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| A Holiday Feast by Larner | 128 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 12/22/2014 |
| I think I know these kind of cakes. They always look beautiful. But I have another question. Frodo might be too old for pantry raids, but what about all the other hobbit lads around. Haven't they even tried to get themselves a treat or two? Author Reply: Well, most likely the only young Hobbit free to enter and leave Bag End as he pleases is Sam, who is most likely grateful for a freely given sample now and then and who will guard the Bagginses' pantries and larders and cool rooms with his life! Heh! Pineapple upside-down cakes are wonderful to eat as well as to look at, I find. Now I'm eager to make one this week. I found one recipe that calls for the cake to be baked in a skillet, and I have such a wonderful array of skillets of all sizes.... Thanks, Andrea! | |
| Andrea | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/22/2014 |
| “Taters,” insists Hamfast Gamgee, “makes the best ballast for the belly!” Wise words from the Old Gaffer - and even in the shape of an alliteration :-) Taters are a universal side dish and sometimes even a main course. The latter is of course NOT hobbit standard ;-) Author Reply: I so agree. And loved being able to work the alliteration into the story! Thanks so! | |
| Tari | Reviewed Chapter: 18 on 12/21/2014 |
| Yummy! I'm ready. Author Reply: I think I am, too, Tari! Heh! | |
| Soledad | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 12/21/2014 |
| Ah, those adventurous Tooks! It seems they sometimes bring back things even other Hobbits can appreciate. I never heard of upside-down cake. Which fruit is it made with? Author Reply: Upside-down cakes are usually made with pineapple rings, sometimes centered with marischino or dried cherries. I can imagine spices such as cinnamon making their way to the Shire over time, but cinnamon doesn't degrade anywhere as swiftly as do oranges or pineapples, so I don't think most Hobbits would see such things as tropical fruits. The pineapple rings are set in the glazing for the top of the cake at the bottom of the pan, there being a variety of glazes I've seen on recipe sites. The cherries are placed in the center of the pineapple rings and perhaps between the rings as well, and the cake batter is poured in on top of it and the cake is then baked. When the cake is tipped out onto the serving plate the pineapple rings and the glaze are now on top. They are truly delicious. I can imagine replacing the pineapple rings with apple rings that have been cooked in a syrup with cinnamon and so on. Spiced apple rings are more commonly seen in the southern United States rather than in the northern states such as Washington, so although I've had them many times when visiting in Arkansas or Oklahoma or Texas, I've seen them but once here in my home state of Washington on the northwest corner of the contiguous section of the nation. When looking up the making of spiced apples and pineapple upside-down cake I found recipes for each on a number of sites. With spiced apple rings the apples are cored and sliced about three quarters of an inch thick, about two cm, and cooked in a syrup including cinnamon and other spices and usually red food coloring. They looked almost like large beet slices with holes in them! Most of the recipes I saw for spiced apples use slivers of apple rather than rings, and rarely use the red food coloring. They seemed to me to be rather like apple crumble without the crumble on top! Anyway, hopefully this will give you an idea of what to look for should you choose to try this dessert. And I figured that of all of the Hobbits of the Shire I've ever heard tell of, Isengar would have been the most likely to have tasted pineapple upside-down cake! | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 21 on 12/21/2014 |
| Ah, but that cake does sound delicious! :) I hope they save a piece for me! Author Reply: I hope that they will, Kaylee! Heh! | |
| Kaylee Arafinwiel | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/21/2014 |
| Taters! I knew it, when the taters were absent from 'root vegetables', I KNEW taters were getting their own chapter! I did ask, didn't I?? O yes, I want to be at this feast! I like my taters mashed with butter, or scalloped, with cheese sauce, but as long as someone's baking them up I'll have a 'jacket potato' with butter, sour cream AND cheese! goodness knows, I'm hungry from all this food being mentioned O_O Author Reply: Oh, but how I want to be there, too! I like mine with plenty of butter, some parsley and perhaps some salt, and a dollop of cottage cheese on them. | |
| Soledad | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/20/2014 |
| Indeed, the best way to cook them. I wish we had the chance to do so here. Author Reply: Yule bonfires aren't always acceptable here in the States, either. But we've done this when out camping in the summer. | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/20/2014 |
| Yay, taters! That's a wonderful tradition. Author Reply: And it seems so proper to the Hobbits of the Shire, doesn't it? Thanks! | |
| KathyG | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/20/2014 |
| I'll have mine slathered with butter! (Salt and pepper, too.) Author Reply: Butter, and perhaps some salt as well. They do sound good, don't they? | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 20 on 12/20/2014 |
| Of course no hobbit feast is complete without some taters! :) I will have mine with sour cream, chives and cheese, :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: And I like mine with butter, cottage cheese, and perhaps some salt. Yes, the perfect way to end the dancing! | |