BS: Easter dinner

Subject: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 03:45 PM

Or whatever you call it. My family is keen to have turkey (boooooring!) and have told me where to go with my rabbit-pie suggestion. My question, in light of the Judas thread, is this: do I put 12 balls on the simnel cake or do I have to wait for a pronouncement from the Vatican?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 03:51 PM

Convert to a another religion (don't waste time) or quickly become an athiest ... that should remedy your predicament.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 03:55 PM

I don't do religion, sIx. I do simnel cake though.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 03:59 PM

Hmmmm .... then try a pie !!

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:00 PM

regardless of whether Judas was a "true" disciple - he did according to the narrative hang himself and thus removed himself from the ranks of the disciples. So I would say you are safe to continue with 11 balls on the simnel cake. Or - since you don't "do religion" you can decorate it as suits your fancy. 11 white balls and one black one? 13 balls to include both Judas and whassisname they elected to take his place? 14 to include the above 13 plus John the baptist?

24 to be the disciples and the 12 major prophets of the Torah?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:03 PM

That's a lot of balls!

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:05 PM

Whassisname was called Mathias MMario.
"And they all drew lots & the lot fell upon Mathias"
Gospel according to somebody or other.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:05 PM

Please excuse this non-practicing Chritisian Protestant/Jew ... but what is a simnel cake?

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:08 PM

From the Beeb site:

Simnel cake
Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. For many Christians, this is a period of fasting and repentance in preparation for Easter, culminating in a feast of seasonal and symbolic foods. In the late 17th century, girls in service brought a rich fruit cake called simnel cake home to their mothers on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The cake was enriched with marzipan and decorated with 11 marzipan balls representing the 12 apostles minus Judas, who betrayed Christ.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:13 PM

I'll also be making braided saffron bread, which my Jewish buddy calls challah

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:14 PM

Sounds very good indeed ... 13 is kind of an uncomfortable number for me personally, so I'd say stick with 12 ... As I mentioned in the Judas thread when Bob Dylan was accused of being a 'Judas', He replyed with 'it's a lie' .. so if you really want I'd be comfortable with a marzipan ball on the cake for old Judas.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:16 PM

Actually the cake sounds much better than the challah ... but very universal of you for doing that Pink.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:24 PM

The origins of the Simnel cake date back WAY before the 17th century -. originally it was part of the offerings taken from a parish to the "mother church" - usually the bishop's seat. *THIS* - rather then any tribute to maternal parent - was the origin of "mothering Sunday" - Things shifted around in a major way in the 17th century.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Beer
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:38 PM

Go with the Rabbit Pie. That was tradition for a lot of Acadian folks. We call it "Poté".
Great meal.
Beer

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 04:47 PM

Angus Dei... Lamb of God... with some rosemary and maybe a little touch of garlic....


Simnel cake is sickly goop. Go for traditional spiced and curranty biscuits called Easter cakes!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: bobad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:00 PM

We get together with some friends and their kids and feast on leg of lamb which has been boned and butterflied and marinated for a day or two in a marinade of olive oil, lemon, rosemary and lots of garlic. Grilled on a barbecue with veggies and salad and served up with a nice red wine it makes for a delightful culinary treat and a very pleasant evening spent with good friends.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:07 PM

I have a wonderful, wild caught, salmon in the freezer. A good salad, salmon, potatoes a la me, perhaps a green veg, mixed black- and rasp- berries over shortbread and topped with creme fraiche, perhaps a decent wine....

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MartinRyan
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:25 PM

I love a rack of lamb which has just about been introduced to the oven - but hasn't had time to become familiar with it....

Apart from that - where does the WORD "simnel" come from? I've a feeling I should know - but have long forgotten.

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: bobad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:27 PM

sim·nel Pronunciation (smnl)
n. Chiefly British
1. A crisp bread made of fine wheat flour.
2. A rich fruitcake sometimes covered with almond paste and traditionally eaten at mid-Lent, Easter, and Christmas.
[Middle English, from Old French siminel, from Medieval Latin siminellus, ultimately from Latin simila, fine flour; see semolina.]

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: gnu
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:31 PM

My sister in law will put on a large, aboslutely delicious ham early in the morning. It will be cooked to perfection at about 14:00h. She will then carve it and put it back in the oven and prepare the veggies and others. At 17:00h, she will serve the absolutely dried out ham with veggies soaked in margerine with potatoes whipped with milk and margerine. Then, she will serve a cheesecake which actually is not a cheesecake. The cheesecake servings will be so big that a large hound dog could not finish one half that size.

