Lessons in Cooking

[EddMarkStarr]

One of the great moments in my childhood was the Saturday morning my mom let me prepare breakfast for the family, I was 8 years old.
For my first breakfast on the menu was pancakes, something I watched mom make a million times - it looked so easy!

As you guessed, I overmixed the batter resulting in tough, chewy pancakes. Working with flour is an art. Mom measured her dry and wet ingredients by eye, with perfect pancakes everytime because she understood the ratio of dry to wet and knew when to stop mixing by the appearance of the batter. Not overmixing is also the secret to pie crust - my first-made pie needed a lightsaber to cut it. Worse, the apples weren't thoroughly cooked.

It still fascinates me the way flour yields different results by the way it is handled.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Here in The Netherlands we eat pancakes for dinner. My ex would refuse that.

 

[unloadonme]

Here in The Netherlands we eat pancakes for dinner. My ex would refuse that.

Same in the UK. I've only had pancakes served at home as a sweet course after dinner. American habits are creeping in unfortunately and I have seen pancakes on breakfast menus at so called "diners" and such like. I'm in agreement with Harke's ex though and would never order them for breakfast.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Same in the UK. I've only had pancakes served at home as a sweet course after dinner. American habits are creeping in unfortunately and I have seen pancakes on breakfast menus at so called "diners" and such like. I'm in agreement with Harke's ex though and would never order them for breakfast.

Oh, I misread his post to mean his ex would refuse the as a dinner.

Thanks for making the point clear.

As for creeping in, tastes are tastes, much like the infiltration of coffee in the UK. It's not like America is admired there, so it must just be that we're early adopters for some things that are appealing regardless of our adoption. I mean, no matter how many times we hear poutine praised, it has never caught on in the States.

 

[unloadonme]

As for creeping in, tastes are tastes, much like the infiltration of coffee in the UK. It's not like America is admired there, so it must just be that we're early adopters for some things that are appealing regardless of our adoption. I mean, no matter how many times we hear poutine praised, it has never caught on in the States.

Coffee drinking in the UK is not an American import. It was being drunk here as early as the mid-seventeenth century. The likes of Starbucks may have cashed in on that over the last few decades, but that's another thing.

English coffeehouses in the 17th and 18th centuries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Kahaih]

What did toaster pastries replace?

Seriously, is there any such thing as a "stay at home mom/wife" anymore?

 

[NotHardUp1]

As for lessons, I made a pecan pie on Friday that was too puffy, a result of using the fresh eggs I buy from a co-worker who has chickens, The majority of the eggs are small or medium, like a bantam hen's. So, for recipes that invariably call for large eggs, I have to guess at the equivalency in small eggs, which can throw off the ratio of yolks to whites that are assumed in a recipe. The result is my pie had puffed as it normally does, but fell again when cooling, causing a cratering, even though the custard was perfectly set in the middle and not overbaked.

I guess the lesson is that even the subtle things matter, especially in bakinig. The pie is perfectly good, even if misshapen.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Coffee drinking in the UK is not an American import. It was being drunk here as early as the mid-seventeenth century. The likes of Starbucks may have cashed in on that over the last few decades, but that's another thing.

English coffeehouses in the 17th and 18th centuries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Not an import, but the prevalence of it as a habit accelerated rapidly in the 20th century, despite some Brits complaining that it was displacing the dominance of tea.

As for Starbucks, I suspect they are about to get their comeuppance as Mamdani helps the workers get unions which they deserve, in NYC, which will spread and reduce the number of the "stores".

 

[NotHardUp1]

What did toaster pastries replace?

Basically, a jam tart. I have a co-worker who loves them, so I made some with handmade pastry last month. They were a big hit at the office.

Seriously, is there any such thing as a "stay at home mom/wife" anymore?

