Sticky buns; Lord Baltimore Cake; Denver Sandwiches; VIchyssoise

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Sun Jun 4 13:14:04 UTC 2000


STICKY BUNS

"Now for a real treat!  My sticky buns!"
--Martha Stewart
(O.K., so I made that quote up)

     It's like "buns of steel," only different.
     John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK gives no date:
"Although they are popular throughout the United States, they are often
associated with Philadelphia and sometimes called 'Philadelphia sticky buns,'
although in Philadelphia itself, they are called 'cinnamon buns.'"
     "Sticky buns" is not in the OED.  The franchise that sells these things
is called "Cinnabon."
     From GOURMET, March 1976, pg. 78, col. 1:

     _Philadelphia Sticky Buns_
     In a small bowl proof 1 envelope active dry yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm
water with a pinch of sugar for 10 minutes.  In a large bowl combine 1 cup
scalded milk with 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened and cut into bits, and
let the mixture cool to lukewarm.  Beat in the yeast mixture, 2 cups sifted
flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt and let the sponge stand,
covered, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is bubbly.  Beat in 2
eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and 1/2 cup sugar and
stir in 2 1/2 cups sifted flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a smooth soft
dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surafce and knead it for 10
minutes, or until it si smooth and satiny.  Knead in additional flour if the
dough is sticky.  Form the dough into a ball, put it in a buttered bowl,
turning it to coat it with the butter, and let it rise, covered, in a warm
place for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until it si double in bulk.  Punch down
and halve the dough and roll one half into a 14- by 9inch rectangle on a
lightly floured surface.  Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter evenly on the
dough, sprinkle the dough with 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1/4
cup chopped black walnuts, 2 tablespoons currants, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
and drizzle 3 tablespoons light corn syrup over the filling.  Beginning at a
short end roll up the dough jelly-roll fashion.  Repeat the process with the
remaining dough.  Pour 2/3 cup light corn syrup into each of two buttered
9-inch-square baking pans, tilting and rotating the pans to distribute the
syrup evenly.  Cut the dough rolls into 1-inch slices, arrange 9 slices cut
side down in each pan, leaving space between them, and let the buns rise,
covered, in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until they are double in bulk.
Bake the buns on the lowest rack of a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees
F.) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are well browned.  Invert the buns
onto racks set over jelly-roll pans and let them cool slightly.  Break the
buns apart.  Makes 18 buns.

     This is from WINE AND DINE WITH THE LAKE ROLAND (MD--ed.) GARDEN CLUB
(1935), pg. 129:

     _STICKY BUNS_
2 teaspoons salt
1 pint scalded milk
1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup sugar
     Stir, and when cool add 2 beaten eggs.  Add 1 yeast cake dissolved in a
little warm milk and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Beat with spoon, adding enough
flour (about 6 or 8 cups) to make soft dough.  Cover and let lighten. Pull
dough in sheets, sprinkle with white sugar, cinnamon, raisins and butter.
Roll and cut in buns.  Melt butter in pan and sprinkle with brown sugar, put
buns in and lighten again.  Cook in slow oven about 30 minutes.

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LORD BALTIMORE CAKE

    The Lady Baltimore Cake is famous and is well documented in Mariani's
ENCYCLOPEDIA.  THE GENERAL FOOD COOK BOOK (1932) has a long recipe for "Lord
Baltimore Cake" on page 278.

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DENVER SANDWICHES

     DARE has this from 1925 and cites a Sinclair Lewis novel.  I found a
bunch of hits, most from the 1930s.
     From YOUNG PEOPLE'S COOK BOOK, OR, HOW THE DAYTONS COOKED AT HOME AND IN
CAMP (New York, 1925) by Inez N. McFee, pg. 270:

     _Denver Sandwiches._  Combine chopped meat and eggs in an omelet.  Toast
the bread on one side.  Place the mixture between the buttered, untoasted
sides.  Top with shredded cress, camp greens or cabbage salad.

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VICHYSSOISE

     I'll check the NYPL's menus for "Vichyssoise."
     This is from A MEAL IN ITSELF: A BOOK OF SOUPS (1944) by Mary Frost
Mabon, pg. 164:

     _VICHYSSOISE--CENTRAL PARK CASINO_
     (for 6 or 7)
     Lucius Beebe's fans were aroused to such a pitch of enthusiasm when he
published this recipe in the Thirties in his Saturday _New York Herald
Tribune_ column, that for years thereafter he celebrated each anniversary of
its appearance with a different version of the soup.  And even today, the
thirst for Vichyssoise that he reported and that he helped engender rages
unslaked.  So every aspiring hot-doggery now prints a V for Vichyssoise on
its menu, though the soup that is often served under that honorable name
should cause a responsible maitre d'hotel to leave the premises instanter.
Onion-and-flavor-sauce soup is what they should call it, for only the chives
and the chilling bear any relation to the original--a leek soup invented for
Louis XIV.  (...) This is a tried and true recipe, and once you use it you
may never again want to eat the soup out, except possibly at "21" or at Ernie
Byfield's Pump Room in Chicago, where I agree with Beebe that the higher
niceties of gastronomy are observed to the letter.

    I'll plow through Beebe's Saturday columns when I have time.

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SMOOTHIE

     OED has a first citation of 1977.
     John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK has:

_smoothie._  A drink with a thick, smooth consistency made from pureeing
fruit with yogurt, ice cream, or milk.  The term dates to the 1970s.

     From GOURMET, July 1978, pg. 104, col. 3:

     _Banana Smoothie_
     In a blender or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade blend 1
banana, sliced, 1/2 cup each of plain yogurt and orange juice, and 3
tablespoons honey at high speed until the mixture is smooth.  Pour the
mixture into a chilled tall glass and sprinkle it with freshly grated nutmeg.
 Makes 1 drink.



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