tskeeter
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
Posts: 6,831
|
Post by tskeeter on Jun 14, 2017 18:58:50 GMT -5
Interesting topic! In my first job I had a coworker whose wife was fro the South and when she made certain family recipes (one was her pralines), she insisted that he stay out of the kitchen. The marriage didn't last long. In my family, recipes are always shared on request. DH's cookies were very popular at church coffee hours and he shared his, too. The tough ones are those calling for judgment- biscuits, pie crust, tomato sauce, etc. The person who originated it knew just how dry the dough should be and what to do if it needed moistening or thickening; my Ex's grandma made a pasta sauce no one could duplicate even after they watched her. DH's mother made light, fluffy biscuits and varied the lour according to how humid the air was. Hard to put that in a recipe. He said his always came out like hockey pucks. Isn't the magic in cooking and baking fun? Even when you know the ingredients, the order in which you add them, whether or not you let something rest or bloom, how finely you dice each of the ingredients, or whether you mix clockwise or counterclockwise can make a difference. I suspect that often times even the master cook or baker may not understand the food chemistry inherent in how they prepare certain dishes that makes the dish special.
|
|
imawino
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 22:58:16 GMT -5
Posts: 5,370
|
Post by imawino on Jun 14, 2017 19:18:12 GMT -5
That's how you view it, but perhaps some people could value a recipe as much as or even more than a wire/rock that goes around your finger? They could, but it seems like an odd thing to cherish.
I have some of my grandmother's recipes. It's not the food, it's the memories that come from making it with her and eating it at her house with my cousins all around the table. I'll happily share what's in the dish. It won't change the memories. In fact, I feel like I'm sharing the love and maybe the recipient can make memories with their families.
Nothing is lost by being the bigger person.
This is probably the crux of the issue. How often do you feel like sharing the love with someone you no longer love?
|
|
Opti
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 10:45:38 GMT -5
Posts: 42,247
Location: New Jersey
Mini-Profile Name Color: c28523
Mini-Profile Text Color: 990033
|
Post by Opti on Jun 14, 2017 19:23:01 GMT -5
His ex gf has two kids that he helped raise for several years. I would like to think he considers them family.
Only one of them (the 17 YO) has expressed any interest in staying in touch and continuing the relationship once I move out. It is a mixture of awkward and eye-opening. That's tough. Its possible though they are afraid of appearing disloyal to Mom. She's still in charge of their lives for the near future.
|
|
NoNamePerson
Distinguished Associate
Is There Anybody OUT There?
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 17:03:17 GMT -5
Posts: 26,228
Location: WITNESS PROTECTION
|
Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 14, 2017 20:03:30 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Oct 15, 2024 5:28:26 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2017 20:20:05 GMT -5
Don't mind sharing recipes at all.. Most of mine are the bases from other folks recipes anyway.
|
|
Cookies Galore
Senior Associate
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 18:08:13 GMT -5
Posts: 10,892
|
Post by Cookies Galore on Jun 14, 2017 20:25:50 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired. Bechamel. Lol, not the same as cream of chicken!
|
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,494
|
Post by Tiny on Jun 14, 2017 20:29:43 GMT -5
I'd probably share the recipe. From what I can tell, 90% of getting a "family heirloom" recipe right is having experience actually making it - and having had the recipe translated into 21st century measurements and having found suitable 21st century "replacement" ingredients. I've got a bread/cake recipe hand written by my mother in the 1930's. My neice and I spent 2 afternoons re-creating it and writing it out as an actual recipe. We had to de-cypher it, follow it, realized it left out things that would have been obvious to someone who bakes from scratch, added those steps in, only to realize that some modern day things aren't measured the same (a packet of yeast for example) or aren't quite the same. Our first attempt was awful. The second better, but still not right, the 3rd attempt was almost right - and every time after that we each got it right on our own. Neither of us 'fixed' the final recipe to add in the things we now know to do. So, sure I'd share the recipe with you (a copy of the handwritten original - which, in retrospect works great! OR the modern step by step version) - good luck getting it to come out the first time (unless you are an experienced baker - more than just box mixes - then you will probably realize what you need to do and how much of stuff you need to add/not add to get the right consistency.)
|
|
Pants
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 27, 2010 19:26:44 GMT -5
Posts: 7,579
|
Post by Pants on Jun 14, 2017 20:30:16 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired. Bechamel. Lol, not the same as cream of chicken! Or buerre blanc.
|
|
Opti
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 10:45:38 GMT -5
Posts: 42,247
Location: New Jersey
Mini-Profile Name Color: c28523
Mini-Profile Text Color: 990033
|
Post by Opti on Jun 14, 2017 20:33:17 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired. I think I would have told that person it wasn't the recipe that was at fault, but the questionable substitution she made. I agree with you that you can't judge a recipe until you make it as described. After that tweaking for personal taste makes sense.
