That's very reassuring to all of us in other countries who had the childhood pleasure of writing one's name on the top of our porridge by letting the golden syrup pour ever so slowly from the spoon. Also, golden syrup steamed pudding is one of the great winter comfort foods!
Before I had to go gluten free (I can occasionally cheat, but I watch it), I used to pick up "Aunty's" puddings in the British section of a fancy local store that has a good selection of British goods. I used to get the ginger ones. They were pre cooked so about 90 seconds in the microwave/invert on plate got you a tasty little dessert.
This store also imports Proper British Christmas Cake before the holidays. I used a couple of my gluten cheat days for the chunk I bought. I don't much like most American fruitcake, but I love "black cake"/Christmas cake.
Full disclosure - I love these sweet, stodgy kind of desserts and don't get to eat them much. (I'm also a fan of fruitcake, so please save your jokes about how terrible it is for someone else...)
Pretty sure I've seen Lyle's on the shelves at my regular grocery store but I think the jam version of this would go over better chez Prickly. I'll pencil it in for next weekend.
That's valid. My grandmother made excellent fruitcakes. I have her recipe for light fruitcake but I don't make it because no one in the house but me would eat it.
I have a recipe for what's titled a Scottish fruitcake - dunno how authentic it actually is, tho. It's lighter, and has dried cherries soaked in scotch in it, with more scotch brushed on it from tome to time.
Here it is. My mother would like everyone to know that she discovered this recipe in the 1960s and shared with her mother, who loved it. If all you've ever had are the heavy dark style of fruitcake, this might change your mind.
White Fruit Cake
1 cup of salted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking power
1/2 cup whole milk
1 pound of sultana raisins
1/4 pound citron peel
1/4 pound candied pineapple
2 oz glazed cherries
Directions
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then add beaten eggs. Gradually add sifted flour and baking powder alternating with milk.
Chop pineapple and cherries and add the already chopped citron. Use 3 tablespoons of flour and toss with the chopped fruit to coat all the fruit well then fold the fruit into the batter. Butter a #40* loaf pan and cover with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 & 1/2 hours at 325. If the toothpick doesn’t come out clean cover the ends of the pan with foil and cook for 15 minutes more. (*Whatever size a #40 loaf pan was is lost to time, but based on my memory of the cake size - use a 9x5 pan.)
Hmm. Steamed sponge. Very intriguing. And I have all the ingredients except the golden syrup. I am quite certain mr. cc would encourage me to experiment with this. We have some thimbleberry jam, for example. I'm also thinking maple syrup instead of golden syrup might be interesting. I do like the idea of rum soaked fruit in it.
Is treacle just molasses? A quick google says almost, kind of, sort of.
From what I remember, molasses have a lot stronger flavour than golden syrup. I wouldn't recommend substituting molasses in this recipe. Almost any fruit jam/jelly/preserve should work well (I haven't tried pineapple or apricot), or you could attempt to find or make golden syrup (definitely worth it as I will give you more recipes that use it in the future).
Following President Biden's comment on his dealing with stuttering his entire life, it was no shock that Trump went on a 40 sec. mocking of people who stutter while the MAGA's laughed and laughed and applauded. (remember his mocking the reporter with a arthrogryposis.
And look who just felt the need to chime in, a pig from Arkansas __ a real Christian razorback:
I always find this weird, because even MAGATs have people around them with disabilities - it's not like somehow Republicans are immune from disabilities. I bet that some of those assholes in the audience have family members or friends who stutter or who are in wheelchairs or who have had a stroke, etc. I'm HOPING that they wouldn't mock little Timmy or Nana for their issues, so it's just especially perverse that they laugh at this shit.
I work on a medicine for multiple myeloma with which I am completely involved in getting to market and maintaining supply. I want all patients to be treated and healthy, but I still also feel sort of weird about the idea that my hard work might at some point go towards such a complete asshole as Steve Scalise. Sort of like a far more removed version of a POC physician treating a Nazi-tattooed patient.
