Baking Archives - Retro Food For Modern Times

Category: Baking

29
Oct
2024

A Murder is Announced – Delicious Death

categories: Cake, Dining With The Dame, Marple

Hello, crime readers and food lovers! Today’s Dining with The Dame takes us on a culinary journey from the bustling streets of Iraq to the quaint English country village of Chipping Cleghorn. And, as we all know, the English country village is the natural home of one Miss Jane Marple! Our delectable companion for today’s reading is Delicious Death – a delightful and delovely chocolate cake that is sure to satisfy both your taste buds and your thirst for a good mystery. However, it’s important to note that this Delicious Death is not the same one created by Jane Asher in 2010 to celebrate Agatha Christie’s 120th anniversary. I had some difficulty in finding all the necessary ingredients for that particular recipe so as Fleetwood Mac famously suggested, I went my own way on this one!

A Murder is Announced – The Plot

When the inhabitants of Chipping Cleghorn read the following in the local paper, they mostly think it is a joke.

A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th at Little Paddocks at 6:30pm. Friends please accept this, the only intimation.”

Despite this, most of them turn up to Little Paddocks, the home of Letitia Blacklock and Dora “Bunny” Bunner on the 29th at the designated time to find out what is going on.

At exactly 6:30, the lights go out. In the darkness, a gun fires twice. And dead body is found on the ground.

The body turns out to be that of a young man who worked in a hotel in the local town. But why was he there? Who put the weird notice in the paper? And why? Is someone really trying to kill Leticia Blacklock?

We have:

Forged cheques
An unused door being oiled
A missing revolver
A missing lamp
Missing photos
A host of people who might not be who they say they are
More murders
And EVERYBODY being utterly horrible to Mitzi the maid

Thank goodness for Miss Marple! Sir Henry Clithering might bizarrely call her the ‘Super Pussy of all old Pussies,’ but she’s the one who’ll solve this mystery and bring peace back to Chipping Cleghorn! Here is a somewhat less unhinged quote from Sir Henry on Miss Marple:

“She’s just the finest Detective God ever made. Natural genius cultivated in a suitable soil…remember that an elderly unmarried woman who knits and gardens is streets ahead of any detective sergeant. She can tell you what might have happened and what ought to have happened and even what actually did happen. And she can tell you why it happened”

A Murder is Announced – Agatha Christie

A Murder is Announced – The Covers

There are some absolutely cracking covers here. I couldn’t find as many foreign covers as usual which was disappointing. However, I feel the calibre of the ones I did find make up for it. Even the weird French one at the bottom which looks like people in a doctor’s waiting room has its own charm!

The Recipe: Delicious Death

“Death!” said Patrick in sepulchral tones. “Delicious death.”.

“Be quiet, Patrick, ” said Miss Blacklock as Miss Bunner gave a little yelp.

“I only meant the special cake that Mitzi makes,” said Patrick apologetically. “You know we always call it Delicious Death”

“Ha, ” Patrick cried dramatically as the party took their places around the dining room table. “What do I see before me? Delicious Death.”

“Hush” said Miss Blacklock. “Don’t let Mitzi hear you. She objects to your name for her cake very much.”

“Nevertheless, Delicious Death it is! Is it Bunny’s birthday cake?”

“Yes, it is, ” said Miss Brunner. “I really am having the most wonderful birthday”.

A Murder is Announced – Agatha Christie

Links to the Christieverse

Edward Swettenham wrote a play called “Elephants Do Forget”. Christie later wrote a novel called “Elephants Can Remember”.

Dermott Cradock, the investigating officer in “A Murder is Announced”, is Sir Henry Clithering’s godson. We previously met Sir Henry, the former head of Scotland Yard, in Murder at the Vicarage and The Body In the Library.

Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in “A Murder is Announced”

Coffee x3
Kippers x2
Toast
Sherry / Bad Sherry (so many times!)
Eggs x2
Stewed Beef
Goulash
Cheese Straws x2
Olives
(Fancy) Pastries (multiple mentions)
Cabbages
Brandy
Asparagus
Apples
Chocolates x3
Herrings
Lettuces
Skim Milk / Milk
Honey x2
Vegetable Marrows
Quinces / Quince Jelly
Tea x2
Cakes x2
Bread
Margarine and Butter
Meat Paste
Meat and two veg
Eggs
Cream x2
Horsemeat
Sardine Sandwiches
Tomato Sandwiches
Wine
Corn (for hens)
Side of bacon
Omelettes
Fried onions
Jam

November’s read will be Mrs McGinty’s Dead

Have a great week!

