SC - Re: Egg Sizes

[Elysant@aol.com]

... or something like that.

I am declaring myself finished for the night, having decided *not* to 
make yet another variety of macaroon.  I have to go to work tomorrow, 
and have to leave even earlier than usual, so I can drop food off at my 
aunt's house.  She and my uncle (he's the cook in their household) are 
hosting the family seder.  I volunteered to bake (as I usually do for 
family gatherings), and to make a variety of charosets.   I took several 
recipes out of cookbooks and off the web.  Lady Philipa's post contains 
two of the recipes I used -- the Venetian charoset, and the first of the 
Greek charosets.  In addition, I made two Yemenite charosets (one 
sweet, one spicy), and my grandmother's charoset (apples, walnuts, 
sweet red wine).

The Venetian charoset had unexpected results.  I'd never bought 
chestnuts before.  The very expensive can of chestnuts in water that I 
picked up at the gourmet Italian deli looked like it would just about 
make the cup and a half of puree that I needed.  It made twice as much. 
I really didn't want to toss the rest, and wasn't inclined to look for 
another recipe that would use the excess.  No problem, says I to 
myself, I'll double the recipe.  There are going to be nearly 20 people at 
the seder, after all.  Now, charoset is a ritual food -- a nut-fruit paste of 
varying ingredients which is eaten in small amounts with matzo.  (Some 
people choose to eat more, but usually you don't need a whole lot for 
the seder.)  Most of the other charoset recipes made 1-2 cups.  The 
Venetian charoset recipe made about 8 cups... *before* I doubled it.  In 
short, I now have enough charoset to supply the city of Venice, with 
some left over for Florence and Padua.  I put the excess in ziplock 
bags, which I will bring to work.  There are several adventurous eaters 
amongst my co-workers, and I'm sure I can get someone to take the 
stuff.

Baking... my aunt has a heart condition aand has to watch her 
cholesterol, so I made an angelfood cake, with fresh sliced strawberries 
and a pureed strawberry sauce (defrosted frozen strawberries, 
Amaretto, and a little sugar).  A chocolate raspberry torte, with a 
chocolate glaze, garnished with fresh raspberries.  Three kinds of 
macaroons: almond, chocolate-coconut, and cinnamon.

I doesn't sound like a lot when I see it written down, but boy am I glad 
that I took today off.  Everything took twice as long as I expected, and 
there *were* a few failures that had to be scrapped or redone.  My 
kitchen looks like the aftermath of a melee and a tornado, and I am 
very, very glad that I'm not hosting the seder, and don't have to clean for 
company.  I'm looking forward to the seder meal.  My uncle is an 
excellent cook, and he's planning a chicken tagine, amongst other 
things.

A happy Passover to all those who are celebrating, and to all a good 
night...

Brighid, charoset merchant of Venice


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net