The food and drink thread

[terri]

@Mike Drone

So I couldn't find the hand-written recipe that my mother followed. It's around here somewhere, and if I find it in the next day or so, I'll post it, mostly because that's the one that I know is tried and true.

Most of the recipes vary in number of eggs used, and as I said, many of them online call for the eggs to be beaten together, but that's if you want the denser version of it. If you want the nice fluffy version, the the yolks and whites are done separately. The key is to make sure the whites are folded *very* gently into the yolk/sugar/flour mixture, a little bit at a time.

Here's a picture of the recipe from my Portuguese cook book (don't worry, it's in English ):

View attachment 194299

Clearly this was written for a more 'old-school' sort of kitchen - we always used the Kitchen Aid to beat the eggs, not a whisk. None of us had the stamina to beat egg whites by hand!


And here's a link to a similar recipe, with slightly different proportions but similar procedures:
Portuguese Sponge Cake - Pao de Lo | DianasDesserts.com

I personally would go with the proportions in the image - the recipe in the link calls for more sugar and flour, and I think that makes it too sweet. It's one of the things I liked about this cake, that it's not super sweet.

Also, none of them mention the zest. My mother would usually use the zest from one whole orange and add it to the yolks. We also tended to use vanilla extract rather than almond as another variation.

This cake was a staple for Christmas, and for a few years, she would make this recipe as a sheet cake instead of a round tube cake. There was homemade vanilla and chocolate pudding between layers, and homemade whipped cream as the frosting. Sometimes sliced strawberries also made it between layers.

Sooooooo want cake now!!

Yum!!

Agree with you about the whisk for stiff egg whites - heck, no! Our forebears in the kitchen were sturdy in stock - with extra strong arms.

 

[Ron Evers]

Supper tonight, chicken stir-fry.

 

[Ron Evers]

Got up @ 5:15 this morning to make bread while it was still cool outside.

Made with 30% whole wheat & rye flour & 70% white flour.

View attachment 194278

Ron, those loaves are beautiful! I can only imagine how your kitchen smelled this morning - baked bread and coffee. I'm giddy!

Thanks Terri, I always love the smell of baked goods.

 

[Mike Drone]

Supper tonight, chicken stir-fry.

View attachment 194314

Your bread and stir fry look good. =]

@limr I was going to start it earlier but all I have is a bundt pan with a removable bottom. I need to go buy a smooth tube cake/bundt pan. Preferably one that is 12 cups or more. =]

 

[Mike Drone]

Spiced pumpkin bread upon request. =]

 

[Space Face]

Supper tonight, chicken stir-fry.

View attachment 194314

I'd eat that.

 

[Warhorse]

Smoked this fatty, along with a brisket on the 4th of July this year.

 

[Warhorse]

Here's a shot of the brisket!

 

[Mike Drone]

Smoked this fatty, along with a brisket on the 4th of July this year.

View attachment 194332

Here's a shot of the brisket!

View attachment 194333

Those both look good. =]

 

[RowdyRay]

Smoked this fatty, along with a brisket on the 4th of July this year.

View attachment 194332

OOH! A bacon weave even. Both look great. Somebody knows their way around a smoker. What kind of smoker?

 

[Warhorse]

View attachment 194332

What kind of smoker?[/QUOTE]

I was lazy and used a Master Built electric smoker for these, I much prefer the taste when using my 22" Weber Smokey Mountain, but it requires more attention vs the electric.
My wife makes, and prepares the rub for the brisket, and weaves the bacon for the fatty, I'm in charge of the smoker.

 

[Mike Drone]

I would like to get a smoker but the family is not big on that type of cooking. =\

 

[RowdyRay]

I was lazy and used a Master Built electric smoker for these, I much prefer the taste when using my 22" Weber Smokey Mountain, but it requires more attention vs the electric.

My wife makes, and prepares the rub for the brisket, and weaves the bacon for the fatty, I'm in charge of the smoker.

Totally understand. Have several myself. For the same reasons. A 36" Smokey Mountain vertical propane smoker. Heavily modified now, and used mostly for sausage making, but great for longer smokes. It'll hold steady temps for hours. The other is a Chargriller Akorn. Their version of the "Big Green Egg". It can be whatever you want it to be. Grill, pizza maker, smoker..... Awesome unit. Prefer the taste as well but, requires much more baby sitting.

The smoking gurus will disagree with me. Doesn't matter how you got there.....as long as everyone involved is happy with the results.

 

[Mike Drone]

Made banana bread. Looked like the pumpkin bread above... Have went out for food last couple of nights. Nothing to exciting here. =]

 

[limr]

Mmm, banana bread.

I won't have the chance to do any proper cooking for a few weeks. Going to try for a last hurrah on Thursday. I'll post pictures if it's any good.