But anyone who would substitute cream of chicken soup for white sauce, probably shouldn't be trusted with recipes or perhaps even cooking. My Mom used to make a simple dinner of white sauce with buddig sliced meat over toast. I can imagine how wrong that would turn out using cream of chicken soup.
|
|
NastyWoman
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 20:50:37 GMT -5
Posts: 14,893
|
Post by NastyWoman on Jun 14, 2017 20:41:00 GMT -5
Bechamel. Lol, not the same as cream of chicken! Or buerre blanc. or bearnaise sauce
|
|
Cookies Galore
Senior Associate
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 18:08:13 GMT -5
Posts: 10,892
|
Post by Cookies Galore on Jun 14, 2017 20:42:27 GMT -5
All the b sauces!
|
|
NastyWoman
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 20:50:37 GMT -5
Posts: 14,893
|
Post by NastyWoman on Jun 14, 2017 20:43:11 GMT -5
All white and none of them close to canned Cream of Chicken soup
|
|
dannylion
Junior Associate
Gravity is a harsh mistress
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 12:17:52 GMT -5
Posts: 5,214
Location: Miles over the madness horizon and accelerating
|
Post by dannylion on Jun 14, 2017 20:45:27 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired. I get a kick out of the comments section of online recipes where people whine that the recipe turned out really bad then proceed to list all the substitutions they made. "I'm vegan, so I substituted tofu for eggs and coconut milk for cream and I don't eat fats so I left out the oil and we don't eat sugar so I left that out." And they wonder why it turned out bad. Or "I didn't have any cinnamon so I used oregano." Also the comments from people who say "One star. I didn't make this recipe, but it sounds awful. I don't like broccoli (or whatever the main ingredient might be)". People are stupid in endless ways.
|
|
dannylion
Junior Associate
Gravity is a harsh mistress
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 12:17:52 GMT -5
Posts: 5,214
Location: Miles over the madness horizon and accelerating
|
Post by dannylion on Jun 14, 2017 20:45:59 GMT -5
or bearnaise sauce Made with real bears.
|
|
beergut
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 11, 2011 13:58:39 GMT -5
Posts: 2,184
|
Post by beergut on Jun 14, 2017 20:57:15 GMT -5
OMG, I do remember sharing a recipe once and the person made it and then said something about it not being that good. Then proceeded to to tell me she used cream of chicken soup instead of making white sauce (the one with fancy name that starts with a b) to lazy to google but I call it white sauce. Cooking is not my thing but when a friend gave me a recipe I followed it exactly. I have a friend who is as close to a gourmet cook as you can get and would share recipes with me - back in my married domestic days. I always followed them first time. Might do a little tweaking later if so desired. I get a kick out of the comments section of online recipes where people whine that the recipe turned out really bad then proceed to list all the substitutions they made. "I'm vegan, so I substituted tofu for eggs and coconut milk for cream and I don't eat fats so I left out the oil and we don't eat sugar so I left that out." And they wonder why it turned out bad. Or "I didn't have any cinnamon so I used oregano." Also the comments from people who say "One star. I didn't make this recipe, but it sounds awful. I don't like broccoli (or whatever the main ingredient might be)". People are stupid in endless ways. I freaking HATE those people!! Or the ones who give a 5-star review to a recipe, and then list all the ways they changed the original recipe. You didn't make the recipe listed, why are you reviewing it? I'd rather read a review of someone who tried the original, noted a mistake or two, and then how they fixed the issue to make it come out well.