But I am a better person than him, so I will wish him all of the best for his health ... and also maybe an early retirement?
Sure. He's got a full year of his presidency left and he's going to declare himself a Lame Duck, that way he'll have a lot of leverage with the other branches of government. Also, too, abandon the Democratic party without a candidate when we're facing another 4 years of Caligula. That sure sounds like the Joe Biden I know!
And the tractor started on the first crank! I am so glad I did the 12 volt conversion, purity be damned. Deck is done, but she likes to warm up thoroughly before being put under load. Zyx is outside making a snowman.
I used to have a 1937 Allis-Chalmers Model B, but I didn't have any attachments for it. Later, I got a Chinese clone of a vintage generic John Deere with a front end loader, a Gannon, land rake, grader blade, and a posthole digger. That was an awesome tool, but now that I'm downgraded from acreage to a big lot, I don't have room or the need anymore.
Half the time I only used it as a glorified wheelbarrow, but it was worth the price just for that. Lifting my 5th wheel hitch in and out of my truck, loading up the propane tank to get it filled, rebuilding the roadside ditch after every flood, raking weeds, damn it was nice to have. Taxes and penalties for emptying my retirement account dictated that I sell something, though.
Asked Laura, Mrs. Burger's BFF and my nemesis for 35 years, what her biggest regret of last year was.
Answer. "Aside from the fact you survived another year, finding out who Mike Johnson was."
(*She loves me btw. If you know you know. LOL) __ The shocker here was she knew who Mike Johnson was. I didn't think she paid that much attention to national politics...really. Maybe a good sign? I'll take it.
My kids walked into town at some point over the holiday and got Hawaiian Punch at a pizza place. I explained to them that when I was kid, we used to get Hawaiian Punch in a giant can that we had to open with the triangle/poke-y part of old-fashioned can openers: big poke for the pour, little poke on the other side for the air-gap so it would pour. They honestly didn't understand, even when I showed them one of those old-fashioned openers. (They also thought it was gross that there was no "cover/lid" for the openings.) I felt so ancient.
I have a can of it in the cupboard, the plastic bottle works better for drizzling on things/pouring directly into my mouth when I'm having a hypoglycaemia episode.
I assume the dead lion on the label is from the bible. Sampson finding the dead lion which had been used as a hive by bees and was full of honey. Then he used it for his riddle that the noblemen couldn't answer. As a kid I found that story kind of yucky.
Yes, the yuckiness of it is why so many people get a bit freaked out about it being used as the logo for Lyles Golden Syrup - which is definitely not yucky.
For those that missed it last night, here's a picture of our own SER in his element at Alberta Abbey hosting Freedom of Speech by Eliza Jane Schneider (you know her, Google it.)
It seemed to be a good turnout and a good show. I missed most of what she said because I'm a deaf old fuckaduck due to too much rock and roll in my youth. It was recorded so I'll have to look for that later.
Not even OT: I am going to bake some oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe calls for soaking the raisins first. It say water is ok, but recommends rum which seems much better than water. I am not a rum drinker, so I have no clue what would be the best rum to use. Any suggestions?
That's the problem. I don't drink rum. The only way I will is if it is served to me with crushed ice, fruit juice with a tiny umbrella in it on sandy beach of one of the Hawaiian islands.
First snowstorm as a non-homeowner in 20 years. I'm watching a worker clear the snow off of our parking garage with a little bobcat while I nibble air fried pork egg rolls for lunch. I parked in the lowest level, so I won't even need to clear snow off my car tomorrow.
We lost power for a few hours here (I think near-ish to you if your name is an indication). Our snowblower is electric (which is nice in theory, but insane relative to our driveway/front walk). We brought the cars into the garage during most of the snow, but my husband didn't take one out after the first driveway clearing in the morning and we were trapped.
How sad to be living in a country where you can't get golden syrup at the supermarket!
You can get it at Amazon, delivered to your door.
