Text 24593, 133 rader
Skriven 2007-12-26 17:46:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av HAP NEWSOM
Ärende: possible venues 604
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 HN> Merry Christmas to you Michael!
 HN> It's 0658 here and I'm the only one up...buncha slug a beds here! 
 HN> Well, I'm gonna wait em out this time....I can do it! I can!!! maybe!

Bah, hum, er, Merry Kwanzaa to you too.

I got
a Jamaican spiced black fruitcake
Angry Scotsman brand gummi haggis
bacon flavored mints
bacon flavored toothpicks
gummi bacon (strawberry flavored, boo hiss)
three shirts - two tees and a lumberjack shirt

 -> Might be fun to take a look at, though I'm not certain what
 -> I'm doing June 10-15th.
 HN> Lots of very creative people ranging from hobbiests and beginners, 
 HN> to some of the best guitar builders in the world today! 

My dance card is filling, despite what I've told people.
Carol is pretty enthusiastic about revisiting the PacNW,
though, and seeing Portland for the first time.

 HN> It's biggest drawback is it's far from the nearest 
 HN> airport and while it's a scenic drive to get there,
 HN> it is a bit of a drive! Still it has it's attractions! 
 HN> Uh...as long as its' not raining!

I've been in Friday Harbor, Anacortes, and Port Townsend during
storms, and I must say that they're all spectacular, if a little
miserable, under these conditions. One winter we were going to
climb Mt. Townsend, but when the snow got past waist depth, we
turned back, making a harrowing all-day hike that didn't even
get us to timberline; piled back into the car and went to Port
Townsend that night, and boy did that fireplace at the B&B
feel good.

=
 ->  HN> Still, it's a place we'll probably go someday
 ->  HN> if for no other reason than we haven't been 
 ->  HN> there yet!
 -> When you're feeling rich.
 HN> Uhm, I'm not that kind of guy (grin)!
 HN> I'm at the other end of the wealth 
 HN> stick....I'm lucky in love! (grin)

I'd actually prefer it your way, which is also mostly my way.
We're lucky to have found women who aren't obsessed with
riches and big houses and stuff.

 -> It sure beat the Terribles, where I got a room for $29 split
 -> with Benita (so $15 apiece). That place, though sort of amusing,
 -> is appropriately named.
 HN> Only other place in Vegas I thought was worse than 
 HN> Excalibur was the old Circus Circus. Of those that
 HN> I stayed at of course. There are more than a few
 HN> where I would not even venture to stay!

There are some amazing places in Vegas. All I cared about
was that I not get any diseases from the sheets and not get
mugged in the corridor.

Black Cake
Cat: Christmas, Jamaican, dessert
Yield: 3 or 4 cakes, about 4 dozen servings

1 lb prunes
1 lb dark raisins
1/2 lb golden raisins
1 lb currants
1 1/2 lb dried cherries - or 1 lb dried cherries
- plus 1/2 lb glace cherries
1/4 lb mixed candied citrus peel
2 c dark rum; more for brushing cake
1 1/2 c cherry brandy or Manischewitz
- Concord grape wine; more for grinding fruit
1/4 lb blanched almonds
1 c white or light brown sugar for burning
- or 1/4 cup dark molasses or cane syrup
more molasses for coloring batter
1 lb butter; more for buttering pans
1 lb about 2 1/2 c light or dark brown sugar
10 eggs
Zest of 2 limes
2 ts vanilla extract
1/2 ts Angostura bitters
4 c (1 lb) all-purpose flour
4 ts baking powder
2 ts cinnamon

Time: 4 hours, plus 2 days' macerating

At least 2 days before baking, combine prunes, raisins, currants,
cherries, candied peel, rum and brandy in a glass jar or sturdy plastic
container. Cover tightly; shake or stir occasionally.

When ready to bake, put soaked fruit and almonds in a blender or food
processor; work in batches that the machine can handle. Grind to a rough
paste, leaving some chunks of fruit intact. Add a little brandy or wine if
needed to loosen mixture in the machine.

If burning sugar, place a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add 1
cup white or light brown sugar, and melt, stirring with a wooden spoon.
Stir, letting sugar darken. (It will smoke.) When sugar is almost black,
stir in 1/4 cup boiling water. (It will splatter.) Turn off heat.

Heat oven to 250F. Butter three 9" or four 8" cake pans;
line bottoms with a double layer of parchment or wax paper.

In a mixer, cream butter and 1 lb light or dark brown sugar until
smooth and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, then lime zest, vanilla and
bitters. Transfer mixture to a very large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine
flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Fold dry ingredients into butter mixture.
Stir in fruit paste and 1/4 c burnt sugar or molasses. Batter should be a
medium-dark brown; if too light, add a tablespoon or two of burnt sugar or
molasses.

Divide among prepared pans; cakes will not rise much, so fill pans
almost to top. Bake 1 hr and reduce heat to 225F; bake 2-3 hr longer,
until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a rack.

While cakes are hot, brush tops with rum and let soak in. Repeat while
cakes cool; they will absorb about 4 tablespoons total. When cakes are
completely cool, they can be turned out and served. To keep longer, wrap
cakes tightly in wax or parchment paper, then in foil. Store in a cool, dry
place for up to 1 month.

New York Times
Adapted from the Naparima Girls' High School Cookbook

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