Well, I kan haz another cheap landing net - after the prawn-net debacle (Squid jigs get caught in it) I went to Roberts to get some sweetcorn seed and there it was, after my abortive slice ingredient shopping expedition to the busy metropolis of Whitemark. (You can tell I'm backsliding into my cave dwelling Neanderthal roots, when Whitemark gets referred to as 'busy'. I dread leaving the island for the city.) In the city they have bananas and cream even when the ferry hasn't come in yet. But they don't know your name or try to help you figure what a Tennis biscuit is in local parlance. (Not a favourite, but in James's Tupperware cookbook there is a fridge tart which probably fits the 'slice' bill. It's from Brakpan. How could I go wrong? (The instructions say that wearing a crimpolene dress is essential, otherwise the recipe may not believe you're a tupperware-selling-tannie from Brakpan).
Yes, now that you mention it the ingredients ARE purple. How ever did you guess? Now, I am sure I am maligning Brakpan. That wonderful sensitive cultured people live there and are terribly hurt by these vile nasturtiums* that I am casting. My apologies. I was mentally scarred by Brakpan as a youth. Thing is I am not a clued up enough new Ozzie to find a place there to mock for being shall we say 'different'( aren't these PC words ridiculous?) Ok. Own up. Who said "Flinders Island"? Humph. I know I brought the local IQ down a bit by coming here, but there are some very bright people here. We just prefer living on a quiet remote Island... which is really a sign intelligence and good taste (Okay so there is me as well. I just like it).
By the waffle you may gather the most exciting thing to hasppen today was the guy coming to read the meter. And a bunch of recipes for slices. And my fishing licence arrived. It was quite funny how defensive B got about what she imagined was a slight on our Postal service and the Fisheries crowd. "While you look at this! It's miricle!" I held up the new licence. "What is it?" "They posted my fisheries permit card." "Well," says B hackles rising, "It hasn't been that long." "That's what I mean. It's a miricle. It's been less than a week, and I've got it! It got posted and arrived..." No sarcasm. It really is something that still amazes me.
Ok you probably have to have experienced the South African department of Home Affairs and the South African Postal Service to appreciate how different this is, just like you have to have been stuck in Brakpan (as I was as a young conscript, trying to hitch a ride home for a weekend pass) to appreciate the significance of purple pudding from there.
I am sure it will be delicious.
*nasturtiums _are_ vile. Bitter and peppery. Aspersions on the other hand are quite tasty if boiled briefly and served with butter. Yes, actually I do know I am being silly. It felt like a good day for it.
Since I'm late to the party I thought I would put up a dessert that was made all over the South by people without access to fancy food stuffs...or the money to buy them. You could always tell when the pantry was being cleaned out and canned goods nearing expiration were used up (by canning I mean jars)because it would be Jelly Roll time!
ReplyDelete* 4 eggs, separated
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and set aside. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until light. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla, and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sifted flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the egg whites into the egg mixture and pour the batter into a 15 by 10 by 1-inch jelly roll pan lined with waxed paper(use the thick stuff). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cake is golden.
Loosen edges of cake, invert cake onto a towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel wax paper off cake. Trim 1/4-inch of hard crust off each long side of the jelly roll cake. Begin with the narrow side and roll the cake and towel up together. Cool cake on rack, seam side down, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Once cake has cooled, gently unroll and spread cake with jam or jelly(make sure to whip the jelly or jam with a mite of water to make it spreadable) and re-roll. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or cover with whipped cream.
Oops! While cake is cooling whip one cup of jelly or jam with a few drops of water. That's your spread.
ReplyDeleteToday's post just goes to show you can't keep a good sense of humour down for long. And the description of Barbs ready to defend her new home was cute and shows that she's definitely settling in. I enjoyed reading it :)
ReplyDelete