[Sca-cooks] Testing ...

[Susan Fox]

Jennifer Carlson wrote:
>
> I had to make a dash to the store for rosewater and saffron, and my Middle Eastern grocer gave me a look, since I usually buy only yogurt, olive oil and nuts from him.  I explained what I needed the rosewater and saffron for and gave him the recipe.  He got the same look on his face that Anton Ego did when he took the first bite of ratatouille.  “Those people knew how to eat,” he said.

Don't you just love that?  They think you are some kind of anglo [or 
whatever, not-us] whackjob, then they find out that you actually know 
what you are doing and suddenly they accept you.

My local Persian storekeeper is happy to sell me the *good* saffron 
now.  I'm still working on that sort of thing at my local Korean 
grocery.  Man, they are hard to convince!  Yes, I really do want that 
ingredient. 

My big baking push is this weekend for the Christmas Day for Jews, 
Orphans and Heathens.  Fruited spicebreads [spiked and unspiked], cutout 
cookies.  Also, a strictly NON Christmasy birthday cake for a gentleman 
friend with the unfortunate birthday of 24 December.  Probably his 
favorite, classic German Chocolate Cake with extra coconut filling.

I think I need an extra hand or three, any locals with a hankering for 
baking, come on down, take home goodies too.  It's as easy to make four 
cakes as it is to make two.

Selene