Giving a Chocolate letter representing the initial of a persons name is a thoughtful and inexpensive and delicious gift. Chocolate letters in the 65g size were $2.00 each last year.
You can buy deHeer Milk or Dark Chocolate letters here. I have been told that the Droste letters will not be available this year.
Quick Facts about Chocolate Sinterklaas letters:
The letters ‘M’ and ‘S’ are the most popular letters to give.
The letter ‘S’ - for Sinterklaas - becomes a substitute when the desired letter is sold out.
In Holland many first names begin with ‘M’ as do mama and moeder.
For the same reason, ‘P’ - for papa - is the third most popular letter in the chocolate alphabet.
Least popular are ‘O’ and ‘V’ as not many people have first names starting with these two letters.
Over 20 million chocolate letters each year, currently the letters ‘Q’, ‘X’, ‘Y’ en ‘Z’ are not in production.
The de heer letters are available in three flavors, bittersweet, milk or white chocolate. Unfortunately, I do not have access to a supply of the Droste or deHeer White Chocolate letters.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
What Droste milk Chocolate letters are available, and why don't they make all the letters?
Friday, September 26, 2008
Droste Chocolate Letters Milk or Dark?
Buy or pre- order your Chocolate Letters for Sinterklaas today!
Orders must be placed by October 31st to be sure that they are here for the 9th Annual Dutch Open house. Held as usual at the Marina Market on Sunday, November 16th from 1-3 P.M.
In Holland tradition has it that you give a Chocolate initial
to others as a Sinterklaas gift. First names, Last names or nick names are all acceptable.
Many people give the letter S for Sinterklaas.
From The Holland Ring The Feast of Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, is an annual event which has been uniquely Dutch and Flemish for centuries. St. Nicholas' Feast Day, December 6th, is observed in most Roman Catholic countries primarily as a feast for small children.
But it is only in the Low Countries - especially in the Netherlands - that the eve of his feast day (December 5th) is celebrated nationwide by young and old, christian and non-christian, and without any religious overtones.
Although Sinterklaas is always portrayed in the vestments of the bishop he once was, his status as a canonized saint has had little to do with the way the Dutch think of him.
Rather, he is a kind of benevolent old man, whose feast day is observed by exchanging gifts and making good-natured fun of each other.
It so happens that the legend of St. Nicholas is based on historical fact. He did actually exist. He lived from 271 A.D. to December 6th, 342 or 343.
His 4th century tomb in the town of Myra, near the city of Anatolia in present-day Turkey, has even been dug up by archaeologists. Click on the link for the real story of St. Nicholas, who was a real live person!
Also from The Holland Ring:
All Dutch children know that Sinterklaas (the name is a corruption of Sint Nikolaas) lives in Spain. Exactly why he does remains a mystery, but that is what all the old songs and nursery rhymes say. Whatever the case may be, in Spain he spends most of the year recording the behaviour of all children in a big red book, while his helper Black Peter stocks up on presents for next December 5th.
In the first weeks of November, Sinterklaas gets on his white horse, Peter ("Piet") swings a huge sack full of gifts over his shoulder, and the three of them board a steamship headed for the Netherlands. Around mid-November they arrive in a harbour town - a different one every year - where they are formally greeted by the Mayor and a delegation of citizens. Their parade through town is watched live on television by the whole country and marks the beginning of the "Sinterklaas season".
I will be getting 120 assorted dark and milk letters next week to start us off for the season.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Raw Milk Farmers Cheese from Holland or Boorenkaas
Raw Cow Milk Farmer Cheese Boorenkaas - A yellow waxed cheese which is aged for a minimum of 3 months, up to 3 years. When aged for more than 2 1/2 years, Boorenkaas has a firm, dry and crumbly texture. Because is is made from raw milk, this cheese has a naturally tangy flavor and much more character than factory-made Gouda. The color and flavor very slightly from wheel to wheel because the cheeses are made on different farms, each with their unique style of cheese making and kinds of soil on which the cows graze. Aging gives the cheese a rich, mellow quality and flavorful little salt crystals in the cheese body. Boorenkaas is made only from May to October when the herd is out in the field eating fresh grass. Delicious as young, fresh cheese, the flavor deepens and mellows with age.
