Uncle Phaedrus, Finder of Lost Recipes (2024)

----- Original Message ----- From: MarcyTo: phaedrusSent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 10:38 AMSubject: cookies from north carolinahilove your site-i am looking for a recipe for moravian SUGAR cookies - thin, butter cookiesNOT the ginger/spice onesThey are as thin as Pringle chips and are made by ladies in North Carolina -but I want to try this at homeany ideas of where to find this?thanks - marcybaker/author

Hi Marcy,

Yes, I found it. See below.

Phaed

 Moravian Sugar Cookies Yield: 54 servings 1/2 c Butter; softened 1 c Sugar 1 Egg 1/2 ts Vanilla extract 2 1/4 c All-purpose flour; 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 1/2 ts Baking soda 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 c Buttermilk Superfine sugar Recipe by: Southern Living Preparation Time: 0:30 Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine 2-1/4 cups flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour if dough seems very sticky. Cover and chill 8 hours. Work with one-fourth of dough at a time, and store remainder in refrigerator. Place stockinette cover on rolling pin; flour well. Roll dough to 1/16-inch thickness on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut with a 3-inch round cutter, and carefully place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown around edges. Cool slightly on cookie sheets, and sprinkle with superfine sugar. Remove cookies to wire racks, and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Store in airtight containers. Yield: about 9 dozen. Old Fashioned Teacakes: Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut as directed above. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen. 

----- Original Message ----- From: pennyTo: phaedrusSent: Monday, September 01, 2003 9:13 PMSubject: Griddle cake> Hello, I have been looking for a chocolate layered> cake called "Griddle Cake". A friend from mine used to> make it when I was in Germany. She was from Florida.> She would pour this batter in a little cast iron> skillet. put it in the oven when it was done she would> put it on a sheet to cool and do this until no more> batter. Then she would put a layer on a plate and then> knife it and pout this icing that she made on it. she> would layer,knife and icing it until it was done. This> was very rich and good. You could only eat a little at> a time. The icing would get a little hard and be like> fudge. I would appreciate it if you could find this> recipe. Thank you Penny > 

Hi Penny,

See below.

Phaed

Griddle Cake With Fudge Icing Ingredients : Cake: 2 c. self-rising flour 2 c. sugar 1 c. oil 3/4 c. milk 5 eggs 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla Icing: 1 stick margarine 6 tbsp. milk 3 tbsp. cocoa 1 box confectioners sugar 1 tsp. vanilla Preparation : Heat oven to 350-400 degrees. Beat all ingredients until lumps dissolve. Spray Pam on griddle pan; pour 1/2 cup batter in pan. Cook in oven 5-8 minutes. Ice each layer while hot. I use a black iron griddle pan. this cake will make 8-10 layers very thin. Melt butter. Add milk, cocoa; bring to a boil. Add 1 box confectioners sugar and vanilla. Boil 1 minute. Let cool partially. 

 ----- Original Message ----- From: GrahamTo: phaedrusSent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 7:33 AMSubject: Whole green tomatoe picklesDo you have a recipe for whole green tomatoe pickles? I have seen manyrecipes for sliced or quartered tomatoes but would be interested in picklingmy tomatoes whole.Thank you in advance

Hello Graham,

See below.