|
|
beergut
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 11, 2011 13:58:39 GMT -5
Posts: 2,184
|
Post by beergut on Jun 14, 2017 21:03:00 GMT -5
I'd probably share the recipe. From what I can tell, 90% of getting a "family heirloom" recipe right is having experience actually making it - and having had the recipe translated into 21st century measurements and having found suitable 21st century "replacement" ingredients. I've got a bread/cake recipe hand written by my mother in the 1930's. My neice and I spent 2 afternoons re-creating it and writing it out as an actual recipe. We had to de-cypher it, follow it, realized it left out things that would have been obvious to someone who bakes from scratch, added those steps in, only to realize that some modern day things aren't measured the same (a packet of yeast for example) or aren't quite the same. Our first attempt was awful. The second better, but still not right, the 3rd attempt was almost right - and every time after that we each got it right on our own. Neither of us 'fixed' the final recipe to add in the things we now know to do. So, sure I'd share the recipe with you (a copy of the handwritten original - which, in retrospect works great! OR the modern step by step version) - good luck getting it to come out the first time (unless you are an experienced baker - more than just box mixes - then you will probably realize what you need to do and how much of stuff you need to add/not add to get the right consistency.) You can still buy yeast in packets at the store. A packet contains roughly 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast. When needing to decipher an older recipe, posting it online can help. I read a recent post where someone posted an image of an old recipe that was titled "Charlie's bread", it was her deceased mother-in-law's recipe for her husband's favorite bread. Some people on the forum were able to look at the ingredients and determine that it was Irish soda bread.
|
|
swamp
Community Leader
THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!!!!!!!
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 16:03:22 GMT -5
Posts: 45,622
|
Post by swamp on Jun 14, 2017 21:24:04 GMT -5
The only measuring cups my grandmother used were a pill bottle and a Tupperware cups. Small amounts were called a dibby dab.
|
|
NastyWoman
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 20:50:37 GMT -5
Posts: 14,893
|
Post by NastyWoman on Jun 14, 2017 21:26:06 GMT -5
or bearnaise sauce Made with real bears. Couldn't get the é to work on my desktop
|
|
Pants
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 27, 2010 19:26:44 GMT -5
Posts: 7,579
|
Post by Pants on Jun 14, 2017 21:36:36 GMT -5
My favorite is giving people recipes and saying "it says 20 mins in over but allow at least an hour, maybe 90 minutes." Look, it's not my fault the people who wrote the recipe apparently had nuclear generators on their ovens. I'm telling you what it really takes, you're welcome!
|
|
beergut
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 11, 2011 13:58:39 GMT -5
Posts: 2,184
|
Post by beergut on Jun 14, 2017 21:39:23 GMT -5
The only measuring cups my grandmother used were a pill bottle and a Tupperware cups. Small amounts were called a dibby dab. You use what you have I don't have a teaspoon to use for measuring, so I measure it as roughly one-third of a tablespoon. I just want to know if a "dibby dab" is smaller or larger than a pinch. My grandmother's recipes include a lot of "add ingredient to taste", so the amount is up to the cook's taste buds.
|
|
beergut
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 11, 2011 13:58:39 GMT -5
Posts: 2,184
|
Post by beergut on Jun 14, 2017 21:41:11 GMT -5
My favorite is giving people recipes and saying "it says 20 mins in over but allow at least an hour, maybe 90 minutes." Look, it's not my fault the people who wrote the recipe apparently had nuclear generators on their ovens. I'm telling you what it really takes, you're welcome! "bake until it turns a golden brown color" = stand next to oven and constantly open it to check for color Record time so you can add it to your own recipe later. I was explaining to someone online how to make pepperoni rolls. They were confused when it I said, "Roll it over 1 1/2 times", and my explanation didn't help. They requested pictures or a video of the process. I ended up making a batch, took a picture of each step of rolling it, and posted it online. The only issue was that I hosted the pics on imgur, and people on there started asking for pics of the final product. The nice thing, though, is that someone came on that same forum the other day asking how to make pepperoni rolls, and another poster encouraged them to search for my recipe, so at least one other person used it and liked it.
|
|
NoNamePerson
Distinguished Associate
Is There Anybody OUT There?
Joined: Dec 17, 2010 17:03:17 GMT -5
Posts: 26,228
Location: WITNESS PROTECTION
|
Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 14, 2017 21:52:03 GMT -5
I guess I missed the cream of soup gene. Never been a fan But I am also one of those who thinks cilantro taste like soap so I avoid food/recipes that it is one of the ingredients. In my old age I avoid recipes that have more than 5 ingredients and three paragraphs of directions. We have so many really good restruants I keep them up and running. But just me and not trying to feed family of four. They do fancy and when I cook at home pretty simple stuff!!