That's very reassuring to all of us in other countries who had the childhood pleasure of writing one's name on the top of our porridge by letting the golden syrup pour ever so slowly from the spoon. Also, golden syrup steamed pudding is one of the great winter comfort foods!
I haven't tried that, but it does sound good. Of course, one might do the same with warmed-up Nutella.
Before I had to go gluten free (I can occasionally cheat, but I watch it), I used to pick up "Aunty's" puddings in the British section of a fancy local store that has a good selection of British goods. I used to get the ginger ones. They were pre cooked so about 90 seconds in the microwave/invert on plate got you a tasty little dessert.
They did have the Spotted Dick.
This store also imports Proper British Christmas Cake before the holidays. I used a couple of my gluten cheat days for the chunk I bought. I don't much like most American fruitcake, but I love "black cake"/Christmas cake.
Golden syrup is quite wonderful, with its own unique flavor. (or, since it's British, flavour.)
𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓.
January 1961 was the best month ever in the history of the world, because it was when I was born.
January 1965 wasn't too bad either, cousin.
I followed you by two months sister.
Happy Birthday!
Thanks! The 17th is the big day.
We grew up watching the same cartoons probably. Saturday morning TV, the Monkees, Bananna Splits, Mata Hari the chimp spy lady..
Full disclosure - I love these sweet, stodgy kind of desserts and don't get to eat them much. (I'm also a fan of fruitcake, so please save your jokes about how terrible it is for someone else...)
Pretty sure I've seen Lyle's on the shelves at my regular grocery store but I think the jam version of this would go over better chez Prickly. I'll pencil it in for next weekend.
I'm still allowed to say that my grandmother's fruitcake was terrible, right?
And that it was so terrible that it has put me off fruitcake in general?
Seriously, that woman made fruitcake so heavy it could (and did) crack a slate tiled floor.
That's valid. My grandmother made excellent fruitcakes. I have her recipe for light fruitcake but I don't make it because no one in the house but me would eat it.
I have a recipe for what's titled a Scottish fruitcake - dunno how authentic it actually is, tho. It's lighter, and has dried cherries soaked in scotch in it, with more scotch brushed on it from tome to time.
Desserts that get you drunk are a bonus.
You'll have to send it to me sometime, I've been on the lookout for a decent light fruitcake recipe.
I make a very nice country slice, which is close, but it's not quite a proper fruitcake.
Here it is. My mother would like everyone to know that she discovered this recipe in the 1960s and shared with her mother, who loved it. If all you've ever had are the heavy dark style of fruitcake, this might change your mind.
White Fruit Cake
1 cup of salted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking power
1/2 cup whole milk
1 pound of sultana raisins
1/4 pound citron peel
1/4 pound candied pineapple
2 oz glazed cherries
Directions
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then add beaten eggs. Gradually add sifted flour and baking powder alternating with milk.
Chop pineapple and cherries and add the already chopped citron. Use 3 tablespoons of flour and toss with the chopped fruit to coat all the fruit well then fold the fruit into the batter. Butter a #40* loaf pan and cover with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 & 1/2 hours at 325. If the toothpick doesn’t come out clean cover the ends of the pan with foil and cook for 15 minutes more. (*Whatever size a #40 loaf pan was is lost to time, but based on my memory of the cake size - use a 9x5 pan.)
Thank you so much, I have copied the recipe and will aim to try it at some point in the future.
Hmm. Steamed sponge. Very intriguing. And I have all the ingredients except the golden syrup. I am quite certain mr. cc would encourage me to experiment with this. We have some thimbleberry jam, for example. I'm also thinking maple syrup instead of golden syrup might be interesting. I do like the idea of rum soaked fruit in it.
Is treacle just molasses? A quick google says almost, kind of, sort of.
It's a very close cousin of molasses.
I have molasses. Not sure I want to add it to a steamed sponge, tbh. Better in an oatmeal raisin cookie. Ha ha.
