for some reason we get a little warm up sometime during the last week of Advent and snow on Christmas is seen as a rare but welcome treat. Funny, but snow is cursed after Yuletide.

The 14 years we were up on the mountain, we had 12 white Christmases. Some of them were serious we aren't going out today at all white Christmases. One year, my nephew in his HUGE 4-wheel drive with plow in front crew cab pickup managed to get up to us to take us down to Moriarty 25 miles away and Christmas with my sister and her family.

These days we enjoy seeing the snow on the mountain and don't really expect any in the city for Christmas. And that suits us just fine.

 

[Foxfyre]

Has anyone heard from Ernie S.,?
He hasn't posted on the board since Nov. 1st.
I hope he's just busy and is OK.

No. I was asking about Ernie a week or two ago for the same reason. He doesn't seem to be waiting out an involuntary time out, so I agree I hope he is just pleasantly busy. Hope he is well. Kat would you know?

I don't know, but if I had to I could find out. I do think he is or has been busy with Holiday stuff.

Hope so. He often goes a few days without checking in here at the CS, but he rarely goes this long without posting anywhere at USMB.

 

[Darkwind]

Has anyone had snow yet?

We had a dusting back on the 7th, but nothing since...

 

[Michelle420]

Has anyone had snow yet?

We had a dusting back on the 7th, but nothing since...

Thanks for sharing pictures.

 

[Foxfyre]

Good night darlinks. I really do love you guys.

And we continue to pray and/or send good vibes and/or positive thoughts and/or keep vigil for

Harper (Save's granddaughter),
Pogo’s friend Pat and special comfort for Pogo,
Nosmo's mom,
Rod, GW's partner,
Kat's sister,
Boedicca, her dad, brother, and family,
Sherry's Mom for treatment to be successful,
The Ringels in difficult transition
Dana, Foxfyre's friend recovering from heart transplant
Mr. and Mrs. Gracie in difficult transition
Saveliberty for positive resolution for difficult transition,
Mr. and Mrs. Peach174 for full recovery from setback,
Strength and stamina for gallantwarrior in his relocation project,
Ringel's injured shoulder and general wellness
And for our students, job hunters, others in transition.
Drifter for resolution of difficult situation,

And the light is left on for Noomi, Freedombecki, AgainSheila, Esthermoon, Ernie S. and all others we hope are okay and will return to us.

Snow on Mauna Loa, Hawaii