Yes, they are still a thing, particularly in the South and Midwest where there is some pushback against feminism and equality. It's kinda sad. Here in Huntsville, with all these rocket engineers, there is a significant percentage of the population that is striving for a stay-at-home wife and mother. It's not financially feasible for most middle class folks, only an aspiration, and the wife only stays home until the babes are all in pre-school.

It also doesn't follow that they necessariliy become cooks, gardeners, and seamstresses. Many seem to not develop any skills beyond spending and decorating.

 

[rareboy]

One of the great moments in my childhood was the Saturday morning my mom let me prepare breakfast for the family, I was 8 years old.
For my first breakfast on the menu was pancakes, something I watched mom make a million times - it looked so easy!

As you guessed, I overmixed the batter resulting in tough, chewy pancakes. Working with flour is an art. Mom measured her dry and wet ingredients by eye, with perfect pancakes everytime because she understood the ratio of dry to wet and knew when to stop mixing by the appearance of the batter. Not overmixing is also the secret to pie crust - my first-made pie needed a lightsaber to cut it. Worse, the apples weren't thoroughly cooked.

It still fascinates me the way flour yields different results by the way it is handled.

I have no idea why, but my very first piecrust was incredible. Granted, it was all-butter, but my method was totally wrong.
As I continued to make pie-crust, I learned that we couldn't use bulk AP flour dependably because it wasn't consistent.
Then I learned that one should have a blend of butter and lard or shortening for some types of crust.
Then that the best water was from the well directly and not softened.
Then that vodka iced as half the liquid was a good thing.
Then that 82% min butterfat butter is the answer for pies.

So it was a years long process of learning from others and trying things to find what worked best for flavour and texture.

Today, my test of a crust is whether my very young 2 great nephews eat the crust as well as the filling.

 

[Maklaar13]

My mother made the worst pancakes ever. I dreaded whenever I saw her making them, she was a great cook otherwise. My guy makes the best blueberry pancakes, yeah, just had some.

 

[smokeshadow]

Coffee drinking in the UK is not an American import. It was being drunk here as early as the mid-seventeenth century. The likes of Starbucks may have cashed in on that over the last few decades, but that's another thing.

English coffeehouses in the 17th and 18th centuries - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Prior to the industrial revolution, beer was the most drunk beverage for breakfast. Manfuacturer's realized that inebriated workers made for hazardous working conditions; so, helped push coffee to become the breakfast beverage of choice.

Coffee was first introduced in Italy in 1573, from where it spread throughout Europe. And, it was the Dutch and British trading companies that spread it to the New World.

History of Coffee In Europe

Coffee in Europe: Learn about the history of drinking coffee in Europe through Venice (Italy) from the 17th century, France, England, Germany, Poland and Austria.

coffeefacts.org

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Same in the UK. I've only had pancakes served at home as a sweet course after dinner. American habits are creeping in unfortunately and I have seen pancakes on breakfast menus at so called "diners" and such like. I'm in agreement with Harke's ex though and would never order them for breakfast.

Sorry I didn't formulate it clearer, guys!

I tried to serve my ex (born in Ecuador and later moved to New York) pancakes for dinner the way we usually eat them in The Netherlands (we do eat them for lunch sometimes but that's in pancake houses).

Also, during dinner (or lunch) in The Netherlands pancakes (othen with bacon and/or cheese and black syrup) frequently are the only thing eaten.

This is how I tried to feed my ex.

Oh, I misread his post to mean his ex would refuse the as a dinner.

Thanks for making the point clear.

No. You were right.

My ex could be suddenly dismissive of things without any discernible reason.

Jack was much easier, although when Jack had had enough of you it was forever.

 

[rareboy]

So growing up half Dutch, panckes for dinner was no uncommon with bûter and Stroop.

And big fluffy pankoeken...not crepes.

The secret is totally in not overmixing the dough...leave dough lumps alone. Sometimes we will add a second egg and reduce the buttermilk a bit.

As I mentioned in the dinner thread, my preference now is to have them with only butter and maybe some creme fraiche with savoury toppings.