From what I remember, molasses have a lot stronger flavour than golden syrup. I wouldn't recommend substituting molasses in this recipe. Almost any fruit jam/jelly/preserve should work well (I haven't tried pineapple or apricot), or you could attempt to find or make golden syrup (definitely worth it as I will give you more recipes that use it in the future).
Following President Biden's comment on his dealing with stuttering his entire life, it was no shock that Trump went on a 40 sec. mocking of people who stutter while the MAGA's laughed and laughed and applauded. (remember his mocking the reporter with a arthrogryposis.
And look who just felt the need to chime in, a pig from Arkansas __ a real Christian razorback:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDK-f22XgAAXwyt?format=jpg&name=small
I'm flabbergasted by the stunning senseless shamelessness. She could have said nothing.
I always find this weird, because even MAGATs have people around them with disabilities - it's not like somehow Republicans are immune from disabilities. I bet that some of those assholes in the audience have family members or friends who stutter or who are in wheelchairs or who have had a stroke, etc. I'm HOPING that they wouldn't mock little Timmy or Nana for their issues, so it's just especially perverse that they laugh at this shit.
That toxic, belligerent fucking slag.
Jesus I detest these hypocritical fuckers.
In 2020 Steve Scalise (LA-R) voted to end federal funding for stem cell research.
In 2023: Steve Scalise (LA-R) checks into a hospital to undergo stem cell replacement.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/05/politics/steve-scalise-stem-cell-transplant/index.html
I work on a medicine for multiple myeloma with which I am completely involved in getting to market and maintaining supply. I want all patients to be treated and healthy, but I still also feel sort of weird about the idea that my hard work might at some point go towards such a complete asshole as Steve Scalise. Sort of like a far more removed version of a POC physician treating a Nazi-tattooed patient.
But I am a better person than him, so I will wish him all of the best for his health ... and also maybe an early retirement?
reagan was against it too. Nancy became a believer when he needed Alzheimer's treatments. Until something benefits them directly, they don't care.
And if it does benefit them directly, they still don't want anyone *else* to benefit from it.
Bingo.
There should be some sort of regulation that if you voted against something you are not allowed to benefit from that thing.
Where do these idiots get this shit? (I know, I know ... it's the Express. But really?)
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 '𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁' 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝘀
https://www.express.co.uk/news/us/1852946/joe-biden-pull-out-2024-election-health-democrats
And those two people tell two more ... ... ... ...
Anal extraction.
Sure. He's got a full year of his presidency left and he's going to declare himself a Lame Duck, that way he'll have a lot of leverage with the other branches of government. Also, too, abandon the Democratic party without a candidate when we're facing another 4 years of Caligula. That sure sounds like the Joe Biden I know!
Well, it would be the ultimate "Dark Brandon" move /s
And the tractor started on the first crank! I am so glad I did the 12 volt conversion, purity be damned. Deck is done, but she likes to warm up thoroughly before being put under load. Zyx is outside making a snowman.
My sister's Kubota is her fave toy any time of year. Well, not so mucu toy as invaluable work companion... even tho it did eat her hat that one time.
Just like a horse would.
Gonna need to see pix of said tractor.
52 8N, the last year of the N series as the Jubilee came out in 53. She's next to the trailer. I'll post better pics later.
https://substack.com/profile/9505442-meccalopolis/note/c-46812625?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=5nqg2
Good old iron!
I used to have a 1937 Allis-Chalmers Model B, but I didn't have any attachments for it. Later, I got a Chinese clone of a vintage generic John Deere with a front end loader, a Gannon, land rake, grader blade, and a posthole digger. That was an awesome tool, but now that I'm downgraded from acreage to a big lot, I don't have room or the need anymore.
Front loader would be pretty darn sweet.
Half the time I only used it as a glorified wheelbarrow, but it was worth the price just for that. Lifting my 5th wheel hitch in and out of my truck, loading up the propane tank to get it filled, rebuilding the roadside ditch after every flood, raking weeds, damn it was nice to have. Taxes and penalties for emptying my retirement account dictated that I sell something, though.
