Chinese Chews

Not much is know about this vintage recipe; which first appeared in an issue of Good Housekeeping in 1917 and it remains a mystery as to why these are called Chinese Chews. My only thought is that they possibly were made using Chinese dates, also known as Jujube. Traditionally made at Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are a few variations, replacing the nuts with pecans and adding coconut, apricots and ginger, and rolling pieces in icing sugar. Not overwhelmingly sweet, they have a seemingly rich texture and taste and are undeniably chewy. To give these a slight summery... tropical feel, I sprinkled shredded coconut on top before baking, resulting in a modest toasted coconut taste. 

Chinese Chews

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makes aprroximately 24 bars

 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup chopped dates

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 eggs

Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease an 8 - inch square tin. Line the bottom with baking parchment. 

In a large bowl blend or sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Stir in the chopped dates and chopped walnuts.

In another bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then blend with the dry ingredients. Turn into the prepared tin. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Dust with icing sugar. 

Notes: you don't have to beat the eggs however beating the eggs rather than combining them creates a lighter, less dense texture. Also some versions of this recipes call for 3 eggs, if the mixture appears to dry by all means add another egg.  

Mom's Cranberry Casserole Bread ~ Maamaa soñ paeñ di pabinaa Kasarool

 

This recipe comes from a Métis cookbook I have and although wild plants, including berries, were one of the ways people traditionally got nutrients in the past;  there are a variety of ways to enjoy berries all year round. Buying extra fresh fruit at your local shop or farmer's market and freezing them is one way however shops offer an array of frozen fruit and vegetables more readily available during the colder months as well as the warmer months, making it even more convenient to eat and use. The cranberries may be replaced with more seasonal fruit, if you wish, however the tart cranberries do have a bright summery appeal.      

Mom's Cranberry Casserole Bread 

Maamaa soñ paeñ di pabinaa Kasarool

Courtesy of Heather Anderson, Nora Zilkie, Sigrid Schaus and Dixie Palmer, British Columbia 

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2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening 

3/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon orange rind

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups cranberries

Stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, combine the orange juice and grated orange rind with the eggs. Add to the dry ingredients, mixing enough to dampen.

Dust the cranberries with a tablespoon of flour and carefully fold into the batter.

Spoon the batter into a well-greased 1 - 1.2 quart casserole pan.

Bake at 350ºF  (180ºC) for about 1 hour. (See Notes)

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Serve sliced with butter or frosting. To make frosting, combine 2 cups of icing sugar with boiling water a tablespoon at a time until the consistency is right for drizzling. 

Notes: I used butter to replace the shortening. I lined the bottom of the pan with baking parchment paper and baked the bread in a 11 x 7 inch rectangular casserole pan, therefore I found the cooking time was between 35 to 45 minutes. Depending on what dish you use baking times may need to be adjusted.  

Litha ~ Summer Solstice ~ Midsummer ~ Peachy Orange Cake

Litha ~ Summer Solstice ~ Midsummer, June 19th to June 25th, in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrates the beginning of summer and marks the longest day and the shortest night and although the sun reaches its peak, the power of the sun begins to wane and the days begin to grow shorter and the nights grow longer, it is a return to dark.

Think abundance, fertility, renewal and life, as the sun, flowers, plants and the earth are all in full bloom. Bonfires, feasting, singing, dancing and festivals are activities during this time as well as getting outdoors to connect with nature. 

Other celebrations at this time are: Golowan (Cornish) Gwyl Ifan Ganol Haf (Wales), Kupala Night/Ivan Kupala (Ukraine), National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada), Saint John's Feast Day/ Saint John's Eve (Christian - Canada, France, Portugal, Spain), St. John's Night, Sobotka or Noc Kupaly (Poland), Adonia (Greece), St. Hans Day (Norway and Denmark), Jānvi (Latvia), and Uttarayana (India).  

Making this peach orange cake is a scrumptious way to celebrate and honour Litha. The peaches and orange represent the sun and are seasonally uplifting for such a moist summery cake. 

Happy Litha... Summer Solstice and Midsummer to all! 

Peachy Orange Cake 

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2 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda 

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup white granulated sugar

grated orange rind of 1 orange

1/2 cup light olive oil

1 cup chopped peaches, if using canned sliced peaches, drain and pat dry before chopping

2/3 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour two 8 - inch round layer cake pans and line the bottom with baking parchment paper. 

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the grated orange zest and whisk to combine. 

Make a well in the centre and add the olive oil, chopped peaches, orange juice and vanilla extract. Using a hand held mixer, beat for 1 minute on low speed. Then add the buttermilk and eggs. Beat for another 2 minutes at low speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared round cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from from pans and allow to cool completely before icing and decorating how you wish. 

Notes: The icing was a whip cream icing made by adding icing sugar to whipping cream and whipping until semi stiff and holding it's shape. It was then sandwiched generously between the layers and on top and eight slices of peaches where arranged in a circle to form a sun.     