At apporoximately 18:00h, having been polite and, thereby, having eaten a reasonable amount of this trash, my stomach will begin to gurgle. Being polte, I shall remain until I feel that I can just make it home in time. I am not saying my sister in law cannot parboil shit fer a tramp. I am saying that eating her cooking is always an adventure. No shit. (If yer lucky on the way home.)

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: bobad
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 05:35 PM

Ah gnu, my sympathies. If you were anywhere near here I'd invite you over.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 10 Apr 06 - 09:44 PM

Since it's my son's birthday this Easter weekend, our family will be feasting on what he really wants for this combined birthday/easter supper. This will consist of my handcrafted barbecued fog burgers, potato salad and corn-on-the-cob.

BTW, for what it's worth ... I can't stand corn-on-the-cob.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 03:29 AM

What about HOT XXX UNCENSORED BUNS on Good Friday?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 05:55 AM

Hot crossed buns? We've had them in the shops since Christmas.... I'm getting sick of them!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 08:15 AM

hey six! "fog burgers"?? INquiring minds want to know.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: JennyO
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 09:06 AM

Yes, I was a bit mist-ified by that one too.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 09:35 AM

Lobster fer Chriss' sake, right off the boat (legals) A tradition in my family..the second ugliest crteeture God made but some good tae eat. It made a christian of me just knowing that something so homely could be soo good and some divine being must have invented it. Oh and lally cake for afters.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 09:51 AM

Lally cakes? I speak pretty fluent "food" but that's a new one on me.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 10:03 AM

IF I cook, it will prob be ham.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 10:11 AM

corn chowder friday, ham saturday, lamb sunday.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 11:29 AM

MMario ... here's how one makes a 'fog' burger...

use regular or medium ground beef .. never ever lean ... you need the fat to make the smoke .. the more smoke the better.

Mix the ground beef in with lots of mesquite seasoning, lots of it. I prefer using natural mesquite wood in the old charcoal Webber, but I have become rather lazy, bourgois and impatient in my old age and now have surrendered to the gas grill.

Mix the ground beef in with lots of ground black pepper, lots of it, don't be shy.

Make a pattie, actually a very large pattie. Once it has been formed, stick your finger into the centre of the pattie and slightly hollow it out. Pour some Worcester sauce into it and top the hole up with ground beef. Be gentle with the pattie, it is now ready to grill.

Once grilled (with lots of smoke) it is now ready to be served with your favourite toppings. I prefer mayo, dijon, tomato and some hot pickeled bannana pepper rings.

It's called a 'fog' burger due to the amount of fog that rolls off of the Bay of Fundy ... seems to be that I'm out there grilling just in time for the tide to come in ... bringing with it the blasted fog.

I enjoy them, my son does and just about everyone I have made them for. If you lived up this way I'd invite you over for one. This barbecued culinary delight is the fault of me falling off of the vegetarian wagon.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 11:32 AM

That's me 6, posting the 'fog' burger instructions.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 11:55 AM

yummy! now - Lally cakes?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Kweku
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 12:25 PM

what is the real meaning of the word easter?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 12:28 PM

philosophically, etymologically, or usage?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Kweku
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 12:40 PM

I once heard a friend say it is the name of a Roman god.so I guess anything will do.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 12:45 PM

it is speculated that the English term 'Easter' - which is used to mean the Christian Feast of the Resurection is derived from the name of the goddess Eostre - which is also the origin of the English word 'east' - Eostre was I believe a Germanic goddess of the dawn.

Most of the world does not use the term, but some variation on 'Paschal' to indicate the Feast of the Resurection.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Kweku
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 01:08 PM

thanks MM.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 01:14 PM

"derived from the name of the goddess Eostre"

They swifted a lot more than the name.... The eggs... the rabbits.... the colours... The very resurection myth.... all associated with Eoster long before the Xtians got their grubby mitts on them....

So we BBQ a couple of rabbits.... have a few bottles of wine with friends... and well, seeing as we're all really to chicken to have an orgy, we share Hersey's Kisses with each other....   Maybe one year I'll 'spike' the wine....

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 01:18 PM

And the Feast of the Resurection was established long before Christians encountered Eostre - who was a pretty localized goddess.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 01:21 PM

It's not like their mythology made it up first

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 01:34 PM

I'm not saying the Christians came up with an original idea - but the timeline for "Christians stole Easter from Eostre" is paradoxical - since Easter existed prior to Christian contact with worshipers of Eostre.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 03:30 PM

OK, stop that ... what about tracklements?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: MMario
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 03:38 PM

hey! what's with tracklements when I still haven't found out what Lally cakes are!

