Maple Surple Time

Spring is in the air.

We know this:

Because it's Maple Sugaring time!

One of our favourite producers

here in our neck of the maple woods!

Apparently this has been an exceptional year

 (due to the extra warm and long summer of 2018 and perfect mild days and frozen nights this Spring?).

Because the Stratford Swans have been "piped"

and marched down to the Avon River!

Guided to the water by their elderly "keeper". A wonderful annual Spring ritual!

Best Swan Parade viewing spot!

Because the Pussy Willows are in bloom!

The farmer picked a huge bouquet for me.

Because the chives have grown an inch in the last

two days!

Because there's an urge to make Mom's special Fett Kucha (donuts) to dunk into that sweet maple syrup!

(A Swiss Mennonite Easter traditional treat - at least it was in our family)

My sister's picture is below ... she has inherited Mom's good cooking genes!

Fett Kucha by Evelyn

Because Easter preparations are underway!

Onion skins are being collected to colour the "bunny eggs".

Dinner plans for the Easter Ham menu.

Family gathering plans.

Our hearts are being prepared for this very special upcoming Holy Week.

Because the butter lamb carving needs to be put on the to do list!

The 2017 Easter lamb!

and oh so many other signs of Spring!

Even though, the temperatures are still staying quite cool

and the weather forecaster has threatened more possible snow flurries on the way.

Till next time ...... how are your Easter preparations coming along? What are some of your family's traditions? Has Spring arrived where you are?

The Walnut (no walnuts) Cake

The Walnut (no walnuts) Cake

This is the cake that my mom so often made as a birthday cake!

Her children and grandchildren remember this cake well.

It was called Walnut Cake but she never used walnuts,

in fact, she often decorated the top with pecans!

I have her hand written recipe which says it came from "Mrs. D. Schwartz",

her sister-in-law - Dad's sister Esther!

I wonder sometimes if my cousins, Laura Ann, Irene, Florence, David, and Wayne

remember their mom making this cake and if so how it was different.

Did Aunt Esther actually use walnuts or raisins???
Did she put brown sugar icing on it like Mom did???

My daughter, Becky, turns 33 today - I simply can't believe it

and this is the cake she requested - eek!

I know that my sister Evelyn has mastered the recipe (with it's scant/no instructions)

but I will give it a try.

After all, it has been so long since I've been able to bake a cake for Becky

on the day of her actual birthday.

In the past years, her birthday was celebrated by telephone or FaceTime while she was living in Alberta!

Sometimes I would bake a cake anyhow for the farmer and I - 😏

I began bravely, after consulting with my sister, putting together the ingredients.
On one of the recipe cards she had written "mix in order and alternate milk and flour".

First I greased and floured the actual cake pan that she always used for this cake.

Somewhere I found a recipe for greasing cake pans that is used by professionals so I mixed up a batch, greased the pan and floured it.

Cake Pan Grease:
Equal parts vegetable oil, shortening, and flour.
Beat till well blended and store in fridge for up to 5 months. This stuff really works well.

The cake baked beautifully (much to my surprise) and came out of the pan perfectly.
I didn't know what temperature to bake it at or how long but used 350F and baked for approx. 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle came out clean.






Now the icing (the cake with the "brown" icing) as requested by my birthday girl....
I wonder if this is why they all loved this cake?

Mom's Brown Sugar Icing (as written by her)

1 Cup Brown Sugar - packed

½ Cup Sweet Cream

“Boil till it forms a soft ball in bottom of a glass of cold water.  Add vanilla and a nice (walnut size) piece of butter.  Take off heat and stir till cool and creamy.  Lots of luck, Sarah”

I believe a walnut size of butter is about 2 Tbsp. - I used a heaping 2 Tbsp.

This is the actual depression glass cake plate that Mom always used to serve her Walnut Cake!

With a little fiddling and much needed practice with the icing technique,

it's iced and ready to go.

Pecans - no walnuts in the house, and Mom's apron
Just maybe she never had walnuts around either and used pecans instead? Who knows?

I'll come back later and let you know how it tasted and whether the "Walnut Cake"

 made the grade....

I think it was a success ...

The cake was a tad too sweet - but not as sweet as this girl of ours!
Happy Birthday Becky!

Oh, and one more thing - exactly 5 years ago I posted my very first blog post - Wow!
Here is the link .... (for some reason the pictures did not show up except for one)?
http://rhubarbandroses-rosella.blogspot.ca/2011/11/60s-here-i-come.html 

Till next time ......... Thanks Mom for being the wonderful mother you were and for making amazing memories for us all!!!! I miss you always.

Mom's Society Chip Pickles

This tattered and yellowed old recipe was in amongst 

my mom's recipes.

She called these Society Chip Pickles.
I believe she got this recipe from my sister Evelyn many years ago!

Mom's handwriting

I well remember these neon green, super sweet pickles and was

inspired to try them after seeing some at a recent bbq.

In fact, we were invited to dinner where this very jar of "9 day" pickles had

originated from and a new batch was in process there.

So, off to the market I went ... I just had to do it!
I purchased a heaping 6 qt. basket of medium sized pickles,
prepared the spices and was off to the races.

Today was the final day - day 9 and as I type this post, 
the jar lids are popping ...

4 days of boiling water soaks and
then sliced on the 5th day.

a few drops of green food colouring added on day 6, 7, and 8

Canning day #9.

They taste super sweet/sour and very crunchy. Success I hope!

Notes: 

I washed and trimmed the stem ends off each cucumber

I made a batch and one half of the vinegar/sugar juice (enough to cover the sliced pickles).

   (i.e. 12 Cups sugar - divided, 3 Tbsp. pickling salt, 6 Cups vinegar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. pickling spice)

Next time I would add a bit more food colouring to achieve that neon green look or leave it out all together. The colouring is totally optional.

This made 10 pints plus a quart of pickles (I had to run for a few more jars).

Each day during the boiling water baths I scimmed off any foam that floated to the top during the night and rinsed the cucumbers before pouring the fresh boiling hot water on.

Till next time ...... have you been inspired to do some canning this summer? 

Fried Apples

I'm always thinking about

what to make for supper on 

the way home from work!

Can you tell - I don't plan ahead too much?

When nothing comes to mind,

I like to stop in Wellesley at the little

grocery Pym's and pick up

something quick like schnitzel or sausage.

Nothing tastes better with schnitzel

than some warmed apple sauce

or

best of all ....

Mom's Fried Apples - so easy and delicious

and no recipe required!!

Here's how you make them:

Just halve, peel and core some apples,

wet them with some water,

toss them in some flour,

melt a pad of butter in a saucepan/frypan,

place those "dusted" apples onto the melted butter,

fill each core hole with a touch of brown sugar,

and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Cover and fry gently till tender,

adding a splash of water if needed

and voila ... you have a great side dish to schnitzel.

Easy Peasy!

Did your mom ever make

fried apples?

Till next time ...... just a few more sleeps!!