|
|
Tiny
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 21:22:34 GMT -5
Posts: 13,494
|
Post by Tiny on Jun 14, 2017 22:31:00 GMT -5
I'd probably share the recipe. From what I can tell, 90% of getting a "family heirloom" recipe right is having experience actually making it - and having had the recipe translated into 21st century measurements and having found suitable 21st century "replacement" ingredients. I've got a bread/cake recipe hand written by my mother in the 1930's. My neice and I spent 2 afternoons re-creating it and writing it out as an actual recipe. We had to de-cypher it, follow it, realized it left out things that would have been obvious to someone who bakes from scratch, added those steps in, only to realize that some modern day things aren't measured the same (a packet of yeast for example) or aren't quite the same. Our first attempt was awful. The second better, but still not right, the 3rd attempt was almost right - and every time after that we each got it right on our own. Neither of us 'fixed' the final recipe to add in the things we now know to do. So, sure I'd share the recipe with you (a copy of the handwritten original - which, in retrospect works great! OR the modern step by step version) - good luck getting it to come out the first time (unless you are an experienced baker - more than just box mixes - then you will probably realize what you need to do and how much of stuff you need to add/not add to get the right consistency.) You can still buy yeast in packets at the store. A packet contains roughly 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
When needing to decipher an older recipe, posting it online can help. I read a recent post where someone posted an image of an old recipe that was titled "Charlie's bread", it was her deceased mother-in-law's recipe for her husband's favorite bread. Some people on the forum were able to look at the ingredients and determine that it was Irish soda bread. Yes, a modern "packet of yeast". LOL! The "packet of yeast" called for by the original recipe turned out to be 3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of yeast. Either that or 2.25 teaspoons of "olden day yeast" was more "yeasty and vigorous" than current yeast. When we used a Tablespoon of yeast - (regular or quick rising) the dough came out perfect. We did find the internet very helpful for figuring out some of what was going on with the recipe. It helped that I vaguely remembered what my mom did when she made the recipe - I even had the pan the "cake/bread" would fit into as per the recipe. It's one of those recipes that starts as a "base" and then depending on what you want to accomplish with it (cake? bread? bismarks?) you change up the quantities or add stuff. I had a lot of fun working with my niece on this. She has dibs on the ancient pastry board and rolling pin and all the old books, booklets, hand scribbled recipes from my mom. ADDED: the filling for the "cake/bread" is a mixture of ground walnuts, egg whites, sugar and a shot of brandy/bourbon. I tried all kinds of different brandy and bourbon but it just didn't taste right. And then I paid attention to the running family joke about the bottle of Wild Turkey that was used medicinally and that no one EVER drank from. I bought a bottle of Wild Turkey and made the filling - it was like Proust's madeleine - I was transported back to childhood.
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,912
|
Post by zibazinski on Jun 15, 2017 6:21:28 GMT -5
Only my meatloaf one. It almost killed me to give it to DD.
|
|
milee
Senior Associate
Joined: Jan 17, 2012 13:20:00 GMT -5
Posts: 12,344
|
Post by milee on Jun 15, 2017 7:23:12 GMT -5
You can still buy yeast in packets at the store. A packet contains roughly 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
When needing to decipher an older recipe, posting it online can help. I read a recent post where someone posted an image of an old recipe that was titled "Charlie's bread", it was her deceased mother-in-law's recipe for her husband's favorite bread. Some people on the forum were able to look at the ingredients and determine that it was Irish soda bread. Yes, a modern "packet of yeast". LOL! The "packet of yeast" called for by the original recipe turned out to be 3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of yeast. Either that or 2.25 teaspoons of "olden day yeast" was more "yeasty and vigorous" than current yeast. When we used a Tablespoon of yeast - (regular or quick rising) the dough came out perfect. I've had similar adventures trying to translate old family recipes, but the ones involving yeast seem to be the trickiest. Yes, it could be that the quantity of yeast was off, or it could be that your kitchen is a much different temperature causing the yeast to multiply at different rates, or it could be that your water has different mineral content (salt especially) causing different yeast growth rates, or your yeast could be fresher/older which again causes different growth rates.... and the list goes on and on. Leavening stuff is tricky; it's pretty amazing how much good bakers had to work by instinct back when our grandmas were baking.
|
|
swamp
Community Leader
THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!!!!!!!
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 16:03:22 GMT -5
Posts: 45,622
|
Post by swamp on Jun 15, 2017 7:24:07 GMT -5
The only measuring cups my grandmother used were a pill bottle and a Tupperware cups. Small amounts were called a dibby dab. You use what you have I don't have a teaspoon to use for measuring, so I measure it as roughly one-third of a tablespoon. I just want to know if a "dibby dab" is smaller or larger than a pinch. My grandmother's recipes include a lot of "add ingredient to taste", so the amount is up to the cook's taste buds. A dibby dab is bigger than a pinch.
|
|
Wisconsin Beth
Distinguished Associate
No, we don't walk away. But when we're holding on to something precious, we run.