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: frogprince
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 04:04 PM

Can I come to Repaire's for that salmon?
My Mrs. asked me earlier today to help decide what we would dine on, but we got side-tracked instead of settling the question. Which ever we go with, I have nothin' to fear from her cooking.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Scoville
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 04:57 PM

I like challah. I worked at a Jewish summer camp a few years ago and we always looked forward to Shabbat (even though I'm not Jewish--I was only there to take care of the horses, not corrupt small children).

I'll be the only one at home this year so I can pretty much eat whatever I want. I thought I might break down and make Wendish noodles. I'm not Wendish, either, but sometimes nothing beats chicken broth and homemade noodles.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Scoville
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 05:07 PM

Oops--wrong button. Chicken broth seasoned with parsley and nutmeg. Sounds bizarre but I swear it works.

It's not an Easter thing (well, they ARE egg noodles, I guess) but nobody else in my family sees the point of hand-making noodles, so it's their loss if they aren't here to share them.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 05:07 PM

I can't see any point in spending time inside the house cooking up a storm when we can be outside celebrating! It is our family tradition to have an easter picnic!!!   Depending upon the date which easter falls, it can be most interesting! I will say though, there's nothing quite like having BBQ ribs while it's snowing all around you!   Lots of fun is always had by all! :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Scoville
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 05:08 PM

The Wends also make a mean Easter egg, a lot like those Ukranians.

I have a kit for this. I keep meaning to learn.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Severn
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 09:01 PM

I always choose to send in from the joint that originally catered The Last Supper....

JUDAS' CARRYOUT

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: number 6
Date: 11 Apr 06 - 09:36 PM

Good one severn !! LOL

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 01:21 AM

Simnel cake doesn't have to be silly goop. I make a simnel cake that is lighter in texture and I don't soak it with whisky. Instead I add Beer to the batter. I suppose mine is more like Porter cake. A long time ago, I posted an Americanised Porter Cake recipe and that's my base for Simnal cake. The only real difference is the inclusion of ground almonds for part of the flour and I use freshly ground apples in place of most of the dried fruits. The spices are a little different as well.

Yes I know, sounds less and less like a Sinmal cake but that's how my Grandmother always made hers. She was born in Ireland but never really likedcandied peels and glacee cherries. She did add sultanas and currents though. It's hard for me to find current so I usually use dried blueberries or finely chopped dates in their place. I have had other Simnel cakes from the Midwest of the USA that were more like a spicy Cardamom flavored Gingerbread but they did have Marizipan. I wonder if that's due to the Scandanavian influence.

If you don't like Marizipan, you can always used rolled Fondant icing. It's far swetter but more to the common person's taste. You can spice the fondant with Vanilla paste, Almond extract or add whisky to it if you want more traditional flavor.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 01:40 AM

OK - I give upo. What are lally Cakes? Are they any relation to Lolly Cakes or Ice Lollies?

I searched and searched my trad cookery sources and can find only mentions of cakes named after ladies named Lally and they are all italian in origin.

Surely you don't mean "Sally" cakes, do you? (Sally Lunn Cakes - a type of tea biscuit made from a yeast dough)

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 05:06 PM

Lallies are legs in Polari... got a strange picture of a leg shaped bun now....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Apr 06 - 09:05 PM

"leg shaped bun"

The mind boggles!

Are they hard buns?

Are they sticky buns?

That's enough I think....

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Apr 06 - 03:26 PM

Better than a bun shaped leg.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Janie
Date: 13 Apr 06 - 03:33 PM

Ham, pickled eggs, asparagus and scalloped potatoes and a salad of spring greens is what my mother usually fixes.

If it at my house, I prefer lamb (when I can afford it.)

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Apr 06 - 03:46 PM

I don't know how to spell everything we're having for our Polish Easter dinner:

Borscht
Golumbeki (pronounced "go-woom-pki")
Pierogi
Kielbasa
...and cheesecake

The Polish women in my household swear that cheesecake comes from Poland. Who am I to argue?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: bobad
Date: 13 Apr 06 - 04:01 PM

Polish pedant alert Joe, borscht is Ukranian or Russian, in Polish it's barscz.

Good memories in that menu - do you also serve butter in a dish and studded with cloves in the shape of a cross symbolizing the nails used in the crucifixion?

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 07:27 AM

A friend of mine was studying Russian at Uni, and invited me along to the Russian Dept's (Orthodox) Easter Party.

Wow! Food! Yum! oh, and music and dancing too..

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: bobad
Date: 15 Apr 06 - 07:41 AM

refreshen

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 04:28 AM

Happy Easter Everybody!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Alice
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 01:01 PM

Just another day here. All this description of partying is nice to read about!

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 02:13 PM

Freezer's empty. Grocery store's closed. But, hey, there's lots of lettuce in the garden and the carrots are ready for thinning. If it's good enough for the Easter Bunny, it's good enough for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 05:47 PM

Was delicious. Decided to put the lamb on a low roast, well covered so it didn't shrink into a burger on a bone... it was just right, good and juicy and not at all tough. The spiced apple pie was pretty good too, although Limpit prefered to just eat 2 bowls of custard.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Peace
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 05:51 PM

"If it's good enough for the Easter Bunny, it's good enough for me."

Invite the Easter Bunny to dinner. It would go well with lettuce and carrots . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 06:10 PM

Well, Peace, we've got plenty of rabbits on our property and I suppose I could shoot one, but getting my wife to eat it would be another matter. Anyway, I found a can of salmom and we have eggs and saltine crackers so we can have salmon patties along with the rabbit food.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: frogprince
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 06:13 PM

A nice juicy hunk of ham should be ready any minute now, with mashed 'tatters & salad. Cream puffs with pistachio filling and chocolate drizzled on top for dessert.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Apr 06 - 09:13 PM

Was bored. Took french loaf out of freezer, let thaw, angle sliced thickly. Too thick for toaster, focacio toaster griller had died, put baking paper on bottom of frypan, toasted them both sides therein - yum!

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 11:31 AM

Baked chicken, deviled eggs, green salad with spinach and broccoli bits, toasted homemade bread, ended with Bailey's. Worked for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Emma B
Date: 18 Apr 06 - 09:24 AM

Wasn't certain which thread to put this in....

Had a truly hedonistic Easter with Good Friday dinner cooked by my best friend and then out to the Three Stags Heads at Wardlow Mires in the Peak District for a "mini-gathering" excellent company and music in a delightful small traditional pub with an excellent selection of "real" ales including the infamous "Black Lurcher" and definately NO lager!

Geoff, the landlord, makes his own pottery and his wife cooks the most wonderful food to serve on it.
On Saturday evening we had Rabbit stewed in a savoury chocolate sauce thickened with toasted almonds a Catalan speciality.

Estofat de Conill al Vi Negre
anyone want the recipe - PM me

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 10:06 AM

My Easter dinner was a very basic spag bol. It was a very special Easter dinner though, as it was at Miskin, surrounded by other Miskinites, music, dance and the fantastic special 'Miskinness' of the whole thing. Other Miskinites will understand.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Apr 06 - 11:43 AM

For the last 15 years or so, we have gone to my wife's cousin's place for Easter. BIG family, and everyone cooks! There have been up to 30 or more there, now it is down to about 20, with friends & neighbors.

This year there was Ham (both country ham and spiral-sliced Honey Ham), Roast Beef, 4½ lbs of Italian Sausage & Shells Pasta..(de rigeur contribution from my wife)..baked beans, corn, green beans with ham cooked in, baked sweet potato casserole with pecans and glaze, potato salad, a rice medley, a jello-fruit-marsmallow compote of some sort, biscuits, rolls, salad.......

and then there was dessert...two lemon merengue pies, one custard pie, one dried apple pie, a cheesecake with peaches on it, a yellow cake (flat) with coconut icing, peanut butter balls with nuts and covered with chocolate..(the sweet potato dish above SHOULD have been in the dessert area!)

I didn't eat again until after noon the next day....leftovers!

Subject: RE: BS: Easter dinner
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 21 Apr 06 - 01:38 PM

Well, I had to pstone my Easter Dinner on account of me getting quite ill. I keep battling a nasty sinus infection that often blows up into a serious thing quite literally. One side of my face blows up like a balloon and turns ugly colors.

Now that I am well, I'll be making Easter Dinner THIS weekend. Liz's mention of spiced Apple pie sound great - especially since I have a pantry with 10 pounds of Gala apples! (They were on sale 2 weeks ago)

The only thing I managed on actual easter was a side-dish I was gonna make - Southwestern Carrot Gratin Souffle. (Mashed carrots, liberal amounts of grated parmesan, chopped sweet peppers, spices too numerous to mention, some mashed garbanzo beans, jmilk and eggs. Mix well, pour into soofle dish, bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 350 Degrees F, let rest 20 minutes and serve)

We ate it as the main dish and still have some leftover.

I think I'm making roast Cornish hens for my apres-easter feast. That and some spicy applie pie now that Liz mentioned it!

BTW - For the non-americans - Country Ham is salt cured and aged ham with a very strong taste. "City Ham" is the sweet hams.

I am shutting this down due to a spam attack. The last legitimate post was 6 months ago, and the last 9 or so posts have been spam and deleted. If someone wants this thread reopened, please request it. Mudelf