25
Aug
2024

Spice It Up – August 2004

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Apples, Baking, Blue Cheese, Delicious, Indonesia, Lamb, Leeks, Magazines, Pie, Salad, Savoury Pies and Tarts

Hello friends! Welcome to Twenty Years Ago Today! For a spicy twist this month, I turned to the August 2004 issue of Delicious magazine for recipe ideas. While the month wasn’t perfect, one dish stood out as a clear highlight and is easily one of my top ten of the year. But, before we get there, let’s take a little look at what was making the charts pop culture-wise back in August 2004!

Pop Culture – August 2004

So, for the first week of August 2004 and, also for the first time in what seems like eleventy billion years, The Da Vinci Code was NOT the number one selling book. That honour went to R for Ricochet by Sue Grafton. Now, I have never read any of this series. Is anyone out there a fan? I love a good mystery / thriller. Please let me know if you think this series might be good for me! However, before we get too excited about the demise of The Da Vinci Code, it went back to number one for the rest of August.

Collateral was the best-selling film of August 2004 but Garden State, which was a film we covered in my film club was #10. Leave, (Get Out) by JoJo was the number 1 song. I do not remember this song or the singer at all!!! Does anyone?

In the absence of any memory of JoJo, let’s pop the soundtrack for Garden State onto Spotify and get cooking!

The Spice It Up Menu – August 2004

Gado Gado

Spices used – garlic, ginger etc in the Satay sauce, chilli

I adore Gado Gado. It’s the perfect balance of health and indulgence, combining the virtue of steamed vegetables with the decadence of a spicy satay sauce. Unfortunately, despite searching through multiple supermarkets, I couldn’t find the tofu puffs I typically include. To compensate for the protein, I added some eggs. I ate this as a main dish so wanted to make it a substantial meal.

I also took some liberties with the vegetables, using ingredients I preferred or had readily available instead of strictly adhering to the recipe.”

Gado-Gado Recipe

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas

Spice used: Paprika

The Jamie Oliver recipe was…alright. While it wasn’t a favorite, it was certainly edible. I’m not likely to make it again, but it was passable.

The biggest issue was the excessive amount of chili. As someone who enjoys spicy food, that’s a rare complaint for me. The chili completely overwhelmed the other flavors.

Another minor annoyance was the recipe’s use of the term “chops” while actually calling for “cutlets.” For those unfamiliar with lamb, cutlets are significantly more expensive than traditional chops. I used loin chops for my version because I had some in my freezer.

Lamb Chops with Bay, Paprika and Chickpeas Recipe

Apple and Blackberry Pie

Spices used: Cinnamon and Cloves

This. Was .Divine.

Unfortunately, my photos were not. Please don’t judge this on the photo or my really bad lattice work because the pie really truly was AMAZING!!!! This is a top ten dish if ever there was one! There is a version with Rhubarb mentioned which I will also be trying ASAP!

Apple and Blackberry Pie Recipe

Cinnamon Tea and Recipe

Spice Used: Cinnamon

Delicious Magazine also contained a recipe for Cinnamon Tea. I only ever really drink herbal tea, so this was not for me. Howeever, as the name suggests, it does contain a spice so if you are a tea drinker and maybe wanted something to sip on while eating your pie, here is the recipe.

My Nigella Moment – Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts

For first-time readers, this refers to the moment at the end of Nigella Lawson’s cooking shows when she sneaks back to the fridge to have another bite of something delicious. In these Twenty Years Ago posts, it is something contained in the magazine that does not fit with the overall menu theme but I’m sneaking it in because it is too good not to share.

I love leek and gorgonzola anything as it reminds me of a pizzeria I used to go to with my work mates a few years ago that did an amazing leek and gorgonzola pizza! I didn’t think these were as good as the pizza but that could also be nostalgia talking. They were quite nice in their own right!

Leek and Gorgonzola Tarts Recipe

I hope you have enjoyed this trip back to August 2004. Have a great week!

11
Aug
2024

Crooked House – Tarte Tatin

categories: Apples, Dining With The Dame, France, Puff Pastry, Stand Alone, Tarts

Hello, crime readers and food lovers! Today’s Dining With The Dame delves into “Crooked House,” which is an absolute belter of a read! Typically, I prefer the Poirot or Marple novels, and standalone novels often fall short for me. However, this one is a delightful exception! The storyline is captivating, and Christie truly outdoes herself in crafting the villain.

Speaking of captivating, let’s transition to our culinary companion for this episode: Tarte Tatin. I selected this classic French dessert for a few reasons. Firstly, apples, a prominent motif in “Crooked House,” provided a thematic link. And, dare I say, there is a bad apple in the crooked house! Also, with the Paris Olympics in full swing, a touch of French flair seemed fitting. And finally, a well-executed Tarte Tatin is magnifique!