Milk Source:
Cow
Type:
Semi-Hard
Fat Content:
40-48%
All Cheese Considered: Boorenkaas
Publication: Gourmet Retailer Date: Saturday, June 1 2002
The importance of cheese to the economy of the Netherlands cannot be overstated. Holland was not only the first country to export cheese, they are still the world's largest cheese exporter, The importance of cheese to the economy of the Netherlands cannot be overstated. Holland was not only the first country to export cheese, they are still the world's largest cheese exporter, sending their products to every corner of the globe, often over the same routes upon which they first brought tea .
The two most famous Dutch cheeses, Gouda and Edam, are named for the towns in which they were first traded, and indeed, many of the great cheese-weighing houses of the 17th and 18th centuries, or kaaswaag, are still in use today. While most of the current cheese production in Holland is highly mechanized, turning out tons of good, consistent, although unexciting examples of these once very distinctive cheeses, there remains a tradition of farmhouse cheeses, made by hand on small family farms from the unpasteurized milk of the farmers' own herds. Boorenkaas, or "farmer's cheese," is essentially a traditionally made, raw-milk Gouda, whose flavor harks back to centuries past. Made in wheels weighing anywhere from 10 to 200 pounds, Boorenkaas is aged for a minimum of three months, and can be aged further for up to three years. At that point, it takes on a Parmesan-like character with endless depth of flavor. Aged Boorenkaas has a sweet, nutty flavor and a distinctive tang that results from the use of raw milk. Boorenkaas is made only from May to October, when the cows are allowed to graze in the lush green fields that are further enhanced by low-lying peat bogs. When young, Boorenkaas is an excellent slicing and melting cheese, and is great for snacking. The more mature the cheese, the more pronounced the flavor, and when fully aged, it becomes a perfect grating cheese.
Monday, September 22, 2008
ULI'S Famous Nuremberg Style bratwurst, a tender, good lemony brat.
Uli's Famous Sausages and Bavarian Meat Company Sausages can be found here.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Currywurst Do over- Knorr you are so good to me!
How to make a Currywurst dinner in 15 minutes.
Wash and cross cut (2" deep) 2 baking potatoes and put in microwave for 10 minutes.
In large skillet add 1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil set temp to medium heat.
I used a four pack of Bavarian Meat Company Bratwurst sausages (1.4lb) and browned them in the time it took the potatoes. That 10 minutes also gave me the time to cut the zucchini and yellow squash and put it into a microwave safe covered glass bowl.
When sausage is done remove the pan from the heat, remove sausages from the pan and cut into pieces. Add 200ml (scant cup) of water to the pan. Whisk contents of package into the water, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over your sausage pieces and serve.
OK so I never really follow the directions:
The way I really cooked them was like this: I left the sausages in the pan and cut them while they were still cooking into slices the size you see on the package. I let them finish while I got the water ready, took the potatoes out and put the veg into the microwave for 5 minutes. There were lots so I actually stopped it at 2 1/2 minutes and stirred then added another minute. Perfection! BTW I really like my international measurement measuring cup!.
Then I poured the currywurst mix into the water, gave it a few spins with the fork and added it to the pan. I turned the temp on the stove down to 2 stirred it up and cleaned up the measuring cup and other cooking mess.
The sauce thickened up quite nicely in about a minute. I took in off the heat and let it sit covered while I plated the split potatoes onto 3 plates I then put the currywurst with extra sauce onto the potatoes and added the veg on the side. I don't think that is traditional at all but that is what I did.
This mix is delicious! You get a slight bit of heat from the curry but the most amazing flavor component is from the smoked paprika. Wow! I am out of Smoked Paprika and admit that I never experimented with that ingredient from Spain. But now I'm being sucked in, I'll have to reorder the paprika. It tastes that good!
I added a few new blogs to the list today- check them out!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What is hardtack? Plus Swedish Crackerbread recipes
BUY AND ENJOY CRISPBREADS HERE
1863 SPECIFICATIONS FOR CRISPBREAD PROVISIONS
Assistant Commissary General of Subsistence - Lt. Col. C.L. Kilburn - Notes on Preparing Stores for the United States Army and on the Care of the Same, etc, with a few rules for Detecting Adulterations - Printed 1863
Under Hard Bread
Should be made of best quality of superfine, or what is usually known as extra superfine flour; or better, of extra and extra superfine, (half and half). Hard bread should be white, crisp, light and exhibit a flaky appearance when broken. If tough, solid and compact, is evident the fault is either in the stock, manufacture or baking; it should not present the appearance of dried paste. If tough and pasty, it is probably manufacture from grown wheat, or Spring wheat of an inferior kind. In all cases it should be thoroughly cooled and dried before packing. Kiln drying, where practicable, for long voyages, is particularly desirable; but if really and thoroughly dried in the oven, hard bread will keep just as well and its flavor is not destroyed. To make good hard bread, it is essential to employ steam; hand work will not do.