Phaed

Pickled Green Tomatoes Ingredients : Sm. to med. green tomatoes --Ingredients Per Quart Of Water Used:-- 2 tbsp. coarse salt 1 tsp. pickling spice 1/2 tsp. mustard seed, slightly bruised 1/4 tsp. whole black peppercorns, slightly bruised Handful of stalks of fresh dill with flower heads 1 med. unpeeled clove garlic, slightly flattened Preparation : Sort and rinse tomatoes. Measure by quarts and put into a large crock. Pour cold water to cover the tomatoes. Measure quarts of water into pot. To water in pot, add salt, pickling spices, mustard seed and peppercorns. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely. Prick each tomato in several places with fork and return to crock. Add dill and dill seed to tomatoes in crock. Pour the brine and spices over drained tomatoes in crock. Put a clean heavy plate over tomatoes to hold them under the surface. Cover with cloth and let set in cool place (70 degrees) for 1-3 weeks until as tangy as you want. If white scum forms, skim off. When tomatoes are pickled, put in clean jars and pour brine over them, adding some sprigs of dill, if you like. Put on lids and refrigerate. ---------------------------------- Pickled Green Tomatoes Ingredients : Green tomatoes Celery Green and red peppers Garlic 2 qts. water 1 qt. white vinegar 1 c. salt Dill to taste Preparation : Use firm small to medium tomatoes. Wash and place in sterilized quart canning jars. Add stalks of celery and chopped peppers to each jar. Pack the jar firmly with the vegetables. Add 1 clove of garlic to each jar. ---------------------------------- Pickled Green Tomatoes Ingredients :Wash tomatoes and pack in sterile jars. Add several garlic buds. (May also add strips of celery, pepper, carrots.)Boil the following five minutes: 2 qt. water 1 qt. vinegar 1 c. canning salt 2 tbsp. dill seed Preparation : Pour brine over tomatoes. This makes enough brine for 6-7 quarts tomatoes. Add fresh dill if available. Ready to serve in six weeks. 

----- Original Message ----- From: EvelynTo: PhaedrusSent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 2:20 PMSubject: Needed - a recipe for Fern cakes / tarts and a recipe for custardslices> Hi Uncle Phaedrus!>> I'm looking for an authentic recipe for Scottish Fern Cakes / Tarts. They> seem to be a tart with an almondy filling and a layer of jam with icing on> top and a hand drizzled chocolate fern on the top.>> I am also looking for custard slices. These have flaky pastry top and> bottom and the same icing and drizzle on the top as has the Fern tarts.>> I'm having a Mad Hatter Tea Party in two weeks and I had wanted to serve> these then.>> Hope you can help.>> Thanks for any assistance you can give.>> Evelyn

Hello Evelyn

The recipes below were all that I could locate.

