SC - Canned Chicken Soup for the Souls of Women Who Cook Too Much...

[Elaine Koogler]

It all sounds wonderful.  Too bad you can't package the charoset and ship it
out...I'd be happy to give a little of it a home!

Kiri

Robin Carroll-Mann wrote:

> ... 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
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