Five Interests Meme

[rj_anderson]

I can't remember who started this one -- mctabby, probably -- but anyway, here are my five LJ interests I think more people ought to share. Especially since in the case of the starred entries I am the only person who has these listed.

Cock Robin* -- awful band name, great band. "When Your Heart Is Weak", anyone? But they were so much more than a one-hit wonder. Sadly unappreciated in their native North America, but much bigger in Europe.

Darkness and Light Trilogy -- Shameless self-promotion? Me? Nah.

Jack/Irina -- because there's no such thing as too much SpyParents.

New Testament Churches*. How can I be the only one with this Interest? dr_c and greenhornet, for shame! :)

Saffron Cake* -- I've mentioned this one before, and still no takers. Where are all the Cornish folks out there?

Next up, when time permits: a new 80's music meme, for which I have decided to blame fharraige.

Comments

[yin-taku.livejournal.com]

::blinks:: frig. i don't have the trilogy on as an interest? ::goes to add:: and here i thought i did. :p

You tempted the compulsive data collector:

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

http://www.foodloversbritain.com/organisations/organisation-643.html

W. T. Warren & Son

Main Address:

Boswedden Road St Just
Penzance
TR19 7JP

Phone: 01736 788538
Fax: 01736 788354


We accept payment by:
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Our products are available by:
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Details

Saffron Cake, more accurately described as a bread or dough cake, has become a Cornish peculiarity although this was not always the case. As Elizabeth David writes in English Bread and Yeast Cookery, 'In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries cakes similar to the modern Cornish version were called simply saffron cakes or perhaps just "an excellent cake"....As is well known, there was once a flourishing English saffron industry. "common or best knowne Saffron groweth plentifully in Cambridge-shire, Saffron-Waldon and other places thereabout, as corne in the fields" wrote John Gerard in his Herbal published in 1597..........Gradually, as the cultivation of English saffron declined, during the first half of the nineteenth century, the use of saffron all but died out, surviving in the West Country in saffron buns and the famous saffron cake'.

Bryan Warren believes, however, that the use of saffron in Cornwall dates back to the days when the Phoenician traders exchanged it for tin but quite how or why it then was made into a cake, he is not too sure, 'Even the Spaniards who have more saffron than we'll ever see, are amazed by our cake. They've never heard of it before'.

Using a 'family recipe, his cake now contains La Mancha saffron imported from Spain. He makes a rich yeast dough with eggs, various fats and butter, mixes in currants, sultanas and mixed peel and bakes it off in a loaf tin. Quite soft, even squidgy and welcomingly golden , it is moist, generously fruited with an elegant taste. With branches all over the county, you should have no problem trying Bryan's version.

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http://www.greenchronicle.com/connies_cornish_kitchen/saffron_cake_recipe.htm



Saffron Cake Recipe

Coweth wheg,

This is also a well known delicacy in Cornwall. Saffron is usually sold in drachms (1/8 of an ounce) and 1/2 drachms (1/16 of an ounce) and is very expensive hence the old Cornish saying "as dear as saffron". It is believed that the Phoenicians brought saffron over with them when they came to trade for tin. As far as I know Cornwall is one of the only places where saffron is used in this way.

Ingredients
1lb plain flour
6oz butter, margarine or lard
6oz sugar
6oz currants, sultanas
1.5oz of mixed, diced, candied peel ( lemon or orange )
0.25tsp salt
1oz yeast or 1 sachet of dried yeast
1 drachm saffron (buy saffron)
warm milk and water to mix

Method
Overnight put saffron to infuse by snipping the strands and cover with 1/4cup of boiling water and a small pinch of salt. Cover with a saucer. Put yeast into cup with a teaspoon of sugar and add 1/2cup of warm milk and water - not too hot but more than tepid so as not to kill the yeast. Rub fat into the flour then add sugar and mix together. When the yeast has risen in the cup, make a pit in the centre of the flour and sugar mix and pour in the yeast, covering with a sprinkle of flour (this keeps the temperature constant). When this cracks and the yeast sponges through, warm the previously steeped saffron mixture a little and add together with fruit and peel and start combining all the ingredients together adding extra liquid as you go until the whole thing makes a soft dough without being too sticky. Cover this with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm (not too hot) place to rise. This takes between 30-45 minutes. Put into greased proof loaf tins, cover and leave to rise again until the mixture is level with the top of the tin. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees centigrade) for 3/4 - 1 hour. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

I hope you will enjoy making this old Cornish favourite.
Until next time,

Gans oll an colon vy,