Phaed

Fern CakesPart 1 - Pastry shell of sweet dough6 cups flour2 cups crisco1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon cream of tartar1 cup or a little more of milkMix together all the ingredients and roll out like a pie doughCut to be about the size of a cupcake shell and mold the shell into cupcakepans.Once you have all the shells placed into the cupcake pans, drop 1/2 teaspoonof strawberry jelly into the bottom of each shell.Part 2 - Cake filling1 white cake mix (follow mixing instructions on cake as to water, oil andeggs) then add the ingredients below:2 teaspoons rum flavoring1/2 cup flaked coconut1 cup finely chopped walnutsNow spoon the cake filling into the shell with the jelly. Fill like youwould a cupcake to about 3/4 full.Heat oven to 350°Bake each tray for about 30 min. Tops of each cake should be a dark goldenbrown. Allow to cool till the cake feels cool to the touch on top and slipa knife in beside each to help lift it out of the cupcake pan and finishcooling completely.Part 3 - White icingThe white icing consists of powdered sugar, a few tablespoons boiling water,a tablespoon of crisco, and a couple drops of milk. If you need to make itcreamier, add more water to it. If it is too runny, add more powderedsugar. Ice each of the cakes with the white icing and allow it to harden.Part 4 - Fern designWith the remaining white icing, add some cocoa powder to give it a richchocolate color and taste. Use a cake decorator to make a vertical linedown the center of the white icing. Now place to V's over the chocolate line tomake what looks like a tree (fern) which is where this got it's name from.These look the same as Queen cakes but with a different topping. The ferndesign makes it easier to tell them apart.------------------------------------Scottish Fern CookiesScottish recipe, similar to the more popular Scottish favourite shortbread.2 cups flour1 cup butter (softened)1 cup sugar1. In large bowl, mix flour and sugar.2. Add softened butter, and mix to make a crumbly dough.3. Form small balls with the dough.4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, and then smoosh the balls down to make aflat cookie shape.5. Cook in 400 degree oven until very lightly browned on top.6. im not 100% sure how long the browning process will take, so watch themas they cook.7. it should take about 20 minutes.8. They can be eaten warm, or they can be cooled, whatever you prefer.9. Enjoy!--------------------------------Custard Slices(Cremesnitter)You can buy the puff pastry ready made or use our puff pastry recipe. Wesell Danish custard in our shop.Ingredients:200 g puff pastrycustard:2 egg yolks2 tbsp sugar2 tbsp corn flour1/2 stick vanilla200 ml milk or creamfilling:75 g raspberry jam100 ml whipping creamicing2 tbsp icing sugarwarm water or orange juiceMethod:Roll out the pastry into 3 long pieces of 8 by 21 cm. And prick with a fork.Bake at 225°C (440°F) for about 15 minutes.Custard: Whip the egg yolks in a pan together with sugar, corn flour and thevanilla sticks. Add the cream and bring to the boil while stirring. Leave tocool. Whip the whipping cream.Spread raspberry, custard and whipped cream on two of the bases. Make theicing of the icing sugar and very hot water or orange juice, and spread onthe third base.Place the 3 bases on top of each other, the one with the icing on top, andslice with a sharp knife into 8 x 3 cm cakes.---------------------------------------Custard slicesIngredients200 g ready made frozen or homemade puff pastry thawedCustard Filling:450 ml milk60 ml sugar45 ml cornflour2 egg yolk5 ml vanilla essenceGlacé Icing:60 g icing sugar7 ml lemon juiceMethod:Preheat oven to 220 ºC. Roll out pastry to a 24 x 20 cm rectangle on afloured surface. Cut pastry into 6 rectangles with a sharp knife. Place on alarge, ungreased baking sheet. Bcake for 15 minutes, or until pastry ispuffed up and golden. Cool on a wire rack. FILLING Place all ingredientsexcept vanilla essence in a saucepan over medium to low heat and cook untilmixture coats the back of a spoon - about 20 minutes. (Do not boil or itwill curdle). Stir in vanilla essence. Cool, then chill for 30 minutes.ICING Sift icing sugar into a bowl and gradually add lemon juice, beatingwell. TO ASSEMBLE Carefully split each puff pastry rectangle in halfhorizontally. Spread custard filling on bottom half of each rectangle. Placepastry top over filling and drizzle glacé icing over. Makes 6. ---------------------------------------------Custard Slices400g ready-rolled puff pastrythick cold prepared custardglacé icingtoasted flaked almondsPreheat oven to 200°CCut pastry into oblong slicesPlace on ungreased baking sheet and bake for +/- 20 minutes or until goldenand well-puffedHomemade Custard500ml (2 cups) milk83ml (one-third cup) sugar3 large eggs5ml vanilla essencePlace 11/2 cups of the milk in a saucepan and heatCombine sugar and flour in a mixing bowlMake a well in the centreBreak in the eggsAdd the rest of the cold milk (1/2 cup) and beat until creamyGradually add the hot milk while whiskingReturn to gentle heat and cook until thickRemove, stir in vanilla essenceCool completelySplit the baked pastry and spread the custard and sandwich togetherDribble glacé icing and sprinkle almondsTips When Making Custard:If cooked too quickly, the egg will curdleStirring continuously is important for a smooth custardUse cold milk

----- Original Message ----- From: KristinTo: PhaedrusSent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 1:16 AMSubject: old song title / singerHi Phaed,I used to listen to an 'oldies' station (hits of the 50's - 70's) thatplayed a song sung by a woman. The chorus wentI like to get high,but my oh myI gotta keep my 88's straightIt looks like I'll just have to wait!!It was kind of a jazzy number with heavy piano playing, and male vocalistswho were backing up the lead female soloist.Can you find who sang this song, or the title? I tried the radio station,but it has gone out of business!Thanks,Kristin

Hello Kristin,

I believe that the song you heard is "Tryin' to Keep Her 88's Straight"It's been recorded a couple of times, both times by Canadian bands. Thefirst time was by Downchild Blues Band; the second was by Mother of Pearl.If the version you heard had a female singer, then it must have been Motherof Pearl, since Downchild Blues Band is apparently all male.

Phaed