Musings on cooking

[jethrien]

Last night, I made apple dumplings for the first time.

I'm not totally thrilled how they came out - the crust was too...pie-crusty. Mostly because I used slightly modified pie crust. I'm not sure what's supposed to be different, but these didn't seem right.

Anyway, though, they were an astounding amount of work.

Which got me to thinking about the formality of desserts and the corresponding effort.

My mother's apple cake, for example, is relatively straightforward. If you choose a cake that doesn't require peeling and slicing fruit, it's even easier.

And yet a cake seems so much more formal and elaborate than the humble cookie...which actually take as much or more effort to produce. My pumpkin cookies, for example, take far more time to make than an unfrosted cake. Or even a frosted one. Each cookie has to be spooned out and flattened, and you have to be whipping things in and out of the oven instead of just sticking something in and leaving it. And then each cookie needs to be frosted.

Or apple dumplings, which seem so quaint and simple. And are a royal pain in the ass to make.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Apple dumplings are a very old, traditional dish which means by definition that they took a long time to make. For the upper classes, this didn't matter because the servants made all the food. For the lower classes, they were worth the time because they were very inexpensive to make, extremely filling, and easy to transport. They also keep well and don't require precise baking such as a souffle does. Ditto on all those old-fashioned gingerbreads, baked puddings, and pound cakes (cut a slab, wrap it in a napkin, and store it in a pocket for a hearty lunch).

One of the easiest ways to streamline cookies is to make them as bars: Toll House, for instance, are perfect this way. Same recipe (and there are many variations such as "blondies" and "vanilla brownies")but cooked in a pan.

Or say to hell with it and go for a pint of rocky road, some whipped cream, and a spoon. Quite fine and no baking!

[chuckro.livejournal.com]

Why do I get the feeling this was posted by somebody's mother?

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

I think yours. She sent me a set of historical definitions of dumplings, as well.

Besides, the last line doesn't sound like my mother - and I don't think her default ice cream would be rocky road.

[(Anonymous)]

This is the big problem with having a distinctive style and voice. I can never be anonymous.

And that pleather leopard print outfit...doesn't blend into the background either.