Friday, December 28, 2007

Coffee Ring Day


Here is a picture of the (partial) results of Coffee Ring Day.
It was a good one this year. Tradition has it that I get up and
start baking, and DH brings home pizza for dinner. There was
a time he'd trundle the children off to a movie or some such thing,
as eight little hands helping Mama makes for a slow, long day
of it when there are this many goodies to bake. Now they can
actually help!
I learned from my mother, she learned from hers . . .

No, they do not taste like coffee.

No, there is no coffee in them.

They are so named because, for the most part, one would imbibe
a fresh hot cuppa along with a generous slice of ring, which is like
a lovely rich cinnamon roll, only so much better, it's what cinnamon
rolls WISH they could be! Some people call them tea rings;
however, my Swedish ancestors shudder at the thought of tea.
Phaaa! Coffee drinkers, every last one of them. Kaffe. C'mon,
people, didn't you ever read Pippi Longstockings??
Somehow, these did not all get delivered before Christmas, so there
are about five strays still in the deep freeze. Coffee rings, not ancestors.
Whether they ever make their way to their intended recipients
remains to be seen . . . once again, coffee rings, not ancestors . . .

Friday, December 07, 2007

Chervil in Kansas City

My DH and I really like Bernaise sauce. Yes, it may very
well be a heart attack and new hips waiting to happen, but
really, it is so delicious! Ever since devouring it madly for
the first time almost a year ago (that would be at
Chris and Dawn's lovely wedding. Beautiful reception,
fantastic food, Happy Anniversary!!), I keep thinking,
"I'll surprise DH and whip up a batch." But YOU try
and find chervil in this midwestern town! NONE of the
major grocery chains carry it. For cryin' out loud, if it's
in the Betty Crocker, it's got to be pretty basic, yes?
Everyone has tarragon, even WAL-MART had white
peppercorns, but chervil? Nope. Nobody.

Really, it would make a lovely dish for Christmas, so you
know the saying, "you can find anything on ebay!"

Yep, that's right, I just bought chervil on ebay. Works for
me. Saved driving around, blank stares from befuddled
clerks ("How do you spell that??"), and just a general
frustration best avoided during the holyday season.

This tops off a fine cookie day. Ahh, cookie day.

That's a whole 'nother post . . .