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 11:59:36 GMT -5
Posts: 30,626
|
Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 15, 2017 7:31:29 GMT -5
Or a capful of vanilla, back when the cap equalled a teaspoon...
|
|
buystoys
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 30, 2012 4:58:12 GMT -5
Posts: 5,650
|
Post by buystoys on Jun 15, 2017 8:32:08 GMT -5
My MIL would be willing to give me recipes like her mom's corn beef and cabbage. The problem is I do not have my own smokehouse so it wouldn't taste the same as DH remembers no matter what I do. His grandma used to make her own sausage too. Ain't nobody got time for that! A lot of that has been lost which is a shame. My great grandmother's kolache recipe has been lost to time. I am glad people are willing to share theirs so I can attempt to recreate it. I hit the nail on the head last year with the dough, we got the recipe from a co-worker of DH's. I have the recipes for sour cream chocolate cake and cookies from my great grandmother. It doesn't taste the same, though. When I was growing up, we still got non-pasteurized milk with the cream on the top of it from a neighbor. (We traded eggs for milk every week.) You'd measure out the cream and let it sit on the counter until it really, really stunk. Those goodies were the best! I also have great grandmother's pecan icebox cookie recipe and make it every year for Christmas. Unfortunately, butter doesn't go rancid any more, so they don't taste like they used to. They're still good, but one of these days I need to figure out how to modify the recipe so they taste "original" again. Food additives to extend shelf life impact baked goods. The recipe may still work, but it will NEVER taste like it did generations ago!
|
|
janee
Established Member
Joined: May 14, 2014 10:04:48 GMT -5
Posts: 344
|
Post by janee on Jun 15, 2017 10:52:28 GMT -5
I do think of recipes as family heirlooms, but I will gladly share with anyone who asks. To me, it's such a compliment that someone wants one!
I got DH's family recipes. I decided to make a family cookbook. Everyone (even the kids) gave recipes. It's wonderful and everyone loved it.
There was one lost family recipe for a chocolate dessert that was legendary in the family. I researched it came up with something and made it. One bite and they are all saying "no, not it" but they ate every morsel. So I tweaked it, again, "no, not it" again, none left. Well, in making the family cookbook, I found it in Grandma's handwriting no less. I was excited, made it following the recipe to the letter. Guess what? Got "No, not it"
I included the copy in the family cookbook. My husband swears the ingredients (cocoa) must have been different then. It was very funny!
|
|
dannylion
Junior Associate
Gravity is a harsh mistress
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 12:17:52 GMT -5
Posts: 5,214
Location: Miles over the madness horizon and accelerating
|
Post by dannylion on Jun 15, 2017 11:03:19 GMT -5
I do think of recipes as family heirlooms, but I will gladly share with anyone who asks. To me, it's such a compliment that someone wants one!
I got DH's family recipes. I decided to make a family cookbook. Everyone (even the kids) gave recipes. It's wonderful and everyone loved it.
There was one lost family recipe for a chocolate dessert that was legendary in the family. I researched it came up with something and made it. One bite and they are all saying "no, not it" but they ate every morsel. So I tweaked it, again, "no, not it" again, none left. Well, in making the family cookbook, I found it in Grandma's handwriting no less. I was excited, made it following the recipe to the letter. Guess what? Got "No, not it"
I included the copy in the family cookbook. My husband swears the ingredients (cocoa) must have been different then. It was very funny! It could be that the brand of cocoa Grandma used is no longer available or the brand might still be on the market but the formulation/manufacturing process is different, which has altered the flavor profile. Or maybe you used Dutch processed cocoa but Grandma did not or vice versa.
This reminds me that I need to try the chocolate cake recipe I found that looks like it might replicate the cake my mom used to make that included mayonnaise and coffee. She said it was a recipe from some famous New York hotel, but I think it was actually the result of substitutions made necessary by WWII rationing. In any event, I really liked it. It was somewhat less sweet than other chocolate cakes and had an interesting tangy note from the mayonnaise. I don't expect it will be exactly the same, but then it's been a long time since I had her version, so it is likely that I might not actually recognize an exact duplicate anyway.
|
|