The dough should be mixed as dry as possible; this is, in fact, very essential, and too much stress can not be placed on it. Good stock, dry mixed, and thoroughly baked, (not dried or scalded) will necessarily give good hard bread. If salt is to be used, it should be mixed with the water used to mix the dough. Both salt and water should be clean. Bread put up with the preceding requirements should keep a year; but as a usual thing, our best bread as now made for army use, will keep only about three months. Good, bread, packed closely and compactly should not weigh, net, per barrel, more than 70 or 80 pounds; should it be heavier that 80 it indicates too much moisture. The thickness of the biscuit is important; it should not be so thick as to prevent proper drying, or so thin as to crumble in transportation. The quality of stock used for hard bread can be partially told by rules mentioned in the article 'Flour,' as far as they apply. The term 'sprung' is frequently used by bakers, by which is meant raised or flaky bread, indicating strong flour and sound stock. The cupidity of the contracting baker induces him to pack his bread as soon as it comes out of the oven, and before the moisture has been completely expelled by drying. Bread of this kind hangs on breaking; it will also be soft to the pressure of the finger nail when broken, whereas it should be crisp and brittle.
The packages should be thoroughly seasoned, (of wood imparting no taste or odor to the bread,) and reasonably tight. The usual method now adopted is to pack 50 pounds net, in basswood boxes, (sides, top and bottom 1/2 inch, ends 5/8 of an inch,) and of dimensions corresponding with the cutters used, and strapped at each end with light iron or wood. The bread should be packed on its edge compactly, so as not to shake.
Bread thoroughly baked, kiln dried, and packed in spirit casks, will keep a long time but it is an expensive method. If bread contains weevils, or is mouldy, expose to the sun on paulins, and before re-packing it, rinse the barrel with whiskey.
Army Hardtack Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups flour (preferably whole wheat)
4 teaspoons salt
Water (about 2 cups)
Pre-heat oven to 375° F
Makes about 10 pieces
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add just enough water (less than two cups) so that the mixture will stick together, producing a dough that won’t stick to hands, rolling pin or pan. Mix the dough by hand. Roll the dough out, shaping it roughly into a rectangle. Cut into the dough into squares about 3 x 3 inches and ½ inch thick.
After cutting the squares, press a pattern of four rows of four holes into each square, using a nail or other such object. Do not punch through the dough. The appearance you want is similar to that of a modern saltine cracker. Turn each square over and do the same thing to the other side.
Place the squares on an ungreased cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn each piece over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crackers should be slightly brown on both sides.
The fresh crackers are easily broken but as they dry, they harden and assume the consistentency of fired brick.
Swedish Hardtack
1 cup water
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. honey
3 cups rye flour (or 1 1/2 cups rye & 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 tbsp. brewer's yeast (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix liquids together. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Combine the mixtures, stirring to moisten throughout. Form a ball. On a floured surface, flatten the dough, and roll out thinly. Cut into squares and prick each cracker with the tines of a fork a couple of times. Transfer to lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 425° F for around 8 minutes, checking to be sure not to over-brown. It is best served warm.
Simple Recipes
Use one part water to six parts flour. Mix in salt. Roll the dough flat and score into cracker shapes. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400° F and let it cool until completely dry before storing in canisters. The crackers should be hard as bricks and indestructibly unappetizing.
A cup of water
2 cups of flour
6 pinches of salt
Mix flour, water, and salt into a stiff dough, kneading it several times. Spread dough ½ inch thick onto baking sheet and slice into 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch squares. Poke holes in dough, four lines of four holes across and four down. Bake for ½ hour at 400.° F. Remove from the oven, cut the dough into 3 inch squares. Turn dough over, return it to the oven, and bake for another ½ hour. Turn the oven off, leaving the oven door closed. Leave the hardtack in the oven until it is cool.
From http://kenanderson.net/hardtack/recipes.html
Monday, September 1, 2008
Conimex spices up the Fennel tonight