Asked Laura, Mrs. Burger's BFF and my nemesis for 35 years, what her biggest regret of last year was.
Answer. "Aside from the fact you survived another year, finding out who Mike Johnson was."
(*She loves me btw. If you know you know. LOL) __ The shocker here was she knew who Mike Johnson was. I didn't think she paid that much attention to national politics...really. Maybe a good sign? I'll take it.
I'm pretty sure Laura is my soulmate.
"What if you had a book signing and nobody showed up?"
MTG found out. Her oversight was forgetting that most of her 'fans' can't read.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GDMam3BXkAAwZs3?format=jpg&name=small
Those stacks of books remaining on her immediate Reich are just too appropriately embarrassing.
Hard at work printing her name with a green crayon.
She's getting better at staying inside the lines.
OBJECTION! Is that before or after she tried to eat it?
She had it in her nose.
Marjorie Crayon Queen.
We used to get Lyle's syrup in a can. I could drink that stuff! Well, sometimes I did, but don't tell on me.
My kids walked into town at some point over the holiday and got Hawaiian Punch at a pizza place. I explained to them that when I was kid, we used to get Hawaiian Punch in a giant can that we had to open with the triangle/poke-y part of old-fashioned can openers: big poke for the pour, little poke on the other side for the air-gap so it would pour. They honestly didn't understand, even when I showed them one of those old-fashioned openers. (They also thought it was gross that there was no "cover/lid" for the openings.) I felt so ancient.
Hahahahaha, I love this!!!
I have a can of it in the cupboard, the plastic bottle works better for drizzling on things/pouring directly into my mouth when I'm having a hypoglycaemia episode.
I assume the dead lion on the label is from the bible. Sampson finding the dead lion which had been used as a hive by bees and was full of honey. Then he used it for his riddle that the noblemen couldn't answer. As a kid I found that story kind of yucky.
Yes, the yuckiness of it is why so many people get a bit freaked out about it being used as the logo for Lyles Golden Syrup - which is definitely not yucky.
Especially as the bees around the dead lion could easily be mistaken for flies. Definitely not an appetizing logo.
"born criminal"; I think everybody knows already, honey. ;-)
For those that missed it last night, here's a picture of our own SER in his element at Alberta Abbey hosting Freedom of Speech by Eliza Jane Schneider (you know her, Google it.)
It seemed to be a good turnout and a good show. I missed most of what she said because I'm a deaf old fuckaduck due to too much rock and roll in my youth. It was recorded so I'll have to look for that later.
https://www.wonkette.com/chat/replies/8f4d69b4-7f35-4635-8be3-b6e10a3d861f
What a dapper and dashing chap.
Not even OT: I am going to bake some oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe calls for soaking the raisins first. It say water is ok, but recommends rum which seems much better than water. I am not a rum drinker, so I have no clue what would be the best rum to use. Any suggestions?
You can use apple cider or Calvados. It works perfectly.
Whatever rum you'd sip straight.
That's the problem. I don't drink rum. The only way I will is if it is served to me with crushed ice, fruit juice with a tiny umbrella in it on sandy beach of one of the Hawaiian islands.
Baba Rum Raisin from NatLamp?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0erqS_yzi2g
Something dark if you've got it. But whatever you've got should work fine.
Just not spiced rum.
I shouldn't assume that's a given, for sure.
My rum raisin apple pie recipe calls for dark rum.
Rum raisin apple pie! Sounds amazing.
First snowstorm as a non-homeowner in 20 years. I'm watching a worker clear the snow off of our parking garage with a little bobcat while I nibble air fried pork egg rolls for lunch. I parked in the lowest level, so I won't even need to clear snow off my car tomorrow.
We lost power for a few hours here (I think near-ish to you if your name is an indication). Our snowblower is electric (which is nice in theory, but insane relative to our driveway/front walk). We brought the cars into the garage during most of the snow, but my husband didn't take one out after the first driveway clearing in the morning and we were trapped.
So I am jealous right now like 1000%.