Coconut Cherry Cookies

 

Sweet and chewy and definitely moreish these are unlike some coconut cookies that tend to be a quite crisp and snappy biscuit. The flavours are mellow and linger after each bite. A leisurely diminishing chew that is meant to be appreciated rather than decisively crunched.  

Coconut Cherry Cookies

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makes approximately 36 to 48 cookies 

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract 

1 cup maraschino or glacé cherries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the shredded coconut and stir to combine.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and white sugar. Beat in the eggs and coconut extract and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour mixture then fold in the cherries.

Drop batter from a teaspoon or roll into balls no larger than a walnut and gently flatten with the floured tines of a fork, and place about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Chelsea Physic Garden ~ The Herb Almanac: A seasonal guide to medicinal plants

 

Since the last cookery book was Healing With Plants ~  The Chelsea Physic Garden Herbal, I thought I would share what I believe to be its companion, The Herbal Almanac: A seasonal guide to medicinal plants. This is a much smaller book compared to the other book which was a bit more text book in size and volume. However do not let its size fool you. It gives a detailed guide to 50 herbs, including seasonal wild and garden herbs. You do not necessarily need the other book to comprehend or appreciate this book. Together they undoubtedly carry a wealth of information, creating such a compelling reading combination, but separately they are just as enlightening.

Briefly you can discover tips for growing healing herbs and how to forage for wild herb harvests. There are lovely hand drawn illustrations, some recipes, along with folklore, herbal symbolism, the meaning behind their names and a history of how some of these herbs or rather natural medicines were discovered and used. 

The book is divided into the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter and each herb is categorized into a season; which makes it more concise and handy to flip through and randomly engage any time you wish. It is all about reconnecting with the natural world. 

I will share the recipe for dandelion honey and a couple of home remedies from the book, as printed in the book.

Dandelion Honey

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"A syrup that looks and tastes similar to runny honey, and is suitable for vegans. If you want to make it set like a jelly, add pectin with the sugar (following the packet directions). "

Pick off the petals, weigh them and transfer to a saucepan. Add an equal weight of cold water - 100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) water for 100g (3 1/2 oz) of petals - and a slice or 3 of lemon. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

Simmer gently for 15 minutes, then take off the heat and set aside overnight. Strain and squeeze the liquid through a muslin - lined sieve or jelly bag, and measure the liquid. Return it to a clean pan with the same weight of golden caster (superfine) sugar - 100g (3 1/2 oz) of sugar for 100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) of liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer uncovered and stir frequently until it reaches a syrupy consistency (it will thicken further as it cools). Pour hot mixture into sterilized jars and leave to cool. 

In the kitchen and medicine cabinet

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Lavender: 

"The essential oil is widely available and can be added to moisturizing and/or calming skin balms and oils, dabbed undiluted onto insect stings or mixed into an evening bath. Dried flowers can be used in baking and cooking (try roasting lamb in lavender and hay)."

Nettles:

"Infused in water with a little vinegar and other herbs, nettles can be used as a final rinse for the hair, to add lustre and strength. The chlorophyll in nettle leaves produces a green dye also commercially used as a food colouring, and the roots make a yellow dye," 

Raspberry Mocha Crumb Bars

 

Raspberry mocha crumb bars are a humble way to salute the weekend under vast cerulean blue skies, voluminous fluffy clouds with plenty of promising sunshine. A rich buttery slice with a hint of tart raspberry sweetness to linger, are perfect for picnics, garden parties and afternoon teas or anytime you wish.      

Raspberry Mocha Crumb Bars

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makes 8 

3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/2 cup granulate white sugar

1/2 cup raspberry perserve

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8-inch square pan and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

Put the butter, flour, instant coffee powder, and white sugar into a food processor and process for a few seconds until the mixture starts to clump together.

Press three-quarters of the shortbread dough into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Smooth level with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Remove from the oven and let cool cool for 5 minutes. Spread the raspberry preserve over the shortbread layer. Mix the walnuts and raw sugar into the remaining shortbread dough and sprinkle it over the raspberry preserve, pressing down gently.

Return to the oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan, then remove and cut into eight bars. Although I did cut each bar, again carefully, lengthwise to form sixteen narrow bars. 

Notes: Apricot preserve may be used in replace of the raspberry preserve. Instant coffee granules may be replaced for instant coffee powder.

Honey Orange Cookies

 

When you are stuck between Spring and Summer these golden citrus biscuits will uplift your spirits to a sunnier disposition. Honey kissed and light, these tender cake like cookies can be iced or delicately sandwiched together with a lovely orange butter cream in between, although not required as they may be enjoyed just as they are.   

Honey Orange Cookies

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makes about 3 dozen

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

grated orange rind of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) 

Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In another bowl cream together the butter, white sugar and honey then blend in the egg and grated orange rind. Stir in the flour mixture and cover and chill for about 1 and 1/2 hours. 

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with a floured cookie cutter. 

Bake on the prepared lined baking tray in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool. When completely cool frost or fill with Orange Butter Cream, if you wish. 

Orange Butter Cream

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1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sifted icing sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Cream butter and gradually blend in the icing sugar, alternately with the orange juice and grated orange rind.