Crooked House – The Plot

“I think people more often kill those they love than those they hate . Possibly because only the people you love can really make life unendurable to you”

Agatha Christie – Crooked House

The plot of Crooked House is somewhat similar to Taken At The Flood which I covered last month. This time, we meet the Leonides family, the patriarch of which, Aristide Leonides has just been murdered. Someone, swapped his insulin for Eserine, a deadly poison contained in his eye medicine. Aristide had built up considerable wealth and members of his family stand to inherit a lot of money.

The family, and list of suspects include:

Brenda, Aristides young second wife, who may or may not be romatically involved with the tutor of his grandchildren, Laurence Brown
Roger and Clementine Leonides, one of Aristides brothers and his wife
Phillip Leonides and his wife, Magda West a (tryhard but largely unsuccessful actress played by Gillian Anderson in the 2017 adaptation)
Edith de Haviland, the sister of Aristides first wife who has lived with them since her sister’s death in order to take care of the children (played to perfection by Glenn Close in the 2017 adaptation)
Sophia Leonides, Aristides eldest grandchild and daughter of Phillip and Magda
Eustace Leonides the teenage son of Phillip and Magda
Josephine Leonides, the 12 year old daughter of Phillip and Magda
Laurence Brown, Eustace and Jospehine’s tutor

Charles Hayward, Sophia’s fiance is our amateur detective, working closely with Chief Inspecor Taverner and Detective Sergeant Lamb to find the killer.

Before we get there though, many things happen including

A missing will
Embezzlement
Josephine being attacked
Hidden love letters coming to light
The children’s nanny being poisoned by some deadly hot chocolate
The wrong people being arrested
A missing notebook that may hold the key to everything

It might not be a good thing that we have Charles trying to discover (as one of the covers below asks) who put the poison in the hypo. He is not, as they say, the sharpest tool in the shed. Despite the abundance of clues scattered throughout the text, he repeatedly overlooks them.

In fact, I found myself uncovering an unusual number of clues while reading “Crooked House,” far exceeding the usual number in Christie’s works. This abundance of hints led me to speculate on whether it was a deliberate strategy on Christie’s part. Given that “Crooked House” was published in 1949, I imagine the revelation of the villain must have been a truly shocking experience for readers of the time. It’s possible that Christie meticulously planted these clues to soften the impact of the eventual reveal for contemporary audiences. If you have read this, please let me know your thoughts on this!!!!

Crooked House – The Covers

I was very happy to be able to include a Greek cover here as the Leonides family are Greek in origin. I was also very glad to see that one of the covers featured an apple. This, vindicated my somewhat unusual choice of dish! There are lots of crooked houses which are to be expected, including one growing out of a ladies head, which is not. I don’t understand the rather scruffy looking chicken. And as for the creepy hell clown? No. Just no.

The Recipe: Tarte Tatin

There was no one in sight as we drove up to the front door. I paid the taxi and it drove away. I felt uncertain whether to ring the bell or to walk in. The front door was open. As I stood there hesitatiing I heard a sound behind me. I turned my head sharply. Josephine, her face partially obscured by a very large apple was standing in the opening of the yew hedge looking at me”

Agatha Christie – Crooked House

I broke off. Josephine had emerged from the door leading to the drawing room. She was eating the inevitable apple, and over its round rosiness her eyes sparkled with a kind of ghoulish enjoyment.

“Nannie’s been poisoned,” she said. “Just like grandfather. It’s awfully exciting, isn’t it?”

Agatha Christie – Crooked House

Links To The Christieverse

None that I picked up on – but please let me know if you found something!

Other Food & Drinks Mentioned in Taken At The Flood

Cocktails
Coffee x3
Whisky
Sweets
Wholesome nursery food
Queer rice dishes
Chocolate
Drinks
Scrambled eggs on toast
Apple x 2
Nourishing Soup
Cocoa
Ice Cream Soda

In September, we’re going Marple-ing. A Murder is Announced will be our next read.

Have a great week!

01
Aug
2024

July 2004 – No A’s

categories: 20 Years Ago Today, Cheese, Delicious, Fish, Magazines, Muffins, Soup

Hello friends and welcome to today’s Twenty Years Ago Today Post where I am creating a meal from the pages of Delicious magazine from July 2004. But, as usual, the menu comes with a challenge – this month the challenge was to create a meal where none of the recipes contained the letter A. In the event that you ever have an Alphaphobic over to dinner, I have you covered with this one.

And, even if I do say so myself, July 2004 did not disappoint in the taste department. Last week I mentioned that the Grapefruit Oat Brulee was Top Ten in the things I have cooked this year. And this week we have another, not one but two contenders for that list! Life is good – at least in the eating department!

Pop Culture – July 2004

We’ll get along to the deliciousness soon but here’s a little reminder of what was big in July 2004 to help set the scene. Looking first at films, Spiderman, I Robot and The Bourne Supremacy where respectively 1-3 at the box office. Personally, I would have been more interested in Anchorman, Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Notebook at 4, 5 and 7.

In books, the Da Vinci code was yep, you guessed it still number 1! Will the reign of this book never end? Angels and Demons also by Dan Brown was sitting at #7 this month so we might be looking at a Dan Brown double next month! And speaking of doubles, Usher had the number 1 and 2 songs on the Billboard charts with Burn and Confessions Part II.

And now we’ve set the scene, let’s take a look at our menu!

The No A Menu – July 2004

Minestrone

This was, without a doubt the best Minestrone I have ever eaten. I made a huge pot of it and ate it everyday for my lunch for the entire week. Now usually when this happens by Thursday I am starting to get a bit bored and by Friday I am dreading the meal, Not so this time, I would have eaten this for another 5 days if I had more!

This Bill Granger recipe is a little different from most other minestrones for two reasons. First, it has meatballs made from Italian sausages and second it has no pasta. It is also LOADED with veg so, outside of those little meatballs, it is also very healthy. This minestrone was definitely worthy of being on my Top Ten for the Year!

Minestrone Recipe

Smoked Fish Pie

The Smoked Fish Pie was also delicious! I used smoked trout in my pie and it was really yummy! This one is definitely something I will make again! We ate our pies on a frosty cold winter’s night and it was perfect comfort food!

Smoked Fish Pie Recipe

Lemon Meringue Muffins

Now…I could have sworn I took photos of these but no…not on my phone. Not in the cloud….and not enough time to remake them! Also, to be honest, these were probably the weakest part of the meal. They were ok but a little dry. This though, could have been my fault. I cooked the muffins until they were nearly ready but then I had to go out. I left them in the turned off oven to finish the cook and cool. Maybe they were in there a bit too long. I did however love the little secret stash of lemon curd in the muffin and the meringue top was delightful.

I thought for want of my own photo, I would include the photo from the magazine as inspiration. However, there wasn’t one. The recipe was included as a reader asked why there was a recipe for Lemon Meringue Muffins indexed in April 2004, however there was no such recipe in the magazine. The editors explained that the recipe had been pulled for space at the last minute.

There certainly seems oto be something slightly cursed about this recipe!

Lemon Meringue Muffins Recipe

My Nigella Moment – Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage

Oh wow…this was sooo good! This was the other recipe that is Top Ten so far this year. There is so much to love in this – warm oozy cheese, salty crispy pancetta, the sweetness of the apple in the cabbage….this was luscious!

Baked Brie with Braised Cabbage Recipe

Well, for me Delicious Magazine from June 2004 was great. Shame about the muffins….but maybe they should have been left out of this issue too!

Have a great week!

18
Dec
2023

Christmas Adelaide Pecan Pie

categories: 1960's recipes, Baking, Celebrity Cookbooks, Celebrity Recipes, Pie

Hello friends and greetings of the season! Today’s Christmas Adelaide Pecan Pie comes from Singers and Swingers in the Kitchen. I last visited that book in 2013! The recipe comes from Eva Marie Saint, star of On The Waterfront, North by Northwest and many other films. The Christmas Adelaide Pecan Pie is so called because it was a pecan pie, made every Christmas by Eva Marie’s sister Adelaide.

You’ll see from the above that a made little pies rather than one big pie. I had some mini pie crusts in the freezer from another cooking project so I decided to use them up instead of buying a big pastry shell. Cooking time on the small tarts was 30 minutes. I also could not find dark corn syrup in my local supermarket. I subbed in a mix of 2/3 golden syrup and 1/3 maple syrup.

Is pecan pie served traditionally at Christmas? I would love for one of my American readers to tell me? It feels like it should be – it certainly makes sense when Christmas falls in winter and fresh fruit is in shorter supply than in the summer months.

Chrismas Adelaide Pecan Pie Recipe

If you wanted to double down on recipes from this book, the Christmas Adelaide Pecan Pie would be divine with a scoop of Barbra Streisand’s Coffee Ice Cream. This might also come in handy if you need a snack while reading Barbra’s nearly 1000-page memoir!

Singers and Swingers in The Kitchen The Book

This little book is so much fun! As well as Eva and Barbra, it also includes recipes from The Rolling Stones, Jane Fonda, Don Adams and Barbara Feldman from Get Smart, The Mamas and The Papas, The Monkees and a host more “scene makers”and “groovy gourmets”. My records…well Amazon’s records show I bought this back in 2012 for a measly $15. It now regularly sells for over a hundred!!! If you don’t want to be spending that kind of money, please feel free to browse the archives here for the recipes I’ve already shared. I’m also sure this won’t be the last time I dip into